Chapter 1 ( Short Story )
Gold Digger and the Officer
By Eshita Srivastava
In dark alleys of sonpur; children cry through shabby houses on streets, with no ray of light, water or food. A place which was unknown by ones who bought the luxury of entitlement by cheap funds. In such a place a woman lived, very hardworking and shy, a kind of beauty who could compete with the sunlight, long hair and dark eyes, hue of brown skin with a small mole on chin.
She was a utensil vendor, wandering in streets of sonpur to buy her a living, her small cart was filled with various metal ones. To do her work, she used to exchange those utensils for grains which she later sold to Shopkeepers, often earning only surviving amount for a day, all the people living in those small shabby houses felt pity for the woman as she was not always this pity, it's been eight years since then, all alone but adorned in silk frock, however when they asked about her family and home she refused to tell anything to anyone, they just accepted her as one of the orphan children. Ever since the age of fourteen she lived alone in one of the left out houses with tin roofs, sadly always dripping in the monsoon.
“Aye! Pratima!” as she was moving forward to begin another day, a man stopped her. Despite the disturbance she gently looked up with her big almond like eyes, “What happened?”
The man almost lost in breath, gulped before saying, “Did you hear?”
“About what?”
“There's another theft in a nearby colony.”
“Another?” Her eyebrows tensed.
“Yes!” Man shook his head, Inspector Driwedi told me. “But don't worry! I'll protect your house.” said as he held her hands.
Pratima took a step back, rubbing her hands in her clothes, “It's alright, I can protect what's mine.” in a harsh, restless manner.
Seeing Pratima in such a state, an aunty from the house in front scolded the man for stopping her. Seeing this as a chance, she walked off. She often used to go to that colony, but now as she was crossing it things seemed much more tense, she felt as if all eyes were on her. She slowly wandered her eyes, other ones were watching here with pathetic sides. Not late, a constable grabbed handle of her cart which shook her soul, she backed a step,
“They've called you for an investigation.” He said.
“For what??!!” She exclaimed with unease.
In a house where the theft was committed she was called in, surrounded by the crowd, her hands were cuffed. Her uneven breath in such a time was making her heart almost burst.
With a trembling voice she asked what she had done to be here like this.
To answer this question a tall man wearing the uniform crease to maintain, came out amidst the crowd, looking not a day older than her. He stood in front of her glaring in her eyes, pointing out a lady crying on the left corner of the sofa, “She admitted that you were the last one who visited this house.”
“So what?” Pratima’s voice cracked.
“So you are in range of our investigation.”
She was barely reaching the height of his shoulder yet she dared to glare back at the man, “I have not done such a pathetic deed.”
“And how am I to believe you?! M.s Pratima Singhal.”
“Huh,” her head went blank, and her hands dropped “How did you-”
“Of course we've done our job.” He raised his eyebrows firmly, “You were the adopted daughter of the Singhal family, the richest jewelers in the city, however , when their real daughter returned, they just abandoned you. Like a used doll which they've finished playing with.” but his mouth didn't go unharmed after shattering her heart, with both of her cuffed hands she threw a slap at a man's face. Shocking the whole town with disbelief look in their eyes.
“Even abandoned toys have Dignity.
not to be treated like this, Officer.”
He sighed and brushed his cheek followed by lips now reddened by slap, “Every house which has been stolen in the last five years had close connection to Singhals. From where I see, you've every reason to harm them.”
By sniffing her tears, she declared, “If you deeply investigate you might find more such stories as mine. Tell me, will you shame all of those victims of riches?”
Her eyes didn't flinch a bit even after shading loads of the tears, she kept glaring at him till officer sighed it off,
“Release her.”
“But officer!” A woman crying on the sofa stood up, “What about my money and diamonds?! I think she stole her! She was even admiring my ring yesterday! It's her!”
Woman screamed. Before Pratima could clarify her, the officer explained, “We do not have proof nor a woman officer to keep this woman here, mam. I promise you to find the real culprit and return your goods to you soon.” His calm tone smoothed the heart of the woman and she sat back down.
Constable uncuffed the woman, “You should go now but don't leave this city.”
She slowly walked outside with scars of handcuffs on her wrists, she looked down and tightened the grip on the handle. By now everyone in town knew of this accusation, but her neighbours didn't ask her anything and she went straight home, sniffing the whole way back.
“How could they-” she sniffed as she locked the door and sat down wiping constantly drowning tears by her hands,
“How did-”
“How did he know?”
