The Curse of That Night (10 page)

Chapter 18

Rishi Sinha

“They came close, disrobed and smooched. Placing his hand on her rear, he lifted her up and looked at her. His warm breath felt like small insects crawling on her face. It aroused her even more. The moment he cupped her breasts, all the intangible entities within her soul froze for a second. Well, that’s exactly what she wanted, what she desired.

It was when their tongues, once again, met and fought like dogs fighting over a piece of bread, that she felt ultimate pleasure. She wrapped her toned legs around his waist tightly. He pushed her against the wall and with each push; she knew that tonight two souls will get spoiled.

As her hands explored his back, her heart tried to justify her willingness to enjoy and take full advantage of the situation. Her mind went blank with the first pelvic thrust. With the second, everything went numb. His thrusts were switching thoughts on and off in her mind. Her mind was blank again. She knew what she wanted. A burst. A climax. Orgasm was on its peak.

“I love you Ananya,” he said and fell down. A sudden anger grew up in her; she was not Ananya… She had conquered his body but his soul... it was still with Ananya…”

“Tringgg…”

The loud and continuous ringing of my phone woke me up. My head felt heavy as if being hammered for hours.

‘Where the hell am I?’ I wondered.

“Hello,” I picked up the phone.

“Rishi, where the hell are you?” It was Pavitra.

“I don’t know,” I said rubbing my hand over my head which was still paining like hell.

“What? We have an exam starting in one hour! Come fast,” she almost screamed.

“Yeah,” I said casually.

“Oh god! Ananya is dead Rishi. Move on for god’s sake!” she said and cut the phone.

I looked at myself. Naked I was!

“Oh, so you are awake?” a girl wearing a Superman T-Shirt and shorts came with a glass of water and a disprin in her hand and kissed on my cheeks.

“Hello! Who are you and where am I? What happened last night?”

“Shhhh…”

“Why is that smirk on your face?” I asked.

“You really don’t remember?”

“Yes, please do tell me,” I now pushed myself to recall if anything happened last night.

It seems like everything that happens after I take infinite vodka shots never find a place in my head.

“Ooh. It was such an awesome night and you don’t remember anything,” she smiled.

“Please shut up. Just tell me.”

“If you insist… last night,” she smiled again.

“Yeah, last night?”

“We made love Rishi and it was so fucking awesome!”

“WHAT!”

The girl whose name I didn’t even know; I had sex with her. It came like a shock.

“No Rishi, last night in the disc you first kissed three of my friends and then asked me for a dance. We danced and then we came home and you were all over me. It was superb!” she said very seriously.

“You are kidding right?” I asked hoping it to be just a stupid prank.

“No Rishi. We really did. But, why were you taking some girl’s name all the time? Some Ananya?” she said.

Fuck!

My mind went into multiple convulsions. I didn’t even remember the faces of the girls I kissed and the girl in front of me? I had sex with her! No way! My heart sank to my feet thinking of what must have happened last night. Not a thing. Nothing I could recall.

I got out of the bed, wore my clothes and rushed towards the door.

“Hey! When are we meeting next?” she asked.

“Never, it was a mistake,” I said and rushed towards my car, thank God it was there.

I revved up the engine and as I drove, memories of last night started flashing in front of my eyes…

The gates of the disc were opened for me when my name was checked in the guest list. The party was arranged by a junior, Smriti.

On the table facing the bar, there were around ten other people along with Smriti.

Girls. Guys. I went towards them and hugged or shook hands with many of them hoping this formal introduction session would end soon. The girls had come in the shortest of the shortest dresses ever made. Minis. Micro minis. All of them seemed to have shopped directly from some fashion designer. A total eye fest.

Everyone knew each other except me. I only knew Smriti.

“This is Rishi.”

Everyone shouted a big ‘Hi’.

It seemed that they were already drunk. I too was handed over a Beer. And then three bartenders came and lined up vodka shots.

That’s what I went there for. Drinks.

‘Getting drunk is the only way of getting away from Ananya’s thoughts’,
I thought.

One shot.

It hit the head and burned my throat.

Second shot.

It hit harder.

After that, I lost count of the number of shots I gulped. And I didn’t bother as this was my daily routine; running away from Ananya’s memories, running away from everyone, most importantly running away from myself.

I picked up the beer bottle. It felt like water. My senses went numb. It really didn’t matter which drink was going down my throat as far as it was alcohol. Time slowed down.

The faces blurred. The girls looked arousing. I felt a body writhing against mine. Who was she? I had no idea.

“Can we dance?” I heard her say.

Just as I finished the last one, she dragged me to the dance floor. We made our way past the crowd dancing freely on the dance floor. Soon, we both were one of them.

She grabbed my neck and pulled me into her as we tried to fit into the little space on the floor. She let her tongue run over my ears as her hands wrapped around my neck. I was so numb that, I was just going with the flow. I felt my hands going all over her and her hands going all over me. She turned and pulled me further into her, kissed me, her hands moved rhythmically and explored almost every part of my body.

“Let’s go,” was all she said and we walked off the disc. After that who drove the car, where she took me and what happened; I had no idea, none at all, until this morning…

“Where are you Rishi?” Pavitra called again.

“On my way,” I replied.

“Come fast,” she said and hung up.

On Reaching the College…

“Tell me the important questions.”

“Wait. First tell me where were you last night? Another stupid party?” asked Pavitra.

“That’s not important right now,” I ignored her query.

“Yes it is!”

“Ok. I don’t know. I was drunk, woke up in a house. There was this girl who said I had sex with her the previous night and… ”

“WHAT!” Sumit interrupted.

“One night before the exam you had a one night stand!”

“Yeah, I mean I don’t know. Like, I don’t remember anything,” I said.

“Wow!” he exclaimed.

“Disgusting Rishi! Go to hell both of you,” Pavitra said before leaving.

“Pavitra, listen,” before I could stop her she was long gone.

“Ab
important
bata
,” I took the notes from Sumit and entered the class…

Life was hell for me, because the very soul was missing from it. My Ananya was missing from it. Pavitra asked or sometimes forced me to forget her.

“Can you forget to breathe? Can you forget to eat? Can you forget to listen to your surroundings? Can you forget to see things around you? No you can’t. Similarly, I can’t Pavitra. I can’t forget her,” I said.

She had no answer.

Well, life was going on… as usual… until that night… when I met her…

Chapter 19

Malvika

Although legal and medical definitions vary, rape is typically defined as oral, anal, or vaginal penetration that involves threat or force against an unwilling person. Such penetration, whether wanted or not, is considered statutory rape if victim is younger than the age of consent.

Typically, rape is an expression of aggression, anger, or need for power; psychologically, it is more violent than sexual. Non-genital or genital injury occurs in about 50% rapes of females.

It is the psychological effect of rape that is more devastating than the physical. Shortly after rape or sexual assault, all victims show symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder. PTSD can occur after any stressful event but Rape Related Post Traumatic Stress is insidious and manifests differently in each victim. Even when compared with the trauma of war, a serious car accident, prolonged illness and the death of a loved one, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is most difficult to handle in rape victims. The experience of being raped appears to have a more lasting effect than all other forms of psycho trauma.
The fear a victim feels may weave into all aspects of her life. More than likely she was attacked going about her business, feeling safe in her world. Once that security is invaded, the woman may be fearful about the routine activities of her daily life. She may approach strangers and even friends and acquaintances with a new caution. Recovery time can vary a great deal based on each survivor’s personal experience of the assault and the events that follow.

Following rape, the survivor will experience a very wide range of emotional reactions which is a result of facing a life-threatening, life altering situation. Shock, dismay, and disbelief are fairly common. Victims feel fearful, anxious, and irritable. They may feel angry, depressed, embarrassed, ashamed and guilty, often wondering whether they did something to provoke rape or could have done something to avoid it. It is not uncommon for self-blame to be expressed. Anger and hostility, not just towards the assailant, but towards the people trying to help her, including her spouse may surface.

A rape victim might have intrusive, upsetting thoughts or mental images of the assault, and she might unwittingly, actually re-live rape. They may have stifling thoughts and feelings about the rape. They may avoid situations that remind them of it. Difficulty in sleeping and nightmares are very common. These symptoms may last for months and years, interfering with social activities and work.

The rape survivor is constantly thinking about the assault. There are many triggers, flashbacks, and nightmares causing the survivor to experience a wide range of emotional reactions and exhibit outward expression such as crying, shaking, tenseness, restlessness. The victim may experience tension headaches, fatigue, stomach aches, nausea, loss of appetite, or disturbed sleep patterns such as insomnia or nightmares.

Malvika sensed these symptoms in Aarti too. She wanted her to loosen up; to cry and tell her what exactly happened. But, Aarti was numb.

Malvika took her to the hospital for the check up.

The usual absence of eye witnesses to the crime of rape makes it imperative for the police and the prosecution to place considerable reliance upon circumstantial evidence in their efforts to judicially establish the guilt of the perpetrator of such an offence. Therefore, scientific evidences are of paramount importance in these cases.

Careful notes are made as to the condition of the victim’s clothing and all spots and stains (Thank god, Aarti didn’t take a bath) are examined microscopically and also under fluorescent light. The location of the teeth marks, scratches, bruises, etc are noted and photographs taken, if necessary. Condition of the hymen or its remnants is recovered; together with notations as to the time and date of the examination is made.

Using normal salt solution, washings are taken from the vulva and the perineum of the victim, collected separately, centrifuged and examined microscopically. Another washing is taken from the vaginal vault and careful examination is made of the interior of the vagina, the cervix and the fornices.

All of victim’s clothing is examined carefully and all stains of whatever character, are investigated for any residual evidence. Though, this is the exact procedure to be followed, yet it is not precisely followed in India.

The same was done with Aarti.

The doctor confirmed Rape with the girl ‘Unfit for statement’.

Now it was time for some action to be taken, time to fight for Aarti’s justice…