“Agh!” Ritu stumbled but her waist was tightly held by Samay when they were about to sit on the bench in the green space in the Central University campus. The sky is painted in purple, red hues, the twilight time – University is almost empty with no one except some by passers. The Harley Davidson bike was on side pavement; the rumbles of dry leaves was the only heard in the silence. “I thought I wouldn’t see you today, my ankle still pains”; “I did come for you” he said in a soft voice, hands around her shoulders. “Sorry we couldn’t make it to Prof. Sandhya Chatterjee. We should wait for another month, right?” Ritu said in a disappointed tone.
“No, it’s okay, I will try again, and you don’t worry about it. Actually, she might consider again” Samay replied smiling. They remained silent for few more minutes as the sun dipped lower on the horizon, holding each other’s hands, sitting on the bench while the university campus was hushed except some occasional sounds of flying birds, crickets.
“So, anything strange again?” Samay asked her, wrapping his arm around the shoulder she leaned in sighing softly. “Appu got near death experience – yesterday when she was returning from the office... she was about to hit by a tipper truck, a little boy screamed beside the road, and she went to check him and that truck went away. Gladly nothing happened to her.” Ritu’s tone went weary and worried. “Glad indeed!” Samay said looking at her weary face, taking into his arms – “Sweety, okati adugutanu, yemi anukokunda cheptava?” (sweety, would you mind if I ask you one thing?) “Ha?”, “Firstly, how is Appu?” He asked looking at her face in hi alms. “Fine my trickster” Ritu’s reply was weary too. “And my sweety?” he was rubbing her cheeks with his thumb pads on either side. “Sleepy... last night we didn’t even sleep well because of the power cut, and this omens situation; today I woke up at dawn for the project research and didn’t get a break” her smile was weary too.
“Sweety, can I ask you something?” He shifted her head on to his chest leaning against the bench railing, she snuggled comfortably humming softly. Samay took a deep breath before asking the question his mind – “Did you perform, saw or got involved in any ritual you know? But sweety if there is indeed something like that don’t hide from me. Because, you know this might be helpful for your crisis”, “Ritual? No, I don’t think so? No, we didn’t participate in such kind of stuff! And how come you think we would do that in this 21st century? Sure, we did explore forbidden place, but we did it out of some idiotic curiosity but no!” Ritu blurted out raising her head from Samay’s chest while his fingers were drawing soothing circles on her back to put at ease.
“Shh… okay but don’t be that escalated. I just wanted to ask because this was the first question from Mrs. Chatterjee... so you didn’t, hmm?” his voice was cool and brooding just like always.
“Haa” Ritu answered gruffly. “But I need to tell you something” Ritu mumbled, adjusted he positioned more comfortable on the bench, placed her chin on his chest. He nodded subtly – she started to speak…
“Just now when you asked about a ritual, umm… want to confess something. No, it’s not the ritual but some strange thing?” she inhaled deeply before continuing and Samay’s expression grew serious, ready to listen to her. “So actually, three... nope, four months ago, one day when I came back from the university, I got a strange scroll in my bag. I asked my classmates and friends, but it didn’t belong to anyone, not even part of the department’s library. So, what have I done was- opened the scroll and decipher what was in it. I found the Ancient Devanagari scrip in it... which had faded with time. And when I found out what was it-” she paused mid-sentence before continuing “It was like asking a particular God about something… and at that time-”
“What happened? Tell me?” Samay lifted her chin smoothly, boring into her eyes and she narrated the rest. Samay felt like some dots connected in his mind after Ritu finished telling.
The same day 11:30 AM at HITECH city Accenture office…
“Hey Varshika” A teasing and deep voice came from up her cubicle; she lifted her head from the laptop. “Sir, good mor-” she was about to get up but he signaled to sit down continuing to look at her unwaveringly. It was Nakulan, the project team leader, he is in his mid-thirties, neatly groomed, styled but carried some odd and off vibes with him. He is called as the monster for deadlines and no praises could work… he was staring now at Varshika like he owns her. Even the other employees in the around cubicles know how his looks were uncomfortable at her or even any other girl in the office, but they can’t prove because of the appraisals and project maintenances are after all in his hands.
“Uh... Varshika… so yeah this is for you heard that you like music? These are tickets for A R Rehaman’s concert for tomorrow... I had another too; Now take it” Nakulan shown the tickets to Varshika giving a so-called pleasant smile which isn’t, she can feel that the other employees around were although working and mind their own businesses, most of their minds might be already cursing this son of a witch.
“Sorry sir actually I have some-” Varshika gently refused until his expression changed “Tsk, take it Varshi…. ka” His voice and eyes went a little deeper. Varshika’s throat bobbled and she reluctantly took it from him. “And don’t forget to come huh, bring someone too... It’s ARR’s concert anyway and I am not that heartless…and be punctual” he said chuckling adding the punctual a little harsh which made her tensed. The surroundings looked charged until he left the place.
“Such a son of a b*ch!” Arun from her beside cubicle sneered just after the disappearance.
“Yeah! Bloody mother*ker! How shameless he can be?” Another added and they looked at Varshika who was already has this burden of unsaid situations of looming threat, now this... she closed her eyes her face was saddened.
“Hey, Varu.” Her colleague Nandini placed a hand on her shoulder. “Varu, it’s okay... I was advising you to write this to our general manager, right? Why are you scared?” she said in a soft tone looking sympathetically. “Nandu, that general manager is a new guy from North and it's just been two months he doesn’t know anything about this situation probably… we barely saw him twice and guess what? He never instantly replies to any issue.” Arun said shaking his head in displeasure. “Yeah, that’s a point this mother*ker might destroyer her life even before that Manager looks through the situation” Mahima rolled her eyes, coding on her screen. Varshik sat down with the same lost on face but panicking inside face while listening to their words.
MEANWHILE –
“Mr. Vasudevan?” It was the call from general manager’s personal assistant for which Nakula became stiff and attentive; “Yes please?” He cleared his throat while sitting stiffly in his chair.
“Sir wants to see you in two minutes” he informed and cut the call. Nakulan’s heart was thumping louder than the glitch in his current program, but he got up from the seat adjust his sleeves and collar before taking the lift to 14th floor of the office where the general manager is.
“Hn, Nakulan Vasudevan, your credibility and work is impressive but…. what was that? What were you doing with employees? Specifically with that girl?” The GM Varunvardhan Verma’s voice was too silky and good to be true. His Hazel brown eyes scanned the stiffened position of Nakulan. Verma’s eyes narrowed and brows crooked, his fair skin was glistening for the faint sunrays through the glass walls, he crossed his hands leaning into his chair subtly showing the authority over the situation, while his toned biceps flexed under his grey shirt which is neatly fitting him.
“Sir... that’s-” Nakulan was cut off with a single glance from Verma. “I need this project update by tomorrow evening and yes, an in-detailed report about the products and how many email were sent to the clients and how many responses were in and not were in…how many member in your team were doing it… and yes this must be submitted by tomorrow evening” Verma explained nonchalantly looking at already terrified face of Nakulan.
“Sir tomorrow is-”, “Is Saturday and I am not that illiterate to not know mister, but doesn’t our corporates work in high positions in weekends too?” Verma shot smoothly. “And yes, come to office, check out just like in weekdays, Now, go because I hate explanations and requests more than you Mr. Nakulan Vasudevan”. Nakulan’s face and mind both were froze long time and he walked back to his cabin, because he does know well, he couldn’t fight back for the dangerously calmness which Varun has. As soon as Nakulan left, there was a satisfied cold smirk on his lips while his eyes were on is distant form.
“Verma? Yaar, kya hain yeh? SACH MAIN?” his personal assistant Rahul who is also his good friend chided. “Bilkul? Kya problem hain teri?” Varun answered cooly adjusting his cuffs, looking through the 5th floor office CCTV where Varshika and other employees were in work.
“You became so responsible GM?” Rahul commented. “More than that...” he replied instantly.
“Varun usko tum sirf chaar baar dekha tha! Aur voh sirf hamare company main one of the many software engineers!” (Varun, you saw her like four times! And she just one of the many software engineers in the company!)
“Professionally she is Rahul, but personally…. And it was just a normal punishment which I gave that bastard for what he has done, I thought to rip off his hands for touching her while he gave those damn tickets her... you don’t know how I controlled myself when he was standing in front of me...” He took a deep breath before finishing “I would have beat the shit out of him for the way he looked at her, take his eyeballs off and throw him on her feet until he pleads her to get saved from me... such a filthy creature.” his voice went gravel for once. “But why so serious about her? Only her?” Rahul stressed the words while talking...
“One thing Rahul, she is unique, beautiful and her eyes; those eyes could speak more than words could put in like a lifetime? Her calm composed nature is for me…her name compliments it… she is just like my nature, my nature… my Varshika, my madness and how can I leave my nature, hm?” Varun’s eyes drifted again on the screen looking at Varshika who was working unknown to this destiny of hers… “she is twenty-five...” Rahul said nonchalantly yet it’s mockery. “Really? Calling me old now? Thirty-two, seven years is not bad Rahul?” He shook his head. “Yeah, yeah, joining in IT sector just after Polytech and working more diligent day and night that ending up as a lovesick fool for a girl who is not even our state and let alone never acknowledges you or doesn’t even know you! great...” Rahul scoffed while Varun chuckled resuming his work one last time glancing at Varshika through office security cameras…
I am posting here and Wattpad simultaneously and I even don't know who is reading? but hey please read, share, like and follower here too.. because readers are important anywhere.
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