In the deep darkness of the night, the train thundered forward, slicing through the air for thousands of miles..... That very train, where she stood by the door, wearing a white anarkali with a red dupatta, lost in thoughts unknown. Her long, thick hair blew in the wind, and her eyes looked completely vacant, as if no emotion lived in them anymore…..
Suddenly, with a jolt, the train stopped, snapping her out of her thoughts. By then, people had started pushing and shoving to get off the train. She glanced at the station and stepped down herself, carrying a small bag in her hand.
As she stepped out of the station, she looked around for a tonga (horse cart) driver, when a sharp voice caught her attention:
"Hey you bastard... How dare you question our Bhaiya Ji? TunTun! Skin him alive... he's gotten too bold lately!"
A man named TunTun rushed forward and started lashing a middle-aged man lying on the ground with brutal force.
Just then, a girl came running and bumped into the red-dupatta girl. The girl quickly steadied herself and then ran ahead, crying and begging as she shielded the man:
"Bhaiya Ji, please forgive us... Baba made a mistake. It won't happen again. Please, have mercy…"
TunTun grabbed the girl and threw her aside, then resumed beating the old man even more viciously.
The girl rushed again and grabbed the feet of a man half-lying on a jeep:
"Please, Sir... have mercy or my father will die…"
The man named Rajan strode forward and grabbed the girl by her hair, flinging her away. He raised his hand to slap her when a commanding voice echoed through the air:
"Hey Rajan..."
Rajan froze. Glaring at the girl, he said, "Yes, Bhaiya Ji...?"
The man stood up, adjusting his kurta, and said:
"Only two kinds of men raise their hand on women—cowards and eunuchs. What are you?"
"Forgive me, Bhaiya Ji," Rajan pleaded. "I made a mistake…"
"Have you forgotten the name of our village, Rajan? This is Thakurpur. Here, you either get a reward or punishment. There's no such thing as forgiveness."
He glanced at TunTun.
TunTun instantly turned and began whipping Rajan's back. Rajan writhed in pain, helpless.
The man gestured, and TunTun stopped. Bhaiya Ji then walked toward the old man lying on the ground, but once again, the girl rushed to him and grabbed his feet, pleading:
"Give us some time, Sir. We'll repay every single penny. Take it however you want, but please... we'll pay it all…," the girl begged, offering herself in return.
"We weren't raised to lay hands on women… or dishonor them," Bhaiya Ji said. "You have one month. Sell your house, your land—do what you must. But I want my money in my hands. Understood? No one will touch you until then. This is the word of Anay Thakur."
Anay Ravindra Thakur—Thakurpur's sole heir to the village headman, filled with arrogance and cruelty. From under his black kurta peeked a trident locket around his neck. His hair blew in the wind, brushing against his face, making him appear almost celestial. His smile looked like God himself had sculpted it, yet his eyes burned with intensity. Any girl who saw him once would find it impossible not to look again. His aura was that magnetic.
Anay lit a cigarette and reclined again on the jeep.
"Anay Thakur…!" the red-dupatta girl whispered.
The girl took her father and left, still trembling.
The red-dupatta girl followed them.
The girl and her father entered an old, two-storied house. The red-dupatta girl looked at it for a moment, then walked up and knocked on the door.
"Who is it?" a girl's voice rang out from inside.
"It's me… Advika."
"Advie Di?" someone opened the door while speaking.
"Yes, Uncle told me you were coming... You're his niece, right? Advika Di?" the girl asked.
"Hm," Advika replied softly.
"Come in, I'm Maulika… You can call me Mauli," the girl said kindly.
Advika looked once at the old man behind her, who had just been soaked in a rain of whips.
Mauli hesitated, then said, "About Baba…"
"Oh, nothing, child. I just fell in the fields," the old man said with a forced smile, clearly struggling to even fake it.
"My room?" Advika asked.
"That way," Mauli pointed, and Advika walked into the room.
As soon as she entered, the station's scenes replayed before her eyes. Her fists clenched tightly.
The next morning…
When Advika woke up, Mauli was standing before her with tea.
Startled, Advika sat up and said, "You didn't have to do this. I could have made it myself…"
"No, Uncle said to take special care of you. Please get ready," Mauli smiled.
Advika took the tea and Mauli left.
A while later, Advika got ready and saw Mauli preparing to leave.
"Are you going somewhere?" Advika asked, though it was obvious as Mauli was about to step out.
"Yes… to work at Thakur Ji's place," Mauli mumbled.
"Wait, I'll come with you," said Advika.
"No, Di… please don't…"
"I saw you at the station yesterday, Mauli. I know you're burdened with debt. I'm going to stay here a few days—I won't be a burden to you. Let me help," said Advika.
"You're educated, Di. Get a good job. Why would you walk into hell?" Mauli replied.
"And you? Aren't you going into hell too?" Advika asked.
"We're not going out of choice… it's compulsion. Baba owes so much money that even if he sold the house, the land, and even himself, it still wouldn't be enough. And those vultures always eye us like prey. If something happens to Baba, where would I go? They'll rip me apart like hungry wolves. That's why I go. At least as long as the younger Thakur is there, we're safe," Mauli explained.
"Why? Isn't your younger Thakur a hungry wolf too?" Advika asked.
"He is... cruel and heartless... has no compassion for anyone… sees nothing but money… but at least, he respects women. He doesn't look at them with vile intentions," Mauli said.
"Then we're safe too, as long as your younger Thakur is there… right?" Advika responded.
"Please, Di… listen to me. Don't go there. You… you won't be able to bear it," Mauli made one last attempt.
"What if I cover my face?" Advika suggested.
"But his eyes don't stop at faces…" Mauli's voice cracked.
To be continued…...