Entangled {With Slaves Of Persia} (Book 2)

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Hi everyone, please read, vote and comment too.
Thank you
Sujatha

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Author's P.O.V . Continues....

Year 1880....

By the end of 1880, India was totally under the rule of British Raaj. They had colonized and used several mean techniques to control those who opposed their rule and some greedy people were lured to earn an extra penny by those British Officials to work for them in different areas of their expertise promising them to pay well but they never paid.

It was during those days when many number of people from states like Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Gujarat were lured saying "you all will be paid well and you can even own a piece of land there that produces diamonds, which can make you rich and you all don't have to work under someone but make others work under you"

It was propaganda saying MAKE A FORTUNE

Hearing them many of the Indians were ready to leave the country to work under the British Empire in South Africa.  In them was  Mahipal Trivedi. The young and energetic Mahipal was desperate to earn money so that he could give a better life to his parents who were suffering from poverty. He did not wish to let go off the opportunity to earn well and instantly registered his name in the list of those who were volunteers for the MAKE A FORTUNE, that which actually was mining work in South Africa.

All the men women and children were taken to a port in Gujarat and from there they traveled by Ship to reach the South African port. The grueling journey took a toll on many weaker ones. Some of them died on the way and were thrown off into the sea and those who were able to make it upto the port but were in no condition to work were also thrown away into the sea since the British did not wish to tend to their ill health.

Later they were all taken to a semi forested area, where there were already hundreds of slaves in the knee deep pits on the banks of a river and were filtering the red mud with big sieves, "You all start doing the same work from now on" instructed the official who was in charge of these workers standing on a wooden bridge. With no idea of how their future would be, they all began working in those muddy pits during the day time till the sun set. Nights they lived in the huts that were not far away from the river. With the night fall, tired from the day's work, they all fell asleep except Mahipal, who kept looking at those stars shining bright in the sky on his first night in another country. He could not sleep at all, firstly he was missing his parents, the thoughts about them bothered him all through the night. hope they are fine....  he kept thinking and prayed, god, please help my parents and give them strength to survive until i return back home...  the ten year old Mahipal prayed in his mind looking at those stars, lying on the ground with just a thin bed-sheet made of dried leaves separating his back and the green grass.

Days passed by with all of them getting exhausted with the laborious work of extracting the diamonds. "You all need to put more and more efforts.." yelled the officials holding a whip, on and off using it on those old and tired workers who tried to take some rest.

"How could you hit him? He is old?" confronted Mahipal one hot afternoon when he saw an official whipping an old man who was resting on a small rock.

"If you don't start your work, then I know how to use this on you too" replied the official to Mahipal threatening the young boy.

I will wait for my turn to whip your ass and make my fortune.... Mahipal thought.

Mahipal was only twelve then, with not much physical and mental strength, he had to succumb to the pressure of those officials. But he kept hiding his rage waiting for a right opportunity to show it on that particular official who enjoyed his way of controlling everyone. 

A year passed by when a fresh set of slaves were brought in from India to work in those mines. In them was a ten year old boy Vipin. Both Vipin and Mahipal worked in the same area and slowly they got to know each other well and within no time their interaction turned into friendship and later they became best friends. Days were hard for those young boys and nights were filled with fun sharing their experiences, their thoughts and even cracking a few jokes.

Five years later.....

Mahipal, one morning was working in those mines when he saw a fresh set of slaves walking in. "Where do you think, they are from?" Mahipal enquired with Vipin pretending to be sieving the mud but his gaze was on their clothing that appeared a bit different than the ones he knew.

"Have no idea brother, but they do not look like they are from our country" Vipin replied.

"That's okay, let's just do our work" Mahipal suggested turning back his attention and they both continued their work. It was then they both saw a few women too entering the slave colony near that pit they both were working in. Many of the women were wearing burk'a while the young girls were wearing a hijab. Ignoring them, they continued their work. Back to their hut, they both were curious to find out about the new slaves. Participating in a chat of elders, they came to know that the new slaves were from the Persian Gulf.

"Do you know where this Persian Gulf is?" Vipin tried to find out from Mahipal.

"No idea brother" Mahipal said walking back to the hut "I am too tired brother, I have to sleep"

They both continued to work in those mines with a hope that some day, those British officials would give them their right of owning a few diamonds and the promised land that could make them rich. But years passed by with no reference of ownership of land or diamonds or even freedom they deserved. Many of those who arrived there with Mahipal, turned lean and unrecognizable and so was Mahipal who now was tall, bold and even energetic with his hormones kicking inside body day and night, he felt much stronger and energetic most of the time.

"Hello, my name is Raahil" a young man introduced himself one evening while both Mahipal and Vipin were having dinner outside seated near a camp fire.

"Hello Raahil, come sit with us. Do you wish to eat some bread?" Vipin was friendly.

"No I already had food that my wife prepared" Raahil replied.

"That's nice, you are already married and enjoying life" Mahipal was getting frustrated with the life he was living in and suddenly jealousy crept in the moment he learnt about Raahil's life. "All I wanted was to get rich, help my parents but I think there is no hope or scope for anything. I made a mistake by coming here" he said in a much angrier tone putting away the unfinished bread.

"It's not just you, we all are living in hell" Raahil tried to pacify.

"You at least have a wife, I don't even have a wife" said Mahipal who was getting desperate to enjoy and Vipin was spectating.

"We need to plan an escape brother" suggested Mahipal taking back his unfinished bread and took a bite again.

"Yeah, you are right" Raahil was in favour planning to escape and so was Vipin.

It was that very same night the three of them hatched a plan. Mahipal and Vipin knew exactly when, where and at what time the guards would take a break while Raahil being new member there he still was trying to get adapted to this new environment but he had his own field of expertise. He was an expert sea diver and could stay in the water for a couple of minutes pretty easily. Learning about Raahil's field of expertise, Mahipal took a small stick lying on the ground nearby, he started drawing lines to show the other two what he was thinking.

"You need to pull the guard standing on that wooden bridge into the river and kill him, that would ease our work" said Mahipal.
"No brother, we are not murderers. I cannot kill anyone and will not approve for this plan" said Raahil and walked away from there that midnight.

"Now I am concerned about us. I think I made a mistake by trusting him" said Mahipal regretting his talk that revealed his plan of escape.

"I am sure he won't say a word about our discussion brother. Now leave this topic here, we shall discuss some other day and before that I'll try and convince Raahil. Let's sleep now. I'm too tired today" Vipin tried to pacify Mahipal, who was agitated with Raahil's sudden withdrawal.

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