10. Reshmi is tortured by terrorists

CHAPTER 10

Reshmi is tortured by terrorists

In the old house, Reshmi’s hands and legs were tied and she was standing on a stool. There was blood on her face. A rope was around her neck ready for hanging.  She had blood on her hands. She was crying and begging.

“Please leave me alone. Or else kill me. But please do not torture me like this.”

Madani looked at her seriously and said, “According to your would-be husband’s decision at 11am we will know whether we have to pull the rope around your neck or release it.”

He looked at his watch. “Now it is 10:45. He must have reached his room with CD and he must be watching it.”

Siddartha was now in his house. He put the CD in the CD player and put on the TV. He sat watching the TV seriously. Reshmi’s hands and legs were tied and she was standing on a stool. A rope was around her neck ready for hanging. She had blood on her face. Madani was talking to the camera with a cloth over his face. Only eyes could be seen.

Pointing to Reshmi, Madani said, “Eh champion, you want Reshmi alive. We want that commando Ranjit’s dead body. By 3pm, his dead body should roll. We leave it to you how you do it. What do you say?”

Akram came on the screen with cloth over his face. He took hold of Reshmi’s hair and pulled it. Reshmi shouted with pain. “Amma. Please kill me if you want. But do not torture me like this.”

Akram hit her. Reshmi again shouted with pain. “Ah. Siddartha, please rescue me.”

Akram put his hand on Reshmi’s neck. She shivered with fear. Bilal came on the screen wiht cloth over his face and talked to camera pointing to Reshmi.

Bilal said, “When we call you at 11am, if you are ready to do as we say, she will survive. Otherwise….”

Bilal pointed to the rope around Reshmi’s neck and put his leg on the stool on which she was standing. “I have to just kick this stool; she will become a dead body hanging on the rope.”

Siddartha was shocked to see the contents of the CD. He shivered and wiped his face with his kerchief and closed his eyes. Then he put his hand on his chest and cried “Reshmi, I will rescue you. I love you.”

Suddenly his cell rang. Siddartha looked at his watch. It was already 11am. He looked at his cell in tension.

Bilal was standing near Reshmi. With his leg on the stool, Bilal asked Siddartha, “”What have you decided?”

Reshmi was looking at Bilal with fear.

Siddartha pleaded, “Please don’t do anything to her. I will do as you say.”

Seriously, Bilal said, “I will give you time up to 3pm. We are watching every movement of yours. If that commando’s dead body does not fall by 3pm, she will become a dead body and we will parcel it to you.”

He switched off the mobile.

Phone call got cut off. Siddartha put his hand on his head. He drank water and wiped his face. He looked at the god’s photo. “Oh god! What is this test you are giving me?”

He put his hand on his head and started thinking of what had happed between him and Ranjit a few years back. He remembered Ranjit slapping him and them kicking him when he had fallen down.

Remembering the past made Siddartha very angry. He bit his lips.

“He disgraced me so much in front of everyone. My blood boils whenever I think of it.”

Then he remembered Ranjit shouting at him and sending him out of the room when he had gone for interview.

Siddartha became very serious.

He tightened his fist. “Bastard. He made me miss such a golden opportunity.”

He went near Reshmi’s photo kept on the table.

He took the photo in his hands and touched Reshmi’s face with his hand. “Like me, she too lost her parents in a terrorist attack. Her parents died in Hyderabad chat Bandar blast and she became an orphan.”

He looked into her eyes. “If I am still alive after having lost everything, it is all because of you. You are my breathe.”

He kissed the photo. Siddartha remembered hugging Reshmi.

Looking at the photo, Siddartha said, “Yes. You are my life. I cannot live without you for even one moment. I will save you and marry you at the fixed auspicious time. They want that bastard Ranjit’s dead body. He disgraced me in public. This is a good chance to take my revenge. I will make him a dead body. He should die. I too will be as satisfied as those kidnappers if he dies and you will be released.”

Suddenly his cell rang. He was shocked at first. Then he looked at the number. It was his friend Arvind.

Siddartha said, “Arvind, don’t wait for me. Go on with the arrangements. I have to give invitation cards to some more people. I will come with Reshmi after 11 or 12 at night.”

Laughing, Arvind said, “You are talking of midnight. Are you going to finish the honeymoon and then come here?

He looked at his friends and laughed. They also laughed.  

Seriously, Siddartha said, “Do as I say.”

Arvind laughed and said, “Ok. Don’t worry.”