Chapter 7- A strange door

Since Archie was always under the wings of her very protective father, she was afraid that she won't be able to come to terms with the world outside, what Raj and Tanvi had hidden from her. To think that the life she had lived for 17 years was not what the world really is was extremely hard for her to process although she wasn't able to put this realisation aside and continue with this lie of a life.

25th of October, two days before Diwali {A hindu celebration}

Archie sat on her huge, comfortable office chair, writing a list of all the things she would need to have before she left for good. Her hands were shivering. She took a look at the photo of her with Raj and Tanvi sitting in front of their balcony lighting the candles last year for Diwali. She couldn't help resist the tear which came slowly down her cheek as she looked out the window into the never ending forest.

Tanvi sat on her bed realising that she shouldn't have told Archie of what they had been hiding from her. As she never spoke of her plans, although the sisters were very close, she knew that her little sister wasn't just going to sit back and enjoy the lie they had been feeding her. She fiddled with her fingers as a drop of sweat fell from her forehead down the arches of her eyebrows. If Raj was to find out, she will not be spared.

Archie leaned back on her chair and took a deep breath. Why would they do this to me? She knew the importance of money and that she had just been accepted into her dream college, she was going to experience life more anyway. She couldn't believe she planned to do this. But she had to steal her father's card. After all he had done to her, that was the least he could do to help. This was how she convinced herself. She looked back down at her list and added, 'Father's credit card'.

Archie knew of all the people that Raj had in order to look after the mansion. She observed them carefully every day and now, it had come in handy. The least dedicated one amongst them all. The newcomer. He was only there for the cash and his reluctant approach to his work around the house, along with the constant mention of increasing his salary made this obvious. He was Archie's target.

That afternoon, when Raj had left for work and Tanvi was in the main hall practicing her dance, she found the opportunity to make her way into her father's bedroom. She has never gone in there before, and she hated the reason which made her enter for the first time. The room was gigantic. The dark wood along with the smell of the sandalwood essence near the portraits of Shiva {A hindu God} gave the room a mysterious look which closely matched her fathers' character. She wondered in for a while until she found another door she had never seen before. The handle was shining gold, carved with Mandela patterns and religious symbols. She quietly clicked the knob and pushed open the extremely heavy door before her eyes widened in shock.

The more she observed, the more tears fell down her face, onto the dust covered wooden floor.