"You raped, killed and buried many women and now you raped Keeto," said Farmhand as he pumped several bullets into Dushmun. Dushmun fell forward, blood flowing from beneath him towards the door.
Farmhand threw the keys to Gundu's hut into the tall prairie wheat outside of Qaadian's limits as he slipped away.
Next afternoon a neighbour found Banto's body and because Gundu's son Dushmun hadn't returned home since the day before, his absence was being linked to Banto's raped and murder. Despite Desa and Gundu being allies, the latter couldn't be sure about Dushmun not being Banto's rapist killer because Dushmun had been known to hunger after the blossoming Banto.
Qaadian's rumour mill was in overdrive.
The sun was already on its way down when Gundu despatched his goon Meeta to the hut who found it locked and a dried zigzag cake of some dried fluid outside it. Meeta pushed the door, it fell into the hut but it didn't sit even on the floor. The bed was empty and the motor cycle stood against the mud wall. He lifted the door; fade down on the ground lay Dushmun, his turban off and soiled and under his forehead, his arms extending toward the door as if attempting to crawl.
Someone had dared kill the children of the two most powerful landlords of Qaadian. As he stood on the side of the road under the moonlit sky Meeta's shadow fell on the road. Frightened of the prowess and courage of mysterious force that dared successfully target Dushmun, he was afraid of focusing on his own shadow and wanted to run away but for the seasoned servant of evil there was no easy escape. For the first time in his memory, he closed his eyes and prayed to his Gods but as he opened his eyes he still dared not look at his own shadow. He looked toward Chajjuwara and saw someone riding a creaking bike toward him. It was Jagat; he too had noticed the stationary silhouette next to the green shimmering field of wheat.
"Dushmun's dead, over there in the hut and Desa's Banto has been raped and killed. Can you please tell Gundu Sahab about Dushmun? I'd stay with the body."
"Sorry about the deaths. I'll tell Gundu."
Mist had begun to settle on Qaadian.
Jagat was pedaling to Gundu's home on the firnie at the far end of the village. He hadn't spoken to Gundu since their violent encounter in front of Sukhia's shop; he did not want to go and tell him about the dead Dushmun; he hated the thought. But even though it didn't always follow it, Qaadian had taught him one good thing. In time of death, even in an enemy household, show empathy. Hence, despite Asa, Gundu and Dushmun's sins he pedaled on; once outside the corrugated metal gates of the brick walled compound, he knocked and yelled for someone to open it.
"Who's it?"
"Principal Jagat Singh. I've a message from Meeta."
"Master, Principal Jagat Singh says he has a message from Meeta," yelled the servant behind the gate to Gundu.
"What message could he ever have for me? I don't want to see his face?" yelled Gundu.
Telling the servant the Dushmun was dead, Jagat rode home. His fatigued body pushing the squeaking bike through the door at home woke up Seeto.
"Bhaaji, I'll warm up the food for you; you're late. Desa's Banto was raped and killed and they say it must've been Dushmun."
It made perfect sense but he knew different, for Dushmun to be shot something mysterious had to have violated Qaadian's established order.
Chewing its twig to clean his teeth in the morning as he did every day, Jagat stood near the kikar. As they had nothing urgent to do, Gamma and Dhumma joined him.
"hey bros, in my absence you let Qaadian go to hell," said Jagat casting a glance at them.
"Bhaaji, life isn't safe in Qaadian more. Before they raped our women, now someone's raping theirs," said Dhumma.
"Any ideas or rumours?" asked Jagat spitting the saliva on the ground.
Gamma took the twig out from his mouth, spat and said, "Everyone thinks it must've been Dushmun. Look what he did to Keeto?"
Jagat told them about the dead Dushmun; it brought smiles to their faces.
At the Takia Desa, Gundu and the new village head Dharam Singh were seated on chairs with SP Gulab Ram, the clean shaven Zillapur Superintendent of Police while all others present squatted before them in the dirt. Late last night Jagat had gone to the khooh after eating super when the town crier had publicised the police order for all adult males to gather at the Takia in the morning. Under the sun a squinting Gulab barked at the top of his voice,
"Qaadian walyo , no one will get away with murdering two of Qaadian's gentry. Anyone who knows or has seen anything, come forward." The crowd was silent, Gopal yelled again, " We can make even the dead talk. I'll make your life so miserable you'll yearn for death."
Gundu whispered into his ear. Gulab said, "Bikkar Singh, go fetch Jagat Singh, the Chuhra Gamma, his son Gogi and the Chamaar Dhumma?"
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