Chapter 1
Power: The middle name of Advay Singh Raizada. Power drove him, fuelled him, kept him feeling alive.
The train screeched on its wheels, they were nearing the station, forty miles to the north of Allahabad City.
Advay Singh Raizada stood tall and proud at the edge of the train. He had returned home, sixteen years later. A boy when he had fled the city only to return as a powerful albeit a broken man, who bore the scars of his past and the fire deep in his heart.
Advay Singh Raizada was the name of the inferno simmering within the shell of Dev Kashyap. He no longer identified with Dev. He had survived the holocaust, with the single purpose to wreak havoc on the perpetrators of the heinous crime committed sixteen years ago.
He took his sunglasses off and breathed in a lungful of the city he had loved…. Allahabad.
But the air felt toxic now, suffocating him, as the memories of the fateful day his parents were murdered flashed before his eyes. He shook his head trying to shake them away, focussing on the sight ahead of him, the reason he had taken a train. He watched the landscape as the train snaked towards his town that had once been on the fringes of Allahabad. What was once a town was now engulfed and married to the heart of the city. There was no telling where the Allahabad of his childhood ended and where the quaint town he belonged to began. Everywhere he looked there were sky scrapers and malls sprawling around. This was no longer the Allahabad he remembered.
“Bhaiyya careful, you are standing too close to the edge,’ Murli yelled from behind, as Advay stood precariously close to the edge of the train, trying to look down into the valley, the void which resembled the hole in his heart.
He removed his sunglasses to get a better view of the landscape beneath him. What was once a jungle was now a residential area. How had this happened? Where had he been?
He blinked as that precise junction came into view, the junction where life had forced him to commit the gravest sin of all. Tears pricked his eyes, as the memory of that fateful moment flashed before his eyes. The nightmare that sent shivers down his spine even today.
“Bhaiyya are you ok?’
“There Murli’ He finally spoke, fighting his tears back. “There…. You see that bridge,’ He pointed in the direction of the bridge the train was heading towards. “That is where I hurled Micku out of the train.’
He leaned further out, as the train crawled over the bridge, looking down into that memory, into that moment. He scanned around looking for his brother like as though he was still there waiting for him, looking for where he could have landed. There were only a few houses, a Dargah and a road that led somewhere… and nothing more.
“Only the Dargah existed in those days, but now it’s a part of the city,’ he sighed, “I don’t even know if he is alive.’
“He is alive Bhiyya,’ Murli patted Advay’s shoulder “Mera dil kehta hai.’
Advay smiled at his little help, his friend, his confidante over the years. Murli knew everything about his life, there was nothing to hide, he was the most loyal, trustworthy person Advay had ever known.
“He would be same age as you Murli.’ Advay blinked as he made his way back into the train.
“How old are you Murli?’
“23.. Bhaiyya.’
“Yeah a couple of years younger maybe……’ He sighed “My Micku.’
Murli watched the agony on Advay’s face as the train pulled onto the station.
“Chalo Bhaiyya… We have arrived.’
Love: The middle name of Chandini Narayan Vashisht. Love ebbed and flowed within her, around her. Love was the reason she smiled, she breathed, she lived.
Chandini Narayan Vashisht sat before the mirror oiling her long silky hair, as she gazed at her reflection, a smile playing at the corners of her lips.
“You look happy,’ Meghana chirped behind her.
“Yes,’ She beamed “I am going to meet my Bholenath after three days.’
“Your love for your Bholenath is beyond me,’ Shikha grunted stretching herself in Chandini’s bed.
“Life is love, and Love is life.’ Chandini smiled at the reflection of Shikha behind her.
“People believe that success and power is everything,’ She continued as she brushed her hair. “But for me Love is Power. Love can even make God himself kneel before you.’
Shikha and Meghana chuckled at Chandini’s words.
“Love IS power,’ She glared at her sisters, “you let go of yourself in love and love takes over you. No one can fight love. Love conquers all.’
She got up from her stool and took her towel.
“I am going for a bath, think about what I just said.’ She chuckled and walked into the bathroom, as Shikha and Meghu rolled their eyes and glanced at each other. Their sister was a hopeless romantic.
Advay stood in front of the mirror as he assessed his reflection. Who was he? What was his name? He was a nomad, a man with no name, no identity, no feelings. Everything lost on that fateful day as he had stood still, lifeless, helpless and watched his mother burn, his father bleed. That fateful day when he hurled his five-year-old brother out of a running train, not sure where he would land, not sure if he would make it alive. ‘Dev Kashyap’ he chuckled to himself, his name from his previous life. The sweet tempered, happy go lucky Dev Kashyap had died that day, along with his family. All that was left was a burning heart, an inferno of rage that had one purpose and one purpose alone: to destroy every person involved in the murders of his parents, to destroy the Vashishts, to destroy Indrani Vashisht but above all to ruin his best friend, the girl who had been spoken for… to him, Chandini Yash Narayan Vashisht.
Advay was a sick twisted man, who had no place for love in his heart. He was cold, cunning, calculative…. compassion didn’t exist in his dictionary at least not when it came to Chandini. He smirked at the smug face he always wore, he talked the talk and walked the walk. He had learnt the ways of the world. Power was respected and revered. Power was strength, love was weakness. His need to execute control had made him the successful man he was. He had done well for himself, had worked hard, earned a scholarship at Cambridge, had amassed enough wealth to last three lifetimes.
It was not wealth he was here for.
Cold blooded revenge….
He was here for revenge, and he would stop at nothing to exact that.
Advay wore his father’s Rudraksha around his wrist, wound with his mother’s chain. The only two things he had left of them. He brushed his fingers against the Rudraksha as the last memory of his parents flashed before his eyes. Of him touching their feet, of his father’s hand on his head, of his mother’s warm breath on his forehead. He closed his eyes as a tear escaped and fell against his cheek. Chandini was going to have to pay the price. What she had done could never be pardoned, neither in this world or another.
“Chalo Murli, We, haven’t got all day’ Advay yelled from the doorway as Murli ran up to him with the car keys jingling in his hands.
They got into the car and drove through the concrete jungle that the once quaint little town had turned into.
“I don’t recognise anything Murli. I feel I am in an altogether different city.’ Advay sighed. His childhood was truly lost. He continued tapping his fingers against his knee, the temple was a twenty-minute drive.
“Bhaiyya are you nervous,’ Murli finally asked shifting the gear, as Advay kept shifting in his passenger seat.
“No…’ He snapped “Not nervous. I have had a dry spell… I need to get laid…soon.’
Murli chuckled… Advay was his brother more than his boss. He had never made him feel any less, he knew every little detail of his Bhaiyya’s life.
“Do you think you would find anyone here in Allahabad, who would agree to your….” Murli raised a brow “peculiar tastes?’
Advay threw a sideward glance towards Murli, he knew what Murli was hinting at.
“I don’t know Murli, not that I am looking for anyone… Right now, I want to stay focussed on my mission.’
“Not that you will find anyone who would agree,’ Murli rolled his eyes, “Trust me Bhaiyya, no one wants a psycho.’
“I am not a psycho Murli…. I just like to dominate. That’s my preference. I execute control in everything in life, everywhere, including my bedroom. You have met my girlfriends in the past, did I ever wrong anyone of my girls. It’s just a preference…a need to dominate…. A need to control, that’s all.’ He sighed. Why didn’t people get his lifestyle. He wasn’t an abuser… it was always consensual.
“Anyways enough about me…how is your sex life coming along Murli,’ Advay looked out of the window of the passenger seat, still unable to believe that his city has changed beyond recognition. “I can’t believe you are twenty-three and still a virgin….’
“Unlike you I am waiting for that special someone, Bhaiyya,’ Murli wore a twinkle in his eye. “You know …. someone who can sweep me off my feet.’
They chuckled together.
“But that doesn’t deter you from meeting girls, does it Murli?’
“How, will I meet that special someone if I don’t keep meeting girls,’ Murli pressed hard on the brakes, screeching the vehicle to a halt.
“Oh, Baba Andhe ho kaa, Meri gaadi mili thi kaa marne ke liye,’ Murli yelled at the man, who sprinted across the street ignoring Murli’s rants.
“Its India Murli,’ Advay chuckled to himself. “Zero traffic rules.’
“Waisey I have been meeting quite a few girls, but woh baat nahi hai kisi main.’ Murli shook his head and twisted his face. It seemed like god had stopped making good girls anymore.
“What is your type Murli?’ Advay asked wearing his lazy look. But Murli knew him well, he always looked bored but that didn’t mean he wasn’t interested.
“I don’t know Bhiayya, I just want a girl with a fire, a girl with some spunk.’
Advay roared into a laughter.
“A girl with some spunk…. Do you even know what spunk means Murli?’
Murli grinned ear to ear.
“Come one Bhiayya of course I know what it means, Itne bhi bhuddu nahi hai hum.’
“Tell you what Murli,’ Advay chuckled, “Meet a girl quick and give her some of your spunk.’
“Bhaiyya’ Murli turned red as he grinned to himself.
They drove for a while in silence as the radio blared away.
“Waisey Bhaiyya… are you certain that Chandini Didi will fall for you,’ Murli asked breaking the silence that had crept between them. “I mean what if she finds you too old and too rugged for her liking.’
“You see that Murli,’ Advay showed him the palm of his hand, “I think it’s time you tasted it.’
Murli gulped.
“Old my foot, I am in the prime of my youth. Don’t worry Murli, she will find my charms too hard to resist…. Women like dark men Murli, it’s just in their genes to fall for the bad boy.’
“Dark …. Have you looked at yourself Bhaiyya…? You look like a beast, with that beard and that cold… bone chilling stare of yours…. Mark my words Chandini didi will be running for the hills once she lays her eyes on you’
Murli let out a hearty laugh, while Advay glowered at him.
“When Chandini will meet me, she will be struck,’ Advay glanced up with a confident twinkle in his eye “LOVE STRUCK.’
“We’ll see bhiyya’
“Yep … you’ll see Murli.’
“So Bhaiyya what is the plan here’
“The plan is to destroy her Murli. Do what she did to me? Leave her broken so she can never have a normal life”. He let out a sigh
“A lie destroyed my life … killed my mother,’ He flinched a little, “Time for a lie to destroy Chandini … don’t you think.’
“Bhaiyya…hmmm … do you plan on getting ……her,’ Murli gulped not sure if whether to finish the sentence. He shuddered under Advay’s intense glare. “If looks could kill’
“Getting her … What?’ Advay snapped. He knew where Murli was going with this conversation.
“Getting her …. Pregnant,’ Murli whispered, his voice almost inaudible, as he looked down to his feet preparing himself for the wrath of the devil.
“Shut up,’ Advay thundered even before Murli finished with his audacious suggestion.
“Do you really think that’s my style.’ He glared, disgusted with Murli for his ridiculous suggestion. He hated Chandini, but was a man of high morals.
“I don’t plan on touching her, I can never bring myself to touch a woman like her…. She is my mother’s murderer.’
“Par Bhaiyya… How else?’ Murli managed to ask, sometimes curiosity did make him do strange things, like take on the bull by its horns.
“Shame, Murli…. Shame … badnaami,’ He smirked “Shame is a big word is these parts of the country. Just one rumour that Chandini is a free for all and the entire city will descend upon their family like vultures’
He knew how disgusting people were in his city. Immoral lechers, who were always on a lookout for an opportunity to ruin a family, like they had once done to his.
“All we have to do is spread a rumour that she is having an affair with me, and then before you know the entire city will want to have an affair with her…. Trust me Murli they will tear her to bits…… like literally Tear. Her. To. Bits.’
Murli shivered at the heartless tone of Advay’s voice.
“She was a child Bhaiyya.’
“She didn’t think of me Murli…. She watched my family burn … now I will watch her burn… I am who I am… thanks to Chandini Yash Narayan Vashisht. She is the reason this simple Dev had turned into the monstrous Advay. Maybe it’s time I pay her back with her own coin.’
“Par Bhaiyya’ Murli finally looked him in the eye, “Will you be able to watch?’ He knew Advay, he knew that he still loved her, though he denied it all the time.
“I am not Dev…. Murli.’ Advay let out a sigh. He was going to have to watch her shred to bits, watch her burn, watch a piece of his heart burn with her. He was going to have to do it for his Maa.
“Chalo Murli’ He finally said as they took a turn towards the temple, “Time to say hello to Chandini.’
Murli watched him with horror. He didn’t want his boss… his brother to turn into a monster in the attempt to exact revenge for something Chandini had done as a child.
Author’s note
WOW! And here comes the man. That first scene that flashed my head, of a tall dark man leaning over the edge of the train, still plays in my head to this day. Little did I know then how he would possess me, and how he would make me tell this story under all odds.
It has been one hell of a journey, of perceptions that were questioned, broken, reformed, and is still on-going.
What should have been a 50chapter story, has now spanned over 300 chapters and still going strong.
And thanks to every one of you for having stood with me through this journey, with such patience and love, that I am truly humbled and honoured to have made acquaintance with all of you.
Love Chitra.
PS: Welcome to my magical world of Entrapment again.
