Chaits made sure to call her exactly at the time she was supposed to consume her dose to remind her if she hadn’t. She used to happily take those pills and confirm that to him with a loud smack of her lips on phone.
About a week, after she started consuming those pills, Chaits started to worry. She used to respond to him, his love filled words but, he could sense a sort of dullness in her.
He called Pallavi in concern who assured him that this kind of slowness in her response was natural once she started her medicines. The pills contained elements that would subdue excitement and agitation and relax her so that she can start gaining control on those spikes of excitement which used to trigger existence of Sunny in her mind. Once she gains complete control over her mind – she won’t need any medication.
Chaits felt relieved that the medicines were not affecting her adversely. She was soon going to be normal…
He had a huge assignment coming to him with a promotion and a hefty raise in his salary. This assignment was going to eat up his Sundays as well. He called up Anjali and informed her about the prospects his office had offered to him.
Though dull in her response, she seemed happy about his professional growth – after all, this growth was going to make their married lives easier. He assured her of meeting her at first possible opportunity and make up for all the time they would be losing due to his assignment.
Couple of weeks passed even as the workload to complete that assignment increased. He had made sure that come what may – he wouldn’t miss out on his timely calls to Anjali.
His concern about Anjali was growing – her response was growing duller. Many times, he thought she didn’t understand his words but gave unwarranted verbal nods during their conversation. The only thing she could say was that she loved him…
His concern grew beyond his bearable limit. He knew Anjali wasn’t feeling well. He could sense that the medicines seemed to have adversely affected her. He couldn’t understand what exactly had gone wrong.
He called up Guru and Tanvi and informed them about his growing concern. They decided that they would visit Pune to check on her health and have a word with Pallavi. They wanted to make sure that the medicines weren’t adversely affecting Anjali.
They drove to Pune and met Pallavi who informed them that Anjali had not met her as planned and had insisted on a telephonic conversation and consultation. She informed them that after she had a conversation with her, she had made changes to her medication, however, she wouldn’t get those pills at any medical store because a professional prescription was needed which was not with Anjali. She also mentioned that she wasn’t sure that Anjali had been consuming the medicines she earlier had prescribed. She didn’t know where Anjali lived so couldn’t visit her.
Hearing this, they along with Pallavi, instantly left to meet Anjali at her home. They were greeted by her parents who looked pensive. They informed that Anjali nowadays hardly left her room. She had stopped joining them at the dining table for breakfast and meals. She kept herself locked within her room and she never opens the door in anyone’s presence.
“My girl in the room is like a silent patient, silently enduring the pains of something she never should…” her mother said in tears.
When Pallavi asked them, they confirmed that she does have her breakfast and meals. They were asked to keep it outside the room she is locked in and she eats and leaves the empty plates outside her room. Whenever they try to speak to her, she just screams at them to go away and leave her alone. She blames them for her painful situation.
They were almost in tears unable to bear her extremely abnormal behaviour. All they wanted was her to get well and settle down in her life with Chaits.
Pallavi informed them that her mental disorder had sprouted from a double shock – one was physical when she landed on her head and the other was death of Sunny… Most probably this seemed to stem from feeling of guilt that he had lost his life trying to help her… She then asked them the permission to try and speak to Anjali out of her room so that she can be checked and treated. They gave her the directions to her room upstairs. She silently climbed up the stairs so that she could listen to any conversation Anjali was having with imaginary Sunny…
They all sat tense in the living room hoping Anjali would respond to Pallavi.
“I heard a shock can kill the shock that affects people and send them into a different mental state.” Chaits said feeling uneasy and now in a desperate state of mind to see her behave normal again.
“What nonsense…” Guru remarked.
“Believe me – I have seen it in movies…”
“You are out of your mind. Are you planning to strike her on her head?”
“NO – I can’t even dream of hurting her. Maybe, I can think of some other mental shock which could possibly bring her correct sense back to her…”
“Have you thought of something?”
“No – that’s what I’m trying to figure…”
“Now – shut up and let Pallavi handle it…”
Chaits was getting restless and was trying to think hard as to what he could do to shock Anjali enough… Tanvi’s sadness increased as remorse set in again. Had she investigated into Anjali’s past – Chaits would have been a happy man.
They sat alert when they heard footsteps in the stairs. They were disappointed when they saw Pallavi descend – alone. She showed them a thumbs-down sign.
“She’s not responding” she said in concern, “She has to get out of that room. Maybe something in the room affects her and she imagines Sunny. She seemed quite normal when she had visited us a couple of weeks ago. Chaits and Tanvi told me that she behaves absolutely normal when she meets them – away from her room. I got a feeling that something in her room leads her to this state of mind…”
“I think Chaits is the only person she might respond to …” Tanvi said thoughtfully.
“I think you are right.” Pallavi seconded her suggestion, “she agreed to her treatment on his say…”
They all looked at him in anticipation while he was still trying to figure out what kind of shock should he enact for Anjali. Guru almost sensed what he was trying to think and patted him on his back in care, his eyes pleading him not to try anything silly…
Finally, Chaits got up and slowly made his way up the stairs to her locked room. He knocked on the door half anticipating her smiling face as ever…
“Didn’t I say – LEAVE ME ALONE…” Anjali almost let out a harsh scream at the door.
“Anjali…” he called her in a soft voice, “it’s me…”
“Chaits!” he heard her voice take on an elated tone, “is it really you?”
“Yes sweetheart, please open the door.”
After a long pause and some fiddling noises on the other side he heard her say, “I love you.” He now heard gentle scratching on the door even as she whispered, still hiding behind the closed door.
“I love you – my sweetie. I want to see you. Please open this door.”
“I love you.” She repeated herself in a weak voice among sobs, “please don’t ask me to open the door honey – let us talk this way – please…”
He was running out of patience and had a tough time controlling himself. He gently knocked on the door again.
“Please open up the door sweetie…” he pleaded realizing that she, at least, now was responding. He could hear her walk away from the door. He could hear her sob and estimated her to be between her bed and the window that overlooked the main entrance to the bungalow.
“Please” she said begging amid her sobs, “Let’s speak this way…”
“So – should I understand that you no longer wish to see me?” he tried instigating a reaction from her.
“How can you say something like this?” she almost wailed. “My life is you – I live for you – I’m enduring all this pain – only for you.”
“I understand it darling and I really am concerned about you. I want to see you – now…”
“No – I don’t want you to see me. I’m not at all presentable. I won’t be able to bear it if you look away from me … I beg of you … please do not insist…”
Tanvi looked at Guru who now seemed tense and shifted closer to him and held his hand to reassure him. His eyes told her that he feared Chaits would try something silly and was concerned that either Anjali or Chaits could end up physically hurt…
Finally he spoke out his worry to Pallavi who assured him that Chaits won’t hurt Anjali – he loves her too much do something like that – but, yes – there was a chance that Anjali might physically hurt him…
Are you ready for a thrill ride like no other?
Look no further than Prasad Deshpande, the mastermind behind heart-stopping, spine-tingling thrillers
that will leave you breathless and begging for more!
"Unimaginable Plots, Unrelenting Suspense"
With a twisted imagination and a flair for the unexpected,
Prasad Deshpande weaves intricate tales that will keep you guessing until the very end.
From shocking twists to heart-pumping action, it is a wild ride that will push you to the edge of your seat.
Dive into a World of Thrills and Chills
Explore the dark corners of the human psyche, where the unimaginable becomes reality.
Prasad Deshpande's thrillers are not for the faint or weak of heart,
but for those who crave a story that will haunt them long after the final page is turned.
- Prasad Deshpande
- Prasad Deshpande
- Prasad Deshpande
- Prasad Deshpande