It was a nice day in Gujarat. All the members of the Modi family were preparing for the celebration of Navratri. The whole family loved this holiday so much.
While Kokila and Gopi were preparing for the celebrations, Kokila’s phone rang.
She picked it up and looked at the screen. She saw the name of Gaura on the screen. Kokila accepted the call.
“What do you want, Gaura?”Kokila said into the receiver. Judging by her tone, she wasn’t happy from Gaura’s call.
“What’s up, Koili?”Gaura replied back. Aren’t you happy to hear me?”
“What do you want, Gaura? Tell me what are you calling about, I don’t have time to listen to you now. We are preparing to celebrate Navratri.”
“This is what I am calling about, my friend. I want to invite you and your family to celebrate with me, Meera, Vidya Shravan and Dharam. We will be at the temple in one hour.”
“No, Gaura. I am sorry but I must deny your invitation.”
Gaura wasn’t happy to hear that.
“Why, Kokila? Why do you make me sad on such a sacred day? I want to celebrate Navratri with you and your family, and especially with you. You are still my best friend despite everything that happened. Did you forget how we used to dance Garba when we were little? Let’s do it again, Kokila.”
Suddenly, these words changed Kokila’s mind. She remembered about the good old times when she and Gaura were children. It was true, Kokila had made a very big mistake. She had killed Gaura’s brother when they were children. But Kokila regret it from the bottom of her heart. After some thinking, Kokila finally agreed.
“Fine, Gaura.”She said. “We will be there in an hour. Namaste.”
And Gaura hang up.
One hour later. Modi family arrived at the temple. Gaura and the rest of her family were already there.
“Namaste, Kokila.”Gaura said. I am so happy that you agree to come and celebrate with us.”
“Namaste, aunt.”Gopi said. “Why did you decide to invite us?”
“What a question, Gopi?”Gaura replied. Today is such a great opportunity to spend some time with my best friend Kokila. Today we can remember the good old times. We can dance Garba again. Isn’t that so, Kokila?”
Yes, it is.”
Minutes were passing. Suryavanshi and Modi family prayed to Maa Durga and did al the Navratri rituals. Modi family was having a very good time. But they didn’t know that Gaura had a plan. She had decided to kill Kokila. She wanted to take her revenge.
“My Koili is so happy.”Gaura thought. “She is so naive, she doesn’t suspect anything. It was so easy for me to convince her to come and celebrate with me. I easily tricked her that I have forgotten everything and her past mistake is now behind us. But she is so, so wrong. Today I will finally take my revenge. I will put and end to her life. I will kill her. She killed my brother. Kokila took away my most precious thing. She made me suffer all these years. I will get her back. Today. I will do it!”
And then, Gaura approached Kokila. She was alone because the other members of Modi family were busy dancing Garba.
“Do you like it here, my friend?”Gaura asked.
Yes, Gaura, I like it. And how about you?”
Ï like it to. You know what, Koili? I want to talk to you about something. But not here. Come with me for a while.”
“Why, Gaura? Can’t we talk here?”
“No, Kokila. It’s very noisy here. Please, come with me.”
Kokila agreed and Gaura took her hand.
The two women walked for a while when Gaura finally stopped.
“Here, Kokila. Here is the place.”
Gaura had stopped in front of a river.
“Gaura?”Kokila said, surprised. “What are we doing in front of this river?”
“Here is the best place.”
“The best place for what?”
Kokila was still confused.
“The best place for your death, my dear friend.”
Kokila was shocked.
“What? What did you say?”
You heard it, Kokila. You know what, you are so naive. It was so, so easy for me to convince you to come here and celebrate with me. You thought that I have forgotten everything? You thought that your sins are now a part of the past? You thought I will let you get away with what you did that easy? You killed my brother, Kokila! You took away my most precious thing. You ruined my childhood, my life. I suffered so many years because of you. And you thought you will just get away with your sin that easy? No! I will never let that happen. Today is the day when I will put an end to all of this. Today is the day when my brother’s soul will finally rest. Today I will kill you. I will take revenge for my brother’s death. You know what, Kokila? I’ve been waiting for this day for such a long time. I am so happy that today I have the chance to take away your life.”
“No, Gaura, please, don’t.”
Kokila was now scared. Scared for her life. She wanted to run but Gaura held her hard.”
You are not going anywhere!”Gaura said angrily.
“Please, Gaura, please, forgive me.”Kokila was now in tears. Ï didn’t mean to kill your brother, and why would I? Why would I want to do such a thing to my best friend?”
“Stop it, Kokila! I don’t want to listen to you! Your fake apologies will not bring my brother back.”
And killing me will not bring him back either.”
Ï know. But when I kill you, his soul will rest. He will feel avenged. And I will be finally happy. I promised myself that I will take revenge the day you killed my brother. I promised myself that one day, I will ruin your life, just like you ruined mine. And now, this day has come. You deserve to suffer, just like my brother did when you burnt him. So today I will drown you. You will go to the deepest place of this river.”
“What? I will not!”
You will. Because if you don’t do what I tell you, I will kill your whole family. Right here and right now. First will be Gopi. Next your dear granddaughters. And next everyone else will follow them into the grave. Now go. Go to the deepest place of this river and stay there. You will feel it’s deep enough when the water stars entering your lungs. When you fail to take a breath, it will mean that you are at the right place. And then you will just stay there. And wait for your death. Don’t worry, you will not suffer much. You will lose consciousness when the water gets into your lungs because you will not be able to breat. I will be watching you from here. And don’t try to run away. Don’t try to play tricks on me. Because if you do only one mistake, you know what will follow. Understand? Now go. I am watching. Oh, wait, I would forget something. If, for some reason, you stay alive, you will not tell anyone that I made you do this, understand? If they ask you something, you will tell them that you’ve accidentally fallen into the river. Understand?”
Kokila just shook her head in agreement. Not that she had any other choice.
She was still crying. Her heart was beating rapidly. She didn’t want to die. Not yet. Not on this sacred day. She wanted to be with her family. She wanted to see the children of her granddaughters. She wanted to live her life to its last day. But now, Gaura wanted to put an end to it.
Kokila had no choice but to obey. She started walking forward. The water was getting deeper and deeper. Kokila’s tears were increasing with every taken step. As she was walking through the river, she was thinking about her family. About her beloved Meera and Vidya. Her beloved Gopi. Her children, Kinjal and Ahem. Her husband, Parak. Her mother in law and her sister in law, Hetal.
And as she was thinking, she didn’t notice when the water had become deep enough that she could no longer breat properly. She was trying to breat but instead of air, water was entering her lungs. It became harder and harder for her to breat. She felt lightheaded and she collapsed.
The river was full of stones. When Kokila collapsed, she hit her head on such a stone. Gaura was watching everything and was happy. Finally, her wish would come true.
Or would it? Would someone be able to safe Kokila?