Gauri and Nasreen

Gauri - Dec 1946

Bang! Bang!

The loud report of the gunshot almost gives me a heart attack. It will take some time to get accustomed to this sound. It is as disturbing even for the women of the house, the elders who have no part in it.

Today the sky is so clear and so blue that it hurts my eyes to look up. The afternoon sun is warm and welcoming especially after a chilly morning. Looking down at the hundred or so gathered men in the meadow behind my home, I marble at the remarkable commitment they have, coming here every single day without fail. They take up the rifles with a determination so clearly visible in their sweaty faces that the women can't help feel safer and prouder with each passing day.

But with this my playful days have also come to an end. Apart from going to school that too now escorted by Rubul, my cousin brother, rest of the day I content myself with running inside this closed confinement of mine.

These tales of riots and massacres were of far of lands and were meant to stay that way. It is really weird how fast the fire spread. Till the beginning of November, it was okay though there were some small incidents in the neighboring villages but; by the end of the month, everything changed drastically. Now it is so near home that the men in our village have been forced to take up the rifles and train everyday at the village headman's house, that is my home.

Sigh! I can only wait for it to end.

'Gauri di give me that laddu na'

Nimmi my little adorable 7 yr old sister breaks my train of thoughts, I smile noticing her messy fingers from eating the sweets. It bemuses me how a little girl like her can get so easily familiar with the gun shots. It is a shame that I being thirteen jump at the sound of the gunshot.

"Catch it if you can" I reply as I start running away from Nimmi, holding the laddu above my head. For a 7 year old she is very fast; she chases me like a wild animal ready to pounce to claim her prize.

'Gauri give it to her!" Guddu masi yells from the courtyard as she and the other women of the house pound the spices. I stop and Nimmi crashes into me. In the momentary imbalance she grabs my hand and snatches the laddu away.

"I got it"

I smile as she revels in her victory. The gunshots are fired again.

In the distant I see a cloud of smoke rising as it slowly advances. An equestrian at this hour of the day?

"Dada one Ghur-sawar is approaching fast! I can see it" I yell at the top of my voice to my granfather. Grand father and all the men immediately stop doing their routine practice and all eyes are aimed at me.

"Are you sure" my father asks me. I vigorously nod and point towards the way the equestrian is approaching at a rapid pace.

Immediately grandfather issues instructions which I cannot hear from up here but I can clearly sense the tension in the air.

"Go and tell your mother about this" my father yells at me over the increasing sound of the horse's hooves. I grab Nimmi by the wrist and run downstairs.

A/N

Hey there its been a long time. Sorry for the delay. Now if you liked this chapter don't gorget to vote and comment. 

I know this a very small chapter and ends abruptly but that's how I wanted it., so do bear with me.

love,

Ena