Two Lines

thirty one

"Bhaskar..."

"Mr. Gayakwad was a sick person. He was so deep into the drainage of politics that he couldn't digest my Aai's entrance."

His hands fiddled, trying to grab something, anything, which could make him stable. Going down the lane of memories was hard for him, but he decided to let it out.

"He... He had tried so many things to stop my Aai... But she was adamant, she had many influences and could have won elections. But..."

"You don't have to tell--"

"No... I'll say and you will listen."

It was a command and Kanak obliged.

"But, Kanak, his last weapon was I. He had placed that ugly kitchen knife here."

He took her hands and placed on his bobbing Adam's apple, his throat was burning hot and Kanak couldn't help but cry more.

"He fucking challenged my Aai. For this world they were perfect couple, but I, a small kid had seen that all and experienced those all."

"I remember... I remember my Aai shouting at him, begging him to leave me out of their game. But that monster had other idea..."

"He had planned everything perfectly, not even criminals could commit such sins."

"Few men were hiding there, in that room... He... He had laughed a monstrous laugh... And his men came out of their hiding and covered her... She had been shouting all the time, her eyes so caring and loving, staring only at my face."

Kanak hugged him tightly, trying to stop him, trying to not let him break on his own.

"But that devil scraped my skin and took her life just in a blink. She had been staring at my face, even after life left her body. My Aai died trying to save me..."

But Kanak knew, a child wasn't saved that day.