Sins Of Our Fathers

Chapter 10

May 2009, Sri Lanka

Bala's mother, the kids and hundreds of Tamils finally reached the No Fire Zone, a place called Mullivaikal.

The place was overwhelmed with displaced civilians in their own country. People had built temporary shelters using blue tarpaulins and zinc sheets. Among the shelters, there were also shallow bunkers built among them.

Bala's mother and the kids had barely space to walk through the place. Women, and old folks laid underneath the tarpaulins and metal sheets to hide from the sun. The heat was unbearable as the sun scorched the earth. Flies and mosquitoes buzzed around everywhere and no one bothered to do anything about them other than the occasional waving of the hand to shoo away the insects. Whatever the mosquitoes were doing, was nothing compared to the atrocities they had went through.

Bala's mother saw one shelter, built with zinc sheets, had only one old man lying on the bare ground. "Can we share with you and stay here?" she asked.

The old man never replied, and just returned a stare.

"Okay, let's stay in this shelter," Bala's mother told the kids, as she placed Shoba on the ground. She opened a blanket and laid it on the ground. Bala helped Parthi sit on it, and everyone sat around Parthi, making themselves comfortable.

"What is this amma?" Bala asked.

"Mullivaikal. This is a safe place, Bala. I know it looks terrible but soon help will arrive and we will be out from here," his mother replied.

A unfamiliar sound filled the air at that moment. A weird whirring sound. Bala's mother looked up the sky, and saw a drone flying above them but she did not know what it was doing there. She assumed that it might be from some news reporters or some journalist.

"Finally! The world is watching us! Looks like a drone and they have cameras on-board. Help will definitely come, and we will be free," Bala's mother said.

Night arrived once again, and the Zone was getting quieter as people went to take their precious rest. Bala's mother checked on Parthi's right stump. The blood stains on the bandage were dark and dried, and she knew it meant that the blood has clotted and healing has began. The kids were fast asleep, thanks to the tiring journey they took. She looked at Bala, and wondered if she can ever give her son back his normal life.

'Soon, morning will come and hopefully, help will too,' she thought to herself as she closed her eyes to sleep.

The next day morning, most of the people in Mullivaikal were still slowly coming out of their slumber. A loud and sudden sonic boom went off, abruptly waking up everyone. People who woke up, wondered, what the hell was that!

A fighter jet flew past over their heads at a low altitude. Bala's mother woke up and fixed her eyes at the fighter jet. It flew right to the end of the makeshift town and dropped something. A circular object came off the aircraft and flew towards the ground. After a few seconds of silence, an explosion erupted from the far ground, followed by a thick black smoke that quickly rose up to the air.

Women and kids started to scream, and panic set in. People started to scramble once again. Grabbing whatever they can with their hands, and running to safety. Two more fighter jets flew over them and dropped bombs. Loud and hot explosions ripped the temporary shelters. Throwing up the tarpaulins and the occupants up in the air.

"God damn it! Let's get out of here! We need to find a bunker!" Bala's mother shouted, grabbing Shoba. Bala piggybacked Parthi on his back. Parthi put his arms around Bala's neck. He looked at the original occupant of their shelter, the old man.