Vaidehi turned her gaze away from the road and said sharply –
"Forget all this, and walk faster, otherwise we'll get late!"
Saying this, she quickened her pace. Her steps carried helplessness and fear, yet she wore the mask of confidence. Beads of sweat glistened on her face.
Gauri followed right behind her, but after walking just a little distance, her breathing grew heavy. Her steps faltered, and her grip on her bag's strap weakened.
Panting, Gauri said –
"I… I can't walk anymore, Vaidehi. Honestly, my legs have given up. At this rate, we won't reach even by tomorrow morning. Let's take help from some vehicle! This road is like testing us at every step, each step feels like a burden."
Her voice held not just exhaustion, but also innocence and fear. Vaidehi glanced at her – Gauri's breath was fast, sweat dripping from her forehead. Vaidehi herself was exhausted, yet she showed no sign of weakness on her face.
Stopping, Vaidehi said firmly –
"Where do you think we'll find a vehicle here, Gauri? This road is deserted. Just keep walking quietly. The more you talk, the more tired you'll feel. Weakness settles in the mind, and the body follows it."
Her tone was strong, but worry was hidden in her heart. Gauri pouted, lips pressed together, and said –
"You always walk like a brave one, but I… I'm not that strong, Vaidehi."
Just then, Gauri's eyes fell on an autorickshaw approaching from afar. Her eyes lit up, as if a lost traveler in the desert suddenly found water.
Excitedly, she called out to Vaidehi –
"Vaidehi! Look! Seems like God has taken pity on us. He heard our prayers! Look, look, an auto is coming!"
Vaidehi also stopped and turned back. Indeed, in the dim light, an autorickshaw was approaching them. Gauri quickly stretched out her hand and stopped it.
The auto halted in front of them. Inside, two men were already seated. The driver slowly applied the brakes, leaned his head out, and looked at them.
Gauri let out a sigh of relief and said cheerfully –
"Bless you, brother, for coming here. Please drop us to Bhopalgarh. Our legs can't take it anymore."
The driver replied at once –
"Of course, why not? We're going that way ourselves. Please, get in."
Hearing this, joy spread across Gauri's face. She grabbed Vaidehi's hand and said excitedly –
"Come on, Vaidehi, come! This auto is going to Bhopalgarh. Let's get in quickly, otherwise more time will be wasted."
Vaidehi looked carefully at the driver, then at the two men inside. Their eyes shone strangely, repeatedly glancing at the bag in her hands. A pang of unease struck Vaidehi.
But Gauri pulled her arm and said –
"Come, what are you thinking?"
Before Vaidehi could resist, Gauri pushed her into the auto and got in herself.
In a low voice, Vaidehi whispered –
"Gauri… I don't like these men. Something feels wrong about them. I don't want to go with them."
Her voice was trembling with fear and doubt.
Gauri squeezed her hand to comfort her and said –
"Oh silly, you see danger everywhere. We travel by autos every day, so why today are you saying such things? Look, if we go on foot, we'll collapse. Nothing will happen. I'm with you."
Her tone revealed more desperation than confidence. Vaidehi fell silent, but her eyes shifted toward the two men, who were staring constantly at them.
The auto moved forward. With every bump on the road, Vaidehi's unease deepened. She clutched her bag tighter.
The road was lonely, lined with dry trees standing like guards in the night's shadow. Dust swirled in the air.
Vaidehi looked outside, her face tense, fingers gripping the bag's strap as if her whole world was tied to it.
Just then, her eyes fell on a boy standing by the roadside, leaning casually against a bike, taking drags from a cigarette. His face carried arrogance, his eyes carefree. It was none other than Raghav.
Vaidehi frowned, her lips pressed tightly. In her mind she thought –
"What kind of people are these? They taste poison like cigarettes as if celebrating victory. Don't they think of their families? Why does a man choose to destroy himself?"
She kept looking at him for a while, but Raghav's gaze was elsewhere. He exhaled rings of smoke toward the distant forest. Their eyes never met.
Gauri noticed too. Her eyes brightened in recognition. She exclaimed –
"Vaidehi, look! That's the same boy who sped past us earlier like a bullet train!"
Her voice was filled with wonder and curiosity, but Vaidehi remained silent, face expressionless, though her eyes still judged Raghav quietly.
The auto moved ahead. Suddenly, the atmosphere grew heavier. The driver glanced at the men in the rearview mirror, a sly look exchanged. The men's eyes gleamed knowingly.
One man leaned forward and said sweetly –
"The bag looks heavy, dear girl… must be troubling you. Why don't you put it here in the middle? You'll feel more comfortable."
His voice was sugary, but Vaidehi sensed fake sympathy and greed. Clutching her bag tighter, she replied sternly –
"Thank you… but I'm not troubled. I can handle it myself."
Her words were short but firm. The man fell silent, but the second one smirked and said –
"Seems like there's something precious inside. That's why you're holding it as if it's dearer than life. Tell us honestly, what's inside?"
His greedy eyes were fixed on the bag. Vaidehi was about to reply when Gauri, with innocent laughter, interrupted –
"You guessed right, brother! It's precious indeed. After all, today is her engagement… and inside this bag is her engagement dress."
Her voice sparkled with innocence and excitement, unaware of the danger. Vaidehi's eyes widened in alarm. She thought bitterly –
"Gauri! Why do you always blurt everything? Do you even realize the situation we're in?"
The two men exchanged looks and smirked. One said –
"Oh, wonderful! Congratulations on your engagement! Our best wishes to you."
Vaidehi gave a faint smile, lowering her head. Suddenly, the first man lunged and grabbed the bag.
Vaidehi froze in shock. Her entire body turned numb. Clutching the bag, she cried in panic –
"What… what are you doing? Leave my bag!"
Her voice trembled, throat dry, but her grip didn't loosen. Gauri, stunned, turned red with anger. She grabbed the bag from the other side and shouted –
"Let go of it! How dare you snatch our things?"
At once, the second man seized Gauri's hair, yanking hard. Gauri screamed in agony –
"Ahhh! Leave me! My hair! You're hurting me!"
Laughing cruelly, he spat –
"Shut up, birdie! Or I'll slice you right here and throw you away. Understand?"
His words reeked of venom. Vaidehi's heart pounded. Trembling, she tried to pull Gauri away and screamed angrily –
"Leave her! I said let her go! Or you'll regret it!"
Her eyes brimmed with tears, but her voice carried both fear and fury. The men burst into cruel laughter. The first man mocked –
"Oh ho… look at her! These delicate hands will fight us? Little doll, what can you do to us with those tender fingers? Now hand us the bag quietly and save your friend."
His laugh was poisonous. Gauri, writhing in pain, refused to give up. With sudden strength, she sank her teeth into his wrist.
"Ahhh!" he screamed in pain, eyes burning red.
Furious, he clamped her mouth shut and roared –
"You dared to bite me? I'll teach you a lesson now…"
His face was filled with cruelty. Vaidehi shook in fear, desperately trying to pull Gauri free, shouting –
"Leave her! Somebody help! Please, someone help us!"
Her screams pierced the silence, but the road was deserted. In the struggle, Gauri lost balance and tumbled out of the moving auto.
"Gauri!" Vaidehi shrieked, her voice echoing. Her breath stopped, eyes widened. She reached out, but the auto had already sped ahead.
Gauri rolled across the road, finally slamming against the side. Her hands and knees were scraped, blood oozing. Moaning in pain, she staggered up, trembling, and cried out –
"Vaidehi… Vaidehi!"
But the auto was far away now. Her voice was swallowed by dust and wind. Terrified, she looked around, heart racing, tears filling her eyes. One thought thundered in her mind –
"What do I do now? Vaidehi is alone with those monsters… how do I save her?"
Meanwhile, inside the auto…
Vaidehi sat huddled in a corner, trembling. Her breaths came fast, hands shaking. The bag was now in the men's possession. The first man tore it open, rummaging quickly.
"What nonsense is this?" he shouted, flinging clothes out.
"There's only clothes in here! Nothing else! We wasted our energy for this!"
He kicked the bag in fury. The second man's eyes now shifted to Vaidehi. Her back was partly visible, and lust clouded his face.
"So what if the bag has nothing? We got ourselves a fairy, didn't we? That's enough. This is the real gift… sent from above, just for us."
His words made the first man laugh wickedly. Both their eyes gleamed with cruelty.
Hearing them, Vaidehi shuddered, her throat parched, tears rolling down her cheeks. She clutched the rudraksha mala tightly in her hands.
Her trembling voice said –
"Don't come near me… do you understand? Let me go! Otherwise…"
But before she could finish, the second man lunged and seized her wrist.
Fear poured from Vaidehi's eyes. Her heart sank. She struggled with all her might, screaming –
"Let me go! Help! Somebody help me!"
Her cries echoed through the lonely road, her body shaking violently…
To be continued..