The Truth Untold

FAITH!

At age 11, Chiara was a lovely soul.
Quite intelligent and portraying not an ounce of bitterness, towards anyone.
In fact, she shone and basked in the glory of helping children in the neighbourhood.
Reading, Home Work or just games.
Chiara was there.
One often wondered if it was due to the fact that she  was not allowed indoors, once her chores were through.
It was interesting to observe her progression, towards the well being of others.
Although her mother continued to treat her with contempt, Chiara continued to show respect.
Very soon, she learnt that her uncanny resemblance to her "absent father" was a major reason for the anger and hatred which were thrown at her.
Whatever the reason, Chiara could not have found the logic in a mother disliking her own flesh and blood, due to animosity towards the father.
Women everywhere re married and have kids, yet they loved their children fiercely.
Chiara's mom, by all accounts showed love to the younger children.
Emma had not only failed to love, care and protect her daughter. She had also heaped the huge burden of her failed marriage to her first husband, on Chiara's shoulders.
The older Chiara got, the more she spent time alone or playing with other kids in the street.
At home, silence or one word sufficed for hours, while her siblings chattered on
Incessantly.

Finally, the day of exams dawned.
Chiara, despite all her sadness awoke with a feeling of exuberation.
The day which she had been waiting on had arrived.
She was thrilled!

Finally the chance to prove that she could do something.
She was determined to succeed!
"This is the opportunity to prove my parents wrong!" she told herself.
With a bounce to her step, Chiara quickly prepared breakfast for the family.
School was out, due to exams.
The younger children were due to leave for their grandmother's home shortly.
Chiara hastened her steps.

Early that morning, Chiara heard when her mother had left for work.
No "Good Luck" came Chiara's way.
When Mr. Awkward left at 6.30 a.m. to take the kids to their destination, Chiara sighed with relief.
"Peace at last!" she muttered to herself.
"No peeping Tom!"

Chiara quickly laid out her uniform which she had starched and ironed, the night before.
Anxious to get to the exam centre, she quickly retrieved a pair of white shoes, which she had hidden below the mattress.
She was thankful to her neighbour, Miss Soon, who had given them to her.
The shoes could have no longer  fitted Miss Soon's daughter.
Humming happily to herself, Chiara grabbed  her towel.

Suddenly, she heard a sound, which sounded like a click, but, it was too feint to distinguish.
Dismissing the sound, Chiara continued towards the bathroom.
There was that sound again!
Distinct this time.
Chiara froze like an iceberg!
It was the sound of the front door opening!
Click!
The squeak of the rusty door hinges, announced the entrance of someone.
Bang! Shut! Click!
The ominous sounds were in sync with the frightful beating of her heart.
Worse than the cumulonimbus clouds, which were applauding to signal the arrival of a heavy downpour.

Fright flowed through Chiara, like gushing water after a torrential outburst.
Someone switched on the radio..loudly.
Music seeped through the brown, wood panel, which separated the bedroom from the living room.
Chiara turned to gain access to the bedroom door.
Her efforts were in vain because...
Standing there...
lounging against the door, was Mr. Awkward...holding a beer and munching on a chocolate bar.
Black and grey hair, lay rumpled upon his high dome.
His horsey face was wrinkled into a smile.
A  smile which was filled with the muddiness of intoxication, madness, lust and premature aging.
Sporting light blue jeans which were bleached to white in spots, he just stood there.
Chiara, despite her fear and distress, almost laughed, knowing that his newly designed pants, was her special laundry gift to him.

Bare feet, pallid skin, dull brown eyes of a ruthless man, who would stop at nothing, to make Chiara's life a living hell.
His mocking gaze was on her as if challenging her to try to escape.
"Why are you getting all dressed up?"
Was his illiterate question.
Meekly, with her eyes darting to and fro, frantically looking for an escape route, Chiara responded.
"I have exams today."
"What!" Mr. Awkward bellowed
"You are not going anywhere!
You are a dunse, you little monkey!
Stop wasting your time!"

With that exclamation, he bent and seized the pair of white shoes and flung them through the window.
The thud which the shoes made, upon landing on the ground, made Chiara  shiver.
Mr. Awkward then seized her neatly, ironed uniform, in one fluid movement.
Rolling the blouse and skirt into an untidy ball, he dashed the items into a corner.

Moving stealthily, like a cobra towards it's prey, he advanced on Chiara.
Within an inch of her, he paused.
"Take off your clothes!" he demanded.
With folded arms and "saffron" smile, he watched intently as if challenging Chiara to disobey.
Chiara stood her ground, with tears of fear and despair making waves down her cheeks.
"Why did mummy have to work the 6.00 a.m.to 2.00p.m. shift?" she pondered despairingly.
The "TIC TOC" of the clock, which was perched on the bed head, reminded her that if she could not find a way out soon, her chances at exams, would be nil.