Handfuls of Sand

By Kotra Siva Rama Krishna

Twenty one years old Susmitha started facing problems not just because of her parents death in a flight accident at her fifteenth year itself but because of the strange will executed by her father also. It was the tradition for generations together in her family that the fathers do write wills so that their daughters get right on the properties of their fathers only after they enter into their twenty second year and get married. They do lose their right completely over their father's assets if they marry before they enter into their twenty second year. It was just because some women in the previous generations in her family spoiled themselves and the properties by marrying before they enter into their twenty second year and some other women did the same by not marrying for a long time, they preferred to write wills like that.  Susmitha did not know whether any girl in the previous generations of her family faced any problem because of those wills but the will executed by her father like that became a death warrant to her. It was just because of her uncle Nagendra Rao who became the guardian to her and her properties after the death of her parents and his wife and son wanted so desperately to get rid of Susmitha to have her properties completely for themselves. While she was thinking so furiously how to escape from that problem, she remembered only one person Madan who was her college-mate and towards whom she was attracted so immensely. Without bothering with the little dispute she has with him she went to his faraway village and house, blackmailed him with a secret she came to know about him and could secure shelter in his house. When she apologized to him for her past behavior and for the way she blackmailed him to get shelter in his house while expressing her love on him and both came to the decision to marry also, she thought all her problems have been solved. But Mamatha, about whom Susmitha came to know by reading the diary of Madan, who loved Madan a lot but refused by him and fell into the river while struggling with Madan on the bridge of the river in that village started coming to her again and again saying that she wanted to take revenge on Madan, Susmitha started feeling fear and strange incidents started taking place. While Susmitha was saying that Mamatha died, became a devil and was hell bent upon to take revenge on Madan and Madan took the help of his cousin and psychologist Sukanya to treat her. What happened ultimately whether Mamatha was successful in taking revenge on Madan or Sukanya in treating Susmitha is the story 'Handfuls of Sand…………..'

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kotra Siva Rama Krishna
• Release date: Dec 15, 2022
• ISBN: 9798215680513

Kotra Siva Rama Krishna

The twenty two romantic and suspense thrillers of this author ‘A Mansion Of Illusions (1,17,731 Words)’, ‘A village, a forest and an old mansion (1,13,049 Words)’, ‘Chasing butterflies (1,11,211 Words)’ ‘Across the river...under the bridge (1,02,739 Words)’, ‘Enna (1,03,119 Words)’ ‘Strawberry (1,11,700 Words)’ ‘Amaswitha (1,51,618 Words)’, ‘Sasikala (1,09,423 Words)’ ‘Just Relax! (1,15,793 Words)’, ‘ House of Delusions (1,18,530 Words)’ ‘Half Opened Doors (1,23,600 words)’ ‘Lovenest (50,565 Words)’, ‘Moonshine (51,427 Words)’ ‘Nirupama (51,675 Words)’, ‘Scarecrow (52,226 Words)’ ‘Rose Garden (62, 284 Words)’, ‘Dusk (53,856 Words)’, ‘Rain Flower (53,139 Words)’ ‘rustle In The leaves (3,52,000 words) and ‘Snow Flower’ (2,15,200 words), Wisps Of Smoke (3,20,500 words), Split Personality (3,30,000 words) along with a short stories book ‘Sand Dunes (24,973 Words) and two non-fiction books ‘Body, Mind And You (16,533 Words)’ and ‘English Grammar Simplifier (18,436 Words)’ are available as ebooks and paperbacks only on Amazon websites. The total word count of all these books is more than 29,00,000 (Twenty Nine Lakhs words). The same can be found by searching with author’s name ‘Kotra Siva Rama Krishna.’

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License Notes

This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return the same and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Disclaimer

The concept, plot, story, characters and everything in this novel are only fiction and emerged only out of the imagination of this author. If anything in this novel even a small part of it resembles, similar or identical to any living or dead or to any literature, anywhere in the world even remotely it is only coincidental and this author has no knowledge whatsoever of it and cannot take any responsibility for the same.

About me

Iam an Indian English writer write mostly fiction books and so far I have written thirty books out of which twenty eight books are romantic, psychological thrillers and the remaining two are non-fiction books, Body, Mind and You and English Grammar Simplifier. The word count of my books range from 15,000 to 3,50,000 and the total word count of all my books is more than 30,00,000 (Thirty Lakhs Words). I have a weakness, I don’t get the feeling that I wrote the book if someone else edits the same, so I am my own editor to all my books. As such there is a pretty chance that you may come across grammatical, verbal mistakes, incongruities and inconsistencies while going through my books, then please pardon me and go ahead. I am always open as much as possible when it comes to sexual narrations in my books as I think sex is very main and natural characteristic not just in human beings but in all other creatures also. So you can find sexual narrations in my books graphical, absolute and complete. My heart-felt thanks to all those who have been purchasing my books all along, encouraging me and supporting me.

Prologue

She had thrown a last glance towards the big building after she came out of that and stepped on to the tar road. Her eyes became moist and in no time tears formed and started flowing down on her cheeks. In that very building she had spent twenty one years of her life. Upto fifteen years so happily with her parents and later on with her uncle and his family with distress. That building associated with the sweet memories of her parents who were now late. She loved those memories always and never had thought that she ought to leave this house in this way.

Now the situation came like that, that she had to leave this big house and go far away. Otherwise she would lose her own life. Her own uncle’s family who were living with her in this very house now prepared to kill her to get hold on her properties. As per the will which her father executed she could not get any right on her family properties earned by her father until she entered into her twenty second year and married. It was not just enough that she would enter into her twenty second year but she has to marry also to get right over the properties that her father earned. If she married before entering into her twenty second year, she would lose all her rights over the properties and never could get them. It was a tradition diligently followed by the male in her family for generations together that they do execute wills so that their offspring would get right on the properties only after they completed their twenty second year and married. They never forgot to register those will also and her father also just did like that. Some women in the prior generations in her family spoiled their lives and properties also by marrying before they entered into their twenty second year and some other women did just like that by not marrying for a long time in their lives. As such to save the properties and the lives of the women in their families the male people to the prior generations of her family have been writing wills like that for a long time and her father also just followed it.

She did not know whether ever any problem arisen to any woman in the prior generations of her family by those wills but she was now indeed facing a life and death problem because of the will executed by her father. If she had rights over the properties now, she could have done something and saved herself. But all her properties were at present in the custody of her uncle who was the guardian to her and her properties also and he desperately wanted to end her life to get full rights over the same. If her father had foreseen a danger like this he might not have executed a will like that at all. The very will he executed honouring the family tradition had become the death warrant to her.

She for the last time took the small slip out from her hand bag and looked at that. She had written few phone numbers on that slip before destroying her phone and threw it into the dilapidated well nearby to prevent her uncle and his son to track her through the phone. She put back that slip into the handbag again and reluctantly started walking towards the railway station with the small luggage she packed for herself. Her heart became heavier and it was becoming difficult to her to put steps forward. But she knew very well that she should not linger there any longer. Her uncle must not be known at all where she was going. So far he had got such power and influence that he could so easily end her life without raising anyone’s suspicion if he knew about her whereabouts.

She went to the railway station straight. She had to go a long way and the train she was going to get into would cover only a little distance. She had to change two busses from there to reach her destination. Wherever she might go her uncle family could be known sooner or later through one source or the other but this particular place he and his family never could even guess. More to all that it was the place which she liked and loved very much to go and in fact a necessity also to her.

Once again her tightened lips widened with a small smile on them. The thought of the person that she was going to meet there created a sort of joy in her heart and it was reflected in her face. She purchased the ticket and got into the train. The distance she had to cover by this train was fifty kilometers. It would take more than full day to reach her destination. She had prepared to travel all the way to there, which was an unknown place to her yet, not just to escape from the danger lurking at home but also to meet the person whom she was in love with so strong for a long time and who could offer a permanent solution to her problem..

Chapter-1

The climate was so cool and enjoyable then and he was relaxing in the slowly waving air. The chirping of the evening birds was as usual and creating a sort of joy in him. However many times he was in that tope, however many times he enjoyed the climate there so, it would always create joy like that in him. It was surprising to himself, why that environment was that much enjoyable to him, even after he was in it for a long time. He had born and brought up in that village, he was separated only for few years from it. That was for his studies and just two years back.

He did not agree to leave that village even then too. He wanted to study through correspondence course at home itself so he need not leave this grove, his lands and his favourite village. But his brother Pallav did not agree to his wish to stay at home and study through correspondence course. He forced him to go and stay in the town at their relatives’ home and study in the college there. After completing his graduation Madan once again came to his favourite village. More than two years have passed after he came to the village again completing his studies. Now there was no necessity to him to leave this village. They had got huge extent of land and a big tope with all sorts of trees and a farm-house in it. If he could look after them properly that was enough. He need not go anywhere to do a job for earning money to run the family. Their family was the richest family in that village.

You never fail to come here. Why do you particularly stay under this mango tree I cannot understand! What that is in it you like that much?

Hearing that voice Madan turned back and found his cousin Vineet there. Vineet was the son of their family’s distant relative. After the death of his mother at his third year itself, Madan’s father took him into their home and he had become a member in Madan’s family. His father was died even before his birth itself.

We cannot give explanation to each and everything. I cannot explain even to myself why I like this place. Then Madan looked straight into his face with a frown You very well know I don’t want to be disturbed while I am here.

Of course, I know. Vineet replied. There is sufficient reason for risking myself to be subjected to your wrath. Your brother asked me to take you home immediately

"Why?’ Madan irritated on hearing that. He did not want to go home that fast at all. It was his habit to stay in that tope until it was too dark. He could enjoy a lot staying like that in it.

I want to keep that in suspense. He paused for a moment observing the face of Madan. Come home and see, you will feel so good.

Tell me what that is and please don’t stare into my face so, I cannot bear. Madan’s irritation became even more. Before I give you a punch in your face, tell me who it is?

If you have talked with me smoothly I would have told you. As you have rough treated me like this, I am not going to tell. But you must return to home now itself. It is an order from your brother. Then Vineet stiffly turned back and went away from there.

Madan nodded his head helplessly. Vineet was one year or so younger to Madan. They both were grown together, played together. Vineet’s intelligence was average and he could not be educated much.

Madan knew unless otherwise there was something important his brother would not insist on him to leave the tope in the evening. He knew that Madan loved staying in the tope particularly at dusk. Without indulging in guessing work to know what was that much important at home, Madan started immediately.

When Madan reached the home his brother Pallav was standing in the entrance hall itself. Madan had thrown a questioning look at him.

Someone has come for you from the town. So I wanted you to come home like this. looking interestingly into the face of his brother Pallav said. The expression and the smile on his brother’s face puzzled Madan. He could not understand who it might be from the town for him. None of his friends told him that they were coming to his home. It was not a big town for his friends to drop in while passing through it to go to another town. It was a small village in a very far corner of the country.

Who it is? I am not expecting anyone now. It seemed so that the surprise in his face was amusing to his brother that the smile on his face became even wider than before.

"We never thought that you are having friends like these. Your friend is in the kitchen with your Vadina (wife of the brother). Go and see."

What he is doing in the kitchen? I have no friends who are interested in culinary arts. the surprise in Madan reached its peak.

Go, see and know yourself. Now I am going into the village. I return late night. Without waiting to hear what his brother would say Pallav left that place.

It all was appearing quite peculiar to Madan and he straight went into the kitchen. There his Vadina (brother’s wife) was cooking something on the stove in her usual way. Unusually there was another woman standing beside her in a Punjabi dress. So it was a girl, he smiled. He was having only one girl friend and she was Madhuri. In fact she was a distant relative as well to their family. It was indeed one year or so that he had last seen her. He was not expecting her even the least at this time to come to his home. But there was no chance that any other girl to come to his home saying as his friend.

But another thought struck him then. There was no necessity to his brother to talk like that if it was Madhuri. All his family members very well knew Madhuri and she was a resident of this village itself until she left it some years back. She was like a sister to him and his brother would not have tried to romanticize it like that if it was Madhuri. It was surely someone else.

"Vadina" he called with a small voice expecting both the women to turn back to him. His expectation did not go in vain.

Hearing his voice that girl and his Vadina at once turned back.

Madan never had felt that much of surprise in his entire life before. He never had expected that even in his dreams also. He felt quite joyous with this unexpected pleasant happening. This was what he subconsciously wishing for a long time but not expressed to anyone. His heart wanted to meet this girl a lot. But until that moment his desire was suppressed deep in his heart because of the apparent impossibility of it.

Susmitha he whispered. He wanted to say something more. But suddenly then, like a thunder bolt, like an electric shock, the memories of the past jumped into his mind. He remembered how that girl insulted him when he tried to talk to her eagerly. He felt lot of anger on her on that day and developed hate upto his neck later on.

The joy he had felt on seeing her there was only fleeting and his heart immediately filled with hatred and anger. This girl did not deserve any love. He felt surprise why and how he had felt such a joy immediately on seeing her there then.

In fact his feelings regarding that girl in him were quite disturbing and surprising to himself. There was immense liking and utter hate side by side in his heart towards her. There was no surprise for his liking because she was such a glamorous doll and anyone would develop it automatically towards her. But for hate, there was a reason, a strong reason for that.

Yes, its me her charming smile had its effect on Madan despite the seething anger of him on her. The irony was in spite of his anger and hate towards her, he could not refrain himself from attracting towards her beauty.

I am sorry. I could not intimate you in before that I am coming here like this. she temporarily suspended her charming smile and said.

It is not necessary to give any advance intimation if you are going to a close friend’s home. His vadina said.

It is not necessary if we are really that much close. But .... Madan could not contain his anger. He wanted to blurt out the facts then to his vadina.

You both may better go into the upstairs room and talk there. Madan’s vadina said. In that brief period itself she sensed the anger in Madan towards that girl. She could not understand why Madan did not like that girl’s coming to their home but she feared that he might expel her from it. She was attracted completely by the immense beauty of Susmitha and influenced by her smooth way of talking. She instantly liked her and did not want that she would go out of their house soon. She assumed that there might be some quarrels between these both and they would be settled if the girl would talk with him alone.

Madan started feeling anger on himself. One part of his mind was urging him to expel the girl from the house immediately. Another part was strongly wishing that the girl to stay in the house itself. There was no wrong in it. Susmitha’s beauty was like that. However much he was feeling angry towards her, deep inside his heart he wanted her to stay in the house. He confused in himself to decide which urge in him to be satisfied. At last he thought that it would be better to know why Susmitha came to his home. His vadina’s proposal appeared to him quite good. 

Come with me. His voice was like an order and Susmitha silently followed him into the upstairs room. There he slumped himself into a chair and asked her to sit in the other one opposite to him.

With all the delicacy she placed herself in that chair and then looked into his face. It was indeed difficult to be angry with her looking into that beautiful and innocent face. Madan indeed need to make an effort that his anger not lessened.

We have talked on only one occasion, only one occasion. You know very well how did that go. Only with that how can you become a close friend to me? not altering his sight from her face he asked.

Some people cannot become friends even they talked all their lives with each other. Some people can become friends just talking only one time with one another. As usual she had thrown her charming smile again.

Don’t smile every time like that he irritatingly said.

Only you are saying so to me. All the other people ask me to smile like this. she tightened her lips. Now they were like as glued together giving her face another sort of beauty.

You may better reserve your smiles for them and answer my question. Why did you have come here? Leaning back in his chair he asked.

You are my close friend and so I have come. While looking at her red colour polished nails Susmitha said.

Don’t say that again and again. You cannot be my close friend. I have lost my impression on you on the first occasion itself. Remembering how she talked with him on that day Madan said.

I am sorry. I should not have behaved on that day so to you. There was a change in her voice indicating that she was feeling guilty.

Very soon you realized your mistake. He sarcastically said. Now tell me at least when you are going to leave this house? stooping forward in the chair he asked.

After one month she said in a small voice.

What! he startled at once on hearing that. You are going to stay in my home for one month!

May be one or two days more or less, yes. Without any change in the modulation of her voice she said.

Are you thinking that I am going to let you stay in my house for such a long time? it was becoming difficult to him to talk like that with her. The other part of his heart was pleading with him to be smooth with her. But the insult he suffered in her hands on that day was making him talk like this.

Sure. You are my close friend. So you certainly let me stay. The firmness in her voice surprised him.

"I go down stairs now itself and tell my vadina that you are not my friend at all. I convince her that you are having some dishonest intentions in you to come to my home like this." Madan stood up from the chair and gave a back push to it. It made a creaking sound on the floor.

"Your vadina never listens to you. She has already become a fan to me." His words did not have any effect on her.

She likes me even more and having lot of confidence on me. You just see how I am going to make her convinced. He said while becoming ready to cross the threshold of the room.

Before doing that just listen what I am going to say. She too freed herself from the chair and came near to him. "In fact I have come into this room before too. As I appeared quite tired your vadina asked me to go into this room and take rest so I have come into it. Once I came into this room I found your diary on the bed." In a small voice she said.

What! You found my diary on the bed? he startled as if a bomb dropped just beside him.

Yes, you should not have forgotten such a precious and important thing on the bed at all. I should not have gone through that I agree, but I could not win over my temptation. Now her charming smile was irritating to him.

So, you did go through that as well. He was using his full force that his voice would not be raised with anger.

Yes, hundred percent. From beginning to end. Every word. She stopped smiling. The expression in his face was quite fearsome to her then.

You have come to know everything of my life then. He said with a small voice but with full of anger and irritation.

She nodded her head. The way you did throw Mamatha into the river .... She did not intend to say that at all but words have come out of her mouth without her intention.

There was a shock in his face. His facial features were distorted and it confirmed to him that she did go thoroughly with the diary.

I did not throw her. She had fallen herself. It was just an accident. It is not my fault at all. I have written so in the diary. He did not know why he was giving that explanation to her so.

Might be. But who does believe it? If it goes out everyone thinks that you, yourself thrown her into the river and saying that she had fallen all by herself. Everyone thinks you have written like that in the dairy only to convince the other people that you did not throw her. She turned her head to some other direction as she was feeling uneasily to look into his face anymore.

He paused for a moment as if he had realized his mistake. Giving an explanation like this to her was not at all necessary. Whether she believed what he had said or not was not going to be mattered to him. There was the same arrogance in her. He could not feel any love towards such a girl at any time.

Alright. What do you want to say to me now? he came to the opinion that he must make a bargain with her to get the problem solved. So far it had become obvious to him that she was planning to blackmail him.

Just only one month. Only one month, I am going to stay in your home. After that I shall go away on my own without creating any problem to you. I repeat that there would be no problem to you because of my staying here at any time. she said it in her smooth, firm and honey like voice, with a pleading in it.

He paused for a moment and she understood that he was putting considerable effort to come to his normal position controlling his anger and irritation. Once again she started observing his face keenly. She could see the hatred and anger behind the frowns in it. She hated herself that she had to trouble the person whom she was in love with so much.

I am agreeing. There should be no problem to me or my family because of your staying here. Looking into her face Madan said. But all he could find in it was her innocence and beauty. He utterly failed to find any traces of cheating or cunning in it.

I have already made that quite clear to you, am I not? Of course I agree I am a little naughty and arrogant but not as bad as you are thinking of me. I keep my promise. She sounded it as much genuine as possible.

Alright I believe you. he paused for some seconds. Give my diary to me. Extending his hand he asked.

It shall be in my custody until this one month is over. She felt once again uneasily. She did not plan it like this when she had decided to come here. She knew because of the way she insulted him on that day he would not allow her to stay in his house that easily at all. But she thought to beg him and plead with him to make him agree to let her stay in his home. Later on to tell him that she was in love with him and wanted to marry him as that was the solution to solve her problem forever after she attained her twenty second year and just in one month she would get her twenty two. She was confident, if he has not been married by then and not in love with any other girl, sure would accept her proposal. Even though never felt pride or haughty for that fact, she pretty well knew that she was immensely beautiful and no man could afford to lose her once she proposed herself so. But why she was tempted to blackmail him once an opportunity came in her way? She did not know but there was no way to go back now. 

"To this I shall never agree. If you don’t give my diary back I will tell to my Annayya (brother) and Vadina (brother’s wife) that there is no friendship between you and me and you are blackmailing me to stay in our house." All his effort to control his anger failed and it reached its motto again.

Then I shall make everything public. Just think what happens then? So carefully you have kept everything under cover upto now. Her heart beat had become faster.

Whatever little compassion he had got on her as she was a girl and came to his home for shelter like a refugee was vanished completely the moment she blackmailed him that openly and strongly again. But there was no other way to him now except to agree to her demands since he knew very well what would happen if she told people what happened on that day on the bridge. It was enough to incriminate him if people knew that Mamatha had fallen into the river while struggling with him. Moroever there was every possibility that everyone would think that he had thrown her into the river himself.

Without uttering even a word more he stormed out of that room.

W hat happened? It seems you have taken rather long time talking with your friend? observing his brother in law’s face and trying to understand the mixed expression in it Jayanthi, Madan’s vadina, asked.

Yes, she has some problems. That is why she came here without even an intimation slumped himself in one of the chairs around the dining table in the kitchen he said. She wanted to stay in our house for one month It was indeed becoming difficult to him to conceal his irritation.

Very good. What is there to object in it at all? Jayanthi’s face lit with pleasure instantly as if she were wishing only to hear that.

Madan looked into her vadina’s face and surprised. How that Susmitha had got an effect like that on his vadina in such a little time and made her liked her he could not understand.

Even she wants to stay here forever I have no objection. In fact I like it very much. Turning back with a smiling face she looked into Madan’s face and said.

Madan indeed irritated on hearing that. She may be counting on her faked friendship with him and believing her so. It was very important to make her understood what really in between them both but it was not the time for it.

She is having no such plan. One month accommodation is enough. Without showing any particular expression in his face Madan said.

There was silence in between them both for some time. Madan was like a son to Jyanthi. By the time she married Madan’s brother, Madan was aged just four years or so. Madan’s parents were died in an accident not later than a year after her marriage. From then on she had become like a mother to him.

She could not bear any children and she never worried for that either. She did not know how her husband Pallav felt for not having children but he also had never shown any distress for that. Madan was like a son to them both. Madan too, gave them as much respect as he would have given to his own parents. After Madan, they would like Vineet that much.

Why did not you have told me about this friend until now? this question took Madan out of his troubling thoughts.

She is not a very close friend to me and I did not expect that she would come to our home in this way either. That is why I did not tell about her particularly. Madan said.

But she said she is a very close friend to you. She talked a lot about you. Completing her work at the gas stove, she came near to him and dragged and sat on the other chair opposite to him.

Did she say like that? What did she talk about me? Madan startled a little on hearing that. What did she know about him to talk?

You used to be quite reserved in the college. But you always tried to be friendly and close with her. You.... Jayanthi tried to say something more.

Stop...Stop... What did she say? I always tried to be friendly and close with her! There would be no big lie than this! I never have tried to be friendly or close with her. his face became red with anger. After being insulted so by her on that day, he never even tried to see her.

What would be the wrong if you try to be friendly and close with her? You sure deserve friendship of a girl like her. with difficulty she suppressed her smile. She could sense the boiling inside him but did not understand why it was so.

I deserve it! I have seen even more glamorous dolls. I am telling you the truth that I never have tried to be close with her. She herself came to our home without any invitation from our side and without any intimation from her side. Is it is not proving who tried to move close? the anger in him was not subsided at all.

Alright, alright. I hundred percent believe what you have said to me. But you said that she is in problems and so came to our house. It is our duty to make the environment here to her as comfortable as possible. A guest is equal to a God to us. With a low but firm voice Jayanthi said.

As you have said to me like this, I agree. The anger in him was subsided and he tried to laugh but could produce only an unsatisfying smile.

M anohar... why you are like this? he was appearing quite angrier and perturbed to her and Madhuri too started feeling fear. She was trying to guess why he was like that. She knew that he was having too many issues