by vidit chopra
Chapter 18: Is it the end?
While we were all still thinking, still in search of that fool proof plan, the doorbell of the hotel room rang. Kabir went to open the door. It was the waiter with the tea and coffee that was ordered by us a little while back.
“There is a call for Mr. Vishal at the reception.” The waiter said after putting the tray containing the tea and coffee pots on the table.
“Oh okay. Can the call be transferred to the room?” I asked.
“We are sorry sir. The intercom has encountered some problem. The technicians are working on it to set it right. You will have to go to the reception to take the call.” The waiter said with a broad smile on his face.
I was as it is confused who it could be.
“I will just be back.” I said to the rest of them.
“Do you want me to come along?” Kabir asked,
“No need. It would either be Tanya or Dad. I gave Dad the room number. The signals around here are quite weak so in case he wasn’t able to contact any of us, I had asked him to call at the hotel’s number.” I explained.
“Okay.” He replied.
The others nodded as I went to the reception to take the call.
“Hi this is Vishal. Is there a call for me?” I said at the reception.
“Yes sir.” The lady at the reception replied and handed me the receiver.
“Hello.” I said into the phone.
No one replied.
“Hello.” I said again.
No reply.
“Hello.” I said in a very different accent in the hope that it might help.
“Turn around.” The voice in the phone said.
“What?” I said.
“Turn around.” The person said again.
I turned around to see who it was.
It was Striker, one hand holding the phone to his ear and the other in his pocket.
That was one horrifying moment. I just couldn’t understand how I was supposed to react. All I did was stand in front of him staring blankly at his huge body and waited for him to say something.
“Welcome.” He said with a broad smile on his face, his heavy voice enough to scare a man to death. He had a stern look in his eyes which simply added to the fright.
“Would you like to come along with me the peaceful way or do you want me to drag you out of this hotel and into the trunk of the car.” He said.
I didn’t say anything. I was still confused. I thought of calling out for Kabir but there was no point in creating a scene plus I had forgotten my phone in the room itself hence it wasn’t possible to contact the rest of them.
“Looks like you are deaf and dumb. I guess you chose the latter.” He said and grabbed me by my shirt dragging me from the reception to the exit door. I tried to resist but he was too strong for me.
“Hey. Wait.” A voice shouted from behind. Striker stopped, his grip still tight on my shirt, to look back how it was.
It was Kabir. He had come down to see if everything was fine and luckily enough, he had come in time to prevent unleashing of an assault yet again.
“Wait.” Kabir said again and came running towards me.
Striker turned back and kept on moving without paying any heed to Kabir. I resisted with all my might and yet there was no effect on Striker. He kept on moving without a worry. Kabir came running towards me but was stopped by a couple of men right outside the hotel. These guys looked to be with Striker for they prevented Kabir from coming any further. They didn’t beat him; all they did was prevent him from moving forward.
After a walk about hundred yards from the hotel, into the parking lot, he threw me in the backseat of a car, the black Scorpio, in which he had brought Tanya to The Gateway of India a few hours back.
“Where are you taking me?” I shouted still trying to resist, trying to open the door of the car to move out. The doors were locked and he wasn’t really answering to anything that I asked. Soon, a couple of men came and sat next to me in the back seat while Striker occupied the driver seat. The men who were sitting on either side of me held my hands so much so that it was almost impossible for me to move.
I kept asking the same question again and again but none of them replied.
After about twenty minutes of ride, Striker stopped the car. The place was silent, secluded and looked to be on the outskirts of the city.
He stepped out of the car, the other two men followed, dragging me out of the car and throwing me on the earth.
“So you did have the guts to come here.” Striker said.
“Just like I had promised.” I said.
“And didn’t I tell you I am your worst nightmare hence stay away from this fucking place.” He said.
“Didn’t I tell you I will take you down? One thing I forgot to add, I am gonna kick your balls.” I said confidently even though the insides of me were horrified.
“Is that right.” He said and laughed.
When I said this, his men started moving forward and most probably were in a mood of giving me a whacking.
“Wait. Wait. Wait.” Striker said stopping his men.
“It’s just me and him. Let’s see what you have got.” Striker said.
I got up from the ground and stood in front of him. All I could see was him and Tanya’s image in my mind. It was as if this was the guy who was between me and Tanya and if he was gone, all the problems will be gone too which obviously wasn’t true but was the little bit inspiration that I needed to face the whole six and a half feet of him.
“Come on young man, let’s see what you got.” Strike said.
I threw a punch with all my might and it landed on his face. That was the punch that had all the power I could build. The funny part, he didn’t move even an inch. There wasn’t even a mark on his face. In fact, it hurt my hand more than it hurt his face.
“Is that all you got?” Striker said and laughed.
“I am just getting warmed up.” I lied.
I threw around ten consecutive punches in his stomach and he still didn’t move. My knuckles pained now. His abs felt as if they were made of steel! Nothing could hurt a man like that.
“Tell me when you are done.” He said. His men laughed on hearing this.
Finally, I threw in the final punch which most probably was the one that was sure to hurt him. I lifted my leg and banged my knee into his scrotum.
This time he did move. He did feel the pain for this one was natural and no gym of the world has built a technique to make scrotum painless by exercise, using protection is a different thing though!
“You son of a bitch. You shouldn’t have done that.” Striker said. His expression changing from a grin to that which meant he was angry.
After a minute or so he had recovered from the pain of the hit and didn’t look happy one bit. Nobody feels elated after having got hit in the scrotum for sure.
Hence started the ambush. He grabbed hold of my shirt yet again and punched me in the face. The punch landed with a thud on my nose and I felt a crack. It just wasn’t his body but his hands too were made of steel. One punch and I was on the ground with huge amount of blood flowing down my nose. My nose bone was gone for sure. He picked me up in an instant and start slamming punch after punch in my ribs. It hurt all the more with every punch. He sure had broken a couple of ribs as well.
“I told you not to come here. Stay away from her but you just wouldn’t listen would you.” He said taking a break between the numerous punches that were all aimed at killing me.
He then went back to thrashing me, hitting me as hard as he could and yet it didn’t look like it was giving him any sort of pain. It looked as if it was his routine exercise and he was just getting warmed up!
Once, he thought it was enough he threw me back on the floor and said, “So is this enough to explain that you shouldn’t be here anymore or do I need to explain it more. I am asking you for the first and the last time, Will you meet Tanya again?”
“Yes I will and you can’t
fucking stop me.” I said.
“You will meet her if you survive today and as far as stopping you is concerned, watch me stop you!” He said and laughed. He picked me back up and started with his punching exercise again.
This continued for five more minutes after which I didn’t feel anything. My whole body went numb especially my ribs and face, there was blood oozing out from various parts of the body and his punches didn’t hurt anymore. It felt nice like this, the feeling of silence, the feeling of numbness, slipping into the calmness of death. Death felt nice, it was so peaceful. I collapsed on the ground as soon as he stopped his exercise.
“So I would iterate my question yet again. Would you try and meet Tanya again.” He said.
“Yes I will and you wouldn’t be able to do anything.” I said forcing the words out. I didn’t know if I even meant them but I just didn’t want to give up on Tanya. It took a lot to say those few words. That was all I was left with!
He didn’t say a word and kept laughing uncontrollably. His laugh did appear to be visibly fake but he did look amused.
“Enough of this bullshit. I told you, change your answer if you want to survive, to see another day but you failed me hence be ready to face the consequences.” He said and pulled out a 45mm caliber pistol from under his shirt.
I was already half dead and with the gun in his hand, it was sure that I wouldn’t be able to fulfill my promise that I made to Dad. I had broken it as it is. He wanted me back in one piece and I was broken up in more than two already. Death most probably was standing right in front of me and the fact was I didn’t want to run away from it either. I had lost my ability of thinking clearly and all I could see now was my family and Tanya standing right in front of me, tears rolling down from the eyes of all of them. It did look as if it was the end. There was no escaping the reality anymore. This most probably was the end and to be honest I didn’t want to run away from it. The beast standing in front and his boss wouldn’t have let me live a life with Tanya and thinking of a life without her was in itself dying each moment while I lived.
Love is a fucked up thing, you can run from it, but you certainly can’t escape it!
Meanwhile, the potential wrestler was standing with a gun in his hand aiming it straight at me, apparently in search of that sweet spot to avoid sparing a second bullet. I was writhing in pain hence it made it difficult for him to take the aim. After a couple of seconds, he seemed to have found his ‘spot of action’ and seemed ready to pull the trigger. Just then, his mobile phone rang and he cursed technology for disturbing him at such situations. He broke his aim and picked up the phone.
“Hello.” He said into the phone.
What followed was something I couldn’t really interpret.
All I heard was the “yes sir” that Striker said after every couple of seconds, apparently after hearing the instructions given to him.
After a couple of minutes he hung up the phone and looked at me with a smirk on his face. Two minutes of life and we are back to reaching my end.
He then took his aim again, the smirk still covering his face and after an instant tugged his gun back into his jeans.
“This little piece of technology has successfully managed to save your life and I hate the son of a bitch who created it.” Striker barked.
“What do you mean by saved your life?” I said.
“You will know soon. Put him in the car.” He said and instructed his men to put me back into the car.
They threw me in the backseat again as I laid in the seat occupying 2/3rd of the place. One of the men sat next to me while Striker and the other man occupied the seats in the front. Striker was driving at a great speed by Mumbai’s standard. I couldn’t really see anything but I could still feel the car racing. My vision was blurred, most parts of my body were numb, I had trouble understanding that was happening around and yet I was alive. Still surviving for some godforsaken reason!
I fainted somewhere during the ride to wherever these people were taking me and the next time I woke up, it was a room which was pretty similar to the one I was a month ago- it was just another room in a hospital.
Once I woke up, I could see Ayesha, Kabir, Simran and Aditya all sitting around me. It wasn’t the general ward and hence the presence of all of them at the same time was in itself a pretty big achievement.
“Our lover boy is up.” Ayesha said as soon as she spotted my eyes open.
“I just don’t want to talk to him.” Simran said looking visibly upset, almost in tears.
“What did I do now.” I said with huge difficulty.
“You still have the guts to ask that?” Simran said.
“Break it off you two.” Kabir said.
I didn’t say a word and stared blankly at the ceiling of the room.
“I am not shutting up this time. Enough of this Tanya bullshit. Love is one thing but getting yourself killed for it is something just not acceptable. You aren’t meeting that girl ever again. This chapter of yours closes right away and there would be no discussion about it. That’s final!” Simran said.
“You are being irrational Simran.” I said after a moment.
“I am being irrational? This is coming from someone who is ready to give up his life for a girl? I am being irrational? Looks like Striker’s blows have made you mentally demented. Call the doctor someone. This guy needs a CT scan.” Simran said.
“Shut the fuck up you two. We are in a fucking hospital there are patients out here who are being disturbed by your fucking voices. Vishal, you fucking need to rest and Aditya take Simran out of here, she needs some air.” Kabir shouted.
Just then the nurse entered the room.
“Kindly keep it down. You are disturbing the patients around.” The nurse said looking at Kabir. Kabir was dumbfounded for he was being blamed for something that he was trying to prevent. That was a real comedy of errors and a moment of laughter for sure. There was too much tension in the air and the nurse unknowingly had cooled down the atmosphere.
Simran was mad at me and she had every right to be. She was trying to protect me more than anything else and I should have tried to understand that but deep down my love for Tanya knew no bounds. Maybe that’s how love is. It has it’s evil way of coming to the fore.
I didn’t say a word after that neither did Simran.
“I thought we were here to kick some ass not to get your ass kicked all over again.” Kabir said after a while.
“Yeah sure we were but then it was Striker of all the people. Ever heard of the phrase ‘that guy has balls of steel’ well I just saw the literal meaning of it in the form of Striker. That guy definitely has balls of steel.” I said.
“Why do you say that?” Kabir said.
“Because it didn’t really hurt him as much when I kicked them!” I said.
“You kicked his balls?” Aditya said shocked.
“Literally but that’s pretty much all I could manage.” I said.
“That’s more than enough my boy. “ Kabir said.
“By the way how did I end up here?” I asked.
“Well, Striker threw you out of the car in front of the hotel entrance after which you were carried here by the ambulance.” Ayesha explained.
“Hmmm. I still wonder what changed his mind.” I said.
“Changed his mind about what?” Kabir asked.
“Well I can’t tell you that with her around.” I said pointing at Simran.
“Oh sure you can’t and hence I shall leave.” Simran said and went out of the room. Aditya followed calling out her name.
“Now tell us.” Ayesha said.
“After thrashing me into pieces Striker took out his gun to shoot me and finish me there and then but then someone called and he put me back into the car where I went unconscious.” I explained.
“Well we might have an answer to that.” Ayesha said.
“What?” I asked.
“After Striker picked you up, I called up Tanya to tell her about it. She did pick up
and told me that she would talk to her Dad about it. May be that’s what changed his mind.” Ayesha explained.
“Maybe. By the way how many days have gone by since then?” I asked.
“Three.” Kabir said.
“And what’s my body condition. I don’t feel anything to be honest, everything is numb.” I said.
“Well, apart from a broken nose, three broken ribs and a badly bruised face, everything else seems to be functioning normally.” Ayesha said.
“Awesome. I am getting used to this now.” I said and smiled.
“Shut up. This is the last time you are ever getting into a hospital. The next time you should be in a hospital should be when your Dad calls you or when your wife, whoever it might be is in labor.” Ayesha said.
“Cool down Ayesha. I was just kidding. I certainly don’t like it either. What about Mom and Dad? Told them already?” I said.
“You expect us not telling them this? How do you think there can be five visitors in a room in a hospital? It’s your Dad who is the reason that this is possible. Your treating doctor, this time as well, is a friend of your Dad. He would be here any moment.” Kabir said.
“What about Mom? Where is she?” I asked.
“Well, to be honest, she isn’t in the best of states at the moment. Most of the time she is either crying or is praying. She rarely says a word. She was here all night hence was forced to go back to the hotel to rest for a while.” Kabir said.
“I am screwed.” I said.
“Sure you are but then you were screwed up a very long time ago, it’s just that you have realized that today!” Ayesha said.
“True that. Anyway any word from Tanya?” I asked.
“Yes. She did call up a couple of times and the truth is she did pay a visit yesterday.” Kabir said.
“Oh she did. That’s great. Would she be coming today?” I asked.
“No clue. She did want to meet you though.” Ayesha said.
I simply nodded or at least I thought in my mind of nodding but my muscles didn’t really move. It was the Striker effect after all!
“Bro let’s get serious for a moment.” Kabir said.
“What do you want to talk about?” I asked.
“Tanya who else.” He said.
“What about her?” I asked.
“That how she is fucking up your life.” He said.
“I thought you were with me on this one Kabir.” I said.
“Look bro, initially, I was but then this thing is getting too fucked up and it’s not only screwing you but everyone’s life around you and hence this needs to stop!” he said.
“I didn’t ask you all to get bothered about me. I can handle all of this on my own.” I said.
“Oh you really think that?” Kabir said, his tone showing a bit of surprise and anger at the same time.
“What’s wrong with you Vishal. You have literally fucked up your life. Anyone who looks at you can easily tell that you are a total mess. It’s just a girl god damn it. I know I am talking about my friend over here but this is more about you than her. She has fucked you up completely.” Ayesha said.
“And I am fully aware of that, to tell you the truth but that’s how love is Ayesha isn’t it?” I said.
“Love is never meant to kill anyone Vishal, hatred is. As for love, well, I guess Tanya’s Dad's hatred for you is far more superior than Tanya’s love for you and maybe that’s the reason you end up being here every month.” Ayesha said.
I didn’t say a word as it is I didn’t have any support from any of them and there is no point trying to prove a point when you know that eventually you are the one who will be blamed for what you have ended up as!
After a few minutes of bare silence, Mom came in.
I looked at her for a second and as our eyes met, she looked away. There was pain in her eyes, they were visibly wet and there were no points for guessing she felt hurt on seeing me in such a state.
“Oh come on Mom. I am just fine.” I said.
“You certainly don’t look fine! How many times Vishal? How many times would we have to see you on all fours, lying on a hospital bed with broken bones?” She said.
“I am sorry Ma.” I said, not trying to make an eye contact anymore.
“No Vishal. The fact is you aren’t sorry because if you were, you just wouldn’t have come to Mumbai. You are here because you just weren’t sorry the last time.” She said.
She was right.
I didn’t say a word and kept shut most of the time.
“That girl is completely messing up your life Vishal and you are letting her ruin it.” She said after a while. The feeling was the same, her words were just a little more subtle and without swears!
I simply nodded and kept my eyes shut and pretended to have slept.
After a while Dad came in.
“So you needed my contacts out here after all.” Dad said right after entering the room.
“Well, I certainly wasn’t the one who called. Maybe someone of these guys did.” I said.
He nodded and smiled.
“That’s all you have to say to him?” Mom said.
“What do you mean by that?” Dad asked.
“What do you mean? Your son is ruining his life and in turn ours as well and all you have to say is you needed my contacts after all?” Mom said.
“Oh come on. I certainly can’t scold him. He isn’t a small kid anymore; he is a full grown man now. He is capable of taking his own decision and do whatever he wants to.” Dad replied.
Someone was with me after all!
“You are supporting him on this one? Are you serious?” Mom said shocked.
“I am not supporting him, all I am saying his that he has the right to take his own decisions in his life and we should respect that.” Dad said.
Mom simply shook her head in disbelief.
Right after this, all I could do was smile. There was a smirk right across my face and I just couldn’t help no matter how hard I tried.
Simran too was back after a while. She still looked pretty mad at me and hence I didn’t utter a word ever since she entered.
What followed were numerous kinds of brainwashing techniques being applied to take Tanya out of my head and the fact was maybe it was working. Maybe she was getting out of my mind, but then mind and heart are two very different things. They could have brainwashed me but heart washing was something that no one had ever tried for it was sure to have gone in vain!
The doctors had advised at least six months of rest which meant I was bound to miss my joining time at the company who was dumb enough to give me a job and that was one thing Dad was mad at me about. It was fine to him till Tanya was getting me beaten up but when it comes to career, no Dad would want his son to miss his first job’s first day of joining and here I was, in a hospital with no chance of being able to get up before the joining date which was just a couple of days away! And with this, went my only support, Dad, who stood by me as far as Tanya was concerned. Hence, here I was, in a hospital bed with six people, namely or relationship-ly, Kabir, Ayesha, Simran, Aditya, Mom and Dad, all trying to convince me that Tanya and her family was nothing but trouble for me and them! I heard everything that they had to say but never really accepted whatever they said. I had a rule, “listen to what everything has to say, do what your mind and heart say!” and I very conveniently applied that, in this situation for sure. Then they said I was being immature, acting irrationally and maybe they were right. Maybe love doesn’t support rationality of thought either!
No matter what they said, no matter how much they tried, I still missed her, still longed for her! There was a possibility that I might never see her again but I had to. This wasn’t how we were supposed to end.
