PROLOGUE
The dog looked as a ferocious beast with a heavy but muscular body, over 100 kgs, and its tongue often pulled in and out from the huge mouth, a gigantic look of terror, but the girl though looked small and hardly 11 years, controlled it with her fingertip without any chain or leash. It was not a master and student relationship but purely depended on their attachment, love and care for each other.
The onlookers were petrified of the dog as usual, but their probing eyes with all the hatred along with a bit of jealousness were following both of them. Nisha Sharma was aware of it but she could do nothing and always wondered why people in her locality are afraid and hate her pet, Macho. True he has not been completely socialized as required for a giant-sized dog, especially for a breed like Saint Bernard. She knows him very well, in and out, and was quite sure that she can take care of him within seconds if any untoward incident happens. And, because of that only her parents allowed her to wander with Macho for the morning walk, a routine she started few days back.
Winter in Delhi around December is the most enjoyable season and Nisha Sharma doesn’t want to miss the early morning views.
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‘Sanju, Nisha is too much attached to Macho and I am afraid she does not have time to spend even with us, and I am worried. It’s not good that she always spends her time with Macho only and now-a-days she does not play with the other children also.’
Neelu Sharma, mother of Nisha, said with a worried face to her husband, Om Prakash Sharma while serving the hot and delicious Aloo Paratha. Om Prakash was enjoying the Paratha, half listened to her and said casually;
‘What’s your problem? There is no harm in taking care of Macho and you know Macho also likes her than me or you.’
‘It’s okay dear but I feel there should be a limit for everything or else it will really affect her emotionally, if anything happens to Macho. Moreover, it’s not good to spend the whole time with Macho and nothing else.’
‘Will you please keep quiet. You are exaggerating things and stop worrying yourself as well as spoiling my mood in the morning.’
Neelu Sharma stared at her husband for a few seconds and then making a face, she went back to the kitchen muttering ‘It’s my duty to tell you and I told you. You do whatever you feel like and don’t complain to me ever.’
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The two teenage boys came from the opposite side of the footpath of the road, making a lot of noise, while Nisha with her pet Macho, as usual, came across them. One of the boys conveyed something secretly to the other one and both started laughing aloud and passed some comments, not clearly audible to Nisha. She was a little bit uncomforted with their behaviour and looked away to avoid their eye contact. Macho, so attached with Nisha, understands even a tingle of her expression, promptly understood her discomfort and looked at them savagely, and intently watched their movements.
Now, they were face to face with each other and suddenly, one of the boys brushed his hand against the buttocks of Nisha. Sensing the awkward behaviour of the boy she just turned around and shouted at them, and by then Macho was all over them, and within seconds started tearing their fleshes from their legs. Unexpected by the sudden and fierce attack of the giant dog, the boys were completely terrified, cried with severe pain and shouted for help. By then, Nisha took control and with her one command Macho left the boys but he stayed around them with a ferocious look and barked, as if it was scolding and challenging them.
Then a crowd formed there immediately and the people around the corner, who are full of hatred for the dog and, as if, they were waiting for an opportunity, started stone pelting at the dog. And some of them started hitting it with bricks, iron rods and sticks, whatever they could fetch. Nisha stood there totally stunned for a few seconds and then she intervened and begged everybody to stop the cruel act but none of them cared.
She then tried to reach her Macho, in order to save it from the clutches of the atrocious crowd but with the large number she could even reach him. In between she also suffered some of the beatings of the crowd, meant for her pet, and she felt a darkness in front of her eyes, and fainted. Finally, they left the scene with Macho lying on the foot path in a pool of blood and with a blood-stained body along with Nisha.
