A2Z Blogchatter: Abuse

Raju, an 8-year-old kid, lived in the small village of Pauri Garhwal in Uttarakhand. He lost his mother 2-years back due to a grave tragedy. Raju now lives with his father, Dhawan, in a small hut in Ghurdauri, a village 11 km away from Pauri city amidst the mountains in the lap of nature known for its lush green beauty and beautiful landscapes throughout the year.

Flashback to two years back.

Dhawan owned a stationary shop near the government college in Ghurdauri. His shop ran successfully due to limited resources for students to choose between in the locality as the city was 11 km away, and conveyance would last for a certain period in a day. He would open his shop at 8 a.m., be it a harsh winter, rough summer, or unstoppable rain showers. One day, while returning home at 7 p.m., he met with his friends, who asked him to accompany them to have a peg or two and play cards. He insisted on refusing, but his friends did not take his no and persuaded him to join them.

It was a night of winter whispering a rhythm of trouble in Dhawan’s ears, but he did not attend it and continued to a secluded place in the jungle of Ghurdauri with his friends. While walking, they heard movements in bushes but kept walking until they reached near Frog Hill. They chose a place to sit and started their shenanigans of partying and playing cards. Dhawan told his friends that he would stay for one game and would not overdose on alcohol, and they agreed. 

When the game started, one of his friends served alcohol to each, and there was a loud cheer, taking a sip from their glasses. Dhawan was so lost playing cards that he did not notice two hours passed away in a fly. By that time, he drank enough that he could not walk properly. His friends took advantage of this situation and snatched the money he earned that day at his shop.   

The group got up to return to their homes at midnight. Seeing Dhawan in helpless condition, his friends decided to drop him at his home and inform his wife about his overdose. One of them said that sounds like a plan. Even if he asks us about money once he gets to his senses, we will put that on him, blaming him that he was not in his senses.

Dhawan kept mumbling on the way back home and walked staggeringly. His friends found it difficult to carry him, so they slowed down, and it took around three hours for an hour's journey. His wife came running as she heard his friends calling for her. She shattered seeing his husband in such a condition and helped them to lay Dhawan on the bed safely. They told her that they found him drunk near his shop and brought him home.

She felt helpless and thanked them for getting him home. They had a cunning smile hiding the truth. The night was too long for her as she saw her husband in a poor condition. 

Dhawan woke up with a headache in the morning, finding it challenging to get up from the bed. He called for her wife. She came hurriedly and helped him sit on the bed. As soon as he woke, he started looking into his pockets for the last day's earnings. He went hysterical as he could not find money. His wife asked him about his trouble, and he started blaming her for stealing his hard-earned money.

She felt shattered on hearing his words and tried to narrate the event from last night. Dhawan did not hear her and started beating her with whatever came into his hands. He slapped her continuously till she fell on the floor and tried to save herself. But Dhawan did not spare her and got out of bed following her. As he got hold of his wife, he shook her by her shoulders, asking her about the money. "Bitch, tell me where is my money." She repeated the incident, but he thrashed her again. 

Dhawan was not conscious due to inebriation, so he stumbled on a glass he aimed at her from bed to stop her from running. As he fell, her dupatta came in her hand, draped around her neck. Finding it difficult to get up, he took the support of her dupatta without realizing, her choking due to the force on her neck.

Before he could stand on his legs, his wife choked due to his pulling of her dupatta around her neck. She died silently. Raju came out of the room after hearing a noise from his parent's bedroom, but it was late.

I'm participating in #BlogchatterA2Z.