The Afternoon Killing: Part Two
Read the first part here. Second part is as follows.
The next day, as soon as he woke up, Bhanu packed his bag on his own. He did not want Bela to check through at the last moment. After that he sat down to study. When their parents left, Bela started to pack their lunches and Bhanu told her that he has packed his bag himself today. She was relieved and thought that finally the kids are getting mature and responsible. They started to leave for school at 7:15 and stepped outside. Then, Bela saw the ball protruding out of the bag, its outline clearly visible. She immediately understood the motivation behind Bhanu’s behavior today. She pounced upon him, and took away his bag. She took out the red ball and then threw it inside the house. Then holding him by his ears, she told him not to try to act smart and then took him to school.
Bhanu was too shocked to react. He kept on walking silently towards the school. He now feared for what may happen in the recess. Nobody would buy his explanation. Bullying and ridicule was for sure. Those four periods before recess passed away very fast that day. And as he had feared, he was jeered, booed, ridiculed, derided, and thrown out of his team as they were unable to play anything that day.
When he saw Bela’s figure in the afternoon, as she came to take the kids home, he thought about killing her. He was very silent and did not talk much. Bela understood this as remnants of morning anger, nothing more. They went home and after having lunch sat down to study. Bhanu’s mind was restless. He thought about possible methods to kill Bela. He had seen many murders on television using guns, knives and hammers, but he had no gun, no big knives, and no big hammers. If he goes into kitchen Bela would notice. Then he thought about poisoning her. The only poison he could think of was a mosquito repellent coil. There was a big ‘POISON’ written over its packet. Perhaps he should powder one entire coil and mix it in Bela’s drinking water. But Bela may smell it and will not drink it. Even this scheme was very likely to fail. Bela was a very cunning woman, he thought. It also occurred to him that he can push away Bela into the way of a speeding vehicle when she takes them or brings them back from school. But the way she used to tug them and sometimes beat them, Bhanu was sure that Bela was much more powerful than him, and he may not be able to gather enough force to push her away. She may indeed, at that time slap him in public. Such disparity in strength also ruled out strangulation as a possible method.
As he was contemplating about possible methods of murder, he drew Bela’s figure on a rough sheet. A big hideous monster with large limbs and an ugly circular face with abstract senses came alive on his sheet. He then started poking it with his compass. He enjoyed as the monster’s body became riddled with holes. And then he started doing it rapidly. His sister’s curiosity was aroused by the sound that compass made with each hole. She came to him to see what he was up to.
Bhanu stopped when he saw his sister keenly observing him. She enquired about the figure and why is he poking with the compass. Bhanu just told her that he is killing chachi to ger rid off her forever. Once she is dead she will not be around to enforce her strict discipline on them. The thought of killing chachi looked rational to her sister too. She took a look at the poke marked figure and then said
“Kill her at the legs also”
Bhanu immediately made a couple of holes in the paper, where he had drawn monster’s legs.
“Is she dead now?” she asked.
“No I will burn it. They burn the bodies in flms after death. I will burn it. She will not come back after that”.
Then he went into kitchen. He came back with a matchbox. And then he tore the sheet out of his notebook, and lit it. The monster was soon reduced to ashes.
The burning smell filled the room. Now they were left behind with the ashes.
“What should we do with the ashes?” he asked Bhagwati.
“They immerse them in Ganga, after burning it. But how will we reach Ganga”.
“No!”He said “we will immerse them in the drain. She does not deserve to be immersed in Ganga.”
They went outside and gleefully performed the ceremony. The ashes flowed down with water and then dissolved in it a little distance ahead. They came back to their room and once again sat down in front of their books.
A little later Bhanu started to feel a little lonely. A strange tumult of emotions came to his mind. He started thinking what if Bela was really killed? What if she was indeed burnt away and her ashes immersed. They will be left alone as soon as their parents left. Who would pack their bags, give them breakfast, and take them to school? Who would help them with their homework? They will have to come home and prepare lunch for everyone. They will also have to the household work, as everyone would leave for work early in the morning. Who will iron his school dress, sometimes so crisp that teachers would commend Bhanu for being so immaculately dressed for school? And what if Bhuvan would bring another wife for himself after Bela was gone. One cannot be sure if she will not be as oppressive as Bela, Bhanu thought. As Bhanu thought more about it, he realized Bela was indispensable part of the household. Everyone needed her, and their lives would be impossible without her.
Then for the first time, Bhanu realized that his life will be tough without Bela, although same cannot be said for his school friends. They were selfish and jealous. And he was thinking about killing her just because they jeered him today. Bhanu eyes suddenly grew moist and he regretted what he did to that figure. He now knew how much he actually loved Bela. He ran from his room to Bela’s room.
She was knitting on a chair. Bhanu went and hugged her, and started crying. Bela was very surprised at this. She thought that the twins had another fight and perhaps Bhagwati bit Bhanu. She grew angry and thinking that she may have to resolve another of their conflicts over something trivial, she held him. And angrily asked, “What is the matter with you? Did both of you had another fight? Today you will surely get a beating by your father. Let him come. I will tell him about the ball as well as this.”
At this Bhanu started crying, and confided everything to her. After hearing everything and knowing Bhanu’s new found love for her, her eyes also grew moist and she hugged Bhanu.
Since that day she became less impatient with their behavior, while Bhanu did everything possible to be as obedient to her Bela chachee as possible.
The next day, as soon as he woke up, Bhanu packed his bag on his own. He did not want Bela to check through at the last moment. After that he sat down to study. When their parents left, Bela started to pack their lunches and Bhanu told her that he has packed his bag himself today. She was relieved and thought that finally the kids are getting mature and responsible. They started to leave for school at 7:15 and stepped outside. Then, Bela saw the ball protruding out of the bag, its outline clearly visible. She immediately understood the motivation behind Bhanu’s behavior today. She pounced upon him, and took away his bag. She took out the red ball and then threw it inside the house. Then holding him by his ears, she told him not to try to act smart and then took him to school.
Bhanu was too shocked to react. He kept on walking silently towards the school. He now feared for what may happen in the recess. Nobody would buy his explanation. Bullying and ridicule was for sure. Those four periods before recess passed away very fast that day. And as he had feared, he was jeered, booed, ridiculed, derided, and thrown out of his team as they were unable to play anything that day.
When he saw Bela’s figure in the afternoon, as she came to take the kids home, he thought about killing her. He was very silent and did not talk much. Bela understood this as remnants of morning anger, nothing more. They went home and after having lunch sat down to study. Bhanu’s mind was restless. He thought about possible methods to kill Bela. He had seen many murders on television using guns, knives and hammers, but he had no gun, no big knives, and no big hammers. If he goes into kitchen Bela would notice. Then he thought about poisoning her. The only poison he could think of was a mosquito repellent coil. There was a big ‘POISON’ written over its packet. Perhaps he should powder one entire coil and mix it in Bela’s drinking water. But Bela may smell it and will not drink it. Even this scheme was very likely to fail. Bela was a very cunning woman, he thought. It also occurred to him that he can push away Bela into the way of a speeding vehicle when she takes them or brings them back from school. But the way she used to tug them and sometimes beat them, Bhanu was sure that Bela was much more powerful than him, and he may not be able to gather enough force to push her away. She may indeed, at that time slap him in public. Such disparity in strength also ruled out strangulation as a possible method.
As he was contemplating about possible methods of murder, he drew Bela’s figure on a rough sheet. A big hideous monster with large limbs and an ugly circular face with abstract senses came alive on his sheet. He then started poking it with his compass. He enjoyed as the monster’s body became riddled with holes. And then he started doing it rapidly. His sister’s curiosity was aroused by the sound that compass made with each hole. She came to him to see what he was up to.
Bhanu stopped when he saw his sister keenly observing him. She enquired about the figure and why is he poking with the compass. Bhanu just told her that he is killing chachi to ger rid off her forever. Once she is dead she will not be around to enforce her strict discipline on them. The thought of killing chachi looked rational to her sister too. She took a look at the poke marked figure and then said
“Kill her at the legs also”
Bhanu immediately made a couple of holes in the paper, where he had drawn monster’s legs.
“Is she dead now?” she asked.
“No I will burn it. They burn the bodies in flms after death. I will burn it. She will not come back after that”.
Then he went into kitchen. He came back with a matchbox. And then he tore the sheet out of his notebook, and lit it. The monster was soon reduced to ashes.
The burning smell filled the room. Now they were left behind with the ashes.
“What should we do with the ashes?” he asked Bhagwati.
“They immerse them in Ganga, after burning it. But how will we reach Ganga”.
“No!”He said “we will immerse them in the drain. She does not deserve to be immersed in Ganga.”
They went outside and gleefully performed the ceremony. The ashes flowed down with water and then dissolved in it a little distance ahead. They came back to their room and once again sat down in front of their books.
A little later Bhanu started to feel a little lonely. A strange tumult of emotions came to his mind. He started thinking what if Bela was really killed? What if she was indeed burnt away and her ashes immersed. They will be left alone as soon as their parents left. Who would pack their bags, give them breakfast, and take them to school? Who would help them with their homework? They will have to come home and prepare lunch for everyone. They will also have to the household work, as everyone would leave for work early in the morning. Who will iron his school dress, sometimes so crisp that teachers would commend Bhanu for being so immaculately dressed for school? And what if Bhuvan would bring another wife for himself after Bela was gone. One cannot be sure if she will not be as oppressive as Bela, Bhanu thought. As Bhanu thought more about it, he realized Bela was indispensable part of the household. Everyone needed her, and their lives would be impossible without her.
Then for the first time, Bhanu realized that his life will be tough without Bela, although same cannot be said for his school friends. They were selfish and jealous. And he was thinking about killing her just because they jeered him today. Bhanu eyes suddenly grew moist and he regretted what he did to that figure. He now knew how much he actually loved Bela. He ran from his room to Bela’s room.
She was knitting on a chair. Bhanu went and hugged her, and started crying. Bela was very surprised at this. She thought that the twins had another fight and perhaps Bhagwati bit Bhanu. She grew angry and thinking that she may have to resolve another of their conflicts over something trivial, she held him. And angrily asked, “What is the matter with you? Did both of you had another fight? Today you will surely get a beating by your father. Let him come. I will tell him about the ball as well as this.”
At this Bhanu started crying, and confided everything to her. After hearing everything and knowing Bhanu’s new found love for her, her eyes also grew moist and she hugged Bhanu.
Since that day she became less impatient with their behavior, while Bhanu did everything possible to be as obedient to her Bela chachee as possible.
hey a nice and SWEET story. however i feel that the 2nd part is more attractive and interesting but u have underplayed it a bit. what i mean is that you could have added a bit more fun to the anxiety of the lil children after their 'supposed' killing.
ReplyDelete