07— Two days afterwards.
“Sometimes we feel so little yet say so much.”
—Saumya Tripathi
“Life is an unexpected rollercoaster ride,” the thought invaded my mind as I stared into nothingness. Sometimes in life, we anticipate those things which are not in our hands; perhaps it is human nature that always moves but gets less. However, life is so uncanny: strange and difficult to understand or to even explain that no one could be sure of anything regardless of what they say. If one were to explain life they would have never been able to. Befuddled perhaps but things can never be predicted about what could happen next, likely in the very next movement. The truth is— the things we anticipate the most never seem to come true and the things we would have never imagined even in our own dreams— happen in reality.
Such as myself; I could have never expected such a ferocious day when my parents might die in such an unpredictable car accident. It was a moment of uncertainty that struck us hard in our hearts. Ah! Even who would have reckoned that our once happy family could not remain happy always? But, more or less I suffered— this endurable pain inside of me that surged through my veins like a curse. It was a curse to live without parents, someone who you looked forward to becoming, someone who you adored with all the pieces of your breathing heart, someone who made you feel safe and protected all your life. Even for a few seconds, I could have never thought of my life without Papa-Maa, but here I was left alone in this whole cosmos with a small baby brother who didn't even know how to walk by himself. How was I going to take care of him?
Had it not been for my brother I'd have died a long time ago.
Fate could be very cruel at times. Two days— it had been two whole days and it passed in a daze since I had been brought up here.
Two days in this unfamiliar house with my baby brother: alone and lost and confused. Had it not been for my little brother with me, I would have gone insane. Totally. My subconscious confirmed my assumptions. No one had come in here except for Sabba who came daily and timely, thrice a day with nutrients and milk for which I was grateful. Somewhat, I was glad we were not being starved, speaking of which I couldn't come to fathom why we had been kept here in the first place. It was a sane question. Any person in my place would have been confused at the suddenness of it. Whatsoever, I was grateful they were providing us food— my baby needed his milk and nutrients timely for his growing self otherwise he would fuss around and eventually would end with a fatal fever which I couldn't take. I couldn't afford it.
My appetite had been lost— long ago. I desired not to eat food. I barely ate anything or slept in the two days since I gained consciousness. It wasn't easy to stay somewhere you never belonged. Similarly, I was facing a hard time and was under the influence of sleep deprivation.
"Bo-bo!" came a vociferous voice of my little brother cutting me from my internal thoughts and pain that I had made myself indulge in.
"What is it, Shaur?" Blinking away the fogginess of thoughts from my mind I asked him softly while placing him on my lap.
"Bo-bo!" He called out yet again with a small pout full-on display.
"Oh, you must be hungry, are you not, Shaur?” He laughed at my baby voice. “I know you are hungry. Don't worry, your milk must be arriving anytime from now."
And in an instant, the opening of the door was heard on cue. I sighed. Finally, "See, your milk has arrived."
"Hey, R!" Sabba chirped, entering the room with a long- large tray of food.
"Hi," I whispered back, smiling slightly.
In addition to my situation, I could not come to neglect her chirpy self that had really been honest since I had been brought here. She was my only friend.
"Here's your food and a bottle of milk for my little devil over here," gesturing to my little brother enthusiastically, she grinned ear to ear at him. Her eyes brimming with mirth. I smiled slightly at her endearment for my brother who fussed on my lap making annoyed faces but grinned back eventually at Sabba.
"Aw' he is so adorable," she cooed, tugging at his cheek gently. And in return he glared, unlikely at her.
"You do know that you both appeared like twins just except for your age differences," she said animatedly, looking at both of us back and forth, grinning.
My sight blurred at her confession, bringing back my happy days with my family. Yes, my Maa used to articulate the same thing as well— that we both were carbon copies of our father except for our hair colours. I still remember how my father reacted by listening to that particular comment— how he would wink at my mother in retort, saying how proud he felt and how charming we were just because we got his looks. And then, how my mother would laugh out loud after his cheesy lines.
But, only if they were here. How joyous we were once. How complete we would be if the accident wouldn't happen. Our family was simply optimistic yet unique. However, it was the happiest one too.
"Hey!? You there, my friend? Huh? Is there any problem?" Sabba asked, breaking me from my nostalgic thoughts.
"N-no, I-I was just hmm... thinking about something. Sorry," stammering, I murmured.
"It's okay. I understand," she responded. Genuinely understanding and seeming concerned.
I forced back a smile in return.
And then, there was silence as we sat.
Opening the cap of the milk bottle I adjusted Shaur on my lap; his head on my elbow. Having made him comfortable I stuffed the nipple in his too-eager mouth.
"And Radhika?" Sabba called out as I looked up.
"Please start eating something from today. Will you? You look so thin and quite sick. You need energy, you know, for your little brother. You haven't or I would rather say barely touched any food in two days," she said softly with a bit of sorrow in her tone which was detected anyway.
"Can I ask you a question Sabba?" my voice quivered, breaking my eye contact, I questioned her instead.
"Hm-hm you know you can ask me more than one question as you like. I will invariably be there for your hotty-naughty question you know!" She joked with a wink at my uneasy face.
She was such an exuberant person. I couldn't help but think to myself.
"Kidding babe. Now, shoot!"
"You don't know me then why do you care so much? How can you be so courteous to me?" I inquired, my voice coming out just above a whisper with my clogged throat. "I am left alone with a baby brother in this whole world by myself," I said in a broken voice after a pause with a bent head. "I feel lost and alone." The last part was barely audible.
"Ssh. Don't cry, you are not alone. We are family now see— me, Zahar, your little brother and many more just wait till you come across them. You will never be alone onward. Trust me they all will love you!" Sitting by my side Sabba held my hand and squeezed it lightly consoling me while rubbing my back.
After a movement of silence Sabba ordered:
"Now, go and wash your face and come eat! I will watch over Shaur. Now, you shoo!"
I nodded slowly, handing Shaur to her. A sense of gratitude and respect swept over me for her.
Standing, I proceeded to go to the washroom with my wobbling legs. After washing and drying my face I got out of the bathroom. But, I heard a voice- rather her endearment for a peculiar someone that made me stop dead in my path.
"Okay! Surely would do, big brother," she said on the spur of the moment, making me stay frozen like an inanimate object. Could it be? No. No! But what if. . .?
"Radhika, why are you standing there like a pillar?" Turning around Sabba asked, walking my way before placing a sleek black phone on the bed.
"It's n-nothing.......for an n-no reason." I stuttered, eyeing her.
"Aw!" Reaching, she cooed, pinching my left cheek. "Okay I got to go but please have some food, alright?" She said worriedly again. "You will? Won't you?"
I nodded slowly.
"Goodnight!"
Still in my appalling state, I once again politely smiled and nodded. I couldn't come to answer her back because we both knew— that there was nothing good on this night and never will be if I had to remain here. Retreating, she took her phone and walked up to the door but before she could continue and leave. I called out:
"Thank you, Sabba."
She looked back astonished. Giving me one of her most beautiful smiles that I had become very used to with a nod she resumed her walk and left shutting the door quietly behind her.
With another deep sigh, I sat adjacent to my brother who was sucking loudly from the nipple of the bottle, peeking at me through his long lashes.
I sighed in contentment watching him. He was fine.
All of a sudden the door was forcibly pushed open making my neck whip in its direction with a deep fear within me. Flabbergasted, I turned back wholly to see and saw Fatima ma'am— looking perturbed. I breathed a deep sigh. It was only her.
After locking the door, she started to stroll toward me with confident, long steps and shimmering eyes. The perturbed emotion on her face was long gone. In seconds, sweat beads started to appear on my forehead. Shouldn't I be happy that she was here? Then why was I sweating all of a sudden? Considering, I began to stand but she gestured to me with a wave of her hand; not to. With an acknowledgement nod, I sat looking up at her in anxiety.
Silence. I sat there and she stood just a few feet away. Perhaps contemplating? Hence, I sat down nervously, fidgeting. Must I ask her? I must not. What if she was. . .?
"I came here to discuss the plan,” she sounded out, coming closer.
I sat confused. Plan. I wanted to ask but I couldn't. My eyebrows frowned together, anxiously.
"Your runaway plan girl, of course!" She scoffed. "Did you forget it even?"
Then it struck me. "Yes ma'am." My voice confirmed. "No, I did not."
"Good. Thought as much. Now, you listen very carefully because I will only repeat it once. And please try to make sure not to ruin the plan with any of your stupidity," she said sharply, sitting in front of me on the bed.
I nodded but meekly at her commanding tone.
Coming closer to me; wholly facing me, she started:
"It's thirty past ten and everyone will be off to sleep till eleven o'clock. Although, there are only three more people apart from me in the house during this movement. But you wouldn't be finding any problem whatsoever with them until you reach the main door. However, there will be guards; two guards precisely at the main gate, alright? Hmm. I will distract them until you reach there. Okay?" She sounded out slowly and seriously, making eye contact with me the whole time.
She waited until her words sank into me fully. And when I nodded, she started again without any dilly-dallied:
"Listen carefully. Will you?"
She added after some time eyeing me, before nodding.
"It's all easy— sneaking through those halls and corridors. It is no big deal you could do it. But, you will escape today at thirty past twelve as I had promised. Only the thing is— there is a scanner; a self-hand scanner which needs a password. And the door could only be opened with the handprint of a family member. You don't have to be worried about that though I got it all covered. When everyone is fully asleep I will come here exactly at midnight to hand over some money and pieces of stuff so you can get away, safely. And I already hailed a cab for you which will drop you at the railway station and from then you could go anywhere you want. Alright?" She finished.
In an instant, I nodded somewhat relieved taking all in.
"Now, I better go. Don't want anyone to get suspicious. If, by any chance, they get an inkling about the plan. We would be as good as dead. I will come to meet you at midnight, till then stay put." She stood to depart and was about to hold the knob of the door. "Ma'am?" I called out to her softly when she was about to open the door. "Thank you, I will never forget this kindness of yours," I said, my eyes glistening with unshed tears and with full of gratitude in them. For her.
She gave me a curt nod before leaving and shutting the door behind me.
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