Part 36 Right or Wrong?

Aman frowned to see the silver bullets in the gun.

"It seems he is a RICH man..." a constable said.

"What do you mean?" Aman asked.

"In some movies, don't we see some Rich person use Golden Pens, Silver Spoons and all? This case would also like that, sir"

Aman looked at the forest range officer who was in deep thought.

"What are you thinking, Mr. Mugilan?"

"I saw in a movie that the silver bullets are used to kill WEREWOLF"

"I too saw such a movie. At that time, I didn't even believe silver bullets existed" Aman said.

"Are you thinking the same that I think?" Mugilan said.

"I don't know whether it makes sense," Aman said confused.

"Yes, sir... I too don't know if I can think in that way because the much I know, WEREWOLVES are myth"

"But, the tribal man said, this man protected the wolves like his kids. If it is so, why would he have the gun with silver bullets that kills the werewolf?" Aman raised a question.

"I too can't understand anything..." Mugilan said.

"Are you sure, his death is a natural one?" Aman asked.

"Of course, yes, sir. There is no single scratch on his body. The tribal man said he had been sitting under the same tree for the last few days. If we connect the dots, he might have known his death and should have welcomed it..."

"Do you believe such things?"

"I don't know what to say, sir...! Some things can't be explained."

"You are right but how could I submit such a report? My higher officials will laugh at me. Let the autopsy report come... everything will get clear." Aman chuckled.

"A few days ago, a man died mysteriously..." Mugilan said with hesitation.

"I'm the one who is dealing with the case. The man was attacked brutally by a wild animal," Aman said.

"Which animal?"

Aman nodded his head from left to right.

"Why not it could be a werewolf?"

"Werewolf is a fictional character..."

Cutting him,

"But the man died on a FULL MOON day"

Aman was stuck.

"Even though it's a myth, everything matches. I don't ask you to believe it but keep it in mind and investigate that way, sir"

Aman was silent. Yes, he didn't get anything with his method of investigation. Was there any chance for a werewolf to exist? Aman could not conclude.

The next morning

It was 10 o'clock. Khushi woke up and saw Arnav sleeping on her chest. She circled his head smilingly. Within a few minutes, Arnav opened his eyes from his sleep.

"Good morning" She smiled.

"Very good morning," he said snuggling more into her chest.

"Arnav"

"Mmm?"

"Should I leave before Uncle and Aunty come?"

Arnav hugged her tight and said,

"No need. We can say you just came"

"What if they doubt?"

"They won't"

"How are you so confident?"

"They know me"

"No... they don't know you" she laughed teasingly.

Arnav scratched his forehead embarrassingly.

"How could I be like what they think, if a doll like a girl is fully set to make me mad?"

"Do you become mad?"

"Don't I?"

"If you had become mad, I would have run away from you after the back-to-back sessions"

"So, have I passed the exam?"

"With distinction. You are my sweet baby" She kissed his forehead.

"I was never happy like today. This is an unforgettable day of my life"

"Not this day but it's yesterday..."

"I'm still with you"

"We will be...always..."

He pressed his lips on her cheek and again hugged her. She caressed his hair lovingly.

"Let's go, I will prepare something for you"

"yeah, I forgot that you are a good cook"

She got down from the bed and went to the washroom. She came getting fresh, wearing her clothes and combed her hair. She saw Arnav making DOSA.

"Wow... dosa?"

"Mmm... mom stored Dosa batter in the fridge. Come, have it"

He passed the dosa plate with a spicy chutney. Khushi sat on the kitchen slab. She fed him the first morsel and ate the next. Arnav made dosa smilingly, eating from her hand. They finished the breakfast in such a way.

"Arnie, how our life will be if we continue like this after our wedding?"

"No doubt our life will be like this after our wedding," he said confidently making her wonder.

Arnav prepared tea for her. Taking it they came to the living room and sat switching on the TV. They watched a movie on TV.

After a while, they heard a calling bell sound. Arnav opened the door and smiled at his parents who came back from the wedding.

"Chotte, have you had breakfast?" Ratna asked entering home. She was stunned, seeing Khushi sitting at their house. She knew Arnav was looking distraught two days ago. It seemed they sorted out their issue. Arvind was also stuck.

"Hi, aunty" she smiled.

"Khushi, when did you come?" she asked feeling delighted.

"Just now, Aunty..." She smiled.

"Oh... we went to a wedding," Arvind said.

"Yeah, Arnav said and gave me tea"

"That's good"

"Chotte, we bought snacks and sweets. Let me give it to Khushi"

"Mom, she just had tea. You can give it later"

"I will just keep them on a plate. She can have it when she wants..." Ratna arranged them on a plate and kept it on the tea table.

"Arnav, give me the notes, I'm leaving" Khushi tried to make them believe that she came to get his notes.

"Arrey, why are you leaving soon? Have lunch with us and then go" Ratna said.

Khushi looked at Arnav.

"I think she is hesitating as SP sir would have come home by now," Arvind said.

"No, uncle, Dad said he will come in the evening"

Arvind frowned.

"Is it? But, I heard the meeting was over the last evening and all the officials returned to their respective districts"

"Dad, Uncle was in Chennai for a few years. He might have thought of meeting his friends" Arnav said.

But, it didn't make sense to Khushi. She knew Shashi. He would not extend his trip for silly reasons, leaving his work behind.

"Then, you can go in the evening. Until then, you can get all the doubts cleared by Chotte" Ratna said.

"Sorry, Aunty, I'm not in the mood to study" She pouted.

"No problem. Be with us"

Khushi nodded ok. She had a good time with them as usual.

Evening

"Aunty, I'm leaving"

Ratna nodded ok.

"I will drop her and come," Arvind said.

He looked at Arnav, hearing,

"Dad..."

"Tell me, Chotte"

"I will drop Khushi," Arnav said.

"But, Chotte, this is Sunday. You will not get buses frequently"

"I will take her on the bike," he said making his parents speechless.

Khushi also wondered. Arvind gave his bike key to Arnav. Taking it, he looked at Khushi and walked out.

"See you, aunty... bye uncle," She followed him.

Arnav started the bike. Khushi sat behind him and waved her hand at them. They reciprocated her smilingly.

Arvind and Ratna looked at each other with a content smile.

"I think..."

Cutting him,

"I too think the same..." Ratna said.

"I'm scared about SP sir," Arvind said.

"Yes, he is a powerful man..." Ratna said panicking.

"Nothing is in our hands... what should happen will happen"

Ratna nodded yes.

.......

Arnav rode the bike smiling as Khushi hugged him from behind. It was a blessing to have a chance to ride a bike in a hill station, in the evening time, having a girlfriend like Khushi behind. He supposed.

Aranv stopped the bike in front of the SP bungalow. Khushi got down from the bike. She fiddled with the bike handlebar, making him smile.

"My heart doesn't want to let you go"

"Mine too..." Arnav said.

"Won't you come in?"

"It's ok. It's already late..."

She nodded ok, flipping her lip.

"Go home... be careful"

'You too..."

Arnav nodded ok. She looked here and there getting close to him. She pressed her lips on his cheek. Arnav was perplexed and looked at their surroundings cautiously.

"I love you," She said. His eyes became soft.

"I love you TOO much," he said and Khushi chuckled.

"Wow, Arnie, you have changed OVERNIGHT" She winked.

He smiled.

"You are so cute" She pinched his cheek, making him smile with embarrassment. Of course, she told him that before too but now, it felt different.

"Good night. Will meet in the college tomorrow" he said smiling.

"Good night. Sleep tight"

"Bye..." he again smiled.

Khushi headed to her house. Arnav left the place smiling.

Khushi directly came to the Pooja room. She sat kneeling in front of DM idol, clasping her hands. Her eyes tear up.

"I'm sorry Devi Maiya... I have lost something precious that any girl should not lose before her wedding. Please don't be angry with me for doing that. I did that not to get pleasure but to lift a poor soul who was dying of an inferiority complex. I don't think what I did is wrong, Devi Maiya...! Arnav loves me like anything. He didn't force me... he didn't accept me even after I was ready to submit myself. He is a nice guy Devi Maiya. He cried on my shoulder... his heart was so pure like a child. I wanted to erase the fear that was suppressing his happiness. I didn't know how to do that. That's why I gave myself to him. When I saw his tears, I felt like, I could make the same mistake again and again to make him happy. If you think I'm wrong, punish me but keep my Arnie happy. I love him so much, Devi Maiya. I can't see his tears. I don't want to. Now, he is happy... because of me. Don't you know how happy I am? I want to be with him forever. That's why I go to that extent. Honestly speaking Devi Maiya, I really don't think what I did is wrong..."

She saw a flower falling from DM's idol on the box in which Arnav's name had been kept. Khushi smiled with teary eyes, taking it as a good sign.

To be continued...