Was this tiny glinting blade the end? Was this her destiny, to end it all in a dingy bathroom with two old men looking over her body? Someone hammered at the door.

‘Durga! Durga come out!’

She wanted to scream at them telling them not to call her Durga.

She just sat, locked in the bathroom for hours. She could not tell what time it was. The water was cold, her body was cold, the blade was cold and no one called her out. No one called her name anymore. She had heard Kesar call out once or twice but then he had also stopped.

Finally when the silence was utter and complete, she stepped out.

Kesar sprang up, huddled in the corner of the bedroom, waiting for her to emerge. He had almost dozed off as he waited for her to come out. He saw her standing at the door. His face wore a shocked expression. A cry escaped his lips. He could barely recognize her face. The bed sheets lay rumpled and soiled from the night before.

The man was not there.

However, Seth-ji limped in. Smiling at her. Stopping short for a second at the sight of his wife’s bruised face and then recovering from his shock as he limped towards Rajjo. ‘Bastard. Next time he’ll pay for this, I will make him pay. He is not getting away with this. Kesar make her some hot milk.’

Kesar did not move from the spot, frozen, still staring at Rajjo’s face. Seth-ji shot a warning look at the boy who scuttled out of the room.

He turned to look at his wife, her eyes blazing. He could see the glint in her eyes. He also noticed the blade in her hand. She was holding it close to her wrist and in a minute it was pressed next to his throat. Shocked and scared at the sudden turn of events Seth-ji held his breath. Wise enough not to talk or placate her. He let her decide how she wanted to proceed for that was his best chance of survival.

Rajjo was inches away from cutting the veins on his neck. She was going to do it. She could sense his fear, she knew she had his life in her hands. A small cut was all it would take for the warm fresh blood to soothe her wounds, to flow out and stain the room dark red.

Kesar came back with a glass of milk in his hand and stood frozen to the spot. He looked on. Watching the scene play out. And then to his relief, she put the blade away. Then she walked out of the room.

Seth-ji collapsed on the bed. Kesar realized she was leaving. He hoped her husband would stop her. But Seth-ji did not call out to her, he did not scream, he did not want her back. He just slumped into a ball and coughed a bit.

Kesar sprang into action and ran after her, he tried to stop her. Held on to her hand as she reached the main gate. The cold hit them both. His warm salty tears mingled with the blast of cold on his face as he pleaded her to stay. He knew she was going to leave him and go far away.