End Of The Beginning

CHAPTER ONE : HEAVY BURDENS

'You cannot escape the responsibilities of tomorrow by evading it today.'


Strong chilling winds blew through her neatly tied hair. She paced her steps quicker. Crackling thunder and  light drizzles indicated the prelude of an insetting storm. She held her handbag tight to her chest and ran with all her might, looking around for a quick shelter. She had walked for sometime when finally she found a roadside tea stall owner struggling hard to keep his tiny broken shop covered in the large fluttering plastic cover. She quickly walked to him. After helping him with the cover, Nita could gracefully find a shelter until the storm and rain subsided. The owner was a middle aged man of mid-fifties who instantly offered her a hot cup of steaming tea and spicy squared biscuits while she waited for the weather to calm down. Only if he also knew ways to calm the storm that was brewing inside her.

While sipping the hot beverage Nita strolled back through her shattered life. She had not realized when things had suddenly started changing between 'them'. Today when 'he' stood right in front of her in the court room, she understood how much she needed him. Years back when she had first met him inside the imprisoned walls of the mental asylum, he was nothing more than an instrument she had used to get out of those heavy metal clutches. Her heart hadn't even pounded once when he had  gathered every ounce of his courage to confess his feelings or propose marriage to her. She had never once shivered when his lips touched her intently evoking desires of love. Even after all these years of courtship she hadn't changed her feelings for him, he always remained her selfish toy. Then what changed  today so drastically inside those strong cemented walls. Was she always blind? or was it her stubbornness that had always kept her immune to her feelings or was it her haunting childhood memories that had bruised her life for ever? She didn't knew.

Born in a socially secluded family, Nita has tasted the bitter-most aspects of life on a regular basis. She wasn't born selfish, nor was selfishness in her chromosomes. Born from a strong woman, Nita had every bit of strength to live her struggle in the petty, mushy slums with her parents. A meal a day, a sleepless rainy night and shabby clothes were just some of their everyday banters. Sometimes a painful tear from her mother compensated her hunger, an encouraging cuddle from her father rebuked the night and the clothes gave her an unknown feel of satisfaction. It wasn't after all a completely shaded life for her, until that night. The night which came with its darkest hue and took away everything from her. Her parents, her home, her life and her aspirations. 

Her cold fingers shivered, clutching over the glass of tea tighter. A strong thunder broke through the cloudy sky breaking her stance. She looked around getting herself back from her thoughts. The storm has calmed down though the climate still bears a mild coldness. The shop owner has gone busy cleaning up his messy place. She stood up and thanked him holding out a fifty rupees note to him. He looked at her surprised but quickly controlled himself and started looking around for the change. Nita didn't wait for him and started walking hurriedly towards the other side of the street. 

It has been a while she was walking on the road lost in her ow thoughts when a car screeched beside her. She stopped and leaned forward to look inside. One look at the man sitting inside and she stepped back a few steps. Her face had lost its color and she looked scared. She knew well what was coming. The gentleman sitting inside pushed out an envelope towards her through the half opened window. Nita kept looking at him for a long time before she could control her shivering fingers to hold onto the piece of paper. The man settled back immediately and the car rushed away leaving a tensed Nita alone.

Nita kept looking at the envelop in her hand. Her dry lips and teary eyes portrayed her fear within. She slowly turned the envelop to open it. There was a photograph placed neatly inside. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath she touched the photograph. She could feel 'him'. Gathering all her courage she pulled out the picture from its cover. The handsome man smiled back at him. 

'Jatin' her sour lips muttered softly, 'How can I kill you now?'