Shackles of Desire - Chapter 6

Rudra’s body twisted with pain and agony as the memories burned the sinews of his drugged mind. 

His brothers watched with helplessness as his body shivered and then convulsed uncontrollably. There was nothing they could do to ease his pain.

“Her name is Ishi and not Gudia.”

He had tried endlessly to erase that name from his memory but his every vein had throbbed with the sound of it time and again. Like right now, even though his mind was trying its best not to walk down the lanes of ruin still, the reverberating sound of her name and voice was drawing him to remember everything.

The demons inside him howled with torment as his mind yanked him towards the path of pain that had burned his soul.

After he had told his father about her staying with them, he had never thought otherwise. His innocent affection towards her had increased by manifolds. And when she had reciprocated in the same manner he had been the happiest.

Trotting alongside her on the pathways of the forest, he had suddenly grabbed her hand and clasped it hard not knowing why. When he hadn’t released it even after they had sat down, she had looked at him strangely. Reluctantly he had dragged his hand away.

“What’s wrong with you today?” she had asked him when he hadn’t spoken for a long time.

“Nothing! Just thinking.”

“What are you thinking about?” she had asked again shifting closer to him.

Shaking his head, he had looked away. He couldn’t answer her for he himself didn’t know why suddenly there was a dreading fear settling in his heart.

After that, they had started playing and he had forgotten all about it.

Veera had been looking for her when he had heard a commotion near the aligning village borders inside the forest. Hearing some familiar voices, he had rushed to see what was happening and seeing him running off, she had also followed.

As they had neared the clearing patch at the borders they had seen some boys holding a young boy and a bunch of older boys beating another.

“Go home!” he had commanded her in hushed tones.

But being as stubborn as him, she had shaken her head in denial earning a glaring stare, which had turned into an angry one within seconds. Alarmed, she had turned and started running towards home.

Veera hadn’t needed any second guesses to recognise who they were. Viman’s strangled whimpers of pain and Kabir’s tormented crying didn’t need any introductions. Without thinking further, he picked up a couple of rocks lying near his feet and started to throw them at the boys holding his kid brother, and then started to run towards them.

One of the rocks hit a boy in his shoulder and with a yelp he let his brother go.

“KABIR, RUN,” Veera shouted at the top of his voice.

The moment the other boys heard his voice they turned towards him. Letting Viman go, they targeted him instantly.

Just as a flying stick thrown at him, hit Veera in the leg he fell down but didn’t stay put for long. Within seconds he was up. He could see Amar helping Viman on his feet but suddenly a black shadow covered his vision.

The moment his eyes settled on the person standing in front, he clenched his fist trying to control the burning anger filling his mind. His slipped his hand in his pocket, his fingers gripping a piece of rock.

“Veera, what a pleasant surprise?! I knew I should have waited a little longer before dragging your brother here. Look at my luck, I got you.”

Veera stared at him and kept looking at the boys still surrounding Viman and Amar. Any false moves of his could cost them serious injury.

“What do you want, Rajneesh?” he asked trying to buy time.

“You!”

Veera watched as Rajneesh started to circle him. The look on his face was murderous but that didn’t frighten him at all. He flicked his gaze at his brother, who looked dead scared. Taking a deep breath, he waited for Rajneesh to come in front and just as he did, Veera flicked his hand out of his pocket and swirled it with intensity.

The rock hit Rajneesh right on his left temple so hard that he fell down from its impact. Just as the commotion started with all the boys shouting and some helping Rajneesh on his feet, Veera gestured Viman and Amar to leave.

But they stayed put and Rajneesh seeing that instantly instructed the boys with him to catch a hold of Viman and Amar.

However, Veera was quicker. Within seconds he was between them and his brothers and the menacing way he stared at them made them back off.

Seeing the other boys back off, Rajneesh got up and lashed out on him. But this time too, Veera was faster than him. He dodged his blow and struck him hard on his stomach with his elbow.

Crying out loud, Rajneesh staggered a little, but before he could steady himself, Veera struck again and this time right on his shoulder.

Rajneesh screamed with pain and fell down. Veera was about to turn and leave but suddenly he heard Viman cry out with pain.

Rajneesh had picked up a stone and thrown it at him, injuring his forehead. Just as Veera’s eyes rested on his brother’s bloodied wound, his senses went haywire. He turned around and socked Rajneesh right on his nose.

He was about to strike him again when somebody dragged him away.

“Let me go!” he shouted but the man just kept dragging him.

“Enough!” Chandrapal ordered just as he clasped Veera’s struggling arms.

The moment he became silent he let him go not realising the fact that Veera was waiting for this moment. He ran towards Rajneesh and pulled him up by his collar and then raised his hand to sock him again.

“SHANKER!”

Hearing his father’s commanding voice; Veera lowered his hand but didn’t let Rajneesh go. He shoved him away from him and walked off.

But Vikramveer’s arresting stare was enough to let him know that trouble was ahead.

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