2.
A girl of twenty-three with black hair and light brown eyes is sitting inside a bus. She sits near the window, her body slightly leaning toward it. Her eyes admire the view outside but there is a small tension hiding in them.
It stays there, quiet but clear. Her hands rest on her lap, fingers slowly twisting together again and again. This bus is moving toward her workplace and the thought makes her heartbeat uneven.
She is wearing a light blue shirt and black pants. The clothes fit her simply, neatly. Not only she, every woman sitting inside the bus is wearing the same uniform.
Some sit silently, some whisper to each other and some stare straight ahead with tired eyes.
“Hey” a voice reaches her ears. She blinks and turns her head to the side. Beside her, a girl sits, looking at her with a polite smile on her face.
“Hii” she replies, her lips forming the same polite smile. Her voice is soft.
“Tara” the girl says, extending her hand toward her.
“Sita” Sita replies. She holds Tara’s hand, her grip a little shy at first, then firm. Her smile widens now, a little more real, a little more comfortable.
“It’s your first day?” Tara asks, her eyebrows lifting slightly in curiosity.
Sita nods her head slowly. Her eyes drop for a second before she looks back at Tara.
“Actually… I was raised in an orphanage” Sita says. Her voice is soft, like cotton.
“The lady from the orphanage is the one who sends me here for work, with the others” As she speaks, her fingers tighten together in her lap. Tara listens quietly.
“I’ve been working here for the past one year” Tara replies. Sita turns toward her completely now, her body facing Tara, her eyes lighting up with a small hope.
“Then… can you help me, please?” Sita asks. Her voice trembles just a little. “Because I’m really scared. That lady warn us about so many things that I’m hella scared now” She lifts her hand slightly and points toward the front of the bus.
At the front, a lady sits with a strict face. Her back is straight, her expression hard and professional. A badge of a head maid shines on her uniform. She looks ahead, not speaking, not smiling, only watching, as if she notices everything.
Sita slowly lowers her hand, her shoulders stiff, her breath shallow, waiting for Tara’s response.
“Don’t be scared. I’m here with you” Tara says softly. She leans a little closer. Her eyes stay on Sita’s face, trying to give her comfort.
“Just remember three things” She lifts one finger slowly. “One, do what you are told to do” She lifts the second finger. “Two, don’t mess with your seniors”
Then she lifts the third finger but her hand pauses in the air. Her expression changes. Her smile fades and a chill runs through her body.
“And three… the most important one, never, ever come in front of him” As she says the last words, her shoulders shiver slightly and her breath turns uneasy.
Sita blinks her eyes, staring at Tara with a confused look. Her eyebrows pull together and her lips part a little, unsure. She feels a strange cold run over her skin, like tiny needles.
“Him?” Sita asks softly. Goosebumps rise on her arms and she doesn’t know why her heart suddenly feels heavy.
Tara looks around the bus quickly, her eyes moving left and right, checking if anyone is listening. Only after that does she look back at Sita.
“Zayran Kaalver” Tara says in a low voice. Fear is clear on her face now.
“He is a monster. He don't think twice before killing someone. So, as much as possible, never come in front of his eyes”
As she speaks his name, she quickly touches the cross pendant hanging around her neck, her fingers tightening around it, as if she is protecting herself just by thinking about him.
“I have heard about him” Sita says slowly. Her voice almost drops to a whisper. “That he is the worst person in Velqar… and even in India” Her eyes stay fixed on Tara’s face. Tara nods her head at her words, her jaw tightening in agreement.
“I’ll tell the head maid to let you work with me” Tara says, her tone changing, becoming lighter. A small excitement appears in her eyes.
“Like this, I’ll help you and you’ll get a new friend, right?” She smiles brightly now, trying to push away the fear.
Sita nods her head happily. A soft smile appears on her face.
“Yes because I don’t know anyone here and I’ll love to work with you” Sita says, giving her best smile to Tara. Her eyes shine with relief.
Tara smiles back at her, warm and genuine. And just like that, they become friends. People say becoming friends is the easiest thing in the world but what is truly difficult is how they carry that friendship ahead in the future.
“Hey Kanha, please keep me under your protection. Aur agar mere sath kuch ulta-sidha hua na, to samajh lijiye aap. Dhamki nahi de rahi hoon, bas bata rahi hoon” Sita speaks to her God, her best friend, inside her mind.
(Hey Kanha, please keep me under your protection. And if something wrong happens to me, then... I’m not threatening you, I’m just informing you)
This is how she talks to Him, sharing all her worries, fears and problems. And every time, somehow, everything gets solved. Her heart feels light after talking to Him.
But this time, she doesn’t know that nothing is going to work the way it always does.
The bus moves inside the Kaalver mansion from the back gate. But it doesn’t look like a back gate at all. It is so beautiful, so breathtaking, that my eyes widen on their own. I keep looking around, unable to stop myself.
Trust me, it feels like this place is not on earth, it feels like something else entirely.
Greenery is everywhere. Tall trees, perfectly cut plants and fresh grass surround the path. It feels calm, peaceful and unreal at the same time. The bus moves slowly on a stone pathway.
As I look ahead, my breath gets stuck hard in my throat. The building standing in front of me looks like heaven. My eyes slowly move over it.
The architecture, the carved walls with different kinds of art...oh my God. Everything feels dangerous yet calm at the same time. The entire mansion is white, shining under the light.
I literally have to move my head from one side to the other just to look at it but even then, I’m not able to see it completely. That’s how big it is.
“Come down, everyone, fast!” the head maid shouts loudly. Her voice echoes in the open space, sharp and commanding.
The moment I hear her, my body shivers. Fear runs through me. She really is dangerous.
Tara quickly holds my hand, her grip firm and reassuring and starts guiding me out of the bus.
I get a positive vibe from her. She feels safe, familiar, like someone I can trust. She is around my age and that makes me feel less alone.
We step out of the bus together. The moment my feet touch the ground, I take a deep breath and close my eyes. The air feels fresh, peaceful and calm. For a second, everything feels quiet inside me too.
I open my eyes again and my eyes shine instantly because of what I see right in front of me.
There is a huge temple inside the garden. And… and… there He is. My Kanha stands inside the temple in all His glory, along with other Gods. The sight hits my heart directly.
He looks so beautiful, so pure, that my chest tightens with emotion. I feel like running toward the temple, like touching Him, like bowing my head at His feet.
“Kanha, I think I’m in love with you” I think softly.
Yes, yes, I know. I’m telling you this from the time I was born
A small smile appears on my lips without me even realizing it. “I will go inside the temple once, for sure” I promise myself silently. My heart feels warm and full.
I turn my face toward the head maid as she starts saying something. Her voice pulls me back to reality. “I have told everyone everything already and I don’t think I need to repeat myself. Am I clear?” she says loudly, her tone strict and cold.
All the new workers, along with me, nod our heads together. No one dares to speak.
“Move inside quietly now” she orders. Everyone starts moving inside in silence. I am about to follow them too but suddenly Tara pulls my hand and drags me toward the head maid. My heart skips a beat as my feet change direction.
“Head, she’ll stay with me and I’ll teach her everything about the mansion and her work, please” Tara says. Her voice is polite but confident. She stands straight, her hand still holding mine.
The head maid looks at me from head to toe. Her eyes are sharp, unreadable. I feel small under her gaze. Then she nods her head once.
“Make sure she knows where she belongs” she says coldly. Tara nods her head immediately. I keep my eyes down not daring to look at the head maid again. My heart beats fast inside my chest.
We start moving inside. The morning sun finally leaves my head as I step under the shade of the mansion. The light changes and a cool calm wraps around me.
“You’ll stay with me in my room from now on” Tara says excitedly. She starts moving toward the underground stairs where everyone else is going. Her steps are quick, full of energy.
“How did she agree so easily?” I ask softly, talking about the head maid. “She is so strict”
“Actually, in just one year, I’ve done a lot of work to impress her” Tara replies while walking. “And because of that, she agrees. And you know why I take you with me?” She turns her head slightly and smiles. “Because you are my best friend”
I chuckle slowly, a soft sound escaping my lips. A few minutes ago, we were just friends and now we are best friends.
My mouth hangs open as we reach the underground area. I stop for a second, my eyes wide. There are four hallways stretching in different directions and a staircase going further down, maybe to a second floor.
On one side, there is a huge open kitchen. Long counters shine under the lights. There are chairs and tables placed neatly for eating.
At the start of every hallway, there is a board fixed on the wall, marking each section.
Tara takes me toward the cleaners’ hallway section. I keep looking around, my head turning again and again. No one would ever say this is maid quarters. It looks like a three-star hotel. There are more than forty rooms here, all clean, wide and perfectly arranged.
“This is our room” Tara says, opening the door for me. She steps aside, letting me enter first.
I walk inside slowly and look around. There are two single beds placed on the sides, neat and clean. In front of them, there are two cupboards standing side by side.
On one corner, there is another door, which I think is the bathroom. The room feels simple, clean and calm. Nothing extra, nothing less.
“How is it?” Tara asks, smiling widely, clearly excited. I lift my hand and show her a thumbs-up. A small smile appears on my face.
“You know, I used to stay alone” Tara says while walking toward the cupboard. She opens it happily. “But from now on, we’ll stay together”
She points inside the cupboard. “Look, you’ll find your clothes and necessary items here. All these things are provided by them” She looks at me and continues “And as you already know, you can’t bring anything from outside”
I nod my head in understanding. Before I can stop myself, a question slips out of my mouth. “Bra aur panty bhi yahi denge?” I ask innocently.
(Will they provide bra and panty also?)
Tara looks at me for a second, completely silent. Then suddenly, she bursts out laughing. I grin at her, feeling a little shy.
“Kuch galat pooch liya maine” I mumble to myself.
(Did I ask something wrong?)
“Yes, yes” Tara says between her laughter. “They’ll provide everything and exactly your size” She points toward my chest teasingly.
I immediately cover myself with my hands, embarrassed. Tara laughs even more at my reaction. “You are so cute” she says, still smiling.
I walk toward the bed and sit down slowly, my feet barely touching the floor.
“By the way” Tara asks gently, “you’re alone… I mean, many girls come today as cleaners from the orphanage. Don’t you have any friend?”
I look up at her and blink my eyes slowly. My smile fades a little. “No” I say softly. “Actually, from childhood till now, I was alone. And no one wants to make me their friend” Tara looks at me and smiles sadly, her eyes filled with quiet understanding.
“I also don’t have anyone here whom I can talk to freely” Tara says softly.
Her tone turns a little serious. “My mother used to work here. When she retired, I joined. She is the one who taught me everything, how to work properly and how to impress the head maid” She winks at me playfully at the end.
I smile at her, feeling closer already. “You were on leave?” I ask because she comes with me today.
“Yes” she replies easily. “After every six months, they give us leave, either one full month or fifteen days. So we can go and meet our family. And if there is any emergency, they give us leave then also” She explains calmly, like this place has become normal for her.
I nod my head slowly, listening to her carefully.
“So” she says suddenly, her eyes shining again “are you ready to work with your beautiful, intelligent, gorgeous senior?” She extends her hand toward me dramatically.
I chuckle, amused by her confidence. “Yes” I say with the same energy as her “your smart, cute, hot and sexy junior is ready to work with you” I place my hand in hers.
We both chuckle together, our laughter filling the small room.
After freshening up, we walk out of the room side by side. To be honest, I was really scared when I first came to know that I’m coming here. My heart was full of fear and confusion.
But now, I feel more than happy. I feel excited to work here because Tara is here with me. I’m still not able to digest the fact that I made a friend this early. Oops… sorry. She made me her friend not me.
“I clean the hallways and the kitchen most of the time” Tara says while walking. “Sometimes the area changes if something happens. So you’ll work with me” She takes me out of the underground area.
I nod my head, my eyes moving everywhere, taking everything in. There are so many maids working professionally. Everyone moves fast but silently, knowing exactly what to do.
Seeing them like this makes my eyes shine. And they shine even more as I start seeing the mansion from inside properly. There are three floors in the mansion.
The first thing that catches my eyes is the biggest chandelier I have ever seen or even imagined in my entire life.
It hangs in the middle of the mansion, grand and glowing.
I can see it clearly even from the back side.
It shines so brightly that it almost hurts my eyes.
It shines more brightly than my future.
“Look, don’t talk with anyone here” Tara says suddenly, her voice serious now. “I’m saying this for your own good, Sita” Her tone makes it clear that she has experience, something I don’t have.
I nod my head immediately. “Okay” I say softly.
We enter a room filled with cleaning supplies. There are so many cleaning items placed neatly that it feels like a showroom. Shelves are full, everything arranged properly. Tara grabs a vacuum cleaner and a few other things.
She hands some things to me. I take them carefully, holding them close to my body. Then we start walking out of the room again.
She walks toward the hallway and as we move ahead, I get a small glimpse of the entire mansion once again. My heart beats faster, half in fear, half in wonder.
I see four women sitting on the living room couch, talking and laughing together. Their laughter sounds light and carefree. They look comfortable, relaxed and close to each other.
“They are Gauri, Neelam, Pallavi and Kavita Kaalver” Tara tells me, noticing the confusion on my face.
“Gauri is the mother-in-law and these three are her daughters-in-law” I nod my head slowly, listening to her words carefully, trying to remember the names.
Tara bends down and starts cleaning the carpet with focus. “Clean these paintings” she tells me, pointing toward the paintings hanging on the walls.
I take the cloth in my hand and start dusting and cleaning the paintings and the decorative pieces placed in the hallway. My movements are slow but careful. I don’t want to make any mistake.
“You know, these four ladies are really close” Tara says while working. “They are like best friends. No one would ever say they are mother and daughters-in-law”
I nod my head again, listening silently.
“In fact, the entire family is loving and lives happily together” she continues. “Except Zayran Kaalver” Her voice drops a little when she says his name.
I nod once more. I have heard many things about Zayran Kaalver. He is known as Sinister and no one dares to mess with him. His entire family runs a successful businesses but no one knows how he becomes a mafia.
“Mummy, helpppp!” I suddenly hear loud shouting from the living room. I turn my head and see a man running down the stairs. Two men and one girl run behind him, probably chasing him.
They are laughing loudly while chasing him, clearly enjoying the moment. A small smile appears on my face seeing them like this.
“Kaam karne aayi hai, wo kar le pehle” my subconscious scolds me.
(You came here to work, so do your work first)
I roll my eyes at myself and focus back on my work, my hands moving steadily over the paintings again.
After cleaning the entire hallway, the paintings and all the decorations, I finally take a deep breath. My shoulders relax a little as I turn toward Tara. She looks at me with a satisfied smile on her face, her eyes showing approval.
“You did really well, Sita” she says.
I flip my hair dramatically, unable to stop myself.
“Sita naam hai mera, kaam aisa karungi ki insaan dusri baar karne ke liye bheekh maange” I say proudly.
(My name is Sita and I work in such a way that people beg me to do it again)
She chuckles, shaking her head. “Self-obsessed girl” she says teasingly.
We walk back together. We put all the cleaning things in their place and then move toward the maid quarters again to have our lunch. My stomach is already growling and the thought of food makes me feel lighter.
We take our plates and start walking toward a table to sit. Just then, someone suddenly stops us.
“Who is she, Tara?” a girl asks. She folds her arms over her chest and looks at me from up to down, her eyes sharp and judging. Her look makes me lower my gaze without thinking.
“She joined today, Subh. Her name is Sita” Tara replies calmly.
Subh nods her head slightly and starts walking past me. But before leaving, she bumps her shoulder hard into mine. I stumble a little, losing my balance for a second.
“Bitch” Tara mutters under her breath. I look at her, surprised.
“She thinks she rules here” Tara says angrily. “She tries to make everyone feel like they are below her” She gently presses my shoulder with care, checking if I’m okay. I smile at her gesture, feeling grateful.
We sit down at the table and start having our lunch. As we eat, Tara keeps telling me so many things about this mansion, about the people here, who is good, who is cunning and whom we should not talk to or completely avoid. I listen quietly, storing every word carefully in my mind.
“After cleaning this, we will go to sleep” Tara says while we clean the floor of the main entrance. A few flower pots are shattered here and broken pieces are scattered all around.
My back bends again and again as I pick up the pieces, my body feeling tired.
“Ab meri buddhi kamar ne jawab de diya hai” I say, finally picking up the last broken piece of the pot.
(Now my old back has given up)
“That’s why people say you should exercise daily so that the body stays fit” Tara says while getting up from the floor. But the moment she straightens herself, she hisses softly. She has been cleaning the ground for a long time.
I look at her with what happened eyes. She grins innocently at me, pretending nothing is wrong and starts walking inside with me.
Suddenly, she holds my hand tightly and pulls me back. I stop at once and look at her, confused. “Look down” she says in a low, serious voice.
I do exactly what she says without arguing. I lower my head, keeping my eyes down. From the corner of my eyes, I feel movement. Guards start coming out of the house in a hurry. Their steps are fast and alert. Cars start coming out of the garages one by one.
“Kya bhukamp aa raha hai jo sab bhaag rahe hain?” I think to myself, looking slightly from my cheel wali eyes.
(Is there an earthquake coming that everyone is running like this?)
And then… suddenly… I see him.
Zayran Kaalver.
He is coming out of the mansion while talking to someone on the phone. His steps are fast and heavy. Anger is clearly visible on his face. His jaw is tight, his eyes dark and dangerous. He looks scary. Very scary.
But what catches my attention is his half man bun. Trust me, Kanha, trust me. Maine kisi ko gandi nazar se aaj tak nahi dekha aur na hi aaj dekh rahi hoon. Bas… woh thoda sa achha laga. Matlab, aap samajh rahe ho na, Kanha? Main shareef hoon, aap jaante ho na.
(Trust me, Kanha. I have never looked at anyone with bad intentions and I’m not doing it today either. It’s just that… he looks a little good. You understand, right, Kanha? I’m a good girl, you know that)
I start mumbling all this inside my mind because of how attractive his half man bun looks. My heart beats faster and I immediately scold myself.
His features are sharp, sharper than the taunts of the orphanage lady. His height is perfect. His body is so… Chup ho jaa, Sita, warna Kanha ki bansuri tere sar par aa padegi, I warn myself quickly.
(Shut up, Sita or Kanha’s flute will land on your head)
Suddenly, he stops at the doorstep of the mansion. I am standing at the side, just beside the four or five steps of the entrance. Before I can even control my thoughts, he throws his phone hard on the ground.
I jump in my place in shock. The phone shatters into many pieces and one part hits my leg. I instantly look down, my body shivering. My breath gets stuck as I see the broken pieces spread on the floor.
Slowly, I look up.
My eyes land on his face and I forget how to breathe.
He looks dangerous. And I swear, I feel scared just seeing his face, mostly his eyes. They are dark, cold and empty, like they don’t care about anything or anyone.
He doesn’t even look back. He takes fast steps toward the car, opens the door, sits inside and drives away at full speed, careless and wild. The sound of the engine fades but I keep standing there, staring at the empty space, my heart still beating fast.
“Bhai, stop! I’m coming!” a voice suddenly shouts.
It’s the same boy from the morning. He comes running out of the mansion and quickly gets into another car, which drives behind the first one.
I just stand there, completely dumbfounded, my mind blank. My eyes slowly drop to the ground. Broken pieces of the phone are scattered everywhere, shining under the lights.
“It’s a common thing in this mansion” Tara says, pulling me out of my shock. I look at her. She bends down and starts cleaning the broken pieces calmly, like this is nothing new.
“He breaks phones like blinking eyes” she says casually. “And he breaks at least three phones in a day” My mouth opens wide in shock.
“Shut your mouth, Sita” she says, laughing softly. I immediately close my mouth, embarrassed and start walking toward our room with her.
People are right when they say he is a monster. He just breaks his phone and doesn’t even look at it before leaving. Huh… bigda hua gali ka sasta gunda kahin ka.
(Spoiled street goon, that’s what he is)
After having dinner and changing our clothes, I lie down on my new bed. The mattress feels soft under my tired body. I stare at the ceiling, my hands resting on my stomach.
First day of my work and I see and learn so many things. I come to know many things about these people and about how they really are. My eyes slowly close, my mind still full, my heart tired, as sleep finally takes over.