Short Stories

The lost innocence

After sighing deeply, David turned to address the audience, "Well, I am finding it quite difficult how to go about this. So let us just take a small glimpse of Maria's past life which she is so brave enough to share with us tonight. And Maria, we truly, believe me, we really appreciate how you came here tonight and how you opened up with us just so that there is an awareness and many other lives could be saved from this ugly, ugly thing."

Another short video began to play and that left everyone silent and in shock. After a pause, David continued with the interview,

"How old were you?"

"I was nine."

"As we already understood from the video that it was your house-servant and that he was there to nurse your grandfather. Tell us about your first encounter and how long did this ordeal lasted."

"He was employed by my mother who needed his services for my grandfather who had been bed-ridden for sometime after he had a backbone injury. My father had a very hectic job, the one that required him to be always travelling and having business meetings. While my mother found a job at a local bakery, she would take orders from the home. I was nine and was in school. We needed some help." Maria explained.

"You mean someone who could take care of your grandfather and help around in the house as well?"

"Yes. My mother needed a helper who could deliver the baked items to the bakery, pick me and drop at school and also for my grandfather. She believed he was trustworthy. He had finished school and needed employment pretty badly."

"So he was there at your house 24/7?" David asked.

"Yes. We had a spare room at the garage. A bed and a tiny bathroom for guests. When my father was away for work, he stay up late to lock the doors and all. In return we would give him three square meals and a pay-check." Maria elaborated.

"Hmm. So how did he penetrated into your personal space?" David asked.

Maria took a deep breathe and continued, "My mother was a busy woman. It gets difficult to manage outdoors as well as indoors especially if the male-of-the-house is not around physically. So my mother started to relay heavily on him. For little things, she would send me off with him for the grocery store, like I mentioned earlier he was already taking me from school. My school and the marketplace was at the walking distance so, that meant walking with him for things."

"Your mother obviously trusted him because he was reliable in terms of work. But gradually, you two also started to spend more time. What about your grandfather? Didn't he saw it coming?"

"My grandfather's health was deteriorating. The servant had come when I was just five but shortly after, one night my grandfather fell from his bedside and later was diagnosed with Alzheimer's  disease. By the time this incident happened he had became a very quite man and had difficulty in recognising family."

"Did you ever felt anything weird about the man? Or was the incident a shock that terrorised you and you continued to live with it till it got over?"

"No. Honestly, it was really very confusing. Every vacations my family would come to see us and my uncles and my cousins would hug me and kiss me in the cheeks. Plus, as a child I was taught how to respect your adults and obey them. But my parents never explained me the difference. And therefore, I continued to see him as my elder that I need to obey and respect. I thought he was just loving me... just like my own father would. I thought it was innocent and not harmful."   Maria spoke, by the end of this long dialogue her voice had broke and so she had paused.

"It must have been so hard for you. I understand that it is difficult for you to tell us therefore without going into so much detail, may I ask what exactly he would do?"