The Mystery Missings

Chapter 4. The Killing

I could see Jyothi trying to shake me out of the shock and was saying something which I was unable to listen but I could only see her lip move.

I was just staring at everything and zoned out of the reality partially for few moments. My brain could not process the information about what Jyothi has told me now.

After few attempts of Jyothi trying to bring me to my senses. I said," It can't be true". While looking into infinite and then turning my head towards Jyothi.

Jyothi asked, "what can't be true"? I replied, "what you just told now".

Jyothi with frustration in her voice initially spoke: "you idiot, you know how close am I with Swathi, why would I lie about such a thing when there is not enough proof in this time of the night". "I tried to confront her, after few days of the incident about what I saw during the night before your arrest".

"But, I could not dare to ask her anything. After the incident whenever she was talking to me and trying to behave as if she has done nothing. I tried my best to confront her indirectly".

"One day, while we both were alone at a well near the mango orchard in the east side of the village. She suddenly said with a smile on her face and stern look in the eyes, "don't try hard to ask about what you have in your mind right now, just forget about it and be normal". "I knew everything you saw that night. It's the right thing to do and you don't need to worry about anything else, unless you want to tell anyone else about what you saw".

"With these words, I was terrified and tension creeping in fast. I tried to move away from the place but unable to move. As if she had some kind of spell on me. She then, hugged me and said over the shoulder into my ear, "I know you love me, you won't do anything stupid that makes me angry". After that she left the place.

"I sat there after she left and was surprised to know that she could read my mind all this time from that day onwards". I stayed late, thinking of the possible reason for Swathi to behave in such a strange manner".

"Swathi never was mean or cruel towards anyone. She always was kind, loved people and cared for animals. She never could stand any kind of injustice happen to anyone. 'She might be having some strong reason to justify her actions' - this is what I could think of her, because of having a strong bond with her.

"Thinking, she might tell me one day about why did she kill a person". "I tried to stand and go from that place".

"I could see that it became dark."

"Our village's rouge Rajesh came to the place and started to talk all the nasty things he could speak off. I warned him and asked to back off at once".

"He tried to rape me saying that he likes to rape when the girl resists his advances even more. I slapped him and tried to run for my life away from the place. But, he threw a big stone at me when I tried to escape. The stone hit me on back of my head and I fell unconscious".

"When I opened my eyes, I could see the dark starry night and I was lying before the Kali temple which is at the west of the village. (which means she has been moved to Kali temple which is on the west of the village, from the east mango orchard). I tried to recall what has happened and all I could think was until the stone hit me".

"I stood in the little light, that's coming from the lamps inside the temple. I turned towards the goddess Durga (Kali) idol and prayed in my mind for a moment, and started to think how did I end up here and what happened to the Rajesh who tried to rape me."

"He will be punished for the sins he has done earlier and what he would do in the future, if left alive", spoke a voice emerging from the dark. It's none other than Swathi's voice".