Shalini and me worked in the same office and boarded the same bus.  Eight years of marriage and a seven year old daughter ‘Priya’, whom she doted upon.  Priya used to study in the primary section of a Cambridge school and was very good in dancing, sports, karate and drawing.  Shalini was very proud of her daughter and never tired of talking about her.

 I did’nt know much about Shalini except the little chat that we used to have while we waited for the bus.  She was a bubbly girl, full of life, who had married Chirag at a young age of 20.  She loved to dress and she really looked stunning with sarees and all the accessories that went with it.   There was a sudden change in her in these six months, she had really groomed herself, by loosing weight and changing her entire wardrobe, with the latest western outfits.

Her morning started at 4.30 am with the preparation of breakfast, lunch and some snacks for her husband, daughter and self, after which she would go to the Gym., and then after a quick shower rush for the bus to office.  She was a very fun loving girl and never interfered with any one.  Like her daughter she too loved singing and sometimes was in the habit of singing aloud or even talking to herself, due to which she had people talking about her behaviour which she never bothered and put on deaf ears. 

One day something very drastic happened, which none of us can believe till date.  It was the 27th  of March, I  was on my way home, when I get a call from one of my colleagues that Shalini is dead.  It was shocking as she was healthy, fit and fine.  So I called up some more close friends to confirm the news, only to find out that she had committed suicide.  It was beyond my understanding why she would commit suicide when she had no financial problems and always seemed to be very happy without any problems.  So I went to her place the same evening to find out the truth and offer my last respect to her.

On reaching her place, I found it very weird  when the watchman at the gate would not let me to go up to her house instead directed me to one of the neighbours who was a doctor.  When I asked her how did Shalini commit suicide, she said that she consumed poison.  It was just unbelievable, a girl whom I always found to be so cheerful, who seemed to be without any problems could take such a drastic step.  Before I could realise, I found my eyes were moist and tears ran down my cheeks.  How could a mother who was so fond of her daughter just take such a drastic step.  Why were these people not allowing me to go up to her house, atleast I could have met Priya her daughter.   

My thoughts went back to just a few month ago,  when we had got stuck and could not go any further due to heavy rains.  I know how she wept and tried every possible way to go home just for the sake of her daughter,  and when there was no way of going home she tried desperately to get in touch with her  husband, relatives, friends or with people who could let her know about Priya.  The next morning immediately we walked our way home for 6 hours through the 4.5  ft deep waters so that she could be with her daughter before sun set.   Today how could she leave Priya alone forever.   

Something was fishy, why was I not allowed to go up to her house?  Why was I held back saying that her body had been taken for a postmortem?  I could have met her daughter, Is it that if I had to speak to Priya at that moment she would have spoken the truth. Why were her office colleagues not informed earlier during the day when she had consumed the poison in the morning? Didn’t her husband feel it necessary to find out why she never answered the phone, and where was she if she had not yet reached her office?  Was she murdered?  Was she forced to commit suicide?  Too many questions which have never been answered.

I never saw her, as her body had come back only at mid night, and I never went back to that house. 

Something very  strange happened on 19th August, I dreamt of Shalini, she seemed very sad and worried for Priya.   She kept pleading me to go to her house and  attend some function at her place, and asked me to go to the kitchen and burn  some stuff, for only after doing this would she be able to enter the house and meet her daughter Priya.  I woke up with distress and kept thinking as to what the dream meant to be.  After discussing the dream with my friends, I got to know that it was the 8th birthday of her daughter Priya , and possibly she wanted me to go and wish her on her behalf.  A cold chill of wind ran through my body, she still misses her daughter, that even after her death she is unable to stay without thinking of her.  I have never visited her place and have never been able to find the mystery of her death.

hhmmmnn..... this is something.... hard to describe, it's more of a suspense/thriller i must say.