Rudhirprem

In the shadows of the night resided a dark secret veiled in the blood. stepping into the college Adhvay’s gazes search for her existence among the vibrant atmosphere of the concert but little did they succeed.

Decked up in the shimmery Anarkali, aarohi awaits his arrival, and those steps of her, linger near the trees enveloped in the glow of the lights. An evil eye fixed upon aarohi kept her in sight, whose steps remained in front of the main gate. The mark given to his face by her is mirrored in the selfie which ignites the rage within his heart which carries the motive to seek revenge.

“ one more only one more” Viha’s request diverts his attention to his friends who are posing in a line for the selfie.

“ no need” Vaibhav’s harsh refusal snatches away the smile off her lips.

“Didi” aarohi’s eyes lower to the innocent child in whose hand a letter resides which upon delivering he runs away. Unfolding it, her eyes perk upon the writing and the words penned inviting her to come to the beach.

A girl is pulled to the side behind a building but before she can utter a single word Advay compels her to stay silent while he feeds on her blood quelling his thirst, and gaining more power which floods his viens.

The curtains embracing the pole of the canopy follow the trail of the breeze which wafts from land towards the high waves of the ocean which seems to be at turmoil with the full moon. Bringing the phone to the ear, Aarohi called Karan but every time the bell rang, it only brought high anticipation. Suddenly a warm embrace to her hand brings a smile to her beautiful face. She turns instantly and on spotting Karan she hugs him instantly.

“What are you doing here?” he asks, pulling her back.

“You’re the one who called me,” she says, lifting her hand to show the letter, but only emptiness resides in her grasp.

“I just got here. My car broke down,” he points to the black sedan parked by the roadside railings overlooking the beach. “Hadn’t I come, you would have been waiting here forever.”

“ I have my phone” her eyes curve up, while the cheerful voice telling the alternative she would have chosen, had he not come.

“Shall we go?” he raises his elbow a little which aarohi holds instantly bringing a smile to her lips yet she could not ignore what happened few moments ago.

A tiny flame igniting the grass follows them as they step into the college premises but a phone call drifts Karan to the side while Aarohi’s eyes gape at the chaos of the crowd coming towards her indicating a stampede-like situation whose cause remains mysterious. The high-pitched yells shoot in her ears freezing her on the spot. her eyes dilated at the situation. Before a single person can touch her, In a shot she is pulled to the side against a tree. Her eyes squeezed tightly, which unfurl to vision the handsome face. she sighs in relief.

“Karan” the fear which the eyes behold can be felt by him who holds her hand.

“Aarohi, let’s go from here.”

“But the way is blocked,” her voice trembled.

“No one will be at the back gate.”

Parking the bike at the back gate of the college upon which emptiness shrouded, Abhimnayu brings out his phone calling Aarohi whose phone was locked in silence, while his eyes glance at the time which pointed at midnight.

The glow of the lights interlacing the gate, bring in sight aarohi and Karan on whose sight Abhimanyu clenches his fist. Creases form between his brows. But suddenly a jerk lands upon him taking away the balance, his knees touch the road while eyes transform to the glowing red.

“ bhai” aarohi runs forward, kneeling to his level she holds his hand but abhimnayu doesnt respond raising an eerieness while Karan stands beside Aarohi looking at abhimanyu in a state of confusion.

“ karan. Abhimnayu Bhai is not...” before a single word can leave her lips, he lifts his face and his hands grasp her neck on the brink of snapping it, aarohi gasps for breathe, tears flooding in her eyes. in a blink Abhimnayu is thrown into the air, his body hits the tree, lurching to the ground while a pull to her hand gets her on feet.

“ karan but bhai” aarohi resists leaving but even she knew that staying here will only invite death.

“We’ll come back, please. It’s not safe to stay here right now. Please, Aarohi.” her tear filled eyes kept glancing Abhimanyu whose body lied there unconscious but aarohi wasnt unaware of the fact that they were alone. A gleaming sword slicing the air shoots at aarohi, but Karan’s swift act leads to her wrapped in his arm swirling away, dodging the attack.

Aarohi’s fingers clasp his blazer tightly while that breath shivers every moment but the only solace she earned was Karan’s presence.

“What did you think, that you would get away?” a voice breaks the extreme silence bringing both Karan and Aarohi’s intention to herself.

“ tara” the name escaped from Aarohi’s lips sounded of familiarity which she holds of Tara whose attire resembled to a gothic fighter, along with a cloak and a hood.

“Why are you doing all this?” aarohi questions but in a blink they find Tara standing in confrontation.

“You love raising your hand, don’t you? And you Tracia (her face turns to Karan, who still holds Aarohi), you love getting people expelled, don’t you? Tonight is a full moon night, a night for revenge and to remove the stains hurled upon the kingdom of death city, princess.” her icy words interlaced with venom uttered into the air. the fact she calls her princess and him the Tracia still shrouds in mystery.

Holding Aarohi’s hand Karan turns to run towards other side but once again Tara stood forth but this time her eyes fixated upon the crowd coming from behind. In a blink she compels each and every person to attack Karan and Aarohi, forcing them to believe the lie: they ran away from their home, insulted their parents to get married. The soul sword whose hold was in Tara’s hand shimmers upon the reflection of the moonlight.

“I know a place where she can’t come.” she holds his hand running to the opposite side while the crowd follows them almost ready to murder them.

Climbing the steps of the temple, a breathless aarohi and Karan step inside but still Karan wondered how coming here will prevent the mob from entering as they are still humans.

“If they come to the temple, it might break the compulsion she has over them.”

Aarohi suggests, hope shining in her eyes. Uncertainty washes over Karan who didnt understand what transpired in these few seconds, sufficient to veer their lives.

“How do you know they won’t follow us here?”

“When you pushed bhai, the om symbol on this bracelet was glowing. Tara couldn’t come near you.” aarohi slips down against the pillar , her legs giving up their strength, while the soft glow of the diyas decking the temple light the atmosphere bringing in solace to the turbulent minds.

“I’ll call the police.”

“The police can stop humans, but she’s not human.”

Leaning against the pillar karan too sits opposite aarohi his mind racing to plan a escape.

Coughing blood abhimanyu’s eyes bring into consciousness with heaviness, all his mind could remember was catching aarohi with karan together hinting at a love affair which his family will never permit.

“ aarohi” he whispers. Getting up his eyes dart around processing what just transpired with him. His fingers clasp the phone dialling Aarohi’s number.

The sudden ringtone almost jerks aarohi whose hands drift to the phone lifting it.

“ hello bhai”

“Aarohi, where are you?”

“I’m at the nearby Shiv Mandir.” her voice trembles but yet deep down Karan felt she should have not told him. The phone is kept down and Karan rises to his feet, walking to Aarohi who gets up instantly. a dread looming over him what if he never gets to convey the feelings which the heart beholds within profoundly.

“Before your brother takes you away from here, I need to say something.” the lights wrapped around the pillar reflect on them accentuating the sharp features and the emotions which highlight them. Those eyes carried mere love for her and fear of losing her forever.

“Ever since I first saw you, my heart beats only for you.” He bends on his one knee, and brings out the tiny box whose lid his fingers open revealing a diamond mangalsutra upon which a tiny led glowed fixated on the upper lid.

“I have fallen in love with you, Aarohi. I didn’t even realize how these seven months have passed.” A tear rolls down her cheeks bringing a smile to her lips and elation enveloping in. never did she ever think that the special moment will come in this way, and in these wretched circumstances.

“Will you marry me?” she nods her head in agreement while those eyes could not hold back the stream of tears which flew freely. Dropping to her knees, she embraces karan tightly who never her side, always stood for her.

“I don’t want to lose you, Karan. I love you more than you can imagine. I want to marry you but right now, at this moment.” karan pulls her back, his eyes adoring her. Nothing something which is impossible.

“If we’re getting married, it has to be right now, Karan.” he wipes off her tears, cherishing upon the heard words. he can’t live without her either.

The mob stops at the threshold of the grand stairs of the temple and Tara comprehended that the moment they step in, the spell will wear off.

the open space of the first floor of the temple offers a serene sight. Taking seven circumambulations of the fire, Karan takes 7 vows with aarohi. Lifting the vermillion box he fills her maang and the mangalsutra with which he proposed, he slides around her neck. the pandit ji pronounces them as husband wife. there was no extent to aarohi’s happiness. Now no one can separate them, not even her family or his.

“Aarohi sharma” a sharp shout makes them turn. Vaibhav, who called aarohi to the beach with his notorious motives which could not suceed at that moment, now stands there carrying the same viciousness which he beholded that day. But before his hands can reach aarohi, karan’s intense punch lands upon his face causing blood to pour out of his mouth. The dupatta of the gathbandan slides off his shoulders.

“Don’t even think about raising your hand towards Aarohi.” lifting the wooden stick Vaibhav hurls it at Karan but aarohi pushes Karan away taking the blow on her head. Blood trickles down her face while moist eyes gape in shock at Karan carrying no regret of taking the attack on herself.

“ aarohi” he gasps catching her in his arms.

“ karan you please…” her eyes force darkness to shroud them but somehow she holds it back. a fearful vaibhav runs away on the realisation of the consequences which can tie him in the prison.

“Aarohi, nothing will happen to you.” karan says, holding the dupatta against the wound in an attempt to stop the blood flow.

“I have no sorrow, Karan. If I have to die, I want to die in your arms.”

“aarohi” his finger lands softly on her lips, heart wrenching even on that thought.

“You’ll be fine. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

“I’ve called the police and an ambulance,” the pandit ji says, concern evidently shadowing over him, for Aarohi but there was nothing he could do.

“Please go from here. I don’t want anything to happen to you because of us. please pandit ji.”

An evil smirk lands upon Tara’s face who comprehended the fact that Karan has to bring Aarohi out of the temple or she will die.

Suddenly a dagger which happens to be Viram enough to immobilize or collapse a supernatural for time being, slides out of nowhere and makes its landing near him. lifting it, karan keeps it with him. Lifting aarohi in his arms he climbs the stairs down but a fear raced down the spine what if Tara is still there. Sitting on the stairs he carefully rests aarohi’s head against his shoulder while an arm around her, held her. Taking the bracelet out he slips it around her wrist. “Nothing will happen to you.” those repetitations were as if he was convincing himself.

The blue and red lights shower the area with its glow. The sirens indicated the arrival of the police and the ambulance. Lifting her in his arms, Karan steps out of the temple his gazes fixed upon abhay who rushed to him but suddenly everything halts even the drizzling which seems to have just begin but have ceased before tossing the ground with its wet spell. The lights which transitioned halted to blue colour and the doors remain half open while the ambulance person in the process of getting out of the car freezes there itself.

Shock engulfs him when he spots Tara stepping forth while adhvay stood there at the side hiding behind a tree under whose possession Abhimnayu’s body was.Karan places a half concious aarohi on the steps while her head leaning against the pillar. Adhvay’s lips move while he reads the spell which held the time and offered tara more time whose eyes have transitioned to red, hungry for their blood.

“Karan, please go from here.” aarohi blabbers. Suddenly a spelt whisper from maya, strikes him coming from nowhere but rather an echo “ use the dagger. You can kill her. save yourself.”

Karan dodges the attack of the sword, swiftly tumbling to the left side, landing harshly on the road. Before Tara can strike the soul sword at him aarohi comes forth, her breath turning shallow. while hands wrapped around the sharp blade of the gleaming soul sword inviting blood to ooze out of the skin which suffered sharp cut.

“Why are you doing all this? and who are you?” tara clenches her jaw, thrashing the sword away. Grabbing aarohi by the neck, Tara pins her to the wall. while Karan’s eyes notice the bracelet which lies on the steps of the temple. Lifting it he rushes to aarohi but something holds his feet preventing any advancement to reach aarohi.

“Princess, I am your cousin, of whom existence you are a stranger to. you have a fondness for loving, don’t you? You won’t remember Karan. It’s as if he never came into your life. It’s not that you haven done anything, but your curse has become very weak. That’s why you fell in love with Karan, but now neither he will be in your life nor peace.”

a tear declines the rosy eyes, uniting with the trail of blood as aarohi gasps. Her heart breaks into thousand pieces. A sharp squelch fills in and the viram dagger in a shot drives inside Tara who gasps in pain dropping to her knees. While Aarohi falls unconscious slipping to the road. Adhvay who could not hold two spells at a time had to let Karan go.

“you can never become Tracia, and Aarohi will never get her love.” the bracelet slips off his hand landing on the road, its end hook brushing against aarohi’s fingers. Tara stands on her feet sharply and in an eye contact she compels him to forget Aarohi. The time resumes and the rain falls harder striking away every existence of love which bloomed in their hearts once. Though the spell remains weak which can only bring back the memories at the weakest point of their lives.

In a swift move Adhvay takes Tara’s collapsed body and vanishes away. While Laksh comes running down whose heart feared upon reading Karan’s message.

“Bhai, are you okay?”

“Yes, but I’m here?“he asks. laksh looks around but doesn’t comprehend anything. he takes karan away from there on finding abhimanyu coming.

A worried Abhimanyu runs to Aarohi, bending to his knees, he lifts her while the bracelet dangles in air from her fingers which clasp it tightly as if precious to her heart. Every person present their had their memory washed away of the night except the present scenario in which an injured aarohi is taken to the hospital while the police investigates the attack unaware of the caller.