Sins Of Our Fathers

Chapter 4

"Amma! Appa!" Parthi shouted, and ran to the porch to find for his parents. All he saw was a large pool of blood, and some burning human body parts. He went into a state of shock, and just dropped to the floor. He could not even cry out. He could not even recognize his own parents.

One random stranger, who was part of the migration that was happening came to his help, and shook him.

"Boy! Let's get out from here!" the stranger tried to carry him up.

Parthi came back to his senses. "Shoba! Shoba!"

He started to find for his little sister. "Uncle! My sister was standing there." he cried and pointed to the stranger.

The stranger ran to the spot, and saw a little girl lying face flat on the ground. He carried her, and examined for injuries. There were none. Shoba was still alive but just unconscious. The stranger carried her, and went to Parthi. "Your sister is fine. Let's get out of here boy before another shell drops on us!"

The stranger grabbed Parthi's hand and took him away from the burning carnage. He placed Shoba on an old tractor, and asked Parthi to sit beside his sister, and drove off. Parthi looked back at his house, which was reduced to a burning hell, and his parents on its porch in charred pieces. The kids' lives had changed drastically in a matter of minutes. Things happened so quickly before anyone of them could even fathom.

There were more whistling sounds, loud bangs and orange flames that could be heard and seen further away from his house, as more shells were fired at their town. The stranger started to drive the tractor faster to get to safety. Parthi finally, gave out a loud cry. His grief got the better out of him.

Unknowing to Parthi, Bala and his mother were already in the same procession but at the tail end. They walked past a burning house, and Bala was shocked at what it was.

"Amma, that is Parthi's house." he told his mother. His mother noticed the carnage at the front porch of the house, and thought the family was gone.

"He should have left with his family before this happened. Don't worry, Bala. They should be fine," his mother assured him. Such lies, a mother had to tell her kids, just not to make them panic.

Bala and his mother, together with a few hundred poor souls reached a school compound that had been converted into a hospital by some Red Cross members. The school was a single floor building with red tiles on the roof. It was empty with just a few makeshift beds. There were patients lying on the dirty floor of the school, and some on beds. The stench of blood filled the air. All that one could hear were moans and screams of injured people. There was only one doctor in that hospital and a few volunteers acting as nurses. All were busy giving care to those who were in serious conditions first.

"Doctor sir, we have finished painting the big red cross on the roof," one man told the doctor.

"Thank you. Please help those who have just arrived. Give them soup to drink." the doctor replied, pointing to the new group that had settled in the compound.

"The army will be able to see us now, and they won't be bombing us," the doctor told a Red Cross member, standing beside him.

A volunteer gave a cup of warm water, and with some ingredients in it to Bala and his mother. Bala took a sip of it, and looked at his mother. She was drinking it also. "It's okay, Bala. Just drink."

"Bala!" a familiar voice shouted. Bala turned back and saw Parthi.

"Parthi!" Bala was excited to see his friend there. He ran to Parthi and hugged him. "Are you alright? Where is Shoba?" he asked.

"I'm okay. Minor burns. Shoba is fine. She is just in a shock," Parthi replied pointing to Shoba, who was placed on the floor. "Doctor told her to get rest, and she will be fine."

"Where are your parents?" Bala asked. Parthi, looked at the floor, and shook his head left and right. Bala did not utter another word.

Parthi started to cry. "In front of my own eyes," he muttered, trying to hold back his tears. Bala hugged him. His mother walked towards them, and tried to console Parthi. "I'm sorry, Parthi. We are here for you,", she said and hugged him.

"What his parents did, Amma?" asked Bala, for which his mother did not have any answer.

"What did everyone here do, Amma, What wrong did they do? What did Appa do?" Bala asked again. "What did Appa do, Amma?"

His mother looked at Bala, hoping to give answers but couldn't . She walked out of the compound without answering anything. She could not answer because her husband chose a side and gave up his life for it. It seemed to her, maybe her husband had died in vain. The people whom he died for are also suffering anyway, but did these people ask for a separate state or they just wanted to lead a peaceful life? Who really asked for a separate state? What are all these killings for? What reason Parthi's parents died for?

Bala's mother was torn between her dead husband's ideology and her son's innocent questions. She did not have any answer for anyone.