short story collection

coffee

i was jolted out of sleep by the shrill ringing of the phone. It was Neha, Suvo’s wife on the phone. She was hardly coherent but she was trying to communicate that Suvo a healthy person of 48 years has expired. I was not shocked but I still wanted to know that how did he die. Neha said in choked voice that he suffered a cardiac arrest. Irushed to Suvo’s house. Lots of wailing and shrieking greeted my ears when I entered his family house in Alipore.

I am not very good with tears. I seldom cry. I found the whole atmosphere very suffocating. I also did not feel any sadness. Suddenly I heard Neha cry out in despair. The doctor had come and vey smugly declared that inspite of repeated requests from him , Suvo had consumed coffee and cigarettes the Inight before. Neha was vehemently denying it as she knew that Suvo did not even know to light the gas in the house. Only she did not know that I know to light the gas in the house. I was not shedding tears because I knew exactly how it happened that night. I was tired in life waiting for Suvo to fulfil his promise to me. I was 16 years old when my best friend Suvo raped me and I did not tell anyone as he promised me that he will be with me all his life. Then it became a routine and later on he used to send his friends who repeatedly raped me and enjoyed their life. One day he suddenly married a girl called Neha and then also he used to come to me for s*x. He had never loved me and I used to love him from school. I was for him a s*x object and he knew how to play with me. This had to end as now I had Raman in my life and I loved him a lot. He was kind and considerate and my feelings mattered to him. Suvo tried to blackmail me and then he paid the price for it. Yes I came that night when Neha had gone to her parent’s house with their daughter. I got myself raped once again only this time it was with consent. Then I made coffee extra strong and took out cigarettes laden with pot. I knew it was his favourite but barred by the doctor. Coffee had extra sugar and sleeping tablets mixed which was a potent combination for him. Neha was oblivious to the fact that I had killed him. My revenge was complete today. He deserved a painful and common death. He did not deserve to have a valiant death.