Red

…
Disclaimer: Reader discretion is advised. This story contains mature themes and dark subject matter and is a work of fiction. All events, characters, and actions portrayed are entirely fictional and do not reflect or endorse real-world acts. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or real events is purely coincidental.

…

RED

“One last peg, please, Pramod,” I said, sitting at the last table of the New Naik bar.

“Sure, but first, stop checking her photo. Forget her!” said Pramod, the bartender.

“Shut up! get my drink firrsshht,” I signalled, trying not to stammer as I swirled the glass. The ice cube moved around the round corner of the glass, slowly melting with every passing second. Pramod went to the storeroom, had a brief check of the shelf, then grabbed the first bottle from the second row. As he reached back to the table, I had already left. I had placed a handful of smiling Gandhiji notes below the glass. Pramod took it and moved to the next customer.

I have known Pramod for ages now. I can’t actually recall how I met him, but all I remember is that it was around midnight. I was completely out. I kept on repeating her name. He placed my hand over his shoulder and dropped me home. I was pretty confident that I would walk without his support, but he insisted. After that day, he has dropped me a lot of times. Yeah, that’s how he became an integral part of my day.

I reached home. On my way, I could see people wobbling and dogs dancing. I couldn’t believe my eyes, though. I entered, placed the key on the table, and kicked the door to close it. My legs moved automatically. It was one of those nights when I could feel the earth’s rotation. As I walked towards my bed, my steps trembled. So, I had to take the 5-step challenge. I had created this challenge to check my level of drunkenness. It was simple: I would draw an imaginary line and walk 5 steps straight. If I succeeded, then I would declare myself stable enough to empty another bottle. So, my challenge began. I took the first step. Everything was normal. The second step. And I heard a notification on my phone. Attempting to multitask, I took a third step. And the phone slipped out of my pocket. With my fourth step, I was trying to reach it, and… my eyes closed abruptly, and I blacked out.

That’s all I remember about last night.

The next day.
The revving sound of the Mercedes-Benz S-class from next door woke me. I struggled to open my eyes. The floor was dusty except for the area around my nose, which was getting cleaner with every breath. I looked at the clock with one eye closed. The time was 9.15 am. I immediately stood up and hurried towards the window. My right foot landed on the phone accidentally, and I slipped, catching myself in a leg split. The phone slid inches away. I gathered myself and rushed to the window. The bright sun rays hit me like a flash bomb. I quickly rubbed my eyes and had a clear street view. She was not there. Only the birds chirped in the neighbourhood, and I waited. This was part of my routine now. I knew she would come. I continued my focus on the street.

My thoughts flooded. Why is she not here? Did she complete her pooja? Maybe she is not well today, or did I wake up late? I shouldn’t have had that last sip.

I turned around, looking for my phone, and heard the soothing gejje sound from a distance. I knew it. It was her! The sound echoed in my ears. Time paused for a moment. I wanted it to stay forever, but can we stop time?

She moved the black metal gate of the next house, yet I could easily differentiate between the two sounds. She was walking towards the main door. I turned back. And there, I had my first glance of her. She wore a yellow sari with flower embroidery covering her tummy, which was growing in recent months. Long sleeves covered her arms. Green bangles rested on her wrists. Hair tied in a bun, beautifully decorated with jasmine flowers. And the Olive-green drop earrings swung with her motion as she moved. I blinked, and the door closed. So many years of watching from a distance, yet I had not managed a single moment of eye contact after college. My eyes then moved to the nameplate “Mr. and Mrs. Shetty”.

…

Shetty, the business tycoon and my neighbour, lived in a duplex with a separate dog house for Bruno. When unleashed, Bruno would do an enthusiastic run around the lawn. The garage had an automatic shutter with luxury cars parked one next to another, with no colour repeated. Last time, on his wife’s birthday…No, on my Rukku’s birthday party, I secretly sneaked in. The hall had a statuario marble floor. A gold-tinted chandelier. Antique paintings on the wall. And people moved around with a glass in their hands. I knew I didn’t belong here, but all I wanted was to see her once. The staircase on the left led to their bedroom. I saw Rukku walk slowly down the stairs with Shetty’s hand around her waist, guiding her downstairs. A rare event where both pretended to be happy. Even though they were married for years, they would hardly hold hands in public. I wouldn’t do that. Never. If it wasn’t for that security guard that day, then I would have been celebrating her birthday, not Shetty. Anyways, what can I do now, other than accepting the fact that she is Mrs. Rukmini Shetty, not my Rukku anymore.

I couldn’t take it anymore and rushed out of there.

…

Every day, no matter what I did, I didn’t miss looking at her in the same way I used to in engineering college. We were in the same class. She would sit in the first bench, and I on the fifth, so that I could see her clearly. I would do this all day long without getting bored. Look at the sign from the universe: when I least expected it, she became my lab partner. I would discuss my doubts, borrow her notebook, and carry her bag whenever she was tired. The banyan tree was our lunch spot. Her lunchbox would have delicious food that I would empty every time. Trust me, there’s some magic in her mother’s hands. After college, we would visit the Sanjay café. I already knew what she would order — her favourite filter coffee! And I would watch her enjoy every sip of caffeine.

Days went by adoring her, and it was December already. I didn’t know that it would be a turning point in our lives!

We were in our final year, and it was Christmas evening. The campus had a huge Christmas tree beautifully decorated with stars and bells in front of the main building. Everyone walked around in winter outfits. And here I was, trying to find a perfect spot, perfect time, perfect moment to tell her how I felt. The urge to tell her grew daily.

Sid had planned a visit to the church with Rukku and me. We reached, and there she was. Waiting in her white long frock and black heels, which gave her extra height. Hair parted and held together with pink hairpins. Her eyes were brighter than ever. A small mole beneath her right eye, my favourite one. Her tiny nosepin, circular earrings, and pink lip gloss- Ufff, I couldn’t get enough of her. I felt a push from behind, and the next moment, I was in front of her. I could feel her breathing. I controlled myself, and we sat next to each other. Sid vanished somewhere. She was looking at the decorations. I gathered every bit of courage and placed my hand on her. She looked at me and moved her other hand around to tuck her hair behind her ears. With my hand still on hers, I finally confessed my love. I felt a sense of relief. It was as if I had moved a huge rock from my chest. But she didn’t respond. She kept quiet. I didn’t know what to do, so I tried to move my hand away, but she held it and looked me in the eye. That look! Ah! It’s a straight dagger to the heart. I still remember it. We didn’t talk much for the rest of the evening, but I already knew her reply. It is the best day of my life to date!

Something changed after that. I mean, whatever happened, there was some happy feeling throughout. The professor is scolding me, and I’m happy. My friends are teasing me, and I’m happy. I’m waking up late, and I’m happy. All I needed was her one glance, and I would forget all my problems in a snap. The feeling of being loved is unmatched, trust me.

Time flew, and final exams were around the corner. I had asked Rukku to carry her notes to the library, which was mostly empty. We sat together. There was no one around. The librarian was asleep as usual. We studied for an hour. Out of nowhere, there was a thundering sound, and the next moment, Rukku was in my arms with her eyes closed. I looked out of the window, and it started to rain. We were stuck. My heartbeat rose. I kept my hand on her shoulder. She didn’t say a word. Slightly tightened my grip and placed my other hand around her cheek. She turned towards me. Our eyes met, and the look continued. None of us blinked. It was as if time had stopped, and rain was the perfect background music. Rukku slowly leaned forward. My heartbeat rose. I felt a slight shiver, my eyes closed automatically, and our lips met for the first time.

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The rain made it difficult to hear anything. The security guard who had entered the library to photocopy the timetable saw us and immediately ran to the principal’s office.

The next day, Rukku woke up to the damage that the stupid security guard had done. The principal had informed her parents. Just like that, everything shattered. Our plans of marrying, starting a family, and roaming around the world…everything…everything was over. Rukku told her parents about us, but they didn’t approve. They didn’t even bother to listen. The family’s reputation was at stake. Her parents saw love as a crime. They wanted to do the right thing. So, they immediately discontinued her college and pressured her to marry this big shot, Mr.Shetty.

…

Present day.

Marriage is a compromise of love, and I don’t want to get married, I thought as I got ready for the office. I picked up my phone from the ground and hopped onto my bike. Going past Shetty’s residence, I stopped at the Udupi restaurant to have idli sambar dip.

There was more workload at the office, and I did overtime, but that didn’t affect Pramod’s and my friendship. After work, I visited him and reached home late at night, drunk. I was lying on my bed, with my tummy resting against the mattress, when I heard these disturbing noises from next door. I never liked it, but it was not the first time, though. Sad news for Shetty was that the market had crashed. He would always be on a phone call, walking tensely on the balcony. Rukku would watch him secretly from the window, hiding behind the curtain. Whenever Shetty lost money, he would not let Rukku sleep peacefully and would take his frustration out on her. This was going on for years. I would always hear noises. Sometimes the clank of the belt, sometimes a vase would fall, but the most prominent one was Rukku’s screams. It bothered me.

Every day, she would wake up at 8 am, prepare breakfast, and head straight to the temple. She would cover herself fully in the sari, hiding every bruise mark from the previous night. The belt marks would be red during the day and later turn dark all over her body, challenging the blood to come out. There was something about these marks; no matter what, they never vanished. The moment an old one tried to fade, Shetty would be ready with his belt to give her the new one. No one tried to save her. When she had told her parents about him and wanted to separate, her parents silenced her by pointing at her mangalsutra.

After pooja, she would return home with a red kumkum dot on her forehead, which would co-exist with the bruise marks. Both being a mark of her marriage.

…

(Present day)

As I was lying down, Shetty continued hitting her. Paintings fell apart. Walls quietly listened. The sound of the belt snapping boiled my blood. When the belt was not enough, he hit her with his bare hand. The sound of a slap pierced my eardrum. Then, he pulled her hair, pushed her to the ground, and kicked her. He yelled that she brought bad luck, and his loss in business was all her fault. She shouted in pain, yet he showed no mercy.

I could hear her crying, but I couldn’t do anything.

I didn’t understand why she was with him. Why didn’t she raise her voice? I couldn’t bear it. I wanted her pain to end.

This violence continued the whole night. I knew Shetty would soon pay the price for Rukku’s tears. I didn’t sleep the entire night. I patiently waited. When the clock hit 8 am, it was time to take matters into my own hands!

(Next morning)

Around 8.25 am, Rukku left for the temple. I had to execute my plan before she arrived. I covered my face with a mask, picked up the biggest knife from my kitchen, and tried to hide it as I walked towards Shetty’s residence. Bruno started barking, loud enough to disturb the neighbours. I could sense someone watching, but I didn’t care. I pushed the door, but it didn’t open. I took three steps back and kicked it with full force, over and over, till the door latch cracked. I started walking quietly towards the bedroom. The door was already open. I became cautious. There was this foul smell, but I ignored it. There were broken glass pieces scattered around with blood stains. And there was the culprit, Mr. Shetty, sleeping peacefully, fully covered in a blanket on the king-size bed, but now was his time to sleep forever.

I slowly started moving towards his bed. Silently, I removed the knife from my pocket and gripped it in my right hand. Shetty was inches away. My hand started to shiver, and the sweat on my palm loosened my grip. I quickly wiped it off and got back to my aggressive position. I took a breath. Closed my eyes. And raised my hand as high as possible and, with full power, I swung it. The knife pierced the blanket, but I missed hitting Shetty by a marginal gap.

This will not work. If I have to kill him, then I will have to do it with my eyes open.

I moved my left hand near the blanket’s edge and pulled it to uncover Shetty. I couldn’t believe what I saw. I was shocked to the core. Shetty was unusually asleep. Motionless. It was as if he had forgotten to breathe. I placed my ear on his chest, and there was no heartbeat. I started sweating more. I didn’t know what to do. I sat on the floor with my eyes closed. Rukku’s eyes, her smile, our walk together, that filter coffee and the library, all flashed in a second.

Rukku, what have you done? You silently bear the pain for years, and the moment I decide to set you free…this happened. Tears rolled down my face. I couldn’t digest the fact that she would end up in jail. No, she is not a criminal. She has done nothing wrong. The person to be punished is sleeping peacefully. No, I can’t let this happen to Rukku. I will NOT let that happen.

I grabbed the knife in anger and, with a full power hit Shetty’s heart. The knife went half an inch inside his chest, and my hand slipped. I pulled it back out. I thought of Rukku, and stabbed it back again and again till the whole bed was red. Blood dripped down the bed. I didn’t stop, and I didn’t want to stop. I raised my hand again to hit him, and the knife slipped and fell on the ground. My right hand went numb. I couldn’t hold back my tears. I kept staring at Shetty.

A few minutes went by. It was just Shetty and me. I had never gotten a chance to wish him on his marriage, but it was too late now. I told him my story. I told him he did wrong, but he didn’t even care to reply. Was I different from him? I kept wondering.

Next minute, I heard a police siren approaching the house. IPS Rithik entered the room with the constables. The victim was dead, and I was caught red-handed. IPS Rithik wasted no time in handcuffing me. He gave me a tight slap, and my mask went flying. He dragged me along the way and pushed me outside the house.

Rukku had just returned from the temple and stood near the gate. After so many years, I finally looked her in the eye for the first time after her marriage. That killer look, Ahh! It’s a straight dagger to the heart. I had so many questions to ask, but I didn’t. This is not how our story was supposed to end. I should have married you. I would’ve never let a single scratch on you, but it’s all over now. I smiled. Rukku’s eyes were filled. She kept her hand on her baby bump. Tears rolled down her face.

The killer was taken into custody and I… I was guilty of love.