HIDING HERSELF (A Short Story)

Hiding Herself Part 7 [Last Part]

He kept thinking while another question came in his brain "are you Nadira?"

She was quiet at his words for a second, followed by the bursts of laughter...

Rishab couldn't grasp if she was mad or evil. Whatever she was, he was now sure that it couldn't be Nadira.

He recalled her looking at herself in the mirror, admiring her dirty face...

"Well you couldn't be Nadira...I am sure now" he smiled at the scary face that now stopped laughing altogether

"What do you mean?" asked the old mouth

Rishab glanced her from top to bottom "you're actually prettier than Nadira and Madhubala...I came here to have a glimpse of Madhubala but I saw someone more beautiful than her..."

The old woman frowned at Rishab "I will punish you for making a fun of me"

Rishab stood still swearing "god promise, I didn't lie...my eyes can see your beauty"

The old woman confusedly walked into the bedroom looking at the mirror "no, you're lying"

"Fine, if you think I am lying, then punish me" he said bowing his head in front of her...

With her big and sticky nails she rubbed his hair "I like you...I feel good after a long time"

"How long my dear?" Rishab never wanted to touch the sticky dirty hands but it was important, to catch a fish it's necessary to feed her...

The old frame sat on the bed "I don't even remember, may be two hundred years"

Rishab wanted to vomit...so she was a decayed fish...

"I have to leave now," she said looking at the clock...

Rishab looked at the time, so this poor old thing can't stand for long. "Where are you going?"

Before he could ask anything else she vanished into the picture...

But then his Madhu didn't come out. What was this mystery, before this Madhu went in first and this dirty figure came out but now where is Madhu.

After waiting for one hour he thought of leaving but his mind wasn't convinced, as all his thinking stopped at Madhu, where did she go? What happened to her and why is she taking too long to come out of that picture.

He was still analysing when he saw her standing in front him "Madhu?"

Shocked to see him sitting on her bed she looked back at the picture and asked him to leave

"Rishab, you don't know what you're doing. Just leave"

He smiled looking at her pale face and out of sudden grabbed her tightly "sshh...quiet"

Both gazed at each other... without saying anything he bent down to kiss her lips when she looked away "please leave"

"First you promise, you'll have to tell me everything"

She felt his fingers digging in her skin at the back "what?"

"What's this mystery? Of you hiding, then going into this picture, then coming out"

Shockingly she blinked her eyes, so he has seen everything "Rishab, you must leave, you won't be able to hear my truth"

"Tell me, which truth you are talking about?" he was adamant not leaving her at all...

Madhu felt helpless in front of him "ok, if you want to listen"

He looked at her...

"I came to Mumbai 4 years ago to become a star, after my first successful film I wanted to buy a bungalow for myself and my mother so I won this bungalow in auction without knowing that I was inviting danger myself"