THE “MONSTER” – an Unfinished Story
Fiction Short Story
By
VIKRAM KARVE
Part 1 – MARRIAGE INTERVIEW
The moment the girl saw her future husband – she started trembling with fear.
He looked ferocious – like a barbarian – a savage brute.
Yes – “Monster” – that is first word that came to the delicate girl’s mind when she saw her future husband.
(So – Dear Reader – in this story – we will refer to him as “Monster”…)
The “Monster” looked at the fragile girl – and he said to the girl’s aunt:
“The girl seems very frightened…”
“No. No. She is okay…” the girl’s aunt said.
“She looks very young…”
“No. No. She is 18. Do you want me to get her birth certificate…?”
“Yes. We will require her birth certificate and other documents for her visa. I hope the girl has a passport…”
“Yes. Yes. It has just come…” the girl’s aunt said. “I assure you – she is not a minor…”
“What I meant was that she doesn’t seem ready for marriage…”
“No. No. She is ready for marriage…”
“But – is she ready to marry me…? I am 33 – I am more than 15 years older than her…”
“Of course she wants to marry you…” the girl’s aunt said.
The “Monster” looked at the delicate girl and he asked her:
“Are you sure that you want to get married to me…?”
The girl’s aunt looked sternly at the girl – and – the girl meekly nodded her head.
And so – a few days later – the delicate 18 year old girl got married to the intimidating 33 year old “Monster”
Part 2 – THE “FIRST NIGHT”
The girl sat on the bedecked bed.
She was still wearing her wedding finery.
The girl looked at the flowers on the bed – “Flowers” for her “Deflowering” ceremony.
Tonight – her husband – the “Monster” – he would “deflower” her.
The girl felt terrified at the thought of what was going to happen to her.
What her uncle had tried to do – her husband would now do – and she could do nothing about it.
When her uncle had tried to rape her – she had fought back – but now – she would have to meekly submit – and surrender her body to her husband’s carnal desires.
The girl heard voices outside the room.
Her husband’s friends wanted to “celebrate” the wedding with a booze party.
She hoped that her husband would get so drunk that he would just “pass out” and go to sleep – unable to “perform” – and her agony would be postponed to another night.
Then – a frightening thought came to her brain – suppose her husband got violently drunk – then he would savage her even more brutally…”
The delicate girl felt terrified as she imagined what was going to happen to her.
Suddenly – she heard her husband’s voice:
“No. I will not drink tonight. You guys enjoy. My wife is waiting for me and I must go to her now…”
The girl saw the door opening.
Her husband – the “Monster” – he entered the bedroom – decorated for the “first-night”.
He looked at his newly-wedded wife – and he said to her:
“I know we couldn’t go on our honeymoon immediately after our marriage – but don’t worry – once we get back to New Zealand – I will take you to Queenstown – and I will show you all the lovely places in the Southern Alps – we will have a long honeymoon…”
Then – the “Monster” started walking towards the girl.
The “Monster” sat on the bed – he looked at the girl’s face – and he said to the girl:
“Are you feeling okay…? You are sweating – and shivering…”
The terrified girl looked at the “Monster” with beseeching eyes.
The “Monster” looked at his newly-wedded wife and he said to her:
“Okay. I understand. You are not ready for me. You don’t worry. I will not force myself on you. I will come to you only when you want me to come to you. You go to sleep. I will sleep on the sofa…”
And so – on their “first night” – the girl slept on the bed – and her husband – the “Monster” – he slept on the sofa.
PART 3 – MARRIED LIFE
Three months had
passed since her marriage to the “Monster”.
Her husband – the
“Monster” – he had kept his promise – the promise that he had made to her on
their “first night” – that he would not force himself upon her – that he would
come to her only when she wanted him to come to her.
So far – she had not
asked him to come to her.
And – he had not come
to her.
In fact – she had not
even spoken a single word to him.
Whenever he would
speak to her – she would just meekly nod her head.
She was still
terrified of her husband – the “Monster”.
But otherwise – she
was quite happy in Auckland.
She liked her house –
an independent “cottage” – with a lawn and garden – like most houses in New
Zealand.
It was a “joint”
family – her husband – his mother – his unmarried sister – they all lived together
in the house.
Her husband had come
to New Zealand many years ago.
And – after some time
– as most Indian Immigrants do – he had brought his widowed mother and small sister
as “dependents” to New Zealand.
Her husband – a truck
driver – he would be away for days – and he would come home only once in a
while.
And – even on those
days – he would go out to the pub to drink beer with his “mates” – and come
home drunk at night.
And then – he would
sleep in the same room as her – but not in the same bed.
Her husband would lay
out his mattress on the ground to sleep on.
Maybe her husband
slept in the same room as her to keep up appearances of a “normal” marriage –
lest his mother suspect that they had not “consummated” the marriage.
This arrangement was
fine with her.
After that horrifying
incident when her uncle had tried to rape her – she was extremely frightened of
sexual intercourse – and felt petrified at the very thought of her “Monster” husband
raping her.
Luckily – her husband
was home only once in a while – and even on those days – he left her alone.
He hardly talked to
her – except to bark orders when he wanted something – and she meekly complied
without uttering a word.
Her mother-in-law –
her husband’s mother – she ran the household.
Her sister-in-law
just lazed around – she was 25 years old – and they were looking for a husband
for her.
Her mother-in-law and
sister-in-law treated her like a slave – they made her do all the housework –
cooking, cleaning, washing – everything.
(In New Zealand –
one didn’t have the luxury of “servants” – and you had to do all work
yourself…)
She was a full-time
servant.
It was quite clear
that they had brought her to New Zealand more as a “slave” rather than as a
“bride”.
It was a subtle way
of “human trafficking”.
But – she preferred
this life of “slavery” imposed on her by her domineering mother-in-law – rather
than being brutally raped by her fearsome “Monster” husband – of whom she was
still terrified.
One evening – her
husband – the “Monster” – he came home after a week – and he said to her: “I
want to talk to you – come inside to our room…”
As she meekly
followed her husband – her sister-in-law said to her: “Make a cup of tea for me
– and some snacks too – I am hungry…”
On hearing this – her
husband – the “Monster” – he stopped in his tracks – and – he suddenly turned
around.
The “Monster” looked
at his sister with angry eyes and shouted at her: “You go and make your tea
yourself. She is not your bloody servant – she is my wife…”
On hearing the
“Monster” shout angrily – his mother came running into the room and said to her
son: “Why are you shouting at your young sister…?”
“I will not allow
anyone to treat my wife like a slave…” the “Monster” said to his mother.
“What do you mean by
saying that we treat her like a “slave”…?” her husband’s mother said, “isn’t
your wife supposed to share the housework…?”
“Share the housework
– yes – but not all the housework. Don’t think I have not been noticing – you
make her do everything. You make her slog all day and treat her with disdain. I
will not tolerate it any longer. My wife must be treated properly. Do you
understand…?” the “Monster” shouted at his mother and sister.
The girl saw that her
husband – the “Monster” – he was now looking at her.
On seeing her
husband’s angry eyes – the girl trembled with fear.
Her husband pointed
towards her – and he said to his mother:
“Look at her – see
how frightened she looks. She is such an innocent young girl – so fragile – she
is suddenly moved to a strange new land – a dainty and delicate girl forcibly
married to a rough and coarse man like me – try to imagine how scared she must
be feeling – and – instead of comforting her – you bully and browbeat her – and
treat her like slave…”.
“Okay. Okay…” the girl’s
mother-in-law said sarcastically, “we will treat your wife like a “Maharani”
(Queen)…”
“Don’t be sarcastic…”
her husband said to his mother, “I want my wife to be treated properly – that’s
all…”
“And you…” the girl
saw her husband – the “Monster” – he was looking at her – and he said to her,
“You look sick. Are you feeling well…?”
The girl looked
fearfully at her husband – as if she were dumbstruck with fear.
Her husband shouted
at her: “Are you dumb or something…? I haven’t heard you speak a single word
since we got married…”
The terrified girl
ran into their room.
She waited with fear
for her angry husband to come into the room.
But – her husband did
not come.
Her husband – the
“Monster” – he stormed out of the house and went to his favourite pub – to cool
off his anger.
She woke up from her
sleep when her husband entered their room late at night.
He looked all disheveled
– his eyes were bloodshot red.
He seemed to be horribly
drunk.
She felt tremors of trepidation.
She shut her eyes
tightly.
She pretended to be
asleep.
She feigned sleep –
hoping he wouldn’t get into the bed beside her.
She was afraid that
his dreadfully drunken state – he may rape her.
But – he didn’t get
into the bed beside her.
He threw his mattress
on the floor and collapsed on it – into deep sleep.
She breathed a sigh
of relief.
Next morning – when she
woke up – she found that her husband had already gone away.
Story to be continued…
VIKRAM KARVE
Copyright © Vikram Karve
Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
Disclaimer:
1. This story is a fictional spoof, satire, pure fiction, just for fun and humor, no offence is meant to anyone, so take it with a pinch of salt and have a laugh.
2. All stories in this blog are a work of fiction. Events, Places, Settings and Incidents narrated in the stories are a figment of my imagination. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Copyright Notice:
No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.
Copyright © Vikram Karve (All Rights Reserved)
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
