Episode 13
Archana's jaw stiffened! How dare he called her Honey?
"You are about to begin your second task. Remember that you have made a solemn oath in front of your revered Lord that you would obey all my orders."
"Oh God! Why have you put me in this quagmire?" Archana's shoulders droopped, and her head bent downwards.
"Oh Honey! You don't have to worry at all! This second step is the easiest of all the steps. All you have to do is to do skinny dipping in this lovely pool in front of those three masked people. They will stare at you. They may make some obscene gestures. But, I assure you they will not touch you."
Archana's childhood was spent in a semi-urban area, where ponds were in abundance! Archana's uncle had a peculiar way of teaching swimming to his wards. He would simply throw them in the pond when they were as young as 3 years old. The children would get the shock of their life, they would try their best to remain afloat. But, eventually, the drowning would start, and at that moment the uncle would jump on to the pond to save the children. He would repeat the act again and again until the child learned swimming. No one approved his method, but it worked. All his wards became good swimmers eventually.
Therefore, Archana had a date with swimming from a very early age, and when she attained 8 years, she became an expert swimmer. Bathing in front of other people was neither a new thing to her. But, the womenfolk in her area never did skinny dipping! That was beyond their imagination, simply unthinkable. How could she skinny dip in front of 3 strangers? No she could not do it.
"You know what, Honey? God, yes, your God, has created both men and women. Don't you believe that? Don't your freaking holy books teach that? Do you think that God has made the body of a woman so beautiful to keep them wrapped under a veil? No, Honey, no! Beauty is for flaunting. If you have read your holy scriptures carefully, and if you have the minimum IQ to interpret them, you will realize that for a very long time the womenfolk didn't cover their bosoms. If you interpret the Mahabharata without jaundiced eyes, you can clearly understand that even Draupadi never covered her breasts. Have you ever visited the temples of Khajuraho? Haven't you noticed the celebration of nudity there? Now, the time has come for you to keep your tradition. Show your beauty in front of these three strangers. There is no shame in it." The same nasal voice preached. Archana again tried hard to find where the sound came from in vain.
Archana looked at herself. When she left home for New Delhi, she was wearing a pink kurti and ochre leggings. But, when she got back her sense, she was wearing an orange tee-shirt and an orange pant, almost similar to the dresses worn by convicts. That meant somebody had changed her clothes without her knowledge and permission. That meant somebody had already seen her body. Very reluctantly, as if tons of load were put on her hands, she took off her tee-shirt. The moment she did it, she heard a shrill whistle!
Shocked and displeased, she looked around to find that the shortest, plump guy was making lewd gestures at her. The other two men stood as if they were statues!
She stopped instantly, covering her bras with both hands in embarrassment, and cringing a bit backwards!
After waiting for a couple of minute, the nasal voice said, "Don't stop Honey! This is a test. You have to pass it, otherwise you will never be freed."
Very hesitantly, the moment she took off her pant, the short guy jumped and clapped with great enthusiasm! This obscene gesture again made Archana wince. Now, she was in bra and panty. How would she take them off in front of these lumpen elements?
"Don't forget Honey, your husband is in our captivity! And, you have no idea what we can do with him!" This time the nasal voice sounded very rude!
The words acted like an act of whipping to Archana! After a very long time, Archana again realized that the life of her husband was very dear to her. Thus, casting off all her senses of fear, shame and insults, she took off all the remainings, and jumped on to the pool in a flash.
The short guy was making all kinds of obscene gestures, with intermittent wolfwhistling. But, Archana's mind was in such an emergency state that she could not pay attention to it.
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Had Rajan been made of wax, he would surely have melted to avoid the embarrassment of watching his wife skinny dipping in front of two strangers, who were making all kinds of lewd gestures. Sometimes, the thought of killing the short, plump guy appeared to his mind. But, the Joker with a nasal voice, who made him captive, had directed him to to remain as a mere spectator during that 10 minutes of humongous mental torture.
After that 10 minutes of severe thrashing he received, he had been taken to a comfortable room, and given treatment. There was a 42" television monitor on that room, which operated on its own will. When Rajan had been almost dying of hunger, the joker's face appeared on it. The joker told him that Rajan's life was in his hand. He would have to obey whatever directions he would be given. He would have to pass 5 tests to get his freedom back. Disobedience, he was given a stern warning, might lead to his death. Watching his wife skinny dipping in front of others without interfering was his first test.
Later on the day, the joker congratulated him on passing the test. As it seemed, he was given pizza in the dinner as an award for passing the test. But the award came with a rider. He got a chit, which said, "Tomorrow 5 AM."
Rajan could not enjoy the pizza at all. He was thinking what predicament would be waiting for him.
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Since coming back from the pool, Archana sat in the divan of the cosy room that she had been allotted after she agreed to obey the Joker's conditions, like a statue for hours. Tears never stopped rolling down from her eyes during this period.
There was a heat pump in the room that kept the temperature at a comfortable level. Apart from that white divan, there were one small bed, whose cover had been changed regularly by the Joker's masked men, one 3-shelved glass table and a tv monitor hanged on the white wall. There was no window in the room.
There was a nice attached bathroom with all the modern facilities with that room. The bathroom didn't have any window either. The exhaust fan ran continuously to compensate the unavailability of a window.
There was a glass jug and a glass on the glass table. Archana took a sip from the glass. She was in such a mood that even that water tasted distasteful to her.
Why was she put in this horrific condition? First, beating her husband to pulp with her own hands, and then this shameful skinny dipping in front of scoundrels! What else was in store for her?
The next episode will be published on Wednesday night 9 PM IST
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