Tormenting Souls

You know the rain in winter worsens things in Will City. The strange fog makes everything sad; I was also sad.

It had been raining since the last three days, and I was almost trapped in my house. I came back to attend Veena's funeral, my long-lost love. In-fact I attended the funeral as an unwanted intruder, my family and hers were not happy to see me at all.

"Learn to grow......how childish is it that you came from the USA to attend this wee funeral. That girl had never been worth your attention but you fell in her love and disgraced our family." —said my father controlling his anger.

Fifteen years ago, I parted from Veena as she was not ready to marry me against the wish of her family. In reality, her family was angry at my family's stubborn attitude.

At Veena's insistence, her parents visited my home. My parents were not happy at all to see them and refused their marriage proposal.

"These people are below our social strata......how come you even think of marry her?" —my father scolded me on the day when Veena's parents came to meet my parents.

I was not happy at all at my parent’s behaviour, I forced Veena to meet me and told her that I was ready to leave my family to marry her.

"How childish are you Sid? How come you think that my family shall allow me to marry you now?" —asked Veena with her tearful eyes.

"Listen Veena this is momentary anger, if we marry now, they shall all accept us later......" —said I.

"No Sid, I'm the eldest daughter in my family; if I do it now; my parents shall die of disgrace......my younger sisters’ future shall be destroyed. Time to say goodbye; we shall never meet again." —said Veena and left.

It was really the last time when I saw her.

Within a month she was married to someone. Being a software engineer I found a job in the USA and left India forever. After that marriage to Rita was another phase of my life, but I could never give my whole to her. But this marriage worked as Rita proved to be a good wife and a good mother to my daughters.

Everything was going normally but last time a call from Veena changed it all.

"Sid your curse destroyed me, what is your curse.......?" —Veena's frantic voice asked.

"What happened?" —asked I as there was no answer to her question.

"Sid you wanted to marry me but not your parents, was there any fault of mine?" —asked she.

"No." —answered I briefly.

"Then why did I become a victim of all the social atrocities? My parents married me to a man who never loves me. He even beats me as I was characterless before my marriage......did you ever touch me? No; how could you when I had firm faith in me that no one would touch me before marriage." —said she.

"I'm so sorry for you." —said I.

"Why should you sorry? You wanted to leave everyone for me but it was me who had no courage......" —said she.

"Let's forget it all and go ahead......." —said I.

"You can but I cannot, do you know tonight my husband poisoned me and flee......now this is me and my last moments." —said Veena.

"What are you talking about Veena? Please don't worry just hold on I do something." —said I and took my another mobile and called up Dr. Deepak an older friend of mine and instructed her to pick Veena from her home and save her.

After that I was like a madman weeping and talking to Veena, when did Deepak come and took her hospital, I remember nothing.

Within two hours I was on a direct flight to India. When I reached Will City Medicare Veena was no more and her tormenting soul was free from all the worldly worries.

Her in-laws refused to take her body but her parents decided to perform her last rites.

I also attended her funeral; she was gone but a part of mine had also gone with her. It was me who failed her, it was me because of whom she had to marry a worthless man. It was me because of whom she was not in this world now.

I just looked out at the thick fog, my flight to the States was on day after tomorrow and I was confined in my study. Rita called me up a few times, I told her everything and she wondered why didn't I found her worthy enough to share my worries with her.