Vaishnavi's POV

I was sitting at the breakfast table after our usual morning walk.

Today also I had the same dream.

I was lost in my thoughts when I heard my mother call.

"Vaishu!"

I hummed and looked at her. She held my hand and caressed it softly.

"Beta mai jaanti hu jo bhi hua usse bhul paana bhut mushkil hai. Lekin ye zindagi hai. Hum aise ruk toh nhi skte na."

(I know its difficult to forget what happened. But this is life. We can't stop like this.)

"I know mumma. Mai koshish kr rhi hu."

(I am trying.)

"Meri ek baat manegi?"

(Will you listen one thing?)

I nod and she drops the bomb.

"Ek rishta aaya hai. Ladka bhut achha hai. Well settled hai, achha kama leta hai. Bas family mai uske saath sirf uski maa hai. Pita ki death ko ek saal ho chuka hai. Baaki sab bhut achha hai."

(There is an alliance. The boy is very nice. Well settled and earns well. He lives with his mother. Father is no more. Rest everything is fine.)

I look at her wide eyed.

"Mumma! Mai? Shaadi? I-i can't-"

(Me? Marriage?)

I look at papa and he blinks his eyes in assurance.

He cups my face and says.

"Koi force nhi hai. Lekin ek baar milne mai koi burai bhi nhi hai. Final decision tera hi hoga. Hum reason bhi nhi puchhenge. Okay?"

(No force. There's no harm in meeting once. Final decision will be yours. We won't ask the reason.)

I nodded and he kissed my head.

I went to my room and slumped on the bed.

All those memories came back to me like a horror movie.

Two years back, me and my best friend, Shreya had just started our first job and we were very excited.

We went to a cafe to celebrate.

We had a lot of fun eating, enjoying and clicking pictures around. I met Shreya in college. She was my classmate and soon we became fast friends. I shared everything with her and vice versa.

We were walking along the street gossiping and giggling looking for a rickshaw.

We didn't realise that we entered an empty street and that a van was following us.

Suddenly the van overtook and stopped in front of us. We were shocked.

Two masked men came out and pointed guns at us.

We were holding each other's hands tightly. We tried to run from there but they clamped their hanker chiefs over our mouths and in a few moments I felt my head spin and everything went dark.

The next thing I remember is waking up in a big, locked area. It seemed like a container.

There were many girls there. I searched for Shreya and saw her lying unconscious a little away from me.

I crawled to her and shook her awake.

She held her head and looked at me.

We looked at each other wide eyed.

"Hume yaha se nikalne ka koi tareeka dhundna padega. Aur inhe bhi yaha se nikalna hai."

(We will have to find a way to get out of here. And them too.)

I pointed towards the other girls who were waking up slowly.

We started waking them up and asked them if they knew anything. All of them seemed clueless.

Just then the container was opened and again two masked men came in view. One of them entered in and started counting the number of girls.

He then turned to other one who was guarding the entrance.

"Zarurat se ek ladki jyada hi hai bhai."

(There is one girl extra.)

"Sharam aani chahiye tumhe aisi harkatein karte huye. Maa behen nhi hai tumhare ghar pr."

(You should be ashamed to do this. Don't you have mothers or sisters.)

I spat out in disgust and the two turned in our direction. His eyes raked on all of us.

"Kaun bola ye?"

(Who said it?)

Before I could reply, Shreya got up and said.

"Maine bola. Kya kroge?"

(I said it. What will you do?)

"Bhut himmat aa rhi hai na. Aaja teri himmat nikalu mai."

(Getting brave right. Let me finish it.)

He pulled her by her hair and started dragging her out.

"Ruko! Shreya! Nhi!"

(Wait! No!)

I ran behind her to stop him but he locked the container again.

I banged the door and shouted.

"Chhodo usse! Usne kuch nhi kia. Maine bola tha. Chhodo usse! Kholo! Aah! Shreya!"

(Leave her! She didn't say anything. I did. Leave her! Open it!)

I shouted and banged the door but in vain. She was already gone. She took my blame.

I kept sitting near the door, banging it and asking for help, waiting for Shreya but I knew that it was because of me that she was going through whatever was happening with her right now.

I didn't know when I slept crying and mumbling her name.

The next day, I woke up from the sound of the container being opened.

Everyone shouted and shrank back in horror as a body was being suspended on the entry of the container.

I sat numb. They killed her. Her body, all bruised, naked and wrapped in sheets was being hung at the entrance.

Those men entered again and said.

"Agar kisi aur ne kuch krne ki ya jyada himmat dikhane ki koshish ki toh agla number uska hoga. Yaad rakhna."

(If anyone did something or tried to act brave will be next. Remember it.)

I kept sitting and looking at her. It should have been me at her place. I killed her. I didn't remember when and how I fainted.

When I woke up, I heard several shots being fired.

All the girls were gone.

I looked at Shreya's body. I could not leave her.

I don't know what's happening but I will not leave her.

I sat there and hid myself into the farthest corner of the container.

I closed my ears as the sounds of the shots got closer.

I heard a shot near me and opened my eyes to see Shreya's body being fallen on the ground and some men who seemed like officers take her away. I wanted to shout for help but my throat felt clogged.

They took her away and cowered inside the container further as I heard those men again.

"Chhodna mat saalon ko!"

(Don't leave any of them!)

I hid my face in my knees and shut my ears as the gun shots started again.

A few minutes later, everything went silent. I heard footsteps approach near me and I shrank further.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and a soft voice.

"Heyy!"

I opened my eyes wide and looked at him with fear. He too had a mask which only showed his eyes. His eyes which had a strange sense of peace and protection.

I was so scared that I cowered away and he raised his hands in surrender.

"Relax! You are safe! Indian army! You are safe!"

He said holding out his hand and that's when I noticed the badge on his uniform.

I launched myself in his arms and cried and he caressed my head.

"Shh! You are safe! You are fine!"

I looked into his eyes with tears and slowly everything went dark.

Next I woke up in the hospital with my parents sitting beside me looking really worried.

I immediately hugged them and cried. I asked for Shreya's parents and they informed me that they were preparing for her last rites.

The incident left a deep mark on my conscience. Even today, I blame myself for what my Shreya had to go through. 

I wish I could save you.
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