Shock is that feeling of pause while the brain makes a new connection, one that brings high emotion of either joy or sorrow. It is finding yourself unexpectedly on a platform, train approaching, realising that this time the destination is not a choice.
Bondita had heard Raimoti's heartfelt wailing, her mind had registered the words as she gripped the table firmly, to support her trembling body. Her brain stuttered for a moment and her eyes took in more light than she expected, every part of her going on pause while her thoughts caught up. She clutched the telephone receiver to her bosom and closed her eyes.

Deep breath Bondita... Take long deep breaths... One, two ...three...

Anirudh's voice echoed in her ears. It's exactly how he used to calm her down, it's exactly he used to sooth her, protecting her in the sheath of his arms.

"Barrister Babu..." A cry left her throat, as she opened her eyes taking a deep breath once again.

Her hands had quickly dialled the reception of Calcutta medical College, but at that dead hour of night, no one responded. It was expected, she knew it already, and at that moment, there was only one person she could think of... Only one!

She could go alone, in search of her husband, and she would as well, but Anirudh had taught her the difference between courage and foolhardy, and no doubt, he had taught her well.

With trembling hands she reached for her notebook and took out the small rectangular card from it. And, murmuring an earnest prayer, she dialled the number.

"Hello??" An old cracked voice replied with an northern accent.

"Jewish Bakery?" She asked, her hands gripped the receiver and her heart thudding violently.

"What do you want?" The old crackling voice asked again.

"Basu... Basudev Krishna?" Bondita blurted out.

"We don't sell that here." The man was about to hung up the telephone as Bondita almost shouted out the words.

"Dwarikadhish...I want Dwarikadhish!"

A few seconds of silence, and the man responded in a grave slow tone.
"Who is calling?"

Bondita swallowed. Her eyes were burning, and each minute was critical.
She pressed her eyes shut and squeezed a drop of tear.
"Sudama."

The telephone line got disconnected, as a steady dial tone rang in Bondita's dampened soul for a moment.
Her Barrister Babu was in danger, and all she had was herself. Inhaling sharply, she almost ran towards her bedroom and pulled the empty revolver from under her pillow, as in another two minutes, one of the sleeping guards woke up for a minute, only to see a glimpse of the Maalkin leaving the house in her black car.

"Where is she going now?" He called his partner.

"What's the time? 2:10am?" The second guard rubbed his eyes.

"Stay here, Gurcharan... Guard the house, and don't sleep... Let me go out and check the streets." The first guard had picked up his stick and as he walked away in the dark, following the smoke trail of Bondita's car, with an anxious heart and a strong will.

................................................................

"It's so sad to see you dying like this Barrister!!" The fourth man spat out the blood from his mouth, wiping his lips with his finger.
"You are a strong one..." He chuckled.
"I don't remember when was the last time anyone could beat me like this... You broke my teeth, you bloody Barrister!!"
He picked up the fallen Bamboo stick and lunged Anirudh once again, breaking two of his ribs, and making him writhe in excruciating pain. He still hadn't lost his consciousness.
Another blow on his broken leg, and another, and even in his almost unconscious mind, as he lay bloodied on the street, his mind relayed the possibility of the pistol lying a little away. He won't give up... He had never learnt to give up, and at that very moment, as all the beckon of hope seemed to fade away one by one, Anirudh opened his eyes, blood dripping from his lashes, as he slowly dragged his limp body towards the deserted weapon.

He will have to live, for his family... for BONDITA!

He had successfully made two men unconscious during the duel, and now the remaining two were tending to their partners leaving a half dead blood-clad Anirudh on the street. His breathing was staggered, painful, as he considered the moment as an opportunity, he had dragged his body and had almost reached the revolver, touching it with the little strength he had, when he felt another fresh jolt of pain on his hand.

"Aaa haa... Not a chance, Barrister!" The fourth man had placed his foot on Anirudh's hand, stamping it with all his strength, as he felt his knuckle bones break mercilessly under his pressure.

"RayBahadur had particularly asked me not to kill you easily..." He chuckled evilly at him. " And that I'm to torture you and then kill you in the most painful way." He picked up the revolver and clicked open the safety guard, ready to pull the trigger.
"But, guess what, I'm a kind hearted man." He spat out some more blood from his mouth and moved a few steps away.
He pulled the weapon aiming right at Anirudh's lying frame, his forehead to be exact, when a dazzling light and a blaring sound made everyone feel disoriented for a moment.

"Drop the pistol, or I'll kill you right away!"
A shrill, feminine, yet confident voice made the two goons turn around. The strong headlight of the car was blinding their eyes as they witnessed the silhouette of a female figure, approaching nearer with a raised revolver in her hand.
"Mine is an automatic one, imported, costlier, way faster than yours." She inched forward, keeping a safe distance from the men.
"I can kill both of you in moments, even before you could pull your trigger... But... But, I don't want to kill you..." She kept the empty pistol straight, pointed at them, choosing her next words carefully.

"If you go now... I'll give you a lot of money... More than you can ever imagine. Or, or anything else if you want."
Her words were steady, unblemished, as her heart cried out loud at the sight of her wounded husband lying almost senseless on the street. But, it wasn't the time to shed tears!

"Think again! You kill him... And I kill both of you... And, you go now, you live and get rich."

"Would you buy my land?"
One of the goons had asked.

"Land? Just land?" Bondita chuckled.
"I'll buy you anything you want! Anything!" She walked a little closer.
"You have no idea how rich I am!"
She paused to let her words sink in their heads
"And, this man... The one you have so mercilessly beaten, he saved lives of twenty Swadeshi brothers today. Don't you have a little shame? A little regard? You call yourselves humans? You call yourselves Bharatbashi??"
Her words reeked of disgust as the man who had spoken earlier dropped his stick.

"Woman... I don't know who you are... But..."

"But? There isn't any but... Leave and live with dignity or die right now."

There was something in her voice, some power, some resonance, and it had hit the right chords, rasing a sense of awed terror in the man's heart.

"Chol, Dinu... Let's leave... This man is almost dead, it would be a wonder if he survives the night, and if this woman doesn't keep her words, we'll kill her as well."

Dino didn't move, he stood there rooted, his eyes narrowed and his pistol still pointed at the Barrister as he unwillingly responded to his partner.

"Shashhh!! What a waste! This is why I don't want to work with amateurs like you guys.!" He spat once again and barked at the thin middle-aged man coaxing him to leave.

"Leave the man... He is almost dead! We'll tell him the work is done... Come... Some extra money would really be good."

Dinu let out a loud sigh, and kicked Anirudh hard on his shoulder, making Bondita let out a shrill cry. She had tried to be strong so far, but seeing her husband in that situation, made her want to tear the earth apart and destroy the universe.

"Anirudhhh!!"
She ran towards him, dropping on her knees as she slowly picked up his blood-dripped head on her lap.

"Dinu... Come..."
The man was dragging him by his arms, as his eyes had intensified at the scene of the two humans, wrapped in each other's arms, on the empty street.

"Shit!! That's the wife!" A sinister grin appeared on his face.
"What a cunning bitch!" He pulled the revolver at her from a distance, aiming on her seated frame.

"What are you doing??" His partner shouted out loud, his hand pulling his own hair in despair.
"We won't get money if she..."

"Fuck money!" He spat again.
"Love like this makes me puke!" He grinned again, and pulled the trigger right at her, just in time for Anirudh to drag her down with whatever strength he had, as he sheathed her body with his, trembling, and the bullet had hit him right on the shoulder.

"BARRISTERRRR.... BABUUUU....."
Bondita let out a sky piercing wail, clasping Anirudh's unconscious, collapsing body tightly in her bosoms.
"NOOOOOOOOO......", She shouted her lungs out, unable to fathom the abrupt vehemence of the situation. The entire world seemed to have been fading away infront of her eyes, only his blood-covered body clasped to her chest, and everything else seized to exist!!

TWO MORE GUN-SHOTS, reverberating the calm evil coldness of the night, and then, everything fell dead-silent once again.

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OKAY, SO I WON'T STOP YOU FROM CRYING THIS TIME...!