56

"Please.... please stop all this....!" Nilima was pleading, Dhaa had got up from her place and Disha was in full fighting spirit. 

"I am going back to the college... Dhaa declared and next moment he face shadowed with fear...!

"College?..." She never wanted to go back to college.... She whimpered in fright and anguish....

Suman had nothing left in her life.  She was caught in the bed with her boyfriend....! Her orthodox family would kill her anyway.... She closed the door of her room and looked up at the ceiling fan making up her mind....

All of them in the hostel heard the crashing sound and came out with shock.   The ceiling fan had crashed down with Suman's weight...! She had tried to hang herself with her dupatta... The old broken ceiling fan had failed her.  The frantic bangs on her door had made her desperate....

"No... I can't show my face...!" she looked around and saw the knife.... Someone had called the security... the entire hostel had gathered in front of the closed door.  "Goodbye friends.....!" Suman typed her status update on her facebook....! Next moment she was bleeding profusely as she had cut her wrists....! She sat there aghast... looking at the streaming blood... The bangs had become wilder ..... The frantic calls were deafening.... She closed her eyes resting her head on the pillow.... The blood streamed out from under the door... She last heard her name.....!

The door broke open and the entire crowd screamed in fright.... The security guards made their way in and turned into a statue.... Suman's body was lying soaked in the blood.   The guards drove away everyone out.

Ragini came running into the room and saw Dhatri blinking open her eyes....
"Dhaa....Suman...." she said huffing and panting.... Dhatri got up....
"What?" she asked weakly....

"Dhatri.... Suman..... suicide...." Ragini sat on the bed with a thud and Dhatri got up from the bed with a jerk...

"What?" she tried to go out of the room but Ragini caught her midriff....
"No Dhaa... there is blood everywhere....!" She said pulling Dhatri back... But Dhatri jerked herself free and ran out...

"Madam...." the crowed parted murmuring in hushed voice... Rector dashed into Suman's room... Dhatri used the clearence and ran into the room too.... She looked at dying Suman....

"No...no... you are not well.... not well...." her eyes rolled up... Madam drove everyone else out... someone called police... Dhatri was towering over Suman's lifeless body...

"You will be alright...." she murmured... her fingers moving faster like feathers on Suman's wrists... the warmth entered her body... Dhatri dropped down at her bed.... The pulse beating normally.... the blood stopped oosing out..... Suman breathed normally... Dhatri's hands became blood red... her fingers swollen she fell down on the floor with burning temperature... Madam watched aghast forgetting to breath..... Suman blinked open her eyes parting her lips..... Dhatri had passed out.... Madam came back to her senses... clutching her wounded arm, she screamed for help....

The door opened.... Security guards dashed in... Madam had lifted Dhatri in her arms with great efforts... Other girls came for help...

"Dhaa.... She faints seeing blood....! Didi had told..." Murmured Ragini carrying Dhaa to the bathroom for the second time that night....! Dhatri's hands swolen to the limit... She received cold water bath yet again.....!

Suman's heart filled with calmness .... she was carried in an ambulance...!!

Dhatri's torture began...!! The news that Dhatri passed out seeing blood spread in the college like fire... Someone added fuel to the fire... The rumer spread that Dhatri had cured Suman....!!

"Oh... No... Awayyeee... I am hurt....Please please save me... cure me....!" Someone from the crowd of boys would scream showing painted red marks on the arm and the crowd would burst out in laughter seeing Dhatri run away with teary eyes...! Her friends would look helpless... the boys would rag her till the classroom....!

She started missing her classes... lost her apatite... Ragini and Purva couldn't do anything... the teasing and taunting never stopped...!! Dhatri stopped going out of her hostel room... not even for the lecture... Boys and girls would make fun of her... Her so called power....

One in the crowd would pour tomato sauce on his chest and would run towards Dhatri screming frantically as if in pain and fall in front of her, requesting her to cure him... Others would clap and jeer whistling and hooting...! Dhatri would run back to her hostel room crying...!!

And then the good news came... Dr. Salil called up saying Disha was coming and asked Dhatri whether she would come... Dhatri readily agreed.... It was a big relief going away from hell at least for some time...!

"That torturous hell was better than having to deal with this selfish Disha Didi..." Dhatri muttered furiously...coming out of the trance and picking up the ringing phone...

"Papa, its for you...!" she yelled from the hall and keeping the receiver on the table marched out of the house....!

*********  *******

"Dadu....." Ravi hugged his father tightly burying his face on his chest.  Sayajirao patted on his head wiping off tears from his cheeks.  Ravi looked up with moist eyes...

"I am sorry.... Dad...!" he said holding his father's hand.  Sayajirao sighed.  "Sonny... I suggest... you talk to her also..." He paused looking at Ravi shaking his head...

"May be she has her version...." said Sayajirao considerately.  Ravi looked up at his father...

"How... how could you be so nice... Dad?" he asked aghast.... "I... I.. would have...." Ravi clenched his fists in rage...

"May be that is my weakness....!" Sayajirao said hopelessly...

"No.... Dad.... its your biggest strength.... And you are my strength...!" Ravi said with overwhelming admiration....! Sayajirao sat on the recliner losing all his strength...! He was through the ordeal... He burried his face in his palms... Ravi helped him get up...! They came inside...

"Humm.... !" Rave made a drink for his Dadu..... After a very long time he felt like sleeping on his Dad's laps... with his Dad singing lullaby for him...! He felt like playing cricket with his Dad...! He wanted to be a kid again....!

For Sayajirao... the catharsis was over...!