Caged - 11 (Final Update)

Ananya and Sahil sat in silence. Deathly, stony silence.

"Did anyone see you?" Ananya asked, softly touching the tips of his fingers.

"Shouldn't bother you." Sahil shot back at her. "You are such a bi-tch Ananya. I have just killed your sister and you are worrying about me?"

Ananya looked away, trying hard to conceal her feelings. She rose up from her chair and whispered, "I will make coffee for you. Make yourself comfortable..."

Sahil nodded and she went inside the kitchen.

He relaxed and it was after a long, long time. His nightmare had finally ended. He had gifted her death. Something which even she could not give him. Her screams still echoed in his ears. It was the voice that he was so familiar with. It was the same spine-chilling voice that had made his life a hell for so many months. But now, instead of fear, the voice brought him relief. It was like a cold, icy balm for his livid mind.

"Coffee..." Ananya shook him gently.

He straightened a little and took the cup from her hands. It felt awkward to be sitting and sipping coffee with Ananya. But he didn't bother. He was far too happy that day to worry about what Ananya was feeling like.

"So, now that you have killed her and have taken your revenge...do you still not love me?" Ananya asked him.

"You know my answer." Sahil replied. He took a long swig and started again. "I liked her, but I don't know why the hell did she spoil it all? And sorry for being rude earlier, but no, I don't think that anyone will come to know. They will think of it as an accident..."

Ananya didn't react. Ignoring the information part of his statement, she was thinking about the first part. She always knew that Sahil never was interested in her. She shook her head and said, "I am going to clean up. You can watch TV if you want..."

Sahil was tired and sleepy. His eyelids were closing and strangely, for the first time in many months he was looking forward to sleep. He knew for once that he was not going to encounter his nightmares any more. And with this in his mind, he embraced sleep.
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Sahil shifted a little in his sleep. Outlandish as it was he couldn't move. He thought that he was dreaming, so he exerted a little more pressure this time around. He tried to raise his hands, move his legs or at least speak and open his eyes. But nothing seemed to work.

Panic started to usher in his heart and mind. It was all too familiar.

"Sahil baby...don't try to move...." a sexy, seductive voice crooned near his ears.

Tania's voice. It was the same honey-coated, shrilly voice. But he had just killed her. How on earth could she have returned?

"Liked this game baby?" Ananya asked as she stroked his forehead repeatedly.

Ananya? It was surely Ananya's voice. But a moment ago it was Tania and now it was Ananya. Sahil felt that his head was going to explode at any goddamn moment. And she touched him again.

Sahil protested. He banged his head on the couch and tried to use his legs. As a result he fell down on the ground.

"At least listen to me?" Ananya laughed. "I was the one who captured you baby. You are addicted to coffee it seems? And you never refuse drinking this concoction right? That time also, you passed out after drinking coffee in the office. Remember my honey bun? And now also you passed out after drinking my coffee. You know what? I can imitate my sister so well, that sometimes even she is amazed....You want to see?"

"Sahil baby...." Ananya sang in a voice that was similar, no in fact just like Tania.

"And you idiot, you killed her. Oh no! I loved her, but you know what? I love you more than anyone else in the world. You are my life. And I will keep doing this to you, till you say yes Sahil. Don't hate, just love..."

Sahil froze.

What on earth had he done? He started to tremble. He had killed the wrong person. Her revelation hit him like a rock. He couldn't believe his ears. What had he done? He wanted to kill himself. Why couldn't he see the obvious clues? Tania had never admitted that she had done anything like that. He had never asked her. He had trusted Ananya blindly without even thinking twice. How could he not question Ananya's intentions? How could he not see the hatred that she had for her sister? How could he not see the possessiveness that she had for him? Tania was just trying to save her sister, but Ananya got her killed. His thirst for revenge and rage had blinded him. Literally.

Ananya tightened his blindfold.

A new lease of pain emerged behind Sahil's eyes. And it was more painful than it ever was. So much so, that blood trickled out of his eyes, slowly rolling down his cheeks. But he didn't even have the privilege to shout, his mouth was stuffed with a cloth.

Ananya hugged him. "Awwww! Poor baby!"

Sahil didn't move. He was lifeless from the inside. Someone had once told him that hasty decisions always ruined lives. And here he had seen it all. Once again, after a moment of short lived happiness, misery had come knocking on his doorsteps. And this time around, he was not sure if he was going to make it or not.

Another tear of blood flowed from the corner of his eye.

Ananya rocked him a little. "Welcome to my cage. Again."

---*---The End---*---