Tuesday, 6 September 2022

Scandals that Rocked Castlewood: Episode 7 – Spade Town

 


“Your life can go from Sadness to Happiness in a second and you won’t even realize it.

Just have patience and faith that your time is near and in my arms forever.

But, until then, you’re on your own darling.

The reason, Ah! The reason you may doubt my love for you at this time in your life right now- A test.

Sweet dreams Ray.” – Until the end of time, V

 

4am, Wednesday morning, Some where she called her Milan, 1st July 2017

Ray witnessed the snow drenched mountains and trees that swayed graciously to the winds of an aftermath calling all its pupils to kneel and pray, for God had their better backs and the witch town she called her Milan was lit with the beauty of stars caressing the family and in it, just a little bit, Ray absorbed the warmth of the love she received from V’s family that night.

Ray was busy drinking merry and laughing to one of his cousin, Jack’s jokes when V flew from across the ballroom and took Ray by her shoulders, kissed her on her cheek gently and asked Jack to amuse someone else while he partook his heaven for just a while longer before flying his wife back home on his mat.

Ray and V found a spot to sit under the white stone cliff of the dragon that saved his generation when on the moment they had run into the devil and then, just then, the dragon had fired fury and his family was bestowed the power of magic. So it was a pleasant spot shining under the luminous light of the moon sashaying them to drink some more wine and confess to each other.

V: “So what happened in college Ray?”

Ray: “It’s a beautiful night, a dream almost to be around so much love for I have forgotten what it’s like to belong. Do we really need to dig graves right now?”

V: “Yes, it all links into your current situation that let me inform you today is the reason you bumped into me. Call this place a spade town babe. Let’s unfold the truth, all of it so you’re better prepared for to face the skeletons waiting for you to uncover back home.”

This should have shocked Ray but by now she was used to accepting the fact that her husband had magical powers and that he knew everything about her. She wondered why she had to revisit her brutal past then.

Ray: “I went to college last year to attain a higher degree that would help me give a career jump. I got through the entrance exam and formidably, even though my parents were against me leaving the city and go to Chennai alone, I did. I was too bogged down by the routine life in Kalbadevi and more than  masters, I wanted to break free of my life’s monotony. So I conjured the courage to get my sister to foot the college bills and flew on the first flight out of Mumbai. All looked pretty at first in the quaint student town of Baileys. But trouble began for me no sooner than the first night in hostel room no 505. My roommates turned against me for being more suave than them and come morning the entire hostel was plotting to get me thrown out of college.

I found myself an apartment close to college and got through the bullying in college for 10 months. I had to go through silent treatment and lonely meal time and underhandedness related to class projects but I was determined to get the degree and settle at in a news room after the course got over.

However, just a week before placements, a class mate threw negative energy on me, somehow they had the key to my room and so got hold of an outfit of mine to ruffle my feathers so I get scared and run back home. When the negative energy touched me, I was shook to my roots but I meditate so I overpowered the energy, calmed myself and submitted my last project for which I would receive the course completion degree and decided I couldn’t take the atrocity anymore. I got the late night flight back home. Life has been a mess ever since then, you know that.”

 V: “Then what happened after you returned?”

Ray raised her eyebrows but continued to recount the syndicate of a crime against her ever since then.

Ray: “I retuned at around 12am that fateful night thinking I would be safe now at home, what with the intimidating follow from college to the airport by a class goon, I was scared to my wits, but I was wrong. I remember banging the door on my roommates one morning after a cruel showdown and little did I know that the banging of the door would torture me back home for a long time until I did something about it. You know, I never once linked both crimes against me until now. It’s amazing how you find clues by talking it out with people at times. Anyway, so I returned that night alone, without informing my parents who were asleep at the time, through a spare key, still with me, I unlocked the front door and crashed on my bed that would become my electrocution no sooner than the sun would rise.

I woke up feeling heady from the flight and then the door banged for the first time. I didn’t connect the dots until I got up from my bed to go to my parents’ bedroom to inform them that I had come home early, that I hadn’t stayed for the graduation ceremony. That’s when the door banged again and I fell on the floor with my first nervous breakdown. I didn’t realize then that it was happening through the doors of the crime to drive me crazy by my college class mates, but I knew my neighbors were purposely harassing me. I didn’t realize for a second that there were hidden cameras in my room to follow everything I did and to use every bit of my privacy against me by my relatives. I live in a family building and so my neighbors are my distant relatives. They would follow every move I made and bang doors to torture me until last month when I couldn’t take it anymore and went for a random cab ride when I bumped into you to vow myself that I would get to the bottom of this crime against me and prove to my parents that I didn’t know why, but our relatives were out to get the better of me. It became paramount that I discover the truth when at every peaceful moment spent with parents, our family members would interrupt me; either through calls to my parents or then small interferences that have taken a huge toll on me. But I still don’t understand that okay in my vicinity the walls could have ears but no matter where I have been out of home since coming back from college, people stare at me like I am some celebrity.”

V: “You are Ray. You will know shortly. The time is coming.”

Ray was incredulous at that and her only reaction to V was, “What?!”

V rose and took Ray’s hand and held her up. “It’s getting late, your parents will be up shortly and you got to be home before that. Let me fly you home.”

Ray was still a little shaken by what V had told her but she held herself together and flew home with him at 5 in the morning. “Just one thing V, what is this place? Where are we?”

V stretched his arms and smiled widely and said, “It’s Milan.”

They both smiled at each other. V, mischievously and Ray with love knowing well that she would never know the real location.

Ray slept through half the morning after returning home in the morning until she was woken up with the ringing of her phone that, thank god, she hadn’t put on silent last night.

11:30am, Wednesday, 1st July 2017

Ray: “Hello?”

“Miss Ray? This CBI officer Rohan Vetkar, I hope it’s a good time.”

Ray threw the covers off her and ran towards the window to speak in monosyllables because she was so frantic and excited at the same time to hear back from the crime department.

Ray: “Uh, yes?”

Officer Vetkar, “We looked into your hunch and let me tell you first of all you, young woman, are very level headed. Second of all, you are right about your doubt. Your neighbors have hacked your phone through which they can track you and hear what you’re doing at all times. So your doubt about them purposely trying to drive you crazy by torturing you is true.”

Ray was so shocked that she held onto the window pane to stand through the confirmation. She was light headed suddenly and thought she would faint.

Officer Vetkar: “Miss Zaheer? Are you there?”

Ray got her wits back in time and mumbled a, “Yes, I am here.”

“We can come down and make the arrests right away if you want. This is a serious crime against a helpless young woman and your parents need to be informed right away,” said the officer hurriedly.

Ray: “Yes, do that.”

With that Ray hung up and the next thing she knew was V was sitting next to her in bed smiling ear to ear.

 

 

 

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