Monopoly

Chapter Zero

Water splashed out of the puddle as the boy ran out of the brothel and into the narrow, wet alley. His ragged clothes were covered in filth and mud. There was sweat and a tinge of greasiness on his face. He ran barefoot, his feet soaked in vermin. One would wonder what he had done to deserve such a life. But that was an unneeded question. There was no requirement to answer that.
What did need answering was what he was doing running out of a brothel at 3 am in the morning. More so, running out at that time with a chit in his hand, which he clutched very tightly.
He skidded left and kept running, not bothering to look back, or at the bleeding from his foot. He knew he had to run, and he ran as if his life depended on it. As he ran, the incident that unfolded just quarter an hour ago flashed in his head.
His was fast asleep when he heard some shouts and screams. He woke up with a start, but could not shout. He never could, at least since they cut out his voice box 3 years ago. His mataji ran into the room and handed him a chit and spoke to him in Hindi, telling him to run to saheb. Oh, how he hated saheb! He used to hit mataji, and that angered the boy. But he always listened to his mataji. So, when she told him to go to saheb, he did so without hesitation. As he went out, he caught a glimpse of the scene inside. There were some people in brown coloured clothes, armed with sticks. dragging the didis away. He was scared with all the commotion, but did as his mataji told him.
"Run to saheb. Give this to him. And stay there till I come."
He hated every bit of his mataji's words, but he obeyed them sincerely. And so, he ran. He ran to saheb. The night was damp. He sensed the familiar smell of paan. That meant he was getting closer to saheb's place.
He took a sharp right and quickly stopped in front of a warehouse. It was covered with webs and some moss. And a lot of bird droppings. The boy knocked thrice and waited patiently for the bearded man to open the door and escort him to saheb. But instead of the bearded man, someone else opened the door.
It was none other than saheb himself. It seemed as though he had been expecting the boy to come. Saheb took the boy inside and sat him on the floor. He took the chit and read it. As soon as he did, he crushed the note and threw it aside. He looked at the boy, now staring at the floor. He picked the boy up and took him to a room. He placed the boy on a bed and told him to sleep. The boy looked at him with worry and anxiety. Saheb told the boy that mataji would be alright, and that all he had to do was go to sleep. And so the boy did.
Then saheb made a phone call. He lit a cigarette and sat on a chair. "No. 17 out" is what the note said. This was the third raid in seven days. Sir, the one who saheb worked for, was not going to be pleased. He was calling Sir right now. He waited for the line to be picked up.
Then someone burst through the front door.