THE FIRST STEP

It was a long walk. 'Thanks God for giving me a good and hygienic birth place.' I walked lanes after lanes. More we went in it, more darker it became, even the sunlight was invisible. Two men were walking in front of me and three behind. For a moment, I felt that I was a boss of underworld who was being overprotected.

We turned right an then.... The sudden sunlight shocked my eyes. I blinked few times to adjust with it. Then I noticed a big ground, few trees at the side, and in the middle of it, few men were sitting. Some were on chair, some were on big tyres and some on the ground. And three people were sitting there, leaning over each other.

When I came near, one of them started to bounce and other tried to calm him. Then one man who was sitting on the ground, stood up, went near him. He slapped him on his face, and then pulled his hair, "Shh! Silence!"

Somehow my heart ached seeing that. I stopped. Then I felt a hand pushed me from behind. I looked back. The guys who were behaving like kittens few minutes ago, now turned into lion, huh?

I glared at them.

The one whom I kicked opened his mouth, "What? Move."

I looked at him up-down, "What? Being brave? Want a slap?" I put my hand on the air. He stepped back.

Another one spoke, "Don't try to be smart. Now you're under our territory."

"Wherever I go, it becomes my territory," I sounded calm and confident just to scare them. But that was the mask which I always wore. But, inside I was really scared.

The man with a scar spoke, "Wh-What can you do here?"

I gave a evil smile, "Something like kick..." then I looked at each of their faces, "Or.. bite!"

My masked worked on them. They were scared.

I scoffed, "Huh! Skittish!"

But I was really worried. So many of them were there. There were 10 men, and adding these 5, 15.

Then someone, sitting on the tire spoke, "What are you doing there? Bring her here."

I sighed. 'Let's see what happens.'

As I walked near, the one who ordered, hus face become visible. When I clearly saw his face, I couldn't control myself, "You?"

That man was the one whom I had bitten the day before and even I was the one who saved him. Now he again dared to provoke me. 'Are these people really that dangerous?'

"Welcome! Welcome!" He stood up clapping his hand in a beat. I felt disgusted.

I came to the point at once, "What you want?"

"Nothing! I just found you're sonething special. So I want you."

"What?" This ugly thing want me. What a joke! I would rather spit on him, make him my shoe polisher.

"Don't get me wrong. I just need your body," I narrowed my eyes. He continued, "More correctly, I need to give your body to some of my friends to do experiment. In exchange, I'll be given money. Then...." He looked beside me where three people were tied, "Their debt will be paid off and I'll get bonus too."

A shiver ran through my spines. 'Are they really going to sell me off?' My calm expression was breaking. 'No! No! I need to save myself'

"You're speaking as if you own me. What right do you have? Moreover, who are you to do this?"

"I'm not anyone to you. But I think it's your duty to save your family."

I got confused, "Huh? Family?"

He laughed and following him everyone laughed, "Look! Now she's playing dumb!"

Then he got serious, "So, now you can't even recognize your husband, huh?"

I couldn't help but cough started to escape from my mouth.

"Husband? I don't have one."

Then the one who was tied up, looked up and spoke discontinuously, "Why? Now you can't recognize your own husband? Do we mean nothing to you? How can you do this to us when you're the cause?"

The one, tied next to him, spoke in a warning tone, "Babaa!"

'Isn't this slander too much.' I clenched and unclenched my fists. I turned to him and I pretended a smile, "Really?Then how can you sell your daughter-in-law to others?"

The ugly guy smugged, "Looks like someone recalled her memories."

I glared at him, "I didn't lose any, so what will I recall. I don't have any relationship with them."

He remained quiet for a moment and still argued, "What? What do you think? I don't know your name? You two had been married for three months."

I scoffed, "I just turned 18 and now you're saying I got married for three months. What a lame joke."

The ugly guy yelled, "Shut up! I'm not here to listen to your family drama. Give me my money or get ready to suffer."

I looked at him, "All you want is money?"

He looked at me dismissively, "Hmm.

My heart bloomed. 'So, I can take my first step to go home.'

I couldn't control my smile. "Money! That's not a big issue!"

I walked towards the tyre where the man was sitting, like a heroine, (but wearing rags).

All looked at me. Few gazed me up-down as I sat on the tyre crossing my legs . Everyone's eyes were all focused on me.

"How much money do you need?"

They looked at each other before the boss spoke, "Ten thousand. And with bonus and interest, It's 20 thousand."

My jaw fell down. 'My shoes costs much more than these. They were planning to sell me because of this little money?' Hah!

I looked up at the sky, "God! This is a joke, right?"

I looked back at them, who were looking confused. Some were rubbing their head.

"And if you sell me to the people, how much will you get?"

The boss gazed at me, "Somewhat like 25 or 30."

I smiled one sidedly, 'Even my daily expenses is 1 to 2 lakhs. And they are fighting for few thousands?'

"If you work for me you'll benifit more."

He laughed that sounded like an insult to me, "Really? How?"

I pointed down, beside me, "Free them. I'll tell you."

He looked at me with a look what-is-she-upto.

Seeing him looking doubtful, I added, "Hey man! Why don't we talk freely? I'm not fleeing away from here when..." I looked at so many men around me.

He scratched his chin and eyed one of his men, "Ramesh! Free them."

A young man, around 25 or so came near and untied the father and son, but left the other one. I didn't bother to look he was. According to my understanding of Rishi, he was a coward but could be of help. So freeing him would only benefit me, even the chance is 10%.

The father and son fell on ground letting out a deep breathe while trying to stretch every parts of their bodies.

The guy again asked me with a cold but alert voice, "Now tell me. How much can you gather?"

I scoffed, "Gather? I can give you much more than you imagine!" I looked all the faces. Disbelief was clearly printed on them.

Everyone stood up when the boss walked two steps near me, in a slow motion while placing his arms behind his back. I raised one eyebrow. As if they knew his this gesture.

The boss laughed warmly, "Really? You have that much?"

Then his warm smile settled to something else. And within a blink, before I could understand what happened, I was on my hands on the ground and he was on the tyre sitting with one leg up.

The boss mocked me, "You? You'll give me so much money?" His eyes narrowed and gazed shifted down to my face, "If you have that much of money, why are wearing like this then?"

I stood up while stretching my body. Strangely I felt the pain across my body, but only for a fraction of second. Normally, I would get hurt easily. Then something struck my head, 'Oh! Benefit of new self!'

I twisted and settled my jaw with my hand, "Looks like you don't need any money. Then, boss, why don't let me go?"

He looked at me and assured, "Obviously!" and then shook his head looking behind me. I understood my his actions what was he planning to do. Soon, I was encircled by many men. 'Oh no! I thought to do something without getting physical. But now what?'

I looked around to see Rishi but there's no sign of him or his father. I sighed under my nose, 'Damn!'

As if the boss had figured out what was going in my mind, "Stop looking. They fled. Looks like they don't care about your life."

A shiver ran across my spine. I thought Rishi would help me but he left me with his mess. I shook my head, what was I thinking about when I met him just a while ago. No, what was I thinking now when I needed to save myself first.

I confidently looked at the ugly boss again, to try my luck for last time, "You can trust me. I'll give you the money. But let me go."

The boss came near, playing with the chain around his neck, "Say I let you go and you go away, then who will give me the money and how?"

I gave a quick reply, "Then accompany me to my home. I'm sure my father will pay you handsomely of he knows you saved my life." I offered.

He remained quiet. But with his look, I could tell he was thinking about it.

'Is my plan working a bit now?' I was feeling a little bit of excitement.

The boss raised one eye, "How can I trust you in this?"

I shrugged, trying to control my excitement, "You can. We, businessmen are known for our promises."

I halted after spitting it out. 'Why do I sound like my mother?' Perhaps I was..... I shook my head. 'No! Concentrate on this for now.'

Everyone laughed. Soon my little excitement was trampled under their feet. Now I gave them a confused look.

They whispered among themselves. But strangely I could hear all of them.

"She might have gone insane."

"Truly! What she think of herself?"

"She is too much. I wish to beat her up!"

"I think she's buying the time."

"How can a little girl like her be...?"

The boss shouted half raising one hand, "Quiet! All of you."

The place became silent in a moment.

He came near me and yelled "Do you think I'm a fool!? Huh?"

His yell startled me way too much, that my vision became blurry. But it wasn't time to be scared or to cry. I've to brace, I reminded myself.

"If you crush such a big offer of money, then you all are nothing but fools."

But soon I regretted what I said as my eyes widened when the ugly man took out a gun from his pant pocket. He pointed it towards me after scratching his temple with the mouth point of the gun. Seeing him, everyone took out their own.

My stomach twisted and my legs were becoming numb at the sight of the guns. I always wanted to see a real gun, but not now. I tested my luck to distract them, "You can't kill me. Do you know who I'm? I guess no!"

It sounded more like a pleading than threatening!

I looked at each of the faces, assuring myself no one had the motive to shoot, "I'm the sole heiress of the SP group, Anika Rathore. If you kill me my father will kill you."

All were silent for a while and then looked at each other. The boss remained motionless, but his face turned serious.

Then one of the man broke the silence, "Who is she? Not well known enough to capture our attention."

My mouth opened, 'So, there are still people who don't know me?'

"Hey bro, why don't you search in internet about me then? I guess you all will know from there?"

The boss ordered, "No need to! Now I think you can help me," an evil smirk appeared on his face giving me a shudder and a strange feeling.

I got both confused and scared.

The boss again spoke, "You're Anika Rathore?"

I nodded hesitantly with a questioning look.

Meanwhile he took out a phone from his pant pocket and looked at something while looking at me in the middle. "So, You are the famous heiress missing for 5 months? Hm?"

I shook my head in disbelief, "What did you say?I'm missing for 5 months?"

The boss put his phone back in his pocket. He drowned in deep thoughts. Leaving me confused all over. What did he mean by that?

'I am alive. Obviously! Not in good condition but I'm alive. And what nonsense was that? 5 months? I'm missing for 5 months? That day, in the streets, there were no posters of me missing. Was it because of this? Missing for 5 months? Are they tired of looking? Or has my parents kept it a secret till now to avoid the media? Anything can be possible.'

My mind was wondering with many questions. But suddenly I felt nothing except a heavy weight on my eyelids. Soon everything became black.

I woke up with a male voice calling my name, "Anika? Anika? Anika.?" The voice seemed familiar to me. But I couldn't remember whose voice it was exactly.

"Anika.... Ana?"

My eyes flushed open when I heard the last word. My eyes traveled the whole place. It was dark, but little lightened. I couldn't move. My hands were behind, totally stiffened. No, they were tied. Wait! How?

Oh! I fainted again.

"Ana?" The voice again called and I looked for the source of the voice.

I asked, alerted, "Who are You? How do you know this name?"

"Ana, It's me. Adi!"

"Adi?"

"Yes Ana. It's me."

Adi? Why was he here? So, he was the one whom I ignored while freeing the damn cowards!? I clenched my fists in anger, that my wrists started to hurt because of the ropes. My blood was racing inside my veins, in anger, fury, pain, sadness, wrath and all the other emotions that I couldn't be expressed in words.

"What happened to you? How did you end up here?"

But without answering my question, he asked me back, "What about you?"