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THE BARAAT – PART 2: THE RETURN
1. THE MAN WHO CAME BACK
The Baraat reached the bride’s village at dawn.
Drums echoed. Conch shells blew. People laughed, unaware that something wrong had arrived with them.
Rita stepped down from the bus, her hand still in Ajay’s.
Everyone noticed it.
Ajay looked the same—but not exactly.
Rita noticed everything.
And she smiled.
2. TINA’S ABSENCE
“Tina hasn’t arrived yet?”
Dinesh asked Rita casually.
Rita froze for half a second.
“She’ll come,” Rita replied softly. “She always does.”
But Tina never came to the wedding.
Her phone was unreachable.
No one had seen her since the night the bus stopped near the old fort.
Some said she stayed back at the hotel.
But there was no hotel.
3. THE OTHER AJAY
That night, Rita lay beside Ajay in the guest room.
She watched him sleep.
At exactly 3:30 a.m., his eyes opened.
He stared at the ceiling.
Rita whispered, “Do you remember the glass?”
Ajay slowly turned toward her.
“I remember… breaking,” he said.
Not the glass.
Her trust.
Rita’s smile trembled.
4. THE FOREST REMEMBERS
Far away, deep in the jungle—
The real Ajay still lived.
His body was half-merged into a tree near the ruins of the fort. Roots wrapped around his legs like chains. His mouth was open in a silent scream.
Every night, travelers passing near the forest heard whispers:
“She saw us…”“Tina kissed me…”“I’m sorry…”
The forest fed on guilt.
And Ajay had plenty.
5. THE TRUTH ABOUT THE HOTEL
Weeks later, Rita returned alone to the place where the bus had stopped.
An old village woman sat near the fort, burning incense.
Rita asked, “What lives here?”
The woman looked at her and smiled toothlessly.
She explained:
“To punish?” Rita asked.
“To balance,” the woman replied.
Rita nodded.
She already knew.
6. WHAT HAPPENED TO TINA
Rita asked the question she feared most.
“And the other woman?”
The old woman’s fire flickered.
Tina had been the door.
Ajay had walked through it.
7. LIFE WITH THE IMPOSTER
Back home, life continued.
Neighbors said Ajay had changed—for the better.
At night, Rita would hold his hand and whisper:
“You chose wrong once.”
Ajay would respond, softly:
“I won’t choose again.”
8. THE FINAL REVEAL
One night, Rita stood before the mirror.
Behind her reflection stood Tina.
Just watching.
“You won,” Tina whispered.
Rita met her gaze.
The reflection blinked.
Tina was gone.
9. LAST SCENE – THE JUNGLE
Deep in the forest, the real Ajay’s eyes finally closed.
The whispers stopped.
The trees grew silent.
The forest had taken its payment.
ENDING QUESTION
Did Rita plan everything?
Did the forest act on its own?
Or did Ajay’s guilt summon his own punishment?
And most terrifying of all—
If love can replace a man…
How many have already been replaced?
