The Silent Scream

Based on real life events. A story of women empowerment

Vandhana's screams were suppressed with the thunder of the clouds as the rain came pouring down. She was yelping in pain as every muscle in her body ached like a well-co-ordinated symphony. She lay on the drenched floor with her head bowed, her thoughts as scattered as the rain drops going haywire amidst the strong wind. Her vision blurred, the only thing that she could see was a broken crate in front of her in the small lane. "Rishi, what the hell is wrong with you?", she questioned the bulky figure who stood beside her worn out body. "You b***h, this is for my mother", as Rishi kicked her with his hefty boots on her arm, Vandhana had no further energy to even whisper. Her thoughts raced back to the other when she was with Rishi's mom, the intense and illogical argument that they were having. Rishi's mom was at it again. The innumerable instances that she changed her mind would even put an Indian politician to shame as she rattled on, "You think you are fit for my son? Just Look at yourself. I'll make sure I make your life miserable, you lousy piece of s**t, if you ever marry my son." Vandhana retorted back, "Auntyji, I love your son and I'm pretty sure he does too, and I assure you that I can fulfill everything you ever wanted in an ideal daughter in law. Please calm down. The only outcome of being frustrated is that it will impair your thinking." "What? Impair my thinking? You're saying I can't think properly? Even my daughters are better looking than you. Get out this instant". Rishi' mom shot back, as her ancestral brain wasn't able to comprehend the statement that Vandhana had made. "Auntyji, you're comparing your daughters to me, thank you so much, that's an honor for me", she shot back with a sarcastic grin.

Vandhana's attention was brought back to the present moment when Rishi bent down and helped her on her feet. "I'm so sorry, look what I have done to you. Please forgive me", he pleaded. Vandhana maintained a steady silence aware of the fact that the person sitting next to her was acting like a loose cannon and can turn on her again any second. But still, anger wasn't an emotion that was running through her at that point, since she liked him in-spite of his atrocious behavior and violent instincts. "You like him?", the sane voice inside her head retorted back and dismissed the feeling in her heart. "Yes I do, in fact I love him", responded the voice in her heart. Vandhana got up and started limping towards the main road and did not look back. Rishi, astonished with her resilience and courage offered to drop her. But Vandhana needed some time to think, to be alone, to gather her thoughts and to think clearly as to what had happened. She started questioning herself as to what did she do wrong. "Pain and pleasure are two sides of the same coin", she thought to herself. At present she was under immense pain, but funnily enough this was a source of pleasure as well. "WTF is wrong with you", cried the sane voice in her head. "Are you insane? The brute just beat you up, you should have got the b*****d arrested and let him rot in jail. Such brutes shouldn’t;' be shown any mercy". Deep down inside Vandhana knew that the sane voice inside her head was right and it made complete sense. She couldn't live with a guy who played a dual role, that of a maniac and that of a pseudo-Romeo!

The next morning, Vandhana woke up with the chirping of the birds. Still recovering from the internal and external pain of last night, she had time to think clearly before going to bed. Limping out of bed, she quickly wrapped up her morning ablutions and rituals and headed out and rode off on her beloved 100CC scooter. The first stop is Rishi's house, as she parks her scooter and heads for the door. She thumps the front door with her fists.

The door opens with a familiar figure standing in front. "Hello Aunty", she greets the plump lady standing in front her. Rishi's mom struggles to search for words and surprise and nervousness is evident on her face. "Wondering what happened to me? You could save some time if you could check with your own son. And don't be surprised if you receive a legal notice sometime soon and the only place when you can have mother-son time is in JAIL.