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THE LAST BREATH
#WritcoStoryChallenge
I blinked as I regained consciousness. I had hit my head hard, or had someone hit me? Then I realised I was holding a bloody knife in my hand.
The knife was bathed in raw blood.
The bastard was lying motionless. Yes. He is dead. I have killed him. A couple of minutes back. His last attack has gotten me unconscious for few minutes. I know, probably the cops will come here in no time now. They will arrest me. They will match my fingerprints with the one in the knife. And then the evidence will yell its consent against me. But do I really deserve this?
Well, then I must start from the very begining, the crude scratch.
I am Neha. Neha Tripathy. A girl who hailed from the suburbs of Himachal Pradesh. I was born in a town painted by mountains on all sides. Mornings were snow capped, nights gave chills of winter wave. It is a small town in northern Himachal Pradesh. People from around the country came here to spend their vacations. Yes you got it right. Its Manali. My hometown.
My dad had a small business of woolen cloths and it was mostly supported by the tourists.
Once, a tourist bus came to Manali. It had its origin from Delhi and the tourists were from a software company in Delhi. It was their official trip to Manali.
It was a monday. I had already completed my graduation so had a couple of free days to help out dad in his business. I was adding through the sales figures and the balance sheet of the month.
Hi, do you have jackets with pure fur inside? A young man with dark eyes, masculine face and a stout body spoke
in an intrepid voice. I looked up. I was alone in the shop as dad went for some household chores and asked me to take care for sometime alone. I replied in a mild but assured voice. Yes sir, we do have such items in our stock. Will you please specify your budget range. It will be easier for me to show you the right items that will fit your needs.
Well, generally I don't have budgets but since you insist, I want the best one. Ok Sir, in that case you can try out this marron jacket. It is made of pure fur and pure leather. It is the best in this entire market of Manali.
O wow, its worth praising. How much does it cost? It is bit expensive sir. It costs 25000 bucks. Ok madam, please pack it for me. I would like to buy it.
Sure sir. Give me a minute. I packed it and handed him the jacket. He paid me 25000 cash instantly and left.
This guy had an aura that lingered through my blood stream for that entire day.
The next day, before going to the shop, I went to the temple to meet my God; Shiv Ji. This habbit has been there with me since my childhood days.
As I entered the temple premises, I saw that guy again. He was wearing that jacket which I had given him the day before. He saw me and walked up to me. Hi Neha, how are you? I was perplexed. How does this stranger know my name. It came creepy to me.
Hello sir. May I know how do you know my name. Hahahaha, he laughed. I knew you would ask me this. I had been stalking you on facebook since 4 years. I had made several plans to come over to Manali to meet you up in person but since I had no job, I could not make it up.
Well, in that case, why didn't you reveal this yesterday when you came to our shop? I was scared Neha, may be your dad would have been nearby.
So you are scared of my dad and you came here to meet me. What do you know about me? I know everything about you. But yes, I am scared to face your dad.
Well, what do you want from me?
Neha, I want you. I want to marry you. I want to live with you. I want to.... Oh Boy! Please stop. Stop your cheesy lines. You want me but you are scared of my dad. I don't even know a morsel about you. Not even your name. I will tell you everything Neha. I am Gaurabh. Gaurabh Nishant. I am from Delhi. My father is a retired officer who served Delhi Govt and my mom is a simple housewife. I have completed my Btech in Computer science and joined this company last year as a software engineer.
Ok. I understood but this is not the only information that I need. You're still a stranger to me. How do I trust you? You have to meet my dad and speak to him. He stared with a sulky face into my eyes. His pair of dark eyes spoke so much, I felt numb and my heart started a serious conflict with my mind. Minds says, he is a stranger, heart says he is truthful. You must trust him. I was literally stranded between this conflict. When I regained myself, I saw he was no where. I started stumbling towards my shop. Dad might have reached by now. When I reached the shop, I saw dad was busy worshipping the idol of Goddess Laxmi and Lord Ganesh.
When he saw me, he asked me to tally the sales notebook again and match down the sales figures. As soon as I opened the notebook, I saw a letter neatly folded and was placed inside that notebook. I was about to ask my dad about it but something held me back. I secretly unfolded the letter and read it.
Hi Neha, I know you too love me. I won't be able to face your dad. Because I lack courage. I know you have completed your graduation and need a job for yourself. I have spoke to my HR Manager and he said once you come down to Delhi, he will arrange for the interview. This is the address of my office. C-201, Industrial Estate, 4th and 5th Floor, Royal Towers, Rohini, New Delhi-06
And here is the address of my spare flat. I will make arrangements for you so that you can stay here hasslefree.
Flat No 306, Nirmala Tower, Boring Road, Glorina Estate House, Azad Nagar, New Delhi-12
I wish to see you soon. Today my bus will head back to Delhi. By the time you will finish reading this letter, I would have left Manali. I will be waiting for you. My contact number is also given at the end.
Your Love
Gaurabh Nishant
77453xxxxx
I stared at the lines again and again. The conflict rose up so high, as if they wanted to touch the peaks of those mountains.
Now the question comes, how will I convince dad and mom? I had to cook up a story. Said and done. I told them that an school friend of mine, Pretti settled in New Delhi. She has arranged a job for me and invited me to her house. My dad wanted to accompany me but I refrained him from coming with me.
It was a sunday morning. I had booked my bus for Delhi. It was a 5 hours travel. I got into my bus and called him up. Hi Gaurabh, I have boared my bus. Hey Neha, you know I am so happy today. I will get the love of my life. Come baby, I will make all arrangements for you. I blushed.
In another couple of hours, I reached Delhi bus stop. As I got off the bus, I saw Gaurabh along with another guy waiting for me. He had brought his own car and drove me to that address he had written in that letter. It was his spare flat, but well furnished.
I was at a different level of happiness. My joy had their wings spread in search of infinity. I am living my own life in my own terms now. I will have a job, a boyfriend and a life in a metro city, that too the national capital of India. Gaurabh arranged for a lovely dinner. I asked him to stay with me..He agreed but to my surprise he didn't even touch me. I was so glad from within that I couldn't hold my tears back. Such a person is a dream of every girl.
I got up with the alarm at 6.30. It was the day of my interview. I got up to find that Gaurabh was not in his room.
I walked through the hall and heard a voice. It was Gaurabh talking to someone over the phone.
I went silently and pressed my ears close to the closed door of the northern balcony.
Hey listen, this time the girl is younger. She is fresh and virgin. I need more money. Last time you cheated me on the amount. This time I won't hear anything.
I was spellbound. My lips went dry and feet started shivering. I have been stranded here. Immediately, in utter silence, I dragged my broken soul to the exit door to escape from here. But the door was lcoked from outside. Without the keys it was impossible to elude from this hell. I was trapped. I was trapped by female traffickers. Suddenly I saw something. It was the ID of that bastard hanging from a hanger. It read his name as Aftab Ahmed and not Gaurabh Nishant.
In another couple of seconds, I saw him gleaming at me. He has understood that I have heard everything. He started threatening me in a foul tone and just then I saw the bunch of keys peeping out of his trouser pocket. I told him to set me free but he became violent. He started tharashing me like an animal. I tried to break away from the hall and landed into the kitchen. I diligently picked up the vegetable knife. As soon as I turned back, I saw him standing right there with his belt open. He hurled his belt at me. I fell down and cried in agony. I rose back and jumped with the knife on him. My dread made me stab him more than it was required. His fist so hard as an iron ball hit my head before he breathed for one last time. I too fell unconscious for sometime. But regained myself soon enough.
I know the police will come. I have my own part of the story and the letter as a feeble piece of evidence. If at all I need your help in the court, do come to rescue me. If I am not rescued, a thousand such girls will prefer to be sold out and will never raise a voice again.
©dipanjan_b
I blinked as I regained consciousness. I had hit my head hard, or had someone hit me? Then I realised I was holding a bloody knife in my hand.
The knife was bathed in raw blood.
The bastard was lying motionless. Yes. He is dead. I have killed him. A couple of minutes back. His last attack has gotten me unconscious for few minutes. I know, probably the cops will come here in no time now. They will arrest me. They will match my fingerprints with the one in the knife. And then the evidence will yell its consent against me. But do I really deserve this?
Well, then I must start from the very begining, the crude scratch.
I am Neha. Neha Tripathy. A girl who hailed from the suburbs of Himachal Pradesh. I was born in a town painted by mountains on all sides. Mornings were snow capped, nights gave chills of winter wave. It is a small town in northern Himachal Pradesh. People from around the country came here to spend their vacations. Yes you got it right. Its Manali. My hometown.
My dad had a small business of woolen cloths and it was mostly supported by the tourists.
Once, a tourist bus came to Manali. It had its origin from Delhi and the tourists were from a software company in Delhi. It was their official trip to Manali.
It was a monday. I had already completed my graduation so had a couple of free days to help out dad in his business. I was adding through the sales figures and the balance sheet of the month.
Hi, do you have jackets with pure fur inside? A young man with dark eyes, masculine face and a stout body spoke
in an intrepid voice. I looked up. I was alone in the shop as dad went for some household chores and asked me to take care for sometime alone. I replied in a mild but assured voice. Yes sir, we do have such items in our stock. Will you please specify your budget range. It will be easier for me to show you the right items that will fit your needs.
Well, generally I don't have budgets but since you insist, I want the best one. Ok Sir, in that case you can try out this marron jacket. It is made of pure fur and pure leather. It is the best in this entire market of Manali.
O wow, its worth praising. How much does it cost? It is bit expensive sir. It costs 25000 bucks. Ok madam, please pack it for me. I would like to buy it.
Sure sir. Give me a minute. I packed it and handed him the jacket. He paid me 25000 cash instantly and left.
This guy had an aura that lingered through my blood stream for that entire day.
The next day, before going to the shop, I went to the temple to meet my God; Shiv Ji. This habbit has been there with me since my childhood days.
As I entered the temple premises, I saw that guy again. He was wearing that jacket which I had given him the day before. He saw me and walked up to me. Hi Neha, how are you? I was perplexed. How does this stranger know my name. It came creepy to me.
Hello sir. May I know how do you know my name. Hahahaha, he laughed. I knew you would ask me this. I had been stalking you on facebook since 4 years. I had made several plans to come over to Manali to meet you up in person but since I had no job, I could not make it up.
Well, in that case, why didn't you reveal this yesterday when you came to our shop? I was scared Neha, may be your dad would have been nearby.
So you are scared of my dad and you came here to meet me. What do you know about me? I know everything about you. But yes, I am scared to face your dad.
Well, what do you want from me?
Neha, I want you. I want to marry you. I want to live with you. I want to.... Oh Boy! Please stop. Stop your cheesy lines. You want me but you are scared of my dad. I don't even know a morsel about you. Not even your name. I will tell you everything Neha. I am Gaurabh. Gaurabh Nishant. I am from Delhi. My father is a retired officer who served Delhi Govt and my mom is a simple housewife. I have completed my Btech in Computer science and joined this company last year as a software engineer.
Ok. I understood but this is not the only information that I need. You're still a stranger to me. How do I trust you? You have to meet my dad and speak to him. He stared with a sulky face into my eyes. His pair of dark eyes spoke so much, I felt numb and my heart started a serious conflict with my mind. Minds says, he is a stranger, heart says he is truthful. You must trust him. I was literally stranded between this conflict. When I regained myself, I saw he was no where. I started stumbling towards my shop. Dad might have reached by now. When I reached the shop, I saw dad was busy worshipping the idol of Goddess Laxmi and Lord Ganesh.
When he saw me, he asked me to tally the sales notebook again and match down the sales figures. As soon as I opened the notebook, I saw a letter neatly folded and was placed inside that notebook. I was about to ask my dad about it but something held me back. I secretly unfolded the letter and read it.
Hi Neha, I know you too love me. I won't be able to face your dad. Because I lack courage. I know you have completed your graduation and need a job for yourself. I have spoke to my HR Manager and he said once you come down to Delhi, he will arrange for the interview. This is the address of my office. C-201, Industrial Estate, 4th and 5th Floor, Royal Towers, Rohini, New Delhi-06
And here is the address of my spare flat. I will make arrangements for you so that you can stay here hasslefree.
Flat No 306, Nirmala Tower, Boring Road, Glorina Estate House, Azad Nagar, New Delhi-12
I wish to see you soon. Today my bus will head back to Delhi. By the time you will finish reading this letter, I would have left Manali. I will be waiting for you. My contact number is also given at the end.
Your Love
Gaurabh Nishant
77453xxxxx
I stared at the lines again and again. The conflict rose up so high, as if they wanted to touch the peaks of those mountains.
Now the question comes, how will I convince dad and mom? I had to cook up a story. Said and done. I told them that an school friend of mine, Pretti settled in New Delhi. She has arranged a job for me and invited me to her house. My dad wanted to accompany me but I refrained him from coming with me.
It was a sunday morning. I had booked my bus for Delhi. It was a 5 hours travel. I got into my bus and called him up. Hi Gaurabh, I have boared my bus. Hey Neha, you know I am so happy today. I will get the love of my life. Come baby, I will make all arrangements for you. I blushed.
In another couple of hours, I reached Delhi bus stop. As I got off the bus, I saw Gaurabh along with another guy waiting for me. He had brought his own car and drove me to that address he had written in that letter. It was his spare flat, but well furnished.
I was at a different level of happiness. My joy had their wings spread in search of infinity. I am living my own life in my own terms now. I will have a job, a boyfriend and a life in a metro city, that too the national capital of India. Gaurabh arranged for a lovely dinner. I asked him to stay with me..He agreed but to my surprise he didn't even touch me. I was so glad from within that I couldn't hold my tears back. Such a person is a dream of every girl.
I got up with the alarm at 6.30. It was the day of my interview. I got up to find that Gaurabh was not in his room.
I walked through the hall and heard a voice. It was Gaurabh talking to someone over the phone.
I went silently and pressed my ears close to the closed door of the northern balcony.
Hey listen, this time the girl is younger. She is fresh and virgin. I need more money. Last time you cheated me on the amount. This time I won't hear anything.
I was spellbound. My lips went dry and feet started shivering. I have been stranded here. Immediately, in utter silence, I dragged my broken soul to the exit door to escape from here. But the door was lcoked from outside. Without the keys it was impossible to elude from this hell. I was trapped. I was trapped by female traffickers. Suddenly I saw something. It was the ID of that bastard hanging from a hanger. It read his name as Aftab Ahmed and not Gaurabh Nishant.
In another couple of seconds, I saw him gleaming at me. He has understood that I have heard everything. He started threatening me in a foul tone and just then I saw the bunch of keys peeping out of his trouser pocket. I told him to set me free but he became violent. He started tharashing me like an animal. I tried to break away from the hall and landed into the kitchen. I diligently picked up the vegetable knife. As soon as I turned back, I saw him standing right there with his belt open. He hurled his belt at me. I fell down and cried in agony. I rose back and jumped with the knife on him. My dread made me stab him more than it was required. His fist so hard as an iron ball hit my head before he breathed for one last time. I too fell unconscious for sometime. But regained myself soon enough.
I know the police will come. I have my own part of the story and the letter as a feeble piece of evidence. If at all I need your help in the court, do come to rescue me. If I am not rescued, a thousand such girls will prefer to be sold out and will never raise a voice again.
©dipanjan_b
