Part -4 (Trial of the Rapist)
-"Maybe you're needed there. And since it's evening, someone from the village might be gone by the end of the evening today too..."
-"Mean?"
He didn't give me a chance to say anything else. He started walking over the tree leaning over the river and onto the other side.
The sound of his footsteps on the dry leaves, along with the sound of the gentle flow of the river, continued to echo around me for a long time. I couldn't stop him. But suddenly I felt the presence of a strange power.
Just then, a strange sound came from the village.
I heard screams.
-" Ahhhhhhh! Ahhh...."
Immediately I heard the noise of several people. I was shocked and stepped towards it. By then, evening had fallen. A couple of lights were visible from the village.
I came to the village after running all this way. The village, which was full of noise just a moment ago, is now filled with emptiness! It's completely quiet....
The more I moved forward, the more the sound of crying began to ring in my ears. I could not understand the reason for it.
A little further on, a scene caught my eye. It seemed like all the people of the village were gathered under a tree. From within, a cry was rising.
-"Thakur Masai, where were you? Everyone was looking for you at home?"
As Hari came forward from the crowd, I asked
-"What exactly happened here, Hari? Why is everyone crying like this?"
There was a lot of anxiety in Hari's voice! What a fearful look in his eyes!
-"You go home, Thakur Masai. It's not right to stay in this place now. Come on, everyone is looking for you."
-"But why wouldn't it be okay to stay, Hari? And don't worry about me... I'm not afraid of anything!"
-"You didn't look at the tree?"
-"Why? What happens when you look? Am-m-mi-"
As I spoke, I looked at the tree. And I couldn't say the rest...
There's a person hanging from the branch of the Batabi lemon tree! I didn't notice until now. But this time it's better.
I looked. The man wearing a white Punjabi and dhoti was hanging himself with a white dhoti around his neck. It was quite visible in the light of the moon, but I didn't realize it until now.
- "Hanging?"
-"Yes, Thakur Mashai.. It happens every few days. I don't know who will give it to me when..."
-"How many days in a row? And again like this? How can you be so sure?"
-"Because it's the work of a witch!"
So he cut his tongue. And said,
-"Oh Father, Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna...
This evening, at one point, I called his name. Thakur Masai, you can go now. Karta Babu has called you for a very urgent matter.
By then, some people had climbed the tree to take down the body. On the other hand, a suppressed fear was visible.
I got it from everyone.
I remembered that when I was forced to return home due to the rush of the deer.
-"Maybe you're needed there. And since it's evening, someone from the village might be gone by the end of the evening today too..."
Yes, Suniti had given me such a hint a while ago. How did she know in advance?
Hari said it happens sometimes and Suniti was pretty sure it could happen today and it would be evening. How did Suniti know?
What a strange thing he said and when I came back I saw that it had happened! Suniti can't do anything.
Because Suniti was with me all this time and no one has contacted her. No, I will have to ask Hari which witch he is talking about.
-"Well, Hari, which witch are you talking about?"
-"It's getting dark. You should stop talking like this now."
Please do it, Thakur Masai. I'm scared! Let's go back home first. At that time, that witch was roaming around here.
And just then, in the darkness by the side of the road, there was the sound of water splashing over a pond. It was as if someone was diving into the water. I looked and saw that there was no one there. And who would dive into that pond of rotten water in the forest in such darkness?
Even after looking closely, I still couldn't see anyone. Yet it seemed like he was diving into the water and rising. Sometimes, after he rose, there was the sound of water splashing.
Hari said this time in a very tearful voice.
-"I already told you, Thakur Mashai, let's go back. You see! Let's go now-"
Hari somehow took me by surprise. I couldn't do anything else. I had to succumb to his fear.
When I returned, I saw Hemendra Babu pacing in a row on the veranda. He stopped at our words.
The lights were on all around. The wife of the house was walking around in the evening.
-"Where was Mr. Thakur?"
-"This way, this
-"Which forest?"
-"That's the south side. What else can I do sitting at home, so I came for a little walk-"
-"Why didn't you tell me you went that way?"
"I actually...
"But has something happened? Why do I see fear in your eyes?"
-"Because Thakur Mashai, that forest is not good. If you look again in the village, you will see another death today."
"That Parimal had been a madman just like my son for so long! He too had to be kept in confinement! How many young boys had died like this! Parimal's marriage was fixed...
It was a terrible pain for his family! How much they had packed for the wedding. And right then, signs of going mad appeared in him! It was very painful!"
After dinner, I went out onto the street a little more. It was very hot. It felt good to stand outside in the fresh air. There was a really pleasant breeze outside. It was pitch dark all around. People in all the houses were almost asleep, someone had hanged himself again today,
So people had gone home earlier. That's why there was no light anywhere. Occasionally, a light from inside a house was still flickering, its light could be seen from afar...
There is a sound of wind blowing through the leaves of the trees... An owl is calling in the branches of the tun tree overhead, making a strange sound.
Behind me is this big house, on the right is the village, on the left is the village, and in front is an open field. Beyond that field is the forest. It's not very clear from a distance, but it can be guessed.
I'm walking around, imagining, thinking, etc.
At that moment, I heard a scream from the front yard!
To be continued....
Your gift is the motivation for my creation. Give me more motivation!