Laga

What happens when Laga's husband discovers a secret that only the internet knew, about his wife.

Laga. Her name is Alagananda. People call her Laga. Laga stands near the kitchen cabinet. Her hands covering her mouth, concealing a wide array of emotions. For a moment there she lets go. She cries; everything that just took place just plays again. Like it’s on repeat. Her heart aches and even though she knows that it is pointless, she hold her chest. The void that formed, seems to suck her in.

She pours in a glass of whiskey and begins to drink it; she gulps once, she gulps twice. For now it looks like she is going to finish it in one go, but she stops after the third gulp. She places the glass down and picks up a bottle of water, and drinks it. The cold water washes down her free flow of emotions. It calms her down. As she finishes the last gulp, she is clear, her mind is focused; She knows what to do.

She goes through her phone. Searching through something important. It’s more of a skim through as she realizes that she doesn’t have much time. Just enough for her to understand and build up the rest in her mind. ‘Forensic process for gunshot wounds’, she types, she searches through it, she opens multiple tabs and goes through each one of it as she moves around the kitchen.

Her phone rings.

Its Laga’s mom. Looking at the phone, her hand goes back into her mouth, all of it comes back to her; but she quickly gains composure and almost as if she was in a different time altogether, where she is happy, she walks towards the front door and opens it. She doesn’t step outside but the noise of the road outside makes it hard for her to hear her mom. She holds one of her ear.

Mom: “have you started yet? “

Laga: “Yeah, mamma” she looks at the watch. “I’m near the Westwood Bridge, I might visit this friend of mine on the way, ok? Don’t wait for me.”

Mom: “Ok, drive safe.”

Laga: “Yeah. I’m driving right now ma, I’m cutting the call”

Mom: “Ok”

She cuts the call, closes the door and walks in. She stands in her hall and looks around in thought. She needs a quick idea, she needs a quick resolution.

She opens her phone and goes through her contacts. She finds the name Kevin. He was her high school sweet heart. As she looks at the contact her memories fade into her mind.

He was everything to her. The small town girl she considered herself, he opened her mind, or at least she believed that he did, she thought about Kevin as the one set her free. Things change.

She dials it into her husband’s phone.

Kevin: “Hello”

Laga: “Hi”

Kevin: “Who is this?”

Laga: “Me… Laga.”

Kevin: “Lagee?” he laughs “It’s been a while, how are you?”

Laga: “I’m fine, how are you?”

Kevin: “I’m good too. So, married now, huh?

Laga: Yep.

Kevin: Couldn’t wait for me right?”

He had always been quick to warm up to

Laga: “Hey, don’t start ok? You seemed to be completely alright with me marrying another guy.”

He laughs

Laga: “I remember your dialogues: ‘Do what you think is right. Maybe this short period of time was what was what the universe meant for us….’”

She says it playfully, and Kevin continues to laugh at it.

“What a load of crap!”

Kevin: “yeah… l agree, but, it wasn’t because I did not love you ok, it’s just that…”

Laga: “yea I get it, the same future and ambitions story… aah! We weren’t that close anyways”

Kevin: “suuure!”

Laga: “can you deny it? Wasn’t it more like… you know?“

Kevin stops laughing. There is a playful smile in Laga’s face, her manner of speech begins to turn flirty. She knows that he cannot resist when she speaks that way. Sex was central to their relationship.

Kevin: “It’s been like 2 years, you call me now and … wow. You don’t change at all no?”

Laga: “what? Think about it? Have you? “

Kevin: “Have I what?”

Laga: “Thought about it? Thought about us? Last 2 years?”

He laughs again.

Laga: “I have.” She slows down in a contemplative way now. “There was love in the initial stage I know; I won’t deny that. But, after a while, I only looked forward to our secret sessions in chemistry lab and Ravi’s old worn out ambassador. “

He laughs harder now, in agreement. She chuckles along.

Kevin: “yeah. I missed that Lagee.”

Laga: “oh so that’s all you thought about us no? All this time? “

Kevin: “hey!! Stop putting words in my mouth ok?”

There is a moment of silence. She indulges in the moment. As if to share that nostalgia, but quickly, her expression change: devoid of any emotion.

Kevin breaks the silence.

Kevin: “so what’s special? Calling me after all these months?”

Laga: “nothing. I heard that you were in town. And that you are gonna be here for a while.”

Kevin: “yeah. I’m thinking of settling down here…. I know what you might be thinking.”

Laga: “whatever happened to travelling around the world? F**k job? F**k society?” she chuckled.

Kevin: “what a b***h!” (playfully )

Laga: “you know, it’s good to hear your voice. I missed it. In fact there are days when I just remember how things were between us and…. Someday I feel like maybe I should have waited.”

Kevin: “what do you miss the most?”

Laga: “Exactly what you are thinking.” She laughs

Kevin laughs along and both of them come to an awkward silence.

Laga: “so my husband…”

Kevin: “Oh s**t yeah. I forgot to ask. How is your husband?”

Laga’s face suddenly turned pale.

Laga: “he is good.” She said with a wavering voice.

Kevin: “is something wrong?” Kevin asked.

Laga: “no, no, nothing…” she lied.

Kevin: “I think I know you better than that”

Laga: “nothing, just that he is a different person, he uh…”

**************

Abhi walks into the house. He slams the door, removes his tie and almost snaps the buttons of his shirt as he opens it. He walks right into the bedroom, opens the secret locker and draws a gun out. He then walks steady to the hall.

Abhi: “Laga”

He calls out to his wife, his tone different from his face. He walks and sits down on the couch. He takes his phone out of his pocket and lays it down beside the gun.

Laga walks into the room, unsuspecting. She brings him a cup of coffee. He takes the cup, sips and places it on the side.

Abhi: “do you know what this is? “

Laga: “a gun?” she replies, confused.

Abhi: “a gun, not just any gun, it’s a Smith and Wesson Model 29 revolver. Six shots. Double action. It loads a .44 magnum cartridge”

He looks up at her and realizes that all that information is pointless.

Abhi: “Basically, if I shoot you with this, it’s gonna go right on to the other side of your head and you won’t even know what hit you. That pretty face of yours that you spend so much money on is going to be just…. a hole. One shot on any vital point and it is sure death.”

Laga is even more confused.

Laga: “is something wrong? Abhi? Is there something you are trying to tell me? You know? Hidden deep under our words that I have to pick up?”

Abhi: “So this was the gun used in the film Dirty harry, my dad, was a big fan of Clint Eastwood and he from the depth of his heart wished that he owned one of these. Being a smart businessman, did a lot of favors for the Americans he worked with…”

He takes the cup of coffee and sips it.

“So one day, a very pleased businessman from America, who was also my dad’s friend asked him for a gift, from the US. And my dad said: Smith and Wesson Model 29.

“The Dirty Harry gun? “Kevin asks in an American accent.

“The Dirty Harry one” he replies to himself imitating his father.

Laga: “you know what? I have to get ready, and I’ll listen to your story when I…“she begins to get up and walk.

Abhi: “SIT DOWN”

Laga, now sensing that something is wrong looks directly at Abhi’s rage filled face as she obeys.

Abhi: He clears his throat. “So, he gets this gift shipped, and really valued it. It was his most prized possession and when I began making enough money, you know, owning a house, getting married… he gave it to me; said: son, this is going to be our family treasure, our most prized possession. Take care of it with your heart.

I was very excited. A real gun. With bullets. A weapon that can kill. In my hands and no one knows about it. There is no record of this gun.” He tells her enthusiastically.

“But the sad part is that my dad told me never to fire it. He told me to take it nowhere, to never tell anyone about it, not even my closest friend,” he points it at Laga. “Not even my wife. He told me: son, use it only if your life is dependent on it.” He draws a bullet from his pocket. “This bullet. He gives me an all-powerful gun, an epic. A legend. And just one bullet.”

The fear in Laga’s face is now more complex. She has questions and she is confused with her own answers framing in her own head.

Laga: “Is something wrong Abhi? Should I be worried?”

Abhi: “Something wrong? Laga?” he asks, with a shade of sarcasm.

He picks up the phone, touches it around and plays a video. He hands over the phone to Laga.

As Laga begins to watch, Abhi loads the gun with the bullet.

Laga takes it and at first doesn’t seem to know what is going on. But later sees Kevin’s face, setting up a camera, she begins to feel a familiarity, a familiarity that she wants to avoid. She doesn’t want to see what’s coming next, but deep inside she wishes that it’s not what she thinks it is.

It’s the chemistry lab, an unsuspecting Laga walks in. and almost like a routine, Kevin gets on with her. Laga occasionally checks if someone is watching. And Kevin occasionally checks if the camera is in the right angle.

She begins to place the phone down, her hands on her mouth, surprise, sadness, confusion, anger all seems to be engulfing her face.

Abhi: “Watch the entire F*****G THING”

Abhi shouts. Laga now looks at him with a clearly confused face. And then looks down at the gun, he points it at her. She obeys, and watches the entire clip, crying. In between she tries to explain her actions through words that don’t seem to come out, but Abhi seems to be devoid of sympathy.

Abhi: “it’s on xvideos. The largest porn network. A friend of mine, a lonely m**********r shares it with me on whatsapp. ‘Looks familiar’ was the message he sent along with this video. Apparently most of India wanks to you now. My hot, sexy, famous wife.”

He points the gun at her.

Abhi: “you…. You ruined my life. I loved you, loved you so much”

Laga: “I didn’t know... I didn’t… I never… Abhi please. This was before us, this, wasn’t...”

Abhi: “I trusted you. I fell in love with you when I saw you; and when you boldly narrated your past and seemed confident that it will not come back to haunt us in anyways, I thought, Oh what the hell, past is past.

F**K! “

There is a pause. Abhi is lost in his thoughts, his anger seems to take him over and Laga could only try…

Laga: “Abhi, please, I never knew about this, I didn’t know that he was this kind of a guy, I never thought he would do something like this, and I love you now, I left all this behind, I love only you.”

Abhi: “SHUT UP. You... You b***h, you ruined my life.”

“GET UP” he points the gun at her. At her face. “I never wanted to use this gun. I never thought that I’d use it on a filthy creature. But you know what? I read one of the comments? ‘Who is this? Please send links of more of her videos’ and you know what? I’m gonna f*****g give it to him.”

Laga looks at her husband, she doesn’t know what to do, and she only looks at her husband, who now pointing a gun at her, commanding her. The rage in his eyes, it wasn’t halfhearted commands or claims, it looked like he would shoot her, the kind of madness that took over this man, the man who was supposed to protect her through pain and support her through struggles, now looks at her like she is a bag of filth, a face of disgust. Laga was clear that things will never be the same again. So much for a fairy tale life, so much for believing that her past was left behind. A new life.

She wept and didn’t stop.

Abhi pulls her hair and takes her to the bedroom. Throws her on to the bed and takes out his phone. One hand holds the phone and other hand, the gun.

Abhi: “Remove, strip, for the world, b***h. Strip like the b***h you are.”

Laga: “Abhi, please, don’t… don’t do this, I didn’t know Abhi, I love you Abhi” Laga says that with her palms against each other, begging him.

Abhi’s face is cold, like he had decided that he wasn’t going to be a human with her. He had just one emotion painted to his face: disgust.

Abhi pushes her with the gun pointed towards her chest.

Abhi: “DO IT. Or I will shoot you. I don’t care anymore.”

And he wasn’t lying.

Weeping, Laga obeyed. She cried as he made her strip to her bare naked body. She laid curled up to her bed, trying to save whatever dignity she could, was this what rape felt like? She thought. My own husband? Thrusting me like I’m an animal? Taping me? For the world to see me? So he can have his revenge? A tool to let go of his anger? A way to find an answer and a resolution to all this? Am I really at fault here? She thought. Is he really the victim? He sure looks like he is the one who is most affected by this and a closer look on his face, told Laga that he wasn’t the same person anymore. He thrust her in and out, toying her around; hitting her, punching her.

Does he even consider the fact that I’m human? She thought.

She stopped reacting. She stopped weeping, her face was now cold; taking in whatever was coming, accepting any torture he put her through.

Let him. She thought.

There was chaos in her mind before. And it is said that true nature comes out through chaos. There is no balance, no pattern, nothing that can predict a chaotic situation. Her mind was chaotic sometime back; but now, her lifeless face, was Order.

He was done with her. Without saying a word he got up threw her leg aside to make way for him and walked towards the toilet. Before he dropped the gun and the phone on the table, he looked at her, lifeless, she stared out the window, no more tears, she didn’t make a sound; she didn’t show even a drop of emotion.

I don’t have to fear that subdued animal. He thought. He didn’t even consider a chance of reaction from her as he carelessly strolled into toilet.

How could this be? She thought. I was a tool. To curb his anger. Was it revenge? Against me? Against the man who did this to me? Or was it his insecurity, his raw animal rage, taken out, was I just a temporary solution? Is this? Worse than death?

Abhi walked out of the toilet. He looked up and was surprised. He wasn’t scared, because he still didn’t believe in her ability to do something that drastic.

Abhi: “put it down, Laga. I was… I was just angry ok? I just wanted to… I’m sorry. Just put the gun down”

Laga: “F**K YOU!” she screamed. Rage.

“F**K YOU!”

“F**K… YOU”

Abhi: “Laga, listen to me… we can deal with this, talk about this…”

BANG!

Laga: “F**K YOU….”

Abhi fell on to the ground. A surprised look on his face that quickly changed to the knowledge of the excruciating pain and then blank…

*********

Laga: “My husband… he, he just doesn’t treat me like a human being sometime you know?”

Kevin: “Oh my, Laga, does he beat you?”

Laga: “Sometimes…”

Kevin: “Jesus Laga, you don’t deserve that”

Laga: “I dress up for him sometimes, I do some much to please him you know? Kev? To make him like me, so that he would treat me like I’m a woman? I do so much.” Laga had to get back into character. ”And you know… the last time I actually felt like a woman… was that chemistry lab.”

Kevin: “You still remember that?”

Laga: “How can I forget Kev?”

Kevin: “Yeah! Our last time together”

There is a short silence between them.

Laga: “It doesn’t have to be you know?” Laga broke the silence in a wooing flirty way.

Kevin: Kevin laughs “Well, I’m in town, maybe we could meet? You know? A cup of coffee?”

Laga: “Yea but my husband…”

Kevin: “He doesn’t have to know.”

Laga: “Listen to me you jerk.” She says playfully. “He is not here. He is gone…Out”

Kevin: “oooooh…so that’s why this unexpected call.”

Laga chuckles.

Laga: “So you know… why don’t you come on over? Hel be back here in half an hour so… “

Kevin: “Well…I’m free now.”

Laga looks relieved. That was easy. She thought.

Laga: “Okay”

Kevin: “Okay what?”

Laga: “You know I don’t like pills right?”

Kev laughs

Kevin: “I hear you. Loud and clear.”

Laga: “See you! Then. Also the sooner you get here, the more time you get.”

Kevin laughs

She cuts the call.

Laga walks into the hall. Then into the bedroom. She finds her husband’s corpse. There’s is blood on the ground, but it hasn’t spread much. She begins to check the clock. She doesn’t have much time.

Time of death. She remembered skimming through websites. The body temperature falls a degree every hour. She should finish this in one hour if things has to go her way. She quickly walks towards the gun, uses a wet towel to clean it and places it in her husband’s hand. Then carefully places in the gun holster.

She closes the bedroom where her husband’s body lay. She walks into the hall and pauses; looks around. She moves the sofa in a jolt, almost like she has fallen on it or has been pushed to it, then she breaks some of the vases closer to the bedroom, she does this as though it’s an act; like she is fighting an invisible self.

The doorbell rings.

Well, he’s desperate. She thought.

She opened the door for him.

Kevin: “Lagaa!! Look at you! I mean! Wow. You look… you look great”

They hug.

Laga: “thanks” she says playfully. “You don’t look so bad yourself. Clean shave, formal clothes. What has the world come to?”

Kevin: “haha”

Laga: “sit, sit… ill just come.”

Kevin: “where are you going?”

Laga: “wait here man”

Kevin: “should I wait here?” he walks closer to the bedroom. Almost opens the door. “Or here?” he asks suggestively.

Laga: “no” she said looking at his eyes. And in a very seductive manner she tells him. “I prefer the sofa”

Kevin: “as you wish….” He walks around a bit as Laga walks out of the Kitchen and gives him a glass of water. “I wasn’t expecting you to call me all of a sudden. And what the f**k is this mess all about?”

Laga: “oh this? We had a fight, sometime back. It just got ugly, and… yea”

Kevin’s expression change as he hears this. Laga noticed this. Is this real? She thought.

Sentiments… The last thing on my mind. She thought.

Kevin: “Laga, are you happy? Is your life…? Like… Alright?”

She just smiles. For the first time she shows a true emotion to him and walks into the bedroom. Carefully, so that Kevin doesn’t get to see what’s inside. Comes out with the gun, holstered, she had made sure that she didn’t have her skin touch it while she placed it into the holder.

Laga: “I wanted to show you something. You might like.”

Kevin: “what is it?” he looks at what’s in her hand. “Whoa”

She opens the holder and gestures him to pull it out. He pulls it out, admiring the look of it.

Kevin: “is this?”

Laga: “a gun… not just any gun, it’s a Smith and Wesson Model 29 revolver. Six shots. Double action. It loads a .44 magnum cartridge”

Kev looks at her surprised at her knowledge.

“So this was the gun used in the film Dirty harry, the same model, by Clint Eastwood. You are a fan right? I thought you might like it”

Kevin: “wow! Laga, I mean… this is so cool. I mean look at it” He points it around, gets up and walks, doing the hammer action, pretending to be in a western movie. “Do you feel lucky? Punk?” (Imitating Clint Eastwood.)

Laga smiles and watches him.

“Whose is it?”

Laga: “My husband’s.”

Kevin: “Really? He’s that crazy of a fan?”

Laga: “His dad gave it to him… Told him to use it only if his life is in danger. Sad because he used it to shoot me”

Kevin: “shoot? You?? “

Laga: “yeah, he did something similar to what you did. Except for you it was a thrill… Or a way to make some money? Or… I don’t know. Why did you do it Kev?”

The expression on Kev’s face changed.

Kevin: “What are you talking about? Why did I do what?”

Laga gets up and goes to her bedroom.

Kevin: “Laga? Lagaa” Called Kev.

But she walked by ignoring it.

She walks into the room. And closes it from the outside. She begins to cry but composes herself. She hadn’t planned on telling him about the incident. But she couldn’t keep it to herself. She had no reason to tell it to him. But she did. Kevin kept knocking the door.

Kevin: “Laga, What’s wrong with you? When will your husband come?”

Selfish men. She thought. F**k them all. She thought.

She picks up her phone, and walks into the restroom. She dials the police.

Laga: “hello?” Her tone, is made up into a scared and wavering voice. Almost like she is weeping and scared at the same time.

Officer: “hello? Yes, what is your compliant?”

Laga: “my husband has been shot, I’m hiding in the bathroom. He… He is right here. He is knocking the door. Please help, please come fast.”

Officer: “Please calm down. Who is knocking? The shooter?”

Laga: “Yes… Yes... My address… George Town…. house. No 234……. Please get here. He is going to kill me.. pleaseee”

Officer: “we’ll be there as soon as we can, until then, remain where you are.”

Laga: “Ok… Please…. be quick. Please...”

Officer: “don’t worry ma’am we’ll be there in no time”

She cuts the call and walks out of the toilet. She didn’t have to pretend like she has gone through an accident. She already had gone through one. She changes back into her messy clothes, she removes her tied hair. She looks into the mirror and realizes that the only thing that kept her appearance was a tied hair. Once she removed it, the torture she went through was evident.

She walks outside the room. Kevin, unsuspectingly looks at her.

Kevin: “What the f**k is wrong with you? Speak to me? Tell me? “

She picked up the mobile phone, and touched it around. She opened the video clip and showed it to Kevin. Kevin seemed to understand. The Gun was hanging on his belt. He placed it there unknowingly and all the drama made him forget about it. He is now sweating. He regrets it, but not so much that he feels bad about her, he realizes that this could land him in trouble.

Kevin: “Laga… I’m sorry, I didn’t mean this, to happen. At that time I was young and stupid and just wanted that money. I didn’t think…”

Laga: “You f****r! I trusted you. I thought all that talk, all that rubbish about bullshit and your Elevated … F*****G... Thoughts…Your Spiritual crap... I thought you meant that. You M**********r”

Kevin: “I have to leave… Laga... I’m sorry.. I have to leave.”

Laga: “No you wait. You listen to me you piece of s**t. That gun in is real. A real f*****g gun.”

“Now you go in there. Go into that room and meet my husband. He is waiting for you.”

“But before that you tell me. Tell me why you did this. I need answers. Kevin. I think I deserve it.”

Kevin: “I’m… I was young ok I’m a stupid fool.” His voice begins to waver now.

Laga: “that was just 2 years ago Kev.”

Kevin: “I know… I wanted the money. And … I didn’t know what else …”

Laga: “so you decide to sell me? Huh? To f*****g sell me? So you’ll have money? You f*****g loser?”

Kevin: “yes. Ok? YES. I’m A F*****G LOSER. Alright. All that I said I was, I wasn’t… ok I’m a f*****g loser. There’s nothing I can do about this now ok? Trust me… If I could I would… I have to go now Laga, I can’t handle this”

Laga: “Oh you would? Look at you running away… like you always did? You know what you still didn’t change… you f*****g” she picks up the ashtray on the table and throws it at him.

“You are still a f*****g loser. You still have no word. A man it seems… F*****g loser.”

She begins to throw things at him and at first he defends himself.

“You know what? I’m gonna file a case against you. I’ve lost it all because of you. There is no pride anymore. IL RUIN YOUR LIFE.”

Reality struck Kevin. He realizes the pool of s**t he is in. His mind soon turned chaotic. Laga could see him picture all the problems that he will then have to face. She finally gets the emotion she wanted out of him at last. Rage.

Kevin: “I won’t let you do that Laga”

He goes at her like an animal… clearly he has lost his cool. In his state of panic, he throws her around and beats her. Laga picks herself up and runs… she wasn’t fast enough, Kevin catches her and throws her on to the wall. He beats her again and she can only take it. He’s lost in his fury, Laga couldn’t see a man anymore… just an animal fueled by fear. He walks into the kitchen to find a knife and when he walks back he can’t find her where he left her. He finds the bedroom door open and rushes in.

There is a sudden change of emotion. He is shocked to see what is in front of him. He couldn’t move.

Laga, sat there. Smiling at him. Next to the corpse of her husband. He sees the gunshot wound on the dead body… blood oozing out of a lifeless man.

Laga: “Smith and Wesson. Model 29. Revolver. The one you have one your belt.”

He realizes that it’s still there and places his hand on it. Removes it and looks at it, trying to comprehend the big wide frame he is now a part of. He only gets part of it.

The main door thrusts open behind him.

Officer: “HANDS UP! ON THE GROUND”

Like it was the cue for Laga, she begins to weep and cry. She did it well. She blended it with fear and sorrow, shock and remorse. All she had to do was remember the events of a few hours past.

Kevin couldn’t say a word when the officers threw him to the ground. Handcuffing him, he looked at Laga, still trying to figure out what just happened. But you could see… In his eyes. His end.