Thabal stood on her place, shell shocked. She looked at the scene infront of her with wide eyes. She couldn't believe it. She thought she was hallucinating. Her head spinned, she almost fell on the floor, her knees grew weak that very moment.
Because her very sick mother was sitting on the couch, perfectly dressed, calmly sipping a cup of hot tea. Nungshi stood by the window, her head hung low, refusing to meet Thabal's eyes. Her father was reading a newspaper, not even acknowledging her presence.
Thabal felt her hand shaking, she shakily rushed towards her mother and kneeled infront of her. Her face morphed into shock and horror.
She cupped her face and looked at her with worry filled eyes.
"Mama? Ng keim tawdro? Ng fharabo?-" she couldn't even complete further when her mother slapped away her hand.
(You are fine? Are you well now?)
"Heinade eie. Thengakanu" she sneered. Thabal froze at it. She looked at Nungshi for explaination for this situation, but Nungshi didn't dare to lift up her head.
(Don't touch me. I don't like it)
"Che? Kei no tawise? Ng haidudi mama hospital da lei haina. Keino se?" She whispered in disbelief. What was really happening? Wasn't her mother supposed to be in the hospital?
(Sister? What is this? You told me mama is in hospital. But what is this?)
Wasn't she suppose to be weak and pale from sickness? But she looks nothing near to being sick. Instead she looked super healthy. Did Nungshi lie to her? If so, why? Why would she?
"Che. I am asking you something. Will you tell me?" Thabal raised her voice this time.
"Chaukhattabi. Nakhon do wanghat lakkanu. Nathak ki ahan da dumaina ngangbra. Ng se kamaina eiegi echa oina poklei no khangde. Eiese kari pap tawrudana lai sina ng pirakino khangde" her mother sneered. Thabal felt her heart ache at her words.
(Worthless piece of shit. Don't you dare raise your voice. Do you speak to your elder like that? I don't know how did i gave birth to you. I wonder what have I done so bad that God gave me you)
"Mama. Chiche na ng stroke oirure hai duga-" she started but was rudely cut off.
(Mama. Sister said you got stroke-)
"I told her to do this. She did exactly what she was told to do. Unlike you" her mother intervened, setting the teacup down with a clink that echoed in the living room.
Thabal felt her breath hitched. What the hell? Why would her mother even fake her own illness? Why in the world? She stared at her in disbelief, and then again at Nungshi. What in the world was happening.
"B-but. Mama. Why would you do such things. Keidawrage" Thabal asked slowly, her voice cracking in between. Anyone could easily know how hurt she was by just listening to her.
(What's wrong?)
Her mother scoffed at it and let out a humorous laugh.
"I feel like slapping you so bad right now" she abruptly stood up and hissed, making Thabal flinched back. She instinctively took few steps back.
"Ng se nasa di ijjat yawde. Akhoigi ijjat su manghan dei hotnariniba ngse, haan?" Her mother yelled at her, raising her voice. Thabal's blood began to run cold.
(You don't have any dignity. And you sought to bring our honor down too isn't it?)
She tried to join the dots together. And they were pointing at only one direction. Vikram. She feared if it was about Vikram she was talking about. She internally prayed for the opposite.
"K-kei haino ng mama. Keitawrage ei-eina" she stuttered, internally fearing.
(W-what are you saying mama. What did i-i do?)
Without a word, her mother reached for an envelope on the table and threw a handful of photographs across the floor. They fluttered like dying birds, landing at Thabal's feet. Thabal looked at it and freeze.
Her fear came true. Her heart stopped. It was her and Vikram. There was a photo of them at the coffee shop, one of him kissing her, and one of them standing close outside his bungalow. The joy in her face in those pictures was a stark contrast to the horror she felt now.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. What do I do now. What should I do. Should I run away? But. They will find me anyway. And once they do, they will skin me alive. Fucking hell. How did they even know. And worst, how did these photos reached them?
Her chain of thoughts were cut by her mother's laugh.
"Akhoina ng se law tamhan ningbani. Ado ng na yadre, fhare medicine tamhalle, just like how you preferred. Now, everything went as you want. We just asked only one thing from you. Respect and only respect. I have always reminded you. That respect matters the most. Ng du fhaw tham ngamdre?" Her mother chuckled bitterly, shaking her head. Thabal felt her hands cold and shivering.
(We wanted you to practice law, but that's okay you practiced medicine instead)
(You couldn't even keep that up?)
Oh God. Please. Please. She just wanted to escape right now. She didn't what to do. She felt like she will collapse right now on the floor. Loving someone out of the community was a big crime in the eyes of her parents.
And right now, Thabal was the criminal. She was going to be punished for her crimes.
She felt colours draining from her face. Her whole body was frozen. She couldn't react, she didn't know what to do. She just knew that she was scared for her life, of what her parents would do.
"Nupa su kari nupa koiriba. Hanuba ama. Namaido ekai khangdro ng? You are dating a man who is double your age. He is using you can't you see? Or are you letting him use you? Ng di yam heirammi na, yam yangammi. Punna ka leidana, dugi mathak ta oidaba su ngangiba? Nupa dusu lamjashara ama. Kadaidei lakino adu ada keim su khangde" Thabal felt the accusations pierched through her heart. She couldn't hear more. About him. Speaking like that.
(And the man you dated also came out to be an old man. Don't you feel a bit of shame?)
(You have been so clever. You were really ahead of us. You even lived together with him and had the audacity to lie to us? And that too with an orphan. With no proper identity. No background, no family)
"Mama. Sumaina hainu. Ma yam fhei. He-he keeps me happy ma. He isn't like how you are thinking. And he isn't very old than me. It's-its just 8 years. Ma eie nungshi mama. Eiesu ma yam nungshi-" she was interrupted by a loud force. A harsh slap.
(Mama. Don't say like that. He is really nice)
(He really loves me. A lot. I love him too -)
The force of the blow sent Thabal stumbling back. Before she could recover, her mother slapped her again. Repeatedly, until she fell on the floor. Her cheek stinging from the blow. A shaky breath escaped her lips. She palmed her bruised cheek and stared at her with a horrified look.
Nungshi looked at the scene with eyes wide. She was frozen by fear and guilt. She couldn't move from her place.
Before anyone could process anything, her mother picked up a wooden rod strike on Thabal's leg, earning a loud scream from the latter. Thabal sobbed, crawling away. But the blows came repeatedly.
On her arms, legs, back. The wood of the thick stick whistled through the air before connecting with Thabal's thigh with a sickening thud. She cried out, collapsing onto the floor, but the blows didn't stop.
"Nupa nungshiba chatluira ng? Ijjat manghanba chatluira?" her mother screamed, her face morphed in a mask of fury. Each word was followed by a strike.
(Did you go there to love?To destroy our honor?)
"Keisu leitaba lamjasara duga ng leiminarini ne?" Her mother yelled and hit her harder. Thabal sobbed and tried to protect herself from the blows, but nothing helped.
(You lived with that good for nothing orphan?)
Thabal curled into a ball, trying to protect her head. The pain was searing, radiating from her arms and legs, but the words hurt more. She was dragging Vikram's name through the dirt, calling the most honorable man she knew a 'nobody'.
"Mama! Please! Stop it!" Nungshi finally lunged forward, grabbing her mother's arm, her own face drenched in tears of guilt. She had been the bait in this trap, and the sight of her little sister being broken was more than she could stand.
Her mother shoved Nungshi away and glared at her. And that glare was enough for her to back off. She turned back to Thabal, who was gasping for air, her body trembling uncontrollably. Tears running down her cheeks.
"Listen to me carefully" her mother hissed, leaning down until her breath fanned Thabal's ear.
"Nggi medical study loire. Ng duga chatpa yararoi. In one week, you are getting married to Tomba's son. Ng eina tawge ngaikho" she sneered.
(Your medical study has come to it's end. You can't go there anymore)
(I will show you your place, just wait)
"Please. Mama please. Eie amuk hanna siga lakaroi. Let me just go back to him. If you want i will never show you my face again. Just tell the others that i have died. But please. Let me go to him" Thabal sobbed, her heart clenching in pain. She just needed Vikram right now.
(I won't come back here again)
"Leima. Mase nupi se thuna manung pushankho. Eie yam heinaroidori" Her father finally spoke, his voice cold and final as he folded the newspaper. He hadn't lifted a finger to stop the beating.
(Leima. Take this girl inside quickly. I can't bear her anymore)
"Take her phone. If I hear her mention that man's name again, I will personally go to that city and file a case against him. I don't care who he is, I will ruin him" Thabal's heart went cold. They would target Vikram.
"Macha. Mai room da pushankho thuna. Dugei lock tawraga thammu" her mother turned to Nungshi and warned her silently with her eyes.
(Baby. Take her quickly to her room. And lock it)
Nungshi shakily helped Thabal to her feet. Thabal could barely stand, her legs were blooming with dark purple, and her spirit felt even more bruised. As she was led toward the stairs, her mind went numb.
She couldn't think of anything other than Vikram. She just wanted to cry in his arms. His comforting arms. She just wanted to melt in his embrace. Tears slipped down her eyes as she thought about him.
Vikram. Her everything. Her peace. Her supporter. Her love. The one her family thought as a dirt. He was her God. How could they think of him like that?
Her heart clenched at it. Her vision blurred due to the tears. She couldn't walk properly if not for the support Nungshi's body gave her. Her body was bruised and throbbing with pain. She couldn't keep her feet properly. Her legs were shaking, they were unstable.
But her heart. It was more bruised and aching. She felt guilty. Guilt of not able to support him when her mother was backlashing him.
The door to her bedroom opened. Nungshi made her sit on the bed gently and crouched down near her feet. She looked at Thabal with eyes filled with tears.
Thabal didn't looked at her. She didn't have the energy to deal with her. She looked at the wall beside her blankly, with only one thought roaming in her mind.
"T-thoi. I am sorry" Nungshi whispered with guilt lacing her voice.
"I am so sorry. I am so sorry" she sobbed, clutching Thabal's knees. Pouring out all the pain and regret in the form of her tears. The guilt was eating her up.
"Ng na eigonda hairamasu fhaba" Nungshi cried leaning her head against Thabal's knees.
(It would have been better if you would have told me all these)
"I am so sorry i couldn't protect you or defend you. I am so sorry" Nungshi hiccuped through her words. Thabal didn't reply anything, and that broke Nungshi more. She felt the guilt pressing on her more and more.
"I-i love you so much but eie kaim taw ngamdre thoi. Ng chiche da sawnu ko. Eie kaim taw ngamdre. Ma-mama do. She threatened to kill herself if I didn't help" Nungshi weeped, her body shaking with each cry.
(I-i love you so much but i can't do anything thoi. Please don't be angry at your sister. Your sister is helpless. Ma-mama)
"Then you should have let her die" Nungshi froze mid crying. She couldn't believe her ears. She looked up, tears staining her face to see Thabal emotionless.
"T-thoi. Wh-what are you saying?" Nungshi stuttered, surprise by her choice of words. But Thabal choose not to reply.
"You were never like this. How can you say it? I understand she is wrong. She shouldn't have done this way. But she is our mother" Thabal wanted to laugh at the audacity to question her.
"Your mother. Not mine" Thabal whispered, loud enough for Nungshi to hear it. She didn't stop herself this time. She let her intrusive thoughts win. The latter widened her eyes hearing it.
Nungshi couldn't believe her kind, shy and introverted little sister, who couldn't even speak up anything was answering back so boldly.
"Thoi. She-" Nungshi started but Thabal cut her off.
"Chatkhro che. Chatkhro. Eie manakta lakanu. I have gone mad. I will destroy everything. Go away and never come back. I don't want to say further more things which will break you" Thabal said simply, looking towards the plain wall. She knew she won't be able to control her mouth anymore. And if she started speaking, she will reveal all the old wounds that were kept safely.
(Go away sister. Go away. Don't come near me)
Nungshi stared at her for a minute before walking away. Tears streaming down her eyes continuously. She locked the door as she walked out, as per as their mother's order.
Thabal didn't move. She sat on the bed of the dark room, her eyes dull and lifeless. She was numb. The girl who was laughing and giggling in Vikram's arms was lost now.
She subconsciously touched her ring on her finger.
"You will come for me right?" Thabal whispered into the darkness, though even her own voice sounded hollow.
___________🌸________
Hope you liked it
Stay safe sweeties 💗✨
Write a comment ...