Sins Of Our Fathers

Chapter 2

I don't know what's worth fighting for,

Or why I have to scream

- Linkin Park

Parthi and his kid sister, Shoba reached the front porch of their house. A jeep was parked outside the house. No one in his family owned a jeep, and Parthi immediately knew that something was not right. They entered the house, and saw his mother standing in one corner, his father sitting on the floor with one knee bent. He had his head held by his right hand. On another corner of the hall, his elder sister, Uma was standing and in tears.

"How on Earth, father let Akka out in the day?" wondered Parthi.

On the left side of the hall, there were two foldable chairs, and two men wearing army camouflage uniforms, occupied it. They were wearing army caps that had a black patch right on the center of it with the famous logo of a roaring tiger backed by two rifles with bayonets.

"We will win the war. Only if everyone support it. The biggest problem with all the Tamils is, we only care about our own family. None of you care about the society, or the people or the Eelam," one of the men wearing the army uniform continued his speech, referring to the land occupied by Tamils in Sri Lanka.

His speech was apparently abrupted by Parthi's sudden entrance into the house.

Parthi's father removed his hand from his face, and replied, "Shankar sir. I also care about the Eelam. And our people. I also want our rights. Our right to be free, but the Leader has taken some wrong decisions and we are losing the war. There is no point in fighting anymore. We are all going to die if this continues."

"How dare you say the Leader has taken wrong decisions? Do you know any better than him?" the second army man shouted.

"I don't know any better but I know if my daughter follows you, she is going to die. She will be murdered," said Parthi's father. Hearing this, Parthi knew immediately that the bloody shopkeeper has chosen to call the Tamil Tigers, letting them know of his sister's whereabouts. Another problem with the Tamils is, the If-I-suffer-so-shall everyone-else mentality. His sister was barely eighteen years old, and she was very much capable of joining the Women's Wing of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam or LTTE, a terrorist organization whose mission is to create a separate state for Sri Lankan Tamils. The dreamland called Eelam.

Parthi and Shoba ran to hug Uma, trying to protect her from the two men trying to take her away. "Akka! Don't go! I'm sorry Akka!" cried Parthi.

"At least she will die as a martyr. Unlike you. A disgrace to all Tamils. Coward!" Shankar taunted their father.

"Take me instead! I beg you! She is very young! She is only fifteen!" Parthi's father replied, trying to lie about her age.

"Take you? Fine," said Shankar while pulling out a revolver, and placed it on the coffee table in front of him. "Pick up this revolver, and show us how to shoot."

Parthi knew that his father will fail terribly in this, even though it is such a simple task. His father walked with a limp in his right leg. Many years ago, he had stepped on a land mine which was set up by the Sri Lankan army to blow up a LTTE convoy. Unfortunately, the convoy did not turn up and his father did. Lucky or not, his father escaped with only losing his right leg below the knee. Since then, he had worn a prosthetic leg to move around. He was able to get back to walking, but with a limp.

Parthi's father stood up slowly, stabled himself, and limped towards the table. The second army man giggled at his father's state but, Shankar though, kept his stare at the handicapped man limping towards the table.

Parthi's father stood beside the table, and reached out to pick up the revolver. In a quick and sudden move, Shankar grabbed the revolver instead and pointed at Parthi's father. Parthi's mother started to scream, ran towards Shankar, and fall at his feet, begging him not to shoot. "Please, stop doing this!" his mother cried.

"Uma! Get on the jeep. Or I will blow your father's brains out", said Shankar. With not much choice, Uma accepted her fate and walked towards her fatal end. Parthi's father could only cry as Uma walked towards the jeep, and sat at the back of it. Shankar pushed Parthi's mother aside and walked to the jeep as well.

"Be proud of your daughter. She is going to fight for your freedom. In a few years time, your son will join her too" said Shankar while pointing to Parthi.

"That won't happen. He is only ten. The war will be over by then, and you will be dead," replied Parthi's father, "All of us will be dead".

Shankar stared at him with rage but did not utter another word, and just left. Parthi's father hugged his wife, trying to pacify her, while the jeep drove off with Uma.

Back in the house, Parthi's father asked them to pack their luggage to leave. "We need to go to the No-Fire Zone. At least, we can save these two kids." he said pointing to Shoba and Parthi.

"No. Let's just stay. My daughter will come back to us. Let's not leave," Parthi's mother replied, wiping her tears.

"But most of our neighbours are leaving. Some have already left. The war is at our area now. We need to at least save Parthi and Shoba," said Parthi's father.

"You can leave with them, if you want. I will stay here and just wait to die. There is no more hope in living already" replied Parthi's mother.

Upon hearing this, Parthi's father knew his wife has accepted the fate, and she was defeated and deflated when she lost her elder daughter. "Amma, we will stay here with you," Shoba said, while hugging her mother. Parthi followed his sister, and hugged his mother also.