PAY BACK

Chapter 1

Dhaksh's POV

I am standing under a tree and waiting for the rain to stop. Its been raining heavily from the last 20 minutes. My dress is all wet and I am sneezing due to cold. My glasses are blurred due to the coldness of air, and I can't see anything clear. Suddenly I heard someone moving behind me. I got startled and took off my glasses allowing my eyes to trace the person behind me. I turned my neck back and saw a little boy on his mother's hip playing with my hair. I smiled at him he smiled broad and pulled my hair. I arched my neck and frowned at him. He immediately let go of my hair. He is so cute, maybe around 3 years. He is going to be my partner in passing time till this rain stops. 

I stretched my hands out and invited him to come to me. He backed off for a second or two. Then his mother asked him if he is interested in playing with me. He nodded his head in no. Oh, well that is a disappointment. Then I pursed my lower lip and added puppy eyes to my face pleadingly. He smiled at first and came to me, finally.

I started playing with rain water along with him. We tapered our hands together in rain water and splashed water on each other followed by louder giggles (of him, not mine of course). While playing I asked him

"What is your name?" in response he just hummed. I asked him again

"What is you name tell me?" Then he replied with those tiny little lips of him.

"Aru......"

"Good name. Do you love your mom?" I asked him. In response he nodded his head.

"How much?" I asked him.

He moved away from me, making himself some space he stretched his arms completely and told "This... mucchch". To this his mother pinched his cheeks lovingly and did a sign with her hands as if kissing them. He went back to his mother while kissing her on her cheek as rain has stopped. I bid him bye.

I saw him until he is off sight. He was waving bye continuously. He is adorable. 

I started off to home. It is 1:00 pm. I work between 8:00 am to 5:00 pm in my own clinic. I come to home for lunch on my bike. 

I entered home only to find my dad coming out of house with an umbrella in his hand. After seeing me he yelled at my mom to bring a towel in order to wipe my now wet body. I told him to wait untill I change my dress and then he can wipe my hair and went straight to my room.

I changed myself into tees and came out of the room. As expected my mom was standing there holding a towel in her hand.

"Come soon, or else you will catch cold" she ordered me.

 I sat in the couch allowing my mother to wipe my hair. I just relaxed while she was rubbing my hair. Closing my eyes I started to hum songs as I always do when I feel like relaxing.

Just then my father came and asked me to sit down to have lunch. I obeyed him and sat down to have it. I always prefer to sit down while crossing my legs, when having any food. Because, this posture puts pressure to the lower spine which may facilitate relaxation and also allows you to calm the mind. In Ayurveda, eating with a calm and peaceful mind helps better digestion. The back and forth movement in this process helps muscles in the abdomen to secrete digestive juices and helps in digesting the food properly and quickly. 

"What curry?" I asked no one in particular.

"Capsicum gravy" my mom answered. And I started eating food.

"Why don't you allow your fingers go into your mouth? Why can't you open your mouth wide? Is that the way you eat? Small kid eats that way." He pointed my style of eating, as he always do.

"hmm..." I hummed. If I replied this convo would never end.

"Are you going to clinic now?" He asked me.

"Yes I am" I answered.

"Why don't you just cancel your appointments for today?" He asked me out of blue.

"And why should I cancel my appointments?" I asked him raising my head and looking at him. 

"Its ra...." Before he completed it I started talking. "Because it rained? I am no 5 years kiddy to excuse myself off my duty for such a silly reason" I spatted.

"Fine" He told me.

The rest of the lunch he was silent. I wander that he is thinking about something, because his vision is definitely on his plate, but he is continuously mixing curry into rice without eating it.

"Do you have something to say?" I asked him.

He immediately answered my question "No".

I looked at him for a moment and then got up saying "Ok, mine is finished." I went to the dish washer and dropped the plate in it, washed my hands, went to my room and changed myself into something which is formal and came back to living room.

"Bye mom, Bye dad" I do this when I go out, even for a nearby grocery shop. It is habit, and I am habituated to it.

Thoughts about my dad's behaviour today during lunch crossed my mind. I shrugged it away and started to clinic.

By the time I reached, there were many patients lined up waiting for me. I felt sorry for them.

"I am extremely sorry for being late" I told everyone.

"Geetha, send the patients one by one" I ordered my receptionist and entered my cabin. 

There are some piles of letters I have to reply and also some e-mails I have to answer. This is my daily routine. I checked my desk where Geetha will be putting all the details about my patients for today. I will see at-least 5 - 10 patients today I thought.

There was a knock on my door. 

"Please, Come in" I responded.

The door started to open revealing a man and a woman, who I assume is his wife.

She was looking down walking behind her husband and he was looking straight at me and took a seat in front of me. 

"Good Afternoon doctor, I am Madhav and she is my wife Rajitha", He informed me.

"Good afternoon Mr and Mrs.Madhav, how may I help you?" I inquired.

"There is nothing you could help me in" she answered my question and turned towards her husband telling, "I'm telling you this is not gonna make any change" by the end of the sentence she crossed her hands and looked the other side facing no one in particular. The way she answered my question tells that she is stubborn to her decision and at the other hand she might be afraid of changing her mind on this situation. She seems to be elder to me, taking advice from a woman around my age might as well hurt her feelings. I should put that in my mind. 

"MrMadhav, Mrs.Madhav seems to be more mature than me. I think my advice would not be necessary at all." I told him carefully observing my words making sure that it doesn't contain any sarcasm.

"See I told you....." she added but I cut her off by saying "But Mrs.Madhav, your husband came here with some hopes and spent some money on my advice, so to let him feel satisfied we will discuss about his issue for once. I think there will be no obligations about this?" I asked her and winked at her at the end of the sentence, to make sure that I would not be letting her down in front of her husband.

"Okay." she giggled and accepted.

"Mr.Madhav, so what is your issue?" I asked him.

"Rajitha is pregnant, and has not felt the need to inform me." He complained.

"You might be busy when she wished to inform you. Is it not her, who informed you?" I asked him now totally understanding their situation. 

"I got it informed by the doctor. She doesn't even feel the urge to inform me" he added.

"She might be willing to tell you on a fine day and surprise you. Why are you over-reacting" I asked him. 

He smiled and answered "I got a confirmation call from a doctor to confirm if Rajitha really wants to abort our child or has her plan changed." At the end of the sentence he raised his voice.

Now Rajitha's expression has changed to a calm one. She was looking down, with all worry. I have to support her now.

"It might be a wrong call." I added.

"After that phone call I asked her about her pregnancy. She nodded approvingly" He answered

"So, she nodded because she is pregnant. You just can't assume things. It might be coincidence." I justified.

"No, she herself approved that she was going to abort our child. She doesn't want our child to come to this universe. She wanted to kill my child." He started sniffing. 

All the while she was sitting silently.

"Do you have anything to say Mrs.Rajitha?" I asked her.

"Yes" she answered.

"What is it" I asked her.

"I don't want this child to come" she answered crying.

"Why?" her husband raised his voice.

"Mr.Madhav. Cool down a bit. Let me do my duty." I interrupted.

"Mrs.Madhav, do you have any issues either physically or mentally, that you are feeling yourself not fit for pregnancy?" I inquired.

She stayed silent. 

"Mr.Madhav, can you please be back in 10 minutes?" I asked him. He looked at his wife and went out without protesting.

"Mrs.Madhav, what is it bothering you?" I asked her. "Feel free to answer. I am not going to tell your husband about this. I might also help you out from this situation.

She remained silent.

I have to wait for few minutes to let her speak about her issue.

"Its just, I don't want this child to be out" she spoke.

"So, you just want to kill your child and end up being miserably single, while you have other options too".

"I am not single" she protested.

"Do you not really think you will not be abandoned soon by the person who is waiting outside for killing his unseen happiness." I asked her.

"She won't be happy with us anymore" she stated.

The moment I heard this sentence I was speechless. But I have to know the actual reason besides assuming it.

"Can you explain it" I asked her

"When I was not sure of my pregnancy I told my mom to join me to the hospital. I underwent the tests and waited for the results. As she is our family doctor she told us the gender of the baby. Then my mom told me that I have to suffer more if I gave birth to a girl child and also Madhu won't be happy with me, if I can't give him a successor. My grand mother was always unpleasant to me. And I don't want my daughter to undergo what all I have been through." she ended up sobbing.

What the fish is this? Do these people still exist. And poor Rajitha, according to her decision of abortion I might say that she went through soo much. 

"Mrs.Madhav, is your husband opposing this. Did he ever mentioned before that he would like to have a male child. Or did he mentioned any hatred towards female child?" I asked her.

"No...he.....in fact....once mentioned that....he love to have a female child." She told with a small smile playing on her lips and a tinge of red on her cheeks was evident that she was blushing.

"Then why do you think so?" I asked her.

"I told the same to my mom. But she told that, every husband would say that because they don't want to disappoint their wives, and when the time comes they will show their real side." she explained.

"How long have you been married?"

"3 years"

"Do you know him well?"

"yes"

"Close your eyes and dream of informing your husband about your pregnancy and about girl child. Remember his character and tell me how he reacted."

She closed her eyes and then opened it. 

"Try it. I am serious." I told her.

she hesitantly closed her eyes and after few seconds, she started smiling and opened her eyes.

"what was his reaction?"

"He was happy. Very Very happy." she told with excitement.

"Then wanna try it now?" i asked her.

"Yes" she replied.

"Geetha, send Mr.Madhav inside" i told Geetha. In a few seconds Madhav was here. Rajitha got up from her chair and went near Madhav who was looking at Rajitha in her eyes to know what happened i guess. Rajitha slowly moved closer to Madhav and looked up into his gaze smilingly and told "I am pregnant with our baby princess". with a cheerful tone.

"Really?" he asked excitedly.

"Yes" she assured him.

he looked very happy that he hugged his wife and was about to kiss her.

"This my clinic. For god sake, stop it please." I blurted out and laughed. They laughed too. 

"So Mrs.Madhav, from now on please do consider your husband's feelings and advices before jumping into conclusions. And here is a small suggestion for you. Whenever you both argue on a topic and end up fighting, do hug each other and argue. This will help you to sort your issues and jolt up your relationship. And you won't need a counsellor like me to take up your issue." I advised them.

They both thanked me and went out.

This was a fruitful case. I also got some cases related to suicides, workaholic husband, phobics, maniac's etc etc. I dealt with them and flee to home sweet home.

Unknown POV

It is dark all here. I can't see anything in here. My legs are not listening to me, they aren't moving at all. Somehow I managed to drag my body into these woods after an hour and half of constant chasing. Clutching my stomach and bearing this unbearable pain. With the passing second I am loosing my blood and hope to survive. My heart is thumping very hard and my breathing is out of control. I swiftly closed my mouth to stop favouring my enemy in tracing me. I can feel my blood sticking to my face, wherever I put my hand. I can hear my heart beat really very clear. My legs are wounded and my whole body is numb due to fear. I tried very hard not to blink my eyes. I am afraid that one blink might take my soul away. I am constantly staring into the woods when I heard sounds of stems being stomped. My heart beat started to raise even more. I pulled myself under a sac like cloth which was beside me. I waited till that sound go away from me. As soon as the foot steps went away, I pulled my face out of the sac and watched out for any trace of the person who is following me to kill me. I really don't know who he is. 

Flasback

I got a message to my phone informing that I would be killed today and a picture of me standing near the tea stall. I immediately turned around to notice I am currently in that stall and this photo was clicked now and sent to me. This means he might be somewhere around me. I started walking into the crowd as he can't do anything to me as long as I am in a crowd. I started to walk with the crowd ignoring my bike, thinking of who might this be and suddenly it striked me to inform cops about my situation and get help from them. I took a screenshot of this message and about to click on send button, I noticed a sharp pain in my stomach. I caught my stomach where it pained me, to observe nothing but blood there. My Blood. All around me went blank for a second and my body is not sensing anything. A jolt of shock run through my spine indicating my disability in protecting myself while someone jabbed me with a knife. I turned to the source of this knife which pierced through my skin. There I saw someone with a black mask with only red eyes visible, which are ferocious. A sudden jolt of electricity and a sharp pain passed all over my body when this someone twisted the knife deep inside my stomach now. I can feel warm blood oozing out from my body. I saw the crowd around me for some help. But I cant even utter a word as my throat is so dry and fear consumed my vocal ability. Some sort of sounds are being played near my ears. This sound is very irritating and also adding fuel to my pain. It is blocking my capacity to think. I felt my body being dragged out of the crowd and now imported into a van. I don't know what to do now. No idea how to save myself. The music which was hurting me till now has been stopped. I tried to open the door of the van. The door to my left was locked. I tried to open the other door. It was not locked, luckily for me. I opened it and  I ran into the woods without looking back to save myself. I left my mobile in the van itself. Clutching on to my stomach I ran into the woods frequently looking back to find any trace of the stranger who claimed to kill me. I suddenly heard the sound of gun fired in my direction and for that one moment my heart skipped a beat. I lost faith that i would be alive. I kept on running running running and running till I got slipped into a pit. I thought I was dead. I looked around for help. Looked around to plot someone who could help me out from this situation. I was so much into pain and fear that I peed into my pants. I wonder what the hell have I done to face this terrible and ferocious situation. I wanted to cry out loud for whatever it is happening to me. But I can't let that stranger know my location. I ran to the opening of the pits mouth. It lead me out through a small hole. While moving out on my stomach, the twigs and dry leaves struck and pierced through my already injured skin. I continued to crawl on the ground till I reach a place where I can hide.

I have come to my senses back when I heard those footsteps again.I heard those foot steps coming closer to me. I don't know what to do. I joined my hands and called out for god to come and save me out of this situation. I closed my eyes, held my hands close to me and prayed hard. 

"Save me, God"

"Please save me"

 I felt someone pulling the sac from upon me.

In a second......