Chapter 2: Leela is killed

There was a huge multitude surrounding our main gate. I had a feeling that something terrible had happened. My legs began to tremble and my heart racing faster, as I passed by the crowd having negative thoughts running through my mind. What I saw next I could not believe my eyes, and my body became numb. My beloved sister was lying down in a pool of blood with her eyes wide open, as tears rolled down her eyes. It was an appalled image of her. Her clothes torn and drenched in a fountain of blood.

"Leela!" I rushed to her, embracing her around my arms.

"Who did this to you? Ama! Who did this to her!"? Ama was sitting on the floor beside the pillar, not talking, just glaring at Leela.

"Brother bring your ear close" She gasped as I moved closer.

"Thannnnnkkk you for everyttthhinngg. I am leaving you all. Forgggiivee meee if you can" She said with a soft tone and collapsed. "Nothing is going to happen to you I promise! CALL AN AMBULANCE PLEASE!" I yelped. Holding her hands. Ama cried out loud," They Killed my daughter! They murdered my beloved Leela. I will never forgive them."

At the hospital, Leela was rushed to a room where doctors examined her. "This looks like a police case. The police are one there way coming to record a statement. Kindly cooperate with us and for now, you complete the hospital formalities while we take her to the ICU" said one of the nurses. I sat on a bench next to Ama who was still sobbing bitterly. "THEY KILLED HER SHIV!"

WHO KILLED HER?"

Mum explained to the cop's everything in details as they were recording the statement.

"Don't worry ma'am we will conduct an investigation. Mr Shiv where were you at the time of the incident?"

"At work, He is a teacher at a nearby school" Ama replied.

"Ok Thanks in case of anything we will let you know"

We waited hours outside the ICU room, asking for updates from anyone who came out from the ICU room without getting any precise answer. After long hours of waiting apprehensively finally, the red bulb outside the ICU room switched off which meant the operation was done. The surgeon emerged out walking towards me.

"Is everything ok? Is she fine?"

"We did our best, however, I am sorry but we couldn't save the patient and the baby because she lost a lot of blood." I kneeled and broke down into tears.

Ama's part of the story

Shiv left for work as usual while I decided to rest for a while as I didn't get a good night sleep for months I have been stressed about my daughter who had been held captive in her own house for months, her only mistake was that she fell in love with an out-caste man. I felt really bad for her even though I wanted to free her I couldn't as my husband's brother was a high priest, who cares more about his prestige than anything else. He disowned his son as he married a foreigner. Later on, got killed as there were rumours that the son converted to a different religion.

Now I was intimidated what if he finds out that Leela is 2 months pregnant. In the 1900s if any girl gets pregnant before marriage, society considers the girl and her family disgraceful.

"Ama! Please get me out from here. I feel suffocated please ma!" called Leela.

"Leela please trust in god. You know I can't do that, the room is locked besides your uncle has set out spies, if they inform him that I let you out the circumstances would be terrible."

As a mother, I wasn't even allowed to hold her nor embrace her. I would sit next to the door, reassuring her that one day all this would be over. As usual, I was going to preparing Lunch, when I heard a bang at the door. Thinking it must be the plumber who has come to repair the tap, I opened the door. I was pushed away by some guys who covered their face with a black mask with only their eyes shown. Marching towards Leela's room. With one kick they broke down into her room molesting her. She shrieked, "Ama Help! Help!" I stormed to help safeguard my daughter with a razor-sharp knife not caring about myself. Suddenly one of them snatched the knife from my hand and tied me down a chair. They were all six men who approached Leela and threw her on the bed, with each one of them holding her legs, and her arms to prevent her from moving and one of them covering her mouth so she could not scream. One by one ravishing her. I began yelped out for help. However, they stuffed a piece of cloth into my mouth. "Please leave me I beg of you leave me!" One of them slapped her hard. It was devastating. After they were done one of them pulled out a dagger and stabbed her multiple times on the belly. One of them dragged her by the hair to the garden outside leaving drops of blood all over the place, while the rest gathered a crowd. They bale laughed, pointing at my daughter. I could see it all through the window. One of them began saying, "This is a punishment she deserved for breaking the conventions of the scriptures. If anyone else tries to do the same will suffer the same way as she did or even worse." They stepped on her body which laid there motionlessly as they entered in a white coloured van. One of the neighbours came in and untied me. I rushed to her "Leela! Leela! Talk to me, dear! Call an ambulance!"

Mrs Sharma dialled Shiv's number, to inform him of what had happened.

For a mother, there is nothing as painful as losing a child. For nine months I carried her in my womb. No one can understand what I was going through, ever since Leela was a kid I showered her with love, care always cared for the little things that were related to her. Now that I see her body lying down made me feel devastated. As I said earlier there are no words to describe what I was going through.