I began to study the place where I am living. I am an inmate of 'The Dawn'. Yes, Mareena said that her mother named this so.
"We give prime importance to children. They are our future. There is an orphanage on the other side of the town. It is where we put our major activities. For education,mainly. ",she said.
"Can you take me there someday?" ,I asked.
She turned her head in my direction. She looked unmistakably surprised.
"Of course,dear. Its so kind of you. "
"Thank you ,Mareena.", I hugged her .
"Oh! You might be getting bored staying inside ,right??"
"Nope.....", I said
"I saw you walking alone through the beach. So I thought ..."
"No..no.." , I said breaking her sentence,"its not like that. I like walking through the beach ...that's all"
Mareena and Jacob is my world here. There are more inmates here. But these two people stole my heart from day one.
I met an old lady today. She was in her seventies and her name is Asmi.
"How old are you, Sarah??",she asked me.
"Well...", I struggled to search for words, "..the first 'personal data' page of my half-soaked diary says that I am eighteen".
She laughed loudly showing her entire row of teeth.
She shared her past with me, about how she reached here. Her real name is Asmitha Shajahan, a north Indian. A crucial financial crisis tore her family and her father was compelled to sell her to the money lender. She lived a horrible life for years with him. After 2 years ,he threw her back to her father.
"I didn't know what to do. My father denied to take me back. ", she said wiping her pearly tears ,"I was left alone in the age of twenty five. I began to beg on the streets. Out of hunger, I fainted on a railway platform. The next thing I saw in front of my eyes was a woman giving me food. She was Mariam, Mareena's mother. "
Asmi's voice grew a little firmer ,"She brought me here and now,for all those years I tasted nothing but happiness....feeling of security....",she trailed off..
I touched her hand and she turned her head to me," 'The Dawn' is a place of happiness ,Sarah. There are kind hearts here who can heal dreadful pasts....."
