Justice prevailed.. Concluding part

      Read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3     
           On another plane, infinite time..

        The Master awaited the response of the learner.
        "Yes, I now realise why I had to leave.."
        " Would you want to introspect more? You are healthy now to enter the cycle again if you choose."
        " I want to rest here for sometime.. Master, did I hurt that spirit too much to not enter the cycle again?" asked the learner.
        " When you entered the cycle, you chose your fate yourself. You chose to see from the other side. You  ended a life when it was about to get all that it wanted. To experience the same pain, you were called back when you were at the peak of your happiness. The life you put an untimely end to, had no idea what was going to happen to it. The spirit was too hurt to enter a new life again. With much time to rejuvenate life energy and nursing the broken self, it entered the cycle again." the Master explained.
         " I understand now the pain it causes. I have learnt my lesson. I worked all life in difficult conditions. All that mattered in my life was snatched away at a young age. I didn't give up. I toiled to make that life work. I yearned for the union with my beloved. I dreamt of a better life for my mother and sister. I lost it all. I couldn't enjoy that in the physical plane." lamented the learner.
          "Everyone is balancing their karma. You have negated some of yours. The crime you committed in the heat of the moment had consequences which shattered the dreams of that spirit and those associated with it. Your beloved and mother are there to live their own experiences and learn. You all will ascend the spiritual level only after you have learnt in these lives and till then you have to continue the cycle."
         The master left the learner to think back upon his life and learn his lessons till he was thorough with it.
         The learner was Raju..
         Raju was no one but Manoj- the Driver, in another life...

         On yet another spiritual plane..
       
         " You have lived the promise you made.. There are yet many cycles where you will have to guard her." The Master said.
         "I shall protect her all I can. "
         " You have healed her  in the physical plane, but spiritually she still might be scared of you."
         " I was wrong to have ended her life.. I took my time to arrive on this decision and  I m ready to undergo multiple lifecycles to compensate for what I did to her." the spirit assured
         "You are bound to her. Your spirit is attracted to her in every life. You shall protect that spirit in whatever capacity you can. Her friend, her mate, her father, her mother, her sibling.. Your life is bound to her life.."
         " Master, I will be her protector in every capacity.."
          The Master smiled at his disciple. Not long before his disciple would again have to enter the cycle with another soul..
          Aashman-the protector, none other than Abhijit

         The Master went to the spirit which was in its resting phase.
         " Are you happy with your decision to enter the cycle?" he asked.
         " I entered with apprehensions. I couldn't dare to experience the physical joys and then the ghastly accident that took it all away. But yes Master, my this life was less traumatic. Not traumatic at all in comparison to what I lived before."
          "You have ascended that level of pain. Now you have learnt enough to deal with the next one successfully." he smiled.
          The spirit smiled at the Master.
          No points for guessing Sneha.. IT was Alka
           
         So what do  you feel? Justice Prevailed???? 

The story is inspired from a small excerpt in the chapter 'So called bad lives" from the book "Conversations with the spirit" 


Doctor: You said that no higher deity punishes you, that people do these things to themselves. Suppose someone had been a murderer. How would they punish themselves?
Spirit: They can choose to go back and for instance, have to leave that existence at the prime of their life when they are the happiest. In that way they are punishing themselves because they are putting themself in the place of the person whose life they cut down, at whatever time. They have to know what it feels like. They have to see it from the other side.
Something violent like a murder committed in the heat of passion will take several lifetimes to pay back and those ways of repaying are as numerous as the times it has been done.
Generally what happens is that in their future lifetimes they will continually be involved in a close relationship of some sort with the person they murdered.
And that is usually an antagonistic type of relation. Because the person they murdered finds that for some reason they fear or hate this person and doesn't understand why.
And meanwhile this person, the murderer, feels compelled to know them and be around them because he wants to make up for what he did in the past lifetime.


P.S: We so often wonder why someone died at such a prime age and what wrong could he possibly have done. Could this be the reason?
The strongest bond we know is between a mother and her child.  Could it be a design that she is compelled to love us in that bond? The same book says that you enter into a bond with your enemy in next lifetime, which makes you compelled to love them. Who is compelled to love you? Whose love has no control? Your parents and siblings right? Could they possibly be your enemy of the last lifetime??
Interesting isn't it?

Justice prevailed Part 3

        Read Part 1 and Part 2   
Set sometime in the future..

               She kept looking around nervously. It was her first day in college and she didn't want to make a fool of herself with anything. She adjusted her glasses one more time like she always did in confusion.
              "Excuse me!!" called out a girl from behind her.
              She looked  back, tensed.
              "Sneha Gulati right??" asked the red headed girl who was in shorts and T-shirt. She had a tatoo on her neck. Sneha had heard how seniors cornered the freshers on the pretext of being friends.
               "Yes.. " she mouthed, unsure if her voice reached the red headed girl.
               "Hey chill, I m going to be your partner in today's events." she said blowing her gum.
               "What event?" Sneha asked worried.
               "Just some ice breaking stuff the seniors have planned.. " she replied
               "Ragging??" Sneha questioned softly making sure no one else heard.
               The girl laughed. "From which era have you come girl! Ragging was banned years back.. It is just harmless games that are going to be played. I m in your class. Oh I m Dia Awasthi.. I gotta go.. you chill girl..See you in the evening." saying thus she dashed off to meet other girls.
             
               Sneha kept walking towards the library to get her library card made. This college boasted of the largest library in any university. She had worked very hard to make it here but she was the only one who landed here among her friends, making her feel like a fish out of water.
              She got her card issued and was out of the library building. So engrossed was she in checking the books she got issued that she forgot all about her clumsiness and landed straight on her face as she tripped. Her books made it into the dust.
              Even as she struggled to stand on her feet she could feel the eyes on her and the laughter that she induced. Yes, she had made her impression! What a start!!
           
             "Are there still places that make glasses???" someone asked to taunt her.
            "No doubt they were done away with decades back! Look at the antique piece!" someone laughed loud.
             "Hey alien, can I touch your glasses?? The last person in my family to have used glasses was my grandfather" he teased as he came to grab her glasses.
              She stifled a cry. Her vision blurred.. Without her glasses she was as blind as a bat. She could never wear lenses as her eyes were sensitive to it.. She was the ugly duckling with glasses..
              "What are you waiting for! Go to your class" he yelled.
               She shivered. She tried to walk ahead but failed to judge the slope and slipped again. This time she closed her eyes, sure that she will again have to taste the mud.
              Instead someone's strong arms held her. She was frightened by his touch. Although he pushed her back onto her feet, he kept holding her till she could regain her posture. She felt herself reeling. She wanted to push away this person. He repelled her.
             "Yash, give her glasses back." he commanded.
             "Bro, what's wrong with you?" asked the surprised guy who was harassing Sneha.
             "I said just.give.her.glasses.back." He shouted aloud. Sneha got her glasses back in no time.

             Sneha put on her glasses and picked up her bag. He handed her books. Without even looking back, she ran off crying.
             She sat on the wooden bench in the college botanical garden. Her arms scratched and her jeans dirty. She dusted off the mud and washed her hand with the water in her bottle. She had never imagined her first day to be this bad. Her thoughts returned to the guy who had helped her. She hadn't seen him properly but she wanted to stay away from him. For some unknown reason, he scared her.
         
             Aashman kept his gaze fixed on her. He couldn't understand why he wanted to help her. Right now he wanted to wipe away her tears and reduce her pain. He wanted to make her feel confident about herself, to smile..
            "Listen Yash, never ever bother her" he told his friend.
            "I get it dude. But who is she?? anyone you know?" he enquired.
            "yea I have known her for a long time.. " he lied, fully knowing that any other explanation won't work.

           She steered clear from Yash or his friends. She soon found a group of girls who had the same kind of values like her. She became comfortable in this new environment by the end of her first year.
           She was unaware of the fact that there was someone always looking out for her.
           Unaware that she was the only junior who didn't have to act in the drama planned by seniors.
           Unaware of who left chocolates in her locker each time she tripped somewhere.
           Unaware of how someone always helped her in her new assignments.
         
           She became proud of her for having conquered so many challenges. Confident to face every new day.
           Every time she came in the same passage as Aashman, she stared at the ground till he passed her. She wanted nothing to do with him..not even eye contact. She failed to understand her hatred for him.

          It was the first day of the second year at college. Aashman was waiting at the college entrance on his bike. His friends were not around that day. He went to the near by tea stall and sat sipping his tea. Perfect on a rainy day he thought.
          It was drizzling since morning but it had started pouring in the ten minutes he was at the stall. He thought of going back home. Anyway the lecture would be boring! He was on his way to his bike when he saw her. Sneha was wearing a white salwar kameez that day. Unusual for a girl who came to college in shirt and jeans. She looked like an angel that day. Aashman kept staring at her. For the first time he wondered if he was just protective of this girl or was it something else?
          She was finding it hard to balance her umbrella and her handbag. Like always! he thought. He smiled at the way she carefully made her way as if she feared falling into a deep valley.
       
          She saw him staring. Oh my God! What had she done now to have his attention. Was she doing anything funny? Little did she notice the speeding car that was blaring at her. She was stunned when she was pushed aside and fell, making her new white dress brown. IT was like a lightening hit her when she saw that Aashman fell on the other side. She got up and saw that he was bleeding.
     
        She was scared to meet him. What would she say. She had been so rude to him and yet he had saved her. Came in the way of what was her fate. If it weren't for him, she would have been lying on the bed with not just a fracture maybe. Given her luck, she would have broken a lot more than just her leg.
        For the first time she went near him. He was watching football on TV in his deluxe hospital room. She had bought flowers and a get well soon card after much deliberation. He switched off the TV when he saw her.
       
       "Thanks for saving me.. you didn't have to do it you know.." she said.
       "You are welcome anyway.." he replied, feeling himself softening towards her.
       " You should have let it hurt me."
       " I couldn't.."
       "How long will you keep coming in my way.. If I m destined to get hurt, I will.."
       "As long as I can.. You won't get hurt when I m around.."
        She looked at him with tears in her eyes.. No one had ever said that to her..

       She visited him only once after that in the hospital. His parents had come to take care of him. She made sure she talked to him every day on phone. After his parents left to their hometown she took the responsibility of caring for him. From bringing him lunch to getting his notes and assignments on time. In the month that they came closer, she now felt comfortable with him and didn't fear him. They fell in love with each other without even knowing it..

        2 years after college, Sneha married Aashman.
        He vowed to protect her for a lifetime. She was his responsibility. He kept her from harm's way. She was the sapling which he had nurtured and grown and made into a confident lady. He now lived to take care of her, for her happiness..
         
        Hold on for the last part and know if Justice Prevailed.. Concluding part to be updated tomorrow..
     

Justice Prevailed? Part 2

Read Part 1 Here

        Raju was ironing his shirt when he heard a loud commotion. He carefully switched off the iron lest his new shirt gets burnt. The roof of the small room outside had again started leaking. He must remember to get some dambar (tar) on his way back, he made a mental note. It was his mother who was as usual fighting over her pot of water.
        "Arrre bai, me pehle rakhi thi na baalti, tu kaise ayi re.. Me 15 saal se idhar paani bharti!! Navin ayi kya tu idhar!!"  ( I have kept my tumbler first, how did you come? I have filled water from here for 15 years. Have you come new here?")
        It was the daily hassle of living in a chawl with a common water supply. Raju thanked his stars that atleast this chawl had individual toilets. His  mother forcefully filled the water while still mouthing abuses to the lady who had pushed in her way.
        "Rahu de ga aai, bhara na paani abhi jaane de" ( Let it be mother, you have filled the water now let this matter rest") Raju tried to pacify his mother.
        "Tereko nahi maloom idhar kaisa rehneka!" ( You don't know how to survive here") she shouted at him.
        " Aai, abhi jyada din nahi rehna padega idhar" ( Mother, now we won't have to live here for long)
        This brought a smile on his mother's face.
        "Chal re, tera dabba deti hu. Aaj tera wo intereev hai na" she said and went inside with the water she filled.
        Raju went back to do his ironing. His sister Bela had already ironed and kept his clothes folded. Bela was already 19. In a year or two he would have to get her married. Proposals for girls her age had started streaming in their community but given their financial status no one bothered to ask her. Bela was stark opposite of his mother. His mother was fiercely independent and a fighter. Bela on the other hand was docile and shy. Raju often worried about her. How would she cope with the big bad world?  Once he got a promotion and office quarters to stay in, he would look for a good boy for Bela and marry her off.
       "All the best Dada" she smiled at him. She was the sunshine of their house. Never complaining and always cheerful.
       "Thanks.. Aren't you getting late for college?" he asked her.
       "Dada I m going to Siddhivinayak today after delivering the dabbas. Aai also is coming to pray for you."
        Raju looked at his mother working hard to roll the chapatis in time. She made dabbas for a living. When Raju was studying, she also worked as a maid for some extra income. IT was time he earned for his Aai and Bela to live comfortably.

        He got ready to leave. He touched Aai's feet for blessings. Like everyday he went to the bus stop to find Vidya waiting for him. She was tensed.
        They got into the bus. She worked in a jewellery shop close to Raju's office. Atleast they had this journey time for themselves.
        "Baba has called someone to see me today" she said.
        "It is not the first time na pagal. This time also reject him somehow." Raju told her.
        "He is baba's friend's son. Engineer hai. Baba will not accept my decision this time. Let's tell at home Raju." she pleaded.
         "Please wait for sometime Vidya. Bela is still unmarried." he tried to make her understand.
         This seemed to infuriate her.
         "Raju, Bela is just 19. I m 23 already. Baba is worried that I will not get any match once my age is gone. Just like you are worried for Bela, my Baba is concerned about me."
          For the first time in their relationship, Vidya had raised her voice. She was right. He was making her wait. How long can she avoid marriage? He loved Vidya and did not want to lose her.
         "Raju I understand the hardships you have faced. We have grown up together. I can adjust with whatever we can afford. I will continue to work. We will convince Baba." she herself consoled him.
         "Give me one day Vidya. A lot depends on this promotion. If I get promoted I will get the staff quarters. I can then talk to your father. Please manage this one day."
         She nodded in agreement. He wished he could kiss her then.

         "Mr Raju Sawant, you are called in"
          Raju prayed once more.

         "Bela, tell Aai that I got promoted!!"
         "Really Dada! Congratulation.." she cheered. She called out to Aai "aaai, make dada's favorite dish and sweet."
         "Bela be ready in the evening and buy a new saree for Aai from the money in the locker. I will buy sweets on the way. We have to go to Vidya's house!"
         "Why Vidya's house?" she quizzed.
         "To ask her hand in marriage."
           
         Aai was angry at Raju. He had not taken her advice in such a big matter. She had wanted Raju to first go to Siddhivinayak to thank the Lord but Raju had insisted on going to Vidya's house. Aai liked Vidya no doubt but was apprehensive about his marriage.
        With lot of talks and convincing, Vidya's Baba finally let go of the engineer and agreed to Raju. Everything was now looking finally alright.
       
        The next week Raju got allotment in the quarters. He shifted with Aai and Bela. He missed Vidya at the bus stop but that was only a matter of two months and then she too would be living with him. He started talking around in search of a groom for Bela. Aai could now afford to rest at home and Bela started taking beauty parlor courses. She was never too bright in studies but with this course Raju wanted her to be self confident and worthy of filling her own stomach.
     
        He managed to find a good family for Bela and luckily the family agreed to Bela's marriage also to take place in the same month, a week before Raju's marriage.
     
       With Bela settled in her new home Raju's dreams soared new heights. He could now concentrate on his life with Vidya. Aai wanted to visit pilgrim with her relatives once they got married.
       
       On that fateful day, Raju was out to collect his wedding suit on his bike. It was a hot day and he was sweating profusely under his helmet. Was it out of sheer exertion or was it out of heat, he felt his vision blurring. He parked to a side to drink some water. He patted his face dry with a napkin. He let some air get to him and then started back on his bike.
      The next 100 metres sealed his fate. He tried to avoid colliding with a bus which was taking a sharp turn and ended up not seeing the truck behind. It was his last moment turn which left the truck driver helpless to avoid hitting him.
      That day, just 2 days before his marriage, Raju died.

      A year later, Vidya got married to the Engineer her Baba had looked for her.
      Aai stays with her relatives and still makes Dabba for a living.
      Bela works at a parlor and helps her husband to run the house.

Wondering what's the connection???
Read the next part !
(to be continued)
       

Justice prevailed?

              "Can't wait for 4th Dec..  :* My jaan will then b wid me forever" 
              "Just 2 more weeks ! thoda intezaar.."
              "ek ek pal bhaari ho raha hai.. already booked the honeymoon suite ;)"
               She blushed as she read the last text which didn't go unnoticed by her colleagues in the cab. It was her last day at work. She would be on leave from the next day till her marriage on 4th Dec to her sweetheart. After 4 years of relationship they were now finally going to be married! Her joys knew no bounds.
               The cab came to a halt outside Ruhi's apartment. She hurriedly hugged Alka, "Bye babes, see you at the wedding. I will miss you at the office" and rushed to her apartment.
               Her stop was going to be the next. She looked at Abhijit who was seated near the other window. She checked her phone again.
               "Kya hua? So gayi kya?"
               "Nahi baba.. reaching home in 20 mins. Call u then" 
               "waiting for u :*"
                "Me 2 :*"
               The cab screeched to a stop abruptly. Her cellphone dropped. She bent to pick it up when a hand pulled her to the side and someone tied a cloth on her mouth. The cab door opened and the driver pulled her out and into the bushes. The whole street was deserted. It was 2 am afterall. She had never been in this place. Why, O Why had she not seen the driver take an unknown route? Why had she been so busy texting? Where was Abhijit??
               Her eyes opened in shock as she saw Abhijit approaching and smiling at the driver. The driver moved out as Abhijit undid his belt.
              Every  drop of blood in her body felt frozen. She was numbed. She mustered all her strength to push him as he parted her legs but her body won't move. Why was she feeling lifeless?? She lay there helpless as he violated her...
              Darkness came over her. Abhijit, the most well behaved guy in their team.. he was doing dirty things to her.. and she could do nothing to resist him..
             "Bitch! At last I had you.. You thought you can get away with breaking my heart? Couldn't you see how much I love you? You were just mine and look I had you.." he gave a maddening laugh and pushed her back.
             She lay there for 10 minutes trying to gather what happened. Her memory failed her. She tried to think again when another man preyed on her. She tried to scream but the her screams reached only her ears..
         
            "Kaha tha na.. ye dawai kamaal hai sahab.. madamji ko na hosh rahega na kuch yaad.. kal sab bhool jayegi.." the driver grinned at Abhijit.
           Abhijit was scared. He had been in love with Alka for more than a year but never said it. It was only when Manoj driver had remarked on the way he kept looking when Alka walked home, he was maddened.
          "Aap toh dekhte hi reh gaye.. madam toh kisi aur ki ho gayi.."
           HE had made this devious plan with Manoj when he was drunk.. Drunk for the first time when Alka had given him her wedding card...


           They pulled her into the car and dropped her just outside her building. She was hardly breathing when they left..
       
           Abhijit couldn't sleep. He wondered how long it would be before Alka regained conciousness. She wouldn't remember a thing Manoj had said. They would just say that they had dropped her outside the apartment. Even if she did find out that she was raped, she wouldn't tell it.. Not now when she was just 2 weeks away from marriage to Dheeraj. Not after all the family drama that happened before everyone agreed to their marriage.
          It was 5 am when his cellphone rang. IT was Ruhi.
        "Abhi.. abhi " she cried.
        "What happened?" he asked, sweating..
        "Alka is dead" she sobbed.
         Abhijit felt the room turning upside down.. How could she die!! Were the 3 tablets he put in her coffee that strong to kill?
         He couldn't think straight. He called Manoj. His number was not reachable. The bastard!! Why had he even listened to him?


         Manoj lay in bed with his regular whore. She would not be enough now he thought. After the pleasure with Alka madam..
        He checked his watch. IT was 4 pm! He had missed work. He switched on the small T.V in the room which seemed to annoy the woman.
        The breaking news gave him a jolt! "I T professional Alka Sharma found dead outside her apartment"
        Panic striken, he searched for his phone. IT was dead! Thank God!!
        Were the police looking for him? What if Abhijit had opened his mouth? What if he had trapped him?
        How did only 3 tablets which Manoj put in her coffee kill her?


5 years later:
       Abhijit was out on bail after his arrest. Manoj was the prime accused. Both were left off due to lack of evidence. Alka is said to be raped by someone after she was dropped by the cab and before she reached home.
      Abhijit is engaged to a girl his parents have found.
      Manoj returned to his native and has 4 kids now. 2 of them girls.
      Ruhi left her job and is now settled in another city after her marriage. She still can't get over the fact that she hugged Alka just minutes before she died.
      Dheeraj hasn't come to terms with Alka's death yet. If he could, he would have killed the bastards with his bare hands.
      Alka's parents are devastated. They were working hard to make their only daughter's dream true and instead they got a nightmare.. They are tired of the rounds to the police station and courts but still hope justice prevails..
   
 25 years later:
    Abhijit has his own software firm. His wife is a loving homely lady. His children are settled abroad.
    Manoj and his wife live in Uttar Pradesh. Their daughters are married and have children. Their sons have turned to city for employment.
    Dheeraj too is settled with a wife and a daughter.
    Alka's parents are no more.

  Did justice prevail?? Read on the next part..

To be continued.