I was busy saying the Gayatri mantra, when the phone rang. It's impatient persistance, urged my old bones to rise and pick it up. Rohit sounded angry which was usual for him as he demanded " Dadi when are you going to the hospital with dadaji ? " " But im not going, your papa is." i replied. " Damn. Bloody Buddhey. " was the reply as the receiver crashed in my ear.
"Have to speak to Rama, again. This boy will come to a bad end. Comes of spoiling the boy.Where did we all go wrong? He was such a sweet boy. "Its his hormones, sudhar jayega" was Rama's answer everytime. But im going to speak to Sudhir today. At least my son listens to me" i thought with grim satisfaction.
An hour passed, i was still trying to suppress my worries about Harish, my husband's health, and Rohits aggression. Just yesterday, even from my flat next door, i could hear the fight between father and son. Rohit's latest demand was a bike, and he couldn't see why he couldn't have it. Was he not the only child of his parents. Maybe that's where the trouble lay. Rama had always shielded him. From the world, from his family even.
Picking up the prayer book, I eased myself on the floor, when the doorbell rang. And rang. And rang. "Arrey, aa rahi hoon. Kaun hai ?" Muttering to myself, I looked thru the peephole and saw Rohit and his friend Manu outside. As i opened the door, they rushed in. "hato, move it, dadi," he said as he pushed me aside. "Jao, get us some tea," he demanded. Knowing better than to argue, i turned to go to the kitchen.
It was then that i felt fear. Swiftly i turned. All that my brain registered was that it was Rohit who was swinging a cricket bat, that was aimed at my head. As it made contact with my head, i fell.
" Nahi, beta" were the only words my lips were forming as i fell..
My head was lead, into my blurred vision came Rohit and Manu. Across the room, they stood. Manu's arms were full of something that glittered." My jewellery," screamed a voice in my head. Footsteps were coming towards me. I gripped the knife that was lying beside me. The face that came into my view was asking " Mar gai buddhi ?" "No! No! you are making a mistake, my heart cried. This maniac, this killer is not your grandson, your baby." Grimly my mind screamed, "It is! It is ! Raise that knife ! HIT HIM. Its your last chance. Do it !"
His arm held mine now, " Pulse is still there. I cant take the risk," he said as his arm swung down, the knife poised, and in one clean sweep he cut her neck.
Afterwards, he thought he had seen her eyes open as the knife swung down. Her arm, he felt had made as if to rise. In it was gripped a knife. The police wondered why she had'nt used it to defend herself, and concluded that the murderer must have been a known person. But even he, a veteran of twenty years, couldn't believe the culprit was her grandson, a callow teen of fifteen.
"Have to speak to Rama, again. This boy will come to a bad end. Comes of spoiling the boy.Where did we all go wrong? He was such a sweet boy. "Its his hormones, sudhar jayega" was Rama's answer everytime. But im going to speak to Sudhir today. At least my son listens to me" i thought with grim satisfaction.
An hour passed, i was still trying to suppress my worries about Harish, my husband's health, and Rohits aggression. Just yesterday, even from my flat next door, i could hear the fight between father and son. Rohit's latest demand was a bike, and he couldn't see why he couldn't have it. Was he not the only child of his parents. Maybe that's where the trouble lay. Rama had always shielded him. From the world, from his family even.
Picking up the prayer book, I eased myself on the floor, when the doorbell rang. And rang. And rang. "Arrey, aa rahi hoon. Kaun hai ?" Muttering to myself, I looked thru the peephole and saw Rohit and his friend Manu outside. As i opened the door, they rushed in. "hato, move it, dadi," he said as he pushed me aside. "Jao, get us some tea," he demanded. Knowing better than to argue, i turned to go to the kitchen.
It was then that i felt fear. Swiftly i turned. All that my brain registered was that it was Rohit who was swinging a cricket bat, that was aimed at my head. As it made contact with my head, i fell.
" Nahi, beta" were the only words my lips were forming as i fell..
My head was lead, into my blurred vision came Rohit and Manu. Across the room, they stood. Manu's arms were full of something that glittered." My jewellery," screamed a voice in my head. Footsteps were coming towards me. I gripped the knife that was lying beside me. The face that came into my view was asking " Mar gai buddhi ?" "No! No! you are making a mistake, my heart cried. This maniac, this killer is not your grandson, your baby." Grimly my mind screamed, "It is! It is ! Raise that knife ! HIT HIM. Its your last chance. Do it !"
His arm held mine now, " Pulse is still there. I cant take the risk," he said as his arm swung down, the knife poised, and in one clean sweep he cut her neck.
Afterwards, he thought he had seen her eyes open as the knife swung down. Her arm, he felt had made as if to rise. In it was gripped a knife. The police wondered why she had'nt used it to defend herself, and concluded that the murderer must have been a known person. But even he, a veteran of twenty years, couldn't believe the culprit was her grandson, a callow teen of fifteen.
good to notice other protagonists in your piece..
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