16 THE ABSENCE

17TH JAN, 2017; 3.30 P.M.

Dhruv's story shook Shiv completely. After hearing to last two stories, he was expecting something small, something stupid, but he wasn't expecting to hear the tale of Dhruv getting sexually abused by those three boys. It took him a moment to digest everything he heard. He wanted to empathize with Dhruv for whatever happened to him but he couldn't! Not exactly his fault! Whatever Dhruv did under the name of revenge was far bigger than what those boys did. For a moment Shiv saw Dhruv vulnerable, he knew that this was the incident that triggered Dhruv's psycho killings; he thought maybe he had finally found the motive behind this. But he knew that there was more to it, after all it was Dhruv! He won't give Shiv everything he wants at any cost. Shiv was desperate to find out the complete truth but as he had lost Dhruv's game, all his hopes were on that one clue Dhruv had for him. To get it out of him he had to listen to him, and he did the same. And as Dhruv finished his story Shiv asked,

Rathod: So you are telling me that you were…ah..mm…sexually?

Dhruv: You can say it, Officer! I WAS SEXUALLY ASSAULTED!

Rathod( Hesitantly): Yeah! Ahh.. so, how long were you on that road?

Dhruv: Maybe half hour? I don't know to be honest. Some local guy found me. Looking at my clothes he knew I was a student from the school nearby. He called for an ambulance and I was admitted to a hospital. And it wasn't long till they contacted my mom through the phone number on my ID card.

Rathod: And?

Dhruv: She did show up before night, to be exact 7 P.M. She said that he had already come to my school few hours ago so it became difficult for her to get out of her office faster.

Rathod: Even after knowing that you were sexually assaulted and were hospitalized because of it?

Dhruv: Yes, that's right.

Rathod: Seems like a terrible parent.

Dhruv: I won't say terrible, just absent. She knew I had issues but she never had the time to know what they were, all the time she kept running to give me a better future where she could have just stopped for once to see me destroying myself in the present. I hate to admit but in some way, she too contributed in creating the making the monster you see in front of you. Maybe that is the reason why I started having issues with her because maybe somewhere in my heart, I hold her responsible.

Rathod: I hope you forgive her someday.

For some time, both had a moment of silence. The emotions were overwhelming for both of them. Shiv was confused by the person he was seeing in front of him, it wasn't the Dhruv he had been talking to from last few hours. This person was emotional, unlike the heartless killer he saw a while ago. The silence broke as Dhruv continued with his story.

Dhruv: Didn't expect emotions from me, did you officer? After all I am still a human being no matter how big of a monster you consider me. Let's not waste your time, I'll continue….. I was in hospital for 2 weeks; it took me 3 weeks to completely recover. And luckily there was no police complaint filed because I didn't allow anyone to! I was sexually assaulted and you know the rules for doctors and hospitals, a complaint was a must! They had to do it as I was being treated in their hospital. But luckily the doctor treating me was my friend's father, and I was able to convince him and he convinced the management. Funniest part was that I was in the hospital for two weeks straight and the only person I would see apart from doctors and nurses was my caretaker Manisha Didi! YEAH! NOT EVEN MY MOM!.... She would call me everyday though but just won't come to meet me; I mean, how could she, huh? SHE HAD HER WORKKKKK!!.... SHE WAS TOO BUSY! None of my friends showed up because none of them knew. That's when I felt what loneliness really is!... Maybe that's when I started to make this plan or maybe it was after I got home or maybe it was after a month? I can't really say!

Rathod: I am not really interested in 'when' you made the plan; I am interested in 'what' is your plan?

Dhruv: You still haven't figured out? I thought of you as a brilliant officer, you are really a disappointment Rathod Saheb.

Rathod: If you are done with your stupid puns, while you give me the clue you promised me?

Dhruv: Seems like someone is desperate for the clue!

Rathod: Yeah, really desperate! Now just give it to me!

Dhruv: Before that, can I ask you a question Officer?

Rathod: You gotta be kidding me! Give me what you promised me, I really don't have time for your stupid questions.

Dhruv: Don't dismiss my questions as stupid before you know them. Who knows, maybe it will really surprise you.

Rathod (Takes a deep breath): FINE! What is it?

Dhruv: Who is the eye witness?

Rathod (In shock): WHAT?!? What.. wh.. what eye witness are you talking about?

Dhruv: The eye witness you are going to use against! Who is that?

Dhruv's question shocked Shiv. He was scared, he was sweating. His hands won't stop shaking; his fears could be seen in his eyes. It wasn't Dhruv he was scared of, he feared defeat. The thought of Dhruv again outsmarting him was making him go crazy in his head. Whereas Dhruv had a devilish smile on his face, he was again two steps ahead of Shiv. After all, he was still the master of the game. But the question still remained, how did he know?