Another Half Of Me - Chapter 49

Roshni watched the drama of Manchanda’s arrest unfold on the television. But, somehow she was not satisfied.

Why the law? Why had he handed them over to the law?

It was them who had been wronged not the law. It should have been them punishing him not the law.

Still wondering why Siddha has done this, she switched off the television and lay back on the bed.

Her mind kept on thinking about him. Why hasn’t he come to meet her? She missed him. She wanted to feel his touch once again. Every night she lay awake in her bed twisting and turning, trying hard to control the burning urges inside her, but failed miserably.

Did he also feel the same way?

Not able to put her mind to rest, she switched on the television and started watching the news again.

****************

A month later

Siddha sat in the car outside the court waiting for the lunch hour to finish. For the past one month, his panel of lawyers had put all their efforts to prove Manchanda and his son guilty. Now, they all waited eagerly for the law to take its course.

Making his way through the sea of media persons thronging outside the court, Rudy came and somehow managed to slide next to Siddha.

“It’s time, Bhaiji,” he said, heaving a sigh.

Siddha buttoned his suit and stepped out of the car. The media thronged around him to get his reaction but he just made his way through them guided by Rudy and his security team. Right now, the only thing that mattered to him was the verdict of the court.

One hour later, Siddha came and stood near his car waiting for the Manchandas to appear. The court had sentenced them to life imprisonment for 20 years. He looked on as they came near the van guarded by the police. As Harichand Manchanda looked at him, Siddha’s lips crooked in a smile clearly indicating, this is not the end. His eyes did not leave them till the police shoved them inside the van.

Sighing, he sat inside the car and rested his head on the back of his seat.

This is definitely not the end, he thought to himself, his forehead clenched hard and eyes shining with determination.

***************

Harichand Manchanda looked at the driver of the police van and smiled. Now, there was nothing to be worried about. It had been a good idea to have pulled some strings in the department to get what he wanted. Now, he and his son would be taken to a secure location from where they can escape by tomorrow morning. Smiling to himself, he thought, Siddha Singh Rajput your time is up.

The van neared a house and the constables got down to open the back door. The inspector from the police jeep following them approached Harichand Manchanda as he got down the van.

“Sir, you should be safe here. A car will come to pick you guys up in the morning. Be ready by 5.” Saying this, he left.

As the car and van sped away, they entered the house and sat down on the bed. Now, they just have to wait for the sun to rise and then they will be gone.

Vishal Manchanda got up from the bed and went towards the table to drink water. As he stepped in front of the table, something sharp and large pierced his foot. He yelped in pain and fell back. His back hit the ground and he again felt something sharp tear his shoulder.

Harichand Manchanda jumped up from the bed and bend his knee on the ground to help his son. But as his knee hit the ground, he also felt something sharp cut through his skin.

Both of them scrambled along the wall and switched on the light. Just as the light shone through the room they saw shards of glass and metal strewn everywhere on the floor.

Looking at each other’s cut parts they clearly understood something was wrong here. They ran towards the main door and tried opening it but it was locked from outside. As they started to kick it to break the lock, they heard loud squeaking from behind.

Terrified, they looked behind and saw thousand of rats entering the room through the window. Screaming they scrambled towards the bed and climbed on it. One of the rats reached where Vishal Manchanda had cut his shoulder and smelled the blood. Following the smell, one by one they climbed the bed. The Manchandas kicked and tried their best to drive the rats away but in vain.

One of the rats bit Vishal Manchanda’s feet and he screamed hard, shaking his feet hard to get it off but it did not let go. Now, the rats came in hordes not one by one, biting, nibbling and climbing up their bodies.

Their screams rang through the room as the biting and nibbling increased. Just as the light of the room was about to go off, Harichand Manchanda saw a lone figure standing outside the window and he didn’t have to look twice to know who it was.

Darkness filled the room and the squeaking increased as the rats had their fill. 

Siddha turned away from the window as Rudy closed it. Satisfied, he started walking towards the car. Rudy followed him taking off his gloves. He had made sure there was nothing that would link this to Bhaiji.

As the car sped away some people rushed to the spot and cleaned the tracks leaving no trace at all.

Siddha looked out of the car window at the street lights zipping past. Even though he had given them up to the law but it couldn’t have punished them. Any sentence would have been small compared to the crime they had committed. Closing his eyes, he felt the uncontrollable rage inside him ebbing away.

Now that this was over, it’s time for him to leave. 

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