Chapter 4

"I was returning home from school one evening when a man grabbed me from and forced me into the van. I screamed for help but no use. No one was ready to help me they just saw or hid themselves. When I tried to shout a second time a cloth was pushed towards my mouth and nose and the next thing I remember was that I was tied to a tree and few men were sitting in a circle playing cards and drinking. 

I screamed immediately and one guy slapped me and ordered me to shut up. But I didn't keep quiet. I kept screaming for help but they just laughed saying that no help would come in that remote place. I screamed at them to leave me. At that, the same guy hit me harder and warned me of a greater consequence if I didn't shut up! I cried… I asked what they wanted from me. They just laughed and then one guy in his drunken state came near me and started touching my chest. I shouted at him to leave me alone but that just made all of them come near me…" Anannya started crying and Tanvi, forgetting the fact that she is a ghost, held her hand. Annanya continued "…And then (sob)…they…(sob)… I screamed in pain…I begged them to stop…but this only encouraged them more…all the five men had raped me… just when they finished with me in turns they…gang raped me…(sob)…they hit me all the while…(sob)… I was tortured…and you saw that too. But they were not the only ones. There's a boss to them… as I was struggling for my life another man had come. 'What have you done?! I only wanted her to be kidnapped! Not this! YOU BLOODY DRUNKARDS!!' he screamed at others. One of the others just casually said, 'Sorry boss, we were just having a little fun but things got a bit out of control' 'oh. Now I have to kill her!' I couldn't see his face because he turned away from me. I was seeing you in the woods when that guy shot me. From there you know what happened."

"Don't worry Annanya. Just tell me who they were I will make sure they get arrested", assued Tanvi. "I killed all of them, I had killed the fifth guy before coming here", confessed Anannya. Tanvi was shocked, "what?! But- but then why have you come to me? Why did you pretend to be my friend when you already had your revenge?" she questioned. "My revenge is not over yet, Tanvi… I still don't know who their boss was. I tried to make those people talk but none of those filthy rapists knew him or his name they kidnapped me for money", said Anannya. "You still haven't answered my question Anannya. Why did you come to me? What role did I have in all this?" asked Tanvi.

"You still don't remember the whole incident, Tanvi. Do you remember your camera? Where is it now?" "I- I must have dropped it somewhere in the forest…I'm not sure…." hesitated Tanvi thoughtfully. "I came back as a ghost, Tanvi and I searched for your camera. I found it but there was no memory stick in it!" "No. That cannot be! I remember putting the memory stick in it. I remember it because while inserting, it got stuck as I put in the wrong side. So it took me a few minutes to put it into place. I can't be wrong in this."

"I came to your room to search for the stick but you saw me and assumed that I was your roommate. I wasn't supposed to be seen. You were the first to have seen me. I understood that you didn't recognize me and let you assume so that I could search for the memory stick. But I couldn't find it. So I waited for you to remember the incident. I even brought up the accident issue when we became close but you couldn't remember anything. You are a very good person, Tanvi. I hope you remember the rest of the memory. I have a strong feeling that you have hidden it before you were hit."

"I am so sorry, Anannya! I will try harder to remember the whereabouts of the memory stick", Tanvi sobbed. "I am really grateful to you, Tanvi. I am going back to that dreadful place to search for it. I will come back the day-after-tomorrow. I hope you will try your best to remember it." "Of course, I will remember it Anannya!" Tanvi said resolutely.