BEAUTIFULLY FLAWED, PART 49

BEAUTIFULLY FLAWED

PART 49

It was my third year of college, I was eighteen that time. I was home during my spring break. My father owned a small textile business, we weren’t one of the richest but we had money. My sister was newly promoted, she was a software engineer. My mother was in search of a good guy for her but my sister had other plans, she liked this really nice guy in her office who was her very good friend. Those were the happy days, the normal days. At end of my of my vacation they all wanted to see me off to the college. We were on the highway, when our car met with an accident. Last thing I remembered was my sister pushing me out of the door and the car crashing into a tree before my eyes n then catching fire.

In the hospital I was informed that none of my family members had survived the accident while I just bore few scratches here n there. In a split second I had lost everything. It was my father’s good friend and business partner who took me to his house. I had known him all my life; he was someone my father had trusted for years. For a few days I just drowned myself in sorrows. But once the cloud of mourning cleared a bit I noticed the weird behavior of father’s friend. One day I asked if I could go out, he said I shouldn’t in the condition I was in. Another couple of days n his fake politeness all but disappeared. I could see he was getting agitated with my constant requests to go out. He didn’t want to even take care of me. I confronted him, told him it was okay if he didn’t want to cope up with me.

I was not prepared to live alone- actually I was really a kid inside, spoiled by my parents and always buried in my books, I hardly knew the outside world. But in the eyes of law I was an adult, I didn’t need a guardian so I thought I would figure something out. I told him he should let me go to my house. He didn’t like the idea very much. In fact he was furious, said I couldn’t leave his house. When I asked the reason, he told me because I was dead for the world. Nobody knew I was alive. He had paid the hospital where I had been admitted n authorities or something, and everyone thought I was dead with my family. He had done it because it was the easiest way to own the entire business. The death of my family was an opportunity for him.

Since there were no more secrets between us, I was locked in a room. Initially I didn’t even fight. There was nothing left to fight for. But the loneliness of the room seemed to swallow me, I missed my books, my life, my parents and I started to look for a way out. My captor was vigilant though. Sometimes I hoped somebody had to know on the face of earth that I was alive but when nobody came to my rescue, that hope died.

Every Saturday night he had friends who came over to play cards and drink. One night a man found out that my father’s friend-my captor-had a girl locked in one of the rooms. It was like a lottery for him, I guess. He tried to force himself upon me, my captor saw him and didn’t say a word; he turned his back on us. That night I was raped not by one but three men. Past that night I had magically turned from a human to a toy. It went on like that until I had become this crazed girl who was afraid of her own shadow. My captor wanted to get rid of me, so when one of his friends told him about some guys who could take me away and pay him also, he was too happy to trade. I overheard their conversation. Although I was dead scared of running, I also knew that it was my last chance at it, because the future that awaited me once those men got their hands on me was going to be worse. Those men were coming for me n I had to get away.

I had nothing dangerous with me in my room that’s why when my captor came to give me food, I hit him with the table and ran towards the kitchen. I pulled out a knife there, long and sharp. My captor, the person whom my father had always trusted stood before me. I had meant to only injure him so I could get enough time to run. But once the knife was lodged in his skin n the blood spilled, I couldn’t stop. I stabbed him again n again like a bloody murderer. That day I truly died.

I ran. The men however had arrived and caught me. I remained with them for a while; nobody touched me n I was fed well. I didn’t know I had entered the vicious circle of human trafficking until I was taken to an auction somewhere. Before it was my turn to be presented in the auction, a man came to me. It was Mr. C, the one I worked for when you found me. He told me I had caught his eye. He thought I had spark; that I could prove to be a good investment. He told me all the girls in auction would be sent out of the country but if I agreed to work with him, he would buy me. He would provide me roof to live under n I wouldn’t have to leave the country. Most of all I would get to choose my customers; until n unless I worked on his terms n earned him enough profits I’d get my own share of freedom.

I took his offer without blinking. It was a fair deal. My body was already soiled so I had nothing to save. Of course another option was killing myself but I didn’t want to die, if there was an afterlife I wasn’t ready to face my family with a filthy body and murderous hands. The first time was very tough, I was drugged during it. At the beginning of my time in prostitution, I hated men, people in general… I hated god and mostly I hated myself. I was a walking ball of anger n resentment. Then with time it got easier, calm acceptance settled in. I came into terms with my fucked up life, nothing surprised me anymore. I was stronger than I had ever been because I wasn’t scared of anything. Through the nights, during the deed, I learned to shut myself off, float out of my body when it happened and years passed into nothingness. I became one of Mr. C’s golden girls, hugely beneficial n trusted. That is how Geet died and Muskan was born.

She had narrated the entire tragedy of her life like a story, like it wasn’t she who had been through all of that. Her voice had remained exceptionally cold and detached. Maan’s hands were tight vices around her. He had always guessed something awful had pushed her into prostitution, it was obvious. Never in his wildest dreams could he have imagined the brutalities of her past. How can the world be so cruel to a girl so innocent? She was raped… more than once… by different men.

When he didn’t say anything, Geet risked a glance behind her. The white of his eyes was red n misty, his face pale and jaw clenched strongly. A vein stuck out at his neck as his whole body acquired a taut stance. He looked like he was in a lot of pain, and anger radiated from him in swarms. At her? She averted her gaze. If you hate me, I don’t blame you. Believe me I loathe myself. Very bad things have happened to me n I have made crappy choices. Worst of all, I don’t regret any of them. I want to tell you that I didn’t want to be this… thing, which I have become. I was forced into this. I…

You don’t have to say anything. His words came out as a low growl as he turned her to face him with vigor. There is nothing to hate about you. He cupped her face making her look in his fierce eyes. You are a survivor, Geet. I have never met anyone as strong as you. After whatever happened in your past, today you smile, you are kind at heart n you care. And damn you are honest n independent. Never ever you used your past to gain pity, not even from me. I love you so very much; it rips me apart to know what’s been done to you n I didn’t even know. But am happy you came out on top, it doesn’t matter how you did it. Fuck the world, fuck everything. I am just grateful to you, that today you stand here with me, the light of my life. I promise to protect you always. I swear.

He pulled her into a bone crushing hug. Geet felt no pain or discomfort, instead she cried out of amazement n happiness. This man could still touch her, hug her despite the fact that she had laid her defiled and corrupt past in front of him. How…? She asked herself because it felt so surreal.

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