Short Story of Nirbhaya -A new beginning
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As per the custom, she stepped into her new world with her right foot forward, a heart full of desires and love for her husband.
Though they had not had many meetings post their engagement, their regular chats on WHATSAPP was proof enough that she has found the man of her dreams.
He was the gem of his parents’ eyes, his relatives were equally proud of him. His friends were proud to have found a gem of a friend in him. Her friends envied her to have such charming and humorous husband. What else could she have asked for?
She entered the bedroom with a sweet fear in her heart thinking about what was in store for her.
She never expected what happened that night in her wildest dreams.She was in such a state of shock that no words or scream escaped her lips. She just lay on her marital bed with her husband beside her,her hopes and dreams shattered to pieces.
The devil that unleashed in him didn’t recognise her as a human being lest a woman.
16th December,2012 – She remembered the exact date since that was the first day in her six months of marriage that she entered the bedroom without fear. Her husband was on tour and would return only the day after. She slept peacefully.
She woke up the next morning to the sound of the television from the living room and realised she slept late. She got ready quickly and went to help her mother in the kitchen with the breakfast. She could hear the television in the living room. It was tuned to a news channel. The news that unfolded struck a deep chord within. She could see the happenings of the past six months of her marriage as the reels of a movie being unfolded in front of her eyes, only the news magnified her horror tenfold. She could understand the girl’s pain as much as her own. Sleep evaded her that night.
The next day too,the channels carried the horrifying tale. She found herself extremely disturbed. Her husband arrived the same day. She could see he was not his usual self.
She feared the approaching night waiting for the devil to unleash his horror for the night.
She entered the bedroom fearing to be pounced upon. She could see him lying on his side of the bed with his eyes closed. She approached her side of the bed and lied down. She was taken by surprise to see his eyes closed still. Her lips escaped a sigh of relief and closed her eyes coaxing sleep to have mercy on her.
At first, she heard a soft cry and then slowly it became harder. She put on the lights to see what was happening and was shocked to see her husband crying. She didn’t know what to do. Finally gathering some courage, she touched him lightly on the shoulder, only to feel him sobbing harder still.
She could hear him saying between the sobs,”Sorry.Sorry for all that I have done to you. Nirbhaya made me realise how much I have hurt you. I promise to never hurt you again”.
She could feel the stream of tears rolling down her cheeks as she gave him a patient ear.
He told her of the childhood abuse he had encountered from one of his uncles then, which has scarred him for life. She understood the pain it has caused him and the reason of the residence of the devil in him.
That night,they slept peacefully in each other’s arms holding unto each other for support..
With her support, he began consulting a Psychiatrist who guided him and made the devil leave his abode for good.
Three months of treatment and counselling did him good. Now she never feared the bedroom or a devil lurking inside..
Though cruel, she realised that what happened to Nirbhaya has changed her life for good. She could not help but thank the gods.
An end is a beginning.
–END–
