Different Faces: The Story Of A Soul's Rebirth

12. The Nightmare

"Aahana," he whispered, "I can not treat you as my wife. I am too broken to love you like a man loves his wife."

Aahana smiled at Sameer, "Am I asking you to? Just treat me like your friend, Sameer. And if friendship is difficult, let me help you as a doctor." Sameer looked at the woman standing in front of him. He had been so indifferent to her emotions, yet she was helping him. "The world needs more people like you, Aahana," he whispered. Aahana chuckled. She made Sameer lay down on the bed to sleep and went towards the couch.

"How can someone do this to a seven year old child?" Aahana wondered to herself, "That too a child who is equivalent to her son? Can someone stoop so low?" She did not know what to think about the woman. Was she really a woman or a human even? Aahana plugged in her earphones to listen to some music. She needed to keep herself calm. Sameer should be the one to take the decision to get Malini punished. She could not impose it on him. She had to wait.

As Aahana pondered over how she could help Sameer, she heard him telling someone to stop. She hurried towards the bed and noticed that Sameer was already awake. "Make it stop, Aahana, please make it stop," he pleaded her. His face was pale, his hands were shivering. Aahana felt her eyes tearing up. She made him drink some water and sat down next to him.

"What did you see, Sameer?" Aahana gently asked him. "I saw her," Sameer's voice trembled, "She was trying to take off my clothes...." "And suddenly she was pulled away," Aahana whispered, "She was locked in a room. Now, she can never hurt you." Sameer listened to her words and repeated them in his head. Aahana helped him lay down and put him to sleep.

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Two days had passed since Sameer had shared his experiences with Aahana. Since that night, he had stopped running away from Aahana but also had started to avoid interaction with Malini. He had shifted his and Aahana's stuff into the guest room till the time his room was renovated. The new room was coloured in lime green. Sameer agreed to Aahana, the colour did soothe him a little.

The fact, that Sameer had agreed to renovate his room, came as a surprise to his family. He had never allowed anyone to do that earlier. His parents had teased him and Aahana. While he had not appreciated their comments, Aahana had smiled at them and accepted their remarks. 

Sameer looked at Aahana as she entered their temporary room. She had not forced him to talk again, yet he knew that she was waiting for him to continue the tale. She had been by his side everytime he had woken up from a nightmare. She had listened to him and had retold him the end of his dreams, reminding him that he could change the story. 

As Aahana sat down in front of him, Sameer began the story from where he had left. "As I hit puberty, I started realising that letting her touch me was wrong. So, next time when I woke up to her touching me, I firmly told her that this was wrong. She gave me a look and went away. Later that night, I woke up again," Sameer stopped. He took a deep breath and told himself, "Just a little bit more."

"My hands and legs were tied, my mouth was stuffed with a piece of cloth. I was naked and my aunt was...," he could not do this. He closed his eyes as those scenes repeated themselves in front of him. "Since then, this has gone on. The last time she did this was the day I shouted at you, two days ago." 

Aahana drew a deep breath. It took every ounce of her self control to not go and kill the rapist. She looked at Sameer. The terror filled in his heart was not hidded from her. He was too afraid of his aunt to raise his voice. "Why did you marry me?" Aahana asked him. "She wanted me to. She threatened me. I would have never married you if I could avoid it. I never wanted to spoil your life."

"Do your parents know?" Aahana asked him again. Sameer shook his head. Aahana nodded and put him to sleep. She switched off the lights, leaving a night light on. She laid on the couch and closing her eyes, she wondered how she could help Sameer come out of his fear.

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So, how is it?

~Purnima