One Mistake, A billion losses

One mistake, A billion losses 

 “If you don’t want to see me again, I’m leaving! So there!” These words echoed in her mind every time the train halted at each station. The time when she had nearly shouted out those rude remarks at her aunt. She never felt a tinge of regret. In fact, a feeling of pride filled her heart. But now when she sat in the crowded General compartment along with her two children – one who could barely talk and the other who had just begun taking his first baby steps, she felt sorry - not because of the words she had spoken to her aunt. But because she hadn't thought twice before her hasty decision.

As she stared outside the window gazing dreamily at the fast moving objects, her past memories began haunting her. It was all Aunt Sophia's fault. Why did she have to treat her in such a way that made her leave the house? Eight years of complete torture. And not even once had they given her the basic self-respect that a woman needs.

After sometime the TTE came in and asked for the ticket. Those who were lost in thoughts woke up and those who were staring blankly at the opposite wall hastily showed their ticket. Her three-year old son had been carefully observing everyone giving their tickets to the TTE who scribbled something on it and gave it back. Before she could give the ticket, he took it from her and gave it to the TTE in a very calm manner. Everyone in the coupé couldn't help smiling at the boy’s innocence. In fact, it brought a cheerful mood into the otherwise dull faces.

While her attention got diverted she almost forgot that her younger son had not spoken a word since they got into the train. It was true that he had been sleeping all the while his younger brother was up to mischief. But even after two hours passed, the boy hadn't stirred. As she got more worried wondering what actually happened to her son, he started coughing slightly. She kept her hand on his forehead and quickly withdrew it. He had a high fever and had been silently bearing it the whole time. She felt guilty and ashamed of herself for not bothering to look after son even at this time of distress. God, why did you give such angelic children to a woman like me? She thought.

Luckily, the train slowed down at a station. Like a weary traveller, it trudged through the tracks and came to a halt. She got down from the train and searched every corner of the station and asked every passer by whether they have any idea of a pharmacy store nearby. As she approached the last person, the train blew the whistle. Without wasting time she quickly approached a nearby fruit stall and bought some oranges with the little money she had.

While she kept her younger son with a toy she had offered him, she was able to pay more attention to her ailing elder son. The oranges that she had given him did refresh him a bit but it wasn't enough to lower his temperature.

Suddenly he started coughing loudly. The people in the coupe woke up angry at being disturbed. To avoid seeing any more raised eyebrows, she moved through the narrow corridor of the compartment to the end of the door.

The boy had now stopped crying. She held her hand in his and checked if there was any change in the temperature. It was hopeless. As she sat leaning against the wall her younger son who had been watching everything realized the gravity of the situation and didn't bother his mother anymore. He sat down beside his mother and fell asleep.

Two hours had passed by and there was just three hours left for the last stop to arrive. That was her destination. It wasn't that someone would be waiting eagerly for her at the station. She only wanted to stay from her predators as far as possible.

It was almost four in the morning. The last stop would arrive two hours later. She hadn't slept a wink the previous night. But she knew that her children had slept peacefully for they hadn't stirred even once. As she kept looking at her son, she found something strange about him. She held his hand and felt his pulse. As quick as lightning she withdrew her hand. There was nothing more to know. Tears of anger, pain and guilt streamed down her cheeks. The brave young woman who had defied every rule of the society. Yet her fate was destined for the worst.

There was just one hour left for the train to reach the last station. She kept looking at the still, motionless body for a long, long time. As the train passed through every tunnel, a thought dawned upon her which she quickly erased it away. But no matter how much she tried to forget it, she mused more about it. At last the thought became a decision, A decision that changed her life.

After sometime she saw a tunnel at a near distance. The train entered the tunnel and before she knew it, her hands forced her to flung him out……..into the darkness, out of sight.

She slumped back on the floor like a convict in a dungeon. She didn't notice the few people who were passing by nor did they notice her crying silently with her child clutched together in her arms.

The train passed through tunnel after tunnel which haunted her mind each time. As she turned away and looked at her son lying in her arms, she noticed something fishy about him. Suddenly, a shiver went down her spine. In the dim light, she cried, clutching her son's cold lifeless body  

           

The Night I Met My 'Brother'

The Night I Met my 'Brother'

It had just been two hours since I left my mother. Yet it felt like a year for me. The circus tents had long been dismantled. Yet the people were still roaming around in the vast open circus grounds. I could only hear the faint, muffled voices of people running hither thither in search of one person. That was me.

As I sat gazing at the patch of green grass on the ground, I heard a faint roar right behind me. The slender, majestic body moved towards me with great difficulty. The scars and blood-stained wounds could still be seen on its body as it crawled towards me. It insisted that I stroke his back until it could fall asleep. I readily agreed to do this and began stroking its golden-brown mane. For the past two hours, I had been stuck with a lion in a cage and I never felt like it.

I still remember the day my they signed the divorce petition. I sat in between my parents like the meat in a sandwich. The judge asked me whom I wanted to stay with. Even though I felt like telling I wanted both my parents, I kept mum knowing that they wouldn't hear of it. Obviously, my mother won the game.

I had become a loner since the day I separated from my father. My mother tried several means to prove that she was the best mother in the planet. At last, she came up with an idea. She decided to take me to the circus to make me forget the past memories.

I had been sitting in the front row when I saw the majestic creature enter the stage. Shouts and words of praises came up from every corner of the circus as they watched spellbound at the breathtaking performance of the lion. I had never shown any interest the whole day long. As I looked through his eyes, I realized that it longed to get back to its parents…just like me.

And now, here I was trapped in a cage with the same lion. In fact, it had never once tried to harm me in spite of the heartless torment that we humans give him. I had strayed away from the circus and had mistakenly been locked up in a cage by someone. That was when I saw the big cat lying down in a partially conscious state. It didn't even have the strength to roar for such was the torture it had to suffer. Surprisingly, it had moved towards me in the hope of being comforted. I was terrified at first, but when I looked through his eyes, I could see myself being reflected in it.

Suddenly, I woke up hearing the faint noises becoming more audible. The lion too woke up hearing the sound of footsteps. It understood that it was time for me to leave. As I came out of the cage and looked back at him, I felt like it was biding me goodbye. I ran towards my mother before she could find my new found friend. In the midst of all the commotion, I saw my long lost ‘brother’ being taken away in the same cage that was once the place where I met my ‘brother.’