SWASAN – Acceptance (34)

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Episode 33

Though the lights of whole city lit up the place, there was darkness beyond it which was persistent and resurfaces when those lights were off because it is what the universe is…dark. Though the sun tries to fill light in days and lives of people, it is ultimately darkness that rules the world, the universe. Darkness itself is evil, pain, chaos and emptiness. Swara smiled to herself as the night breeze started playing with strands of hair. She has seen many people who change into beast durning nights because it was what they were. On surface, darkness looks innocent with only a shade of black but the calmness it is what scary because that doesn’t have a single shade. The night cocoons all the illegal activities and makes the human presentable to light by masking him. And that’s the reason she hates dark and night because she was also a victim, a prey to those dangerous monsters.
Ragini became prey to one such monsters. She glanced at the Howrah bridge visible from the balcony of the manison. The one who killed her was living here, the same place where she was living, breathing the same air as her. She wanted to crush his throat to cut off the oxygen supply but she cannot because she was well aware how this darkness would protect him/her. A moment distracted her and she lifted her head. sanskar was standing at the entrance of her door gawking her. Swara sighed and turned to the sky.
” I am going to benaras tomorrow ” he announced while sitting beside her
” when?”
He shrugged ” early morning ” Swara noticed the darkening of his orbs.
” what for?” Though she knew the reason was really important
He turned to her with the same expression she used to see him working at office.
” answers”

After spending sometime with Swara, sanskar walked out of the room and bumped into laksh. When he looked at his dearest brother, the expression on his face shocked him. There was pain in his eyes which was obvious but other than it, he looked confident and determined. Perhaps he finally accepted her death. Laksh wrapped his arms around sanskar and braced him warm hug surprising him. Both of them stood there for a while without speaking to each other. Though his behavior confused sanskar he also understood his pain. Sanskar slowly patted his back
” when is your flight tomorrow? ”
Laksh pulled himself out ” early hours, 3:00 am” he said.
Sanskar smiled and kissed his forehead ” I hope this will bring some happiness in your life”
Laksh’s expression immediately dropped and his eyes turned cold ” It will”

Swara was humming a familiar tune while preparing breakfast. It was eight in the morning. Laksh left previous night and sanskar as promised left at 7:00. Her soon to be father in law didn’t return from office still. He stayed overnight there.
As Swara sliced paneer, tears came to her eyes. Ragini and sanskar loves the dish a lot and there was a day where they both fought for the last piece. A small chuckle erupted which was soon replaced by pain..a very heavy pain. Swara sighed. She cannot accept and move on from her death unless she became busy. After dicing the other requirements, she went to refrigerator to plan about lunch as ramu kaka was no where seen since morning. A small murmur in the hall distracted her and soon she knew who came
” good morning papa” she greeted a very tired durga Prasad. He smiled weakly
” go and get fresh yourself. Breakfast will be ready in ten minutes”
A thunder roared outside shivering Swara. The grey clouds spread across the city threatened to pour at any time.
” I wish ramu kaka would be here” she muttered because his chatter would at least distract her from her fear, the rain.
” I actually gave him day off” durga prasad announced out of blue still typing something in his mobile. He smriked a smrik that planted the seed of fear in her. Perhaps that evil smrik was their family trait.
” even I would be leaving in a day or two to laksh. So I thought it will be good for us to spend some family time”
She felt a pang of disappointment because she really started considering him as part of the family yet She put a broad smile on her face swallowing the other emotions.
” I will be in my study. Please call me if breakfast us ready” he announced while ascending the steps. Something about his behavior was weird. She simply shrugged and went back to kitchen.

” this way” one of the nuns in that orphanage guided sanskar towards annapurna’s room. He was very much determined to get the answers because only Annapurna maheswari can do that. In fact his theory of third person trying to harm both of them, him and Swara was none another than Mrs. Maheswari herself. They stopped in front of a faded door. The nun nodded politely before leaving him. Sanskar slowly opened the door. The room was no where near to luxury when compared to the whole orphanage. It was so lavish but Annapurna’s room looked old and worn out. He stepped inside the room which was emty now. There was a bed with white sheets arranged properly, a desk near by window along with chair. A small wardrobe along the bed which also was faded. But something in the room made it look peaceful and for a moment he forgot his anger.

Small sound in the background startled him. When he turned back, he saw Annapurna herself in white Saree. He observed a flash of surprise in her eyes before she composed herself. Annapurna opened her mouth but sanskar raised his hand
” I am here only to get my answers but not to listen your problems. So be quick”
She sighed and nodded him to continue ” what were you doing in Kolkata day before yesterday?” His tone was clipped showing no emotion. Annapurna paled for a moment and remained quiet. He groaned.
” answer me” he snarled.
” I won’t” she spoke in a calm yet strong voice. That voice, the same voice which he used to love started awakening the love for his mother. ” I am not going to answer to any of your other questions as well” she stated.
” why?” He asked, irritation oozing out. She shrugged ” you need to find out yourself sanskar. Everything what you see is not true”
” yeah” he mocked directing to her. She closed her eyes in pain for a second. When the lashes parted, they were blazing ” you need to fond yourself sanskar and for that you should step out of the illusion and ask..not demand” she almost yelled and turned her back to him. Sanskar sighed. Something in her words attracted him. He opened his mouth but closed immediately as his glance stopped at a newspaper on the table beside them. What shocked him was his engagement photo on it. The walls cracked a little around his heart. No matter what she has done, she is a mother to herself
” explain” he sighed but she shook her head. Sanskar placed his hands on her shoulder and turned towards him. There were water in her beautiful eyes that tugged his heart.
” I can only say the person name” she whispered, her voice hoarse. Sanskar frowned ” who?”

” Swara” sanskar roared as he entered the great hall of the manison. ” Swara” he yelled once again looking her out in the hall and kitchen. He quickly ascended the steps and started opening every door.
” Swara where are you?” He was now screaming top of his lungs. ” Swara,Swara!”
He finally reached his room and opened the door. Relief washed him seeing her but again there was something wrong. She was on her knees with a busted lip, a small line of blood at corner of her face and also red watery eyes. It was then he realized that there was another person in the room holding gun towards her head. As his eyes met the person, the world collapsed because the person was none other than his bade papa, durga Prasad maheswari. When Annapurna took his name, he yelled at her for giving wrong theories and immediately flew back to assure himself that what he heard was wrong. Every time he remembered saying prasad’s name, his rage increased by ten fold yet there was a very tiny place in his heart that worried for Swara because if his mother was correct then he would surely kill the love of his life and that’s what was happening now..
Durga prasad smiled evily ” ha, my son! I was waiting for you only. Come here. I have some unfinished business with your fiance” he turned turned to Swara and his expression turned dark.
” so say me Swara. Is it right to barg into someone’s study and eavesdrop?” Swara simply shook her head.
” use your mouth” he snarled making her jump. He smiled
” no” she whispered.
” it counts as trespassing and for that ” he fixed silencer to his gun ” you will be punished.
Both sanskar’s and swara’s eyes widened in fear. Durga Prasad now turned to sanskar with pure hatred.
” now my dear son, accompany your fiance on floor” he said super sweetly. Sanskar stood immobile at his place still considering it be a night made and as soon as he gets out of the dream, his badepapa would pat his shoulder lovingly while praising him. Durga prasad became all serious and targeted gun to Swara. She shut her eyes tight while shivering
” otherwise I will shoot her now” he roared and sanskar obliged because he understood this wasn’t a nightmare. Durga prasad smiled for his victory. ” so, as you both are comfortably seated and ready for listening, I will inform you about my plan which is simple of course” he snicked. Sanskar kneeled gawking at him. Was this same person who encouraged him when his father went to coma?
” I will be leaving the country and fly to laksh but as soon as I leave this building, I will drop a bomb that results in blasting” Swara flinched ” sweetheart, you both will be dead by the time I drop the bomb. So, the news will be like, sanskar maheswari and his fiance died in an attack on maheswari manison” he laughed.
Swara gulped and looked at sanskar who was staring at his bade papa with blank face. They were going to die within few minutes and all what he was able to think was about the betrayal of his bade papa. One of the persons whom he loves most!
” avinash” durga prasad yelled out of blue. Swara flinched again. He kept snickering at both of them. After few seconds when avinash didn’t turn up, he yelled again for him and fixed his gaze to Swara and sanskar.
” my bad, I actually cannot fly a copter so he will be the one helping me now” he stated as an explation and glanced at his watch. Irritation started making its way because he is a person who hate being late. After few seconds, avinash entered the room. Durga prasad turned back to look at entrance with a smile which was faded at the second what he saw.

Avinash was spitting blood with countless bruises on his face. He was unable to stand straight on his legs too and hence collapsed.
” what the..” Durga Prasad shut his mouth as another person entered. Laksh fixed a death glare to his so called dad and reached for avinash. He pulled him roughly from the floor to kneeling position.
Even sanskar and Swara blinked in shock at laksh just as durga prasad. Laksh quickly glanced at both of them with soft eyes before turning to his father. Durga Prasad’s gaze shifted from laksh to sanskar to laksh. He opened and closed his mouth thrice but nothing came out. He was too shocked to speak. Laksh must be in his flight then what was he doing here?
” how?” He finally managed to whisper, still in a shocked voice.
Laksh smriked weakly and nodded towards avinash ” few kicks and he spilled”
Durga prasad now gazed at avinash who helped him in almost all his dark works. Anger bubbled inside him. That little piece of s*it was unable to keep his mouth shut!

” I don’t appreciate employees who are not loyal to me…you bastard” durga Prasad yelled pointing his gun to him. Avinash blinked twice to process what was happening because he felt dizzy from all the beating from laksh. Before he can wrap his finger to the situation, a bullet made its way towards him, piercing his skull and touched the wall behind him. Later two bullets followed to his chest and avinash’s lifeless body fell down. The surroundings froze again. Swara didn’t even bat her lashes while sanskar fear doubled. Laksh remained motionless as the blood started soaking into his pale pink shirt making stains. His hands fell free on either sides of his body as avinash fell down.

Durga Prasad pinched the bridge of his nose in anger. He did as deed as he was some professional in that. Silence made its way among them except for it to be disturbed by the rain released by the dark clouds.

” why?” Laksh whispered to his father with tears in his eyes.

A/N: ah! Finally revealed..so what do you think the reason might be?

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