ACID ATTACK
Scene 1
A girl, sitting on a bed, trying to slit her hand with a blade. But can’t do it. The whole room is completely dark with only one night lamp turned on. Her name is Shilpa. She is not a residant of Kolkata. She hailed from Medinipure to study here in one of the Kolkata's most famouse colleges. She stays in this hostel as a paying guest. Her cousin Rina lives at Howrah, few miles away from their hostel.
Shilpa looks at her wrist this time and again tries to slit it with the blade. At that moment, the doorbell rings. The girl, without hearing it, tries for the third time and as usual, fails to do that again. The doorbell rings again. This time it rings without pause. She stands up and turns on the tube light of the room. She Wiping her tears and combing her dishevelled hair opens the door. To her surprise, it is her best friend cum cousin, Rina.
Rina: What happens? Why did you take so long to open the damn door?
Shilpa (hiding her face): I didn’t hear it. I was busy making tea for me.
Rina: Congratulation! You have passed the 2nd year exam with good marks. Take this small gift from me.
Shilpa (stretching her hands to take the gift): Thanks, sister.
Rina: You seem to have looked worried! Aren’t you happy?
Shilpa: Oh yes! I’m very happy (pretending to be happy). I’m………fine.
Rina: Don’t try to be smart. You forget that I’m your Cousin, I saw you grow up.
Shilpa: No, no Sister, I’m ok.
Rina: I can understand you better. Now, wasting no time tell me what happens?
Shilpa breakes out in cry. She hugs Rina tightly.
Shilpa: I’m finished. I can’t live. I have to commit suicide.
Rina: Suicide! Are you out of your mind! Why do you need to commit suicide?
Shilpa: For Dwip.
Rina: Dwip, who is Dwip?
Shilpa: My boyfriend, my love, my life.
Rina: Your love, Dwip! You mean to say, Dwip Roy, the most womaniser boy in the college.
Shilpa: But I had no idea about him before. Even I had tried to stay away from him but he made me fall for him.
Rina: Why didn't You tell me? You always said you had no one.
Shilpa: I lied to you. I had to keep this affair secret as per his wish.
Rina: But I am your best cousin and best friend as well, how could you do that to me.
Shilpa: I was told, otherwise he would leave me.
Rina: Ok, but what happens? Why are you sad then?
Shilpa: Today morning he has dumped me, saying that he has a relationship with another girl. I love him very much. I must commit suicide.
Rina: What! Are you mad? Dwip had ruined the careers of so many college girls and you need to commit suicide for that bastard. Think about your bright future. you have passed the 2nd year exam with good numbers. Think about your parents, damn it.
Shilpa: No, I can’t. I’m totally broken. How can I forget those sweet moments? How can I forget him? I want to die.
Rina: What about those dreams that your parents saw for you? What about the hard work that they did just to make you highly educated? How selfish you are!
Shilpa started crying, knowing that how she ruined her life for a boy who has no feelings for her.
Rina: Now, remember those moments when you were sick and your parents would spend sleepless nights just for you. Remember those moments when you had exams and your mom would cook delicious foods to feed you so that you couldn’t fall sick. Every sort of works your father did just to pay your fee every month and being so educated, you need to end your life just for the boy who played with your life. Instead, you should retaliate against him.
Shilpa: But, yet I can’t forget him. He promised me, he will never dump me.
Rina: (Slapping her) Did you forget that your father, just to admit you to this famous college, sold out one of his kidneys and a few days later succumbed to infection. (Pointing to Shilpa’s father’s photo hanging on the northeast wall of that room).
Shilpa turns to her father’s photo, looks for some seconds. She wipes her tears. She remembers her childhood days. How she was pampered by his father. In exam time, she would nibble the rice from her mother's hand in hurry and her father bring the best fish from market. In night time, her father would peep through the door, opening it slightly to be sure whether she was well or not. She even remembers the last few words her father had said before he died, "never give up your study, no matter whatever happens."
But suddenly she returns to present situation and reveals a truth to Rina.
Shilpa: But I’m pregnant now. I'm carring his child.
Rina: What! (pause for some minutes) Come with me. We must lodge an F.I.R against him.
Shilpa: No, I can’t do that either.
Rina: Why? Don’t you need to punish him?
Shilpa: He had made my MMS, he threatened me if I inform anyone then he will spread my MMS in college.
Rina: Now you see! You loved with such a characterless boy.
Shilpa: Yes, I did wrong. For me, all of you will suffer. It’s better I should die. (She slits her wrist).
Rina runs to her and tries every possible way to save her but eventually, Shilpa bleeds to death.
Scene 2
(A few days later)
Dwip Roy is lying on a bed. He is talking to someone over the phone.
Dwip: Oh, my darling! I love you so much. Yes, you are the first girl in my life. Let’s go for a long drive. We will stay in a hotel at night. Trust me, baby, I won’t harm you. (At that moment, the doorbell rings). I have to go. I think someone at the door.
Dwip hangs up his smartphone and opens the door. Seeing Rina, he surprisingly says, “you!”
Rina slung her college bag. She picks up a bottle from it and splashes acid water on Dwip’s face from the bottle.
Dwip, out of pain, kneels down holding his face. In no time, Dwip's skull gets partly deformed and starts losing hair. His eyelids burns off and get deformed too, leaving the eyes extremely dry. Scars run down from his chin to neck area. He suffers from respiratory problems.
Rina says to him: Do you want to know why I threw acid on you. Then listen, Shilpa, one of your ex-girlfriends, committed suicide a few days before. She had to die because of your behaviour towards the college girls. They come here to fulfil their as well as their parents' dreams but you boys ruin their lives.
When Rina is about to get out of his room, Dwip holds her legs to stop her from behind.
Dwip: (holding legs) Please forgive me, I’ll never do this again to any girl. Please take me to the hospital. I can't bear the pain anymore.
Rina smashes his left hand down with her right high pencil heel. Dwip yells in unbearable pain.
Rina: No, you have no mercy. You deserve it. Fuck off!
Rina leaves the place, deserting Dwip Roy in extreme pain. She also locks the door from outside lest he should come out of his room to admit himself in a nearby hospital. Rina makes him realise the traumas every girl suffered only for his playful attitude towards the girls.
I don't know whatever Rina did for her cousin's retaliation, is right justice or not. But I wish to know readers' opinions about this.
