Whisky, Women and World

Chapter 1

The sun slowly rose in the east, its rays glimmering on the wet grass and leaves in the garden. The smell of freshly rained soil wafted through Kovalam, a coastal town in Kerala. It was a warm morning, the kind that followed a comfortable, rainy night. The garden leaves rustled softly with the gentle morning breeze, and the sky was a deep azure. The air was filled with a feeling of contentment, and the place seemed to hum with peaceful energy. Even the birdsong seemed softer than usual, as if it too was lulled into a peaceful trance by the calming atmosphere.

The girl stood by the rusted grill, gazing at her stepfather's scooter. The seat was dotted with droplets of rain. She was ready for school, her long black hair neatly oiled and braided with two pony tails on either side. Her blue school uniform was perfectly pressed. She silently waited until her stepfather emerged from the house. He stared back at her with a suspicious look on his face that made her feel uneasy. However, she did not waver from her stance. After wiping down his scooter with a dry cloth, he turned it on and started it up. She watched as the scooter slowly rolled away, hoping he would not return.

Gently, the girl grabbed her bag and made her way to the wardrobe, stuffing it with a pair of clothes. She then stepped into her stepfather's room and knew where he would hide his money. A roll of cash was hidden in his wrinkled shirt pocket, hanging behind the door. It weighed heavily, and she knew it was meant to pay the rent. In her attempt to find out if she was being watched, she was surprised to see her mother standing at the entrance of the room, her eyes focused on her daughter. The girl had been caught off guard, but accepted it and stood frozen. The look on her mother's face was not one of anger, but of acceptance. The mother stepped into the room, reached out and touched the pink slap mark left on her daughter's face. Tears slowly welled up in her eyes, and the daughter looked back sadly at the bruises on her mother's wrist. Both stood silent. They knew what had to be done. The mother took a deep breath and walked out of the room.

It was her last day at school and the atmosphere was filled with a mix of joy and anxiety. Everyone seemed excited for the upcoming holidays, but also had to face pressing exams that day. But the girl was confident about her knowledge and wasn't interested in chatting with other kids. She walked straight to her classroom and waited for her exam to start. Felt both excited and nervous, but ready to put her best foot forward and take on the challenge.

When the clock finally struck the end of the exam, there was a collective sigh of relief as everyone knew it was over. But the girl wasn't done yet and used the remaining time to double check her answers.

She stepped out of the school, deliberately avoiding interactions with her peers. She halted by a nearby auto rickshaw and got in, resolute in reaching her destination without any further delays. On her way, the girl changed her clothes at a public toilet. As she exchanged her school uniform for her regular attire, her heart sank, acknowledging that she would never wear this uniform again, and a profound sorrow engulfed her. She pushed the uniform into her bag and carried on with her journey.

The girl paid the bill to the rickshaw driver before entering the huge and crowded railway station. As she stepped in, the smell of the station filled her nostrils and the roar of the station made her heart race. She nervously walked through the throng of people towards the ticket counter, as directed by the woman sweeping the platform. She slowly shuffled through the queue, watching as the others ahead of her finally reached the counter. It took over half an hour for her turn to come. The man at the ticket counter glared suspiciously at her when she asked for a ticket with the next train about to leave. The girl was taken aback by the intensity of his gaze and her heart raced as she tried to keep her composure. The man eventually slid the tickets through the corroded grill.

Collecting the ticket, the girl walked away after pushing the crowded queue of people on either side. Her hands were shaking and her eyes darted around the station, searching for her train. She checked her ticket again and again to make sure she hadn't missed it; her fingers traced the words written in tiny black ink. Finally, she spotted the place she was looking for, and uttered the name of her destination with excitement and fear. Taking a deep breath, she smiled and moved closer to the platform, eager to embark on her journey.

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