Of Lives and Lies

The RedLight's Child

Even in the darkest of times, a mother's hug has the power to make us feel at peace. It was the same for her. Cuddling into her mother's warmth and listening to the stories she recited - she couldn't have asked for more. It wasn't regular for her to have such moments with her mother. Her mother was never available to her in the day. And late in the night when she finally arrived, she would be too tired to even speak. But tonight was different. Her mother was in the room before the dusk. She even fed her with her own hands and now, was reciting her a story trying to lull her into sleep. For a 10 year old, if this wasn't bliss, what was?

Her happiness wasn't long lived though and she knew it when there was a knock on the door. She looked at the door as her mother opened it to see 'him' at the door. The man whom everyone called Chetan Kaka. She called him the same. But when he disturbed such moments she had with her mother, she called him 'Shaitan Kaka'. She heard him say that somebody was waiting downstairs to meet her. Who wanted to meet her mother in this late night? She didn't know the answer, and her mother's answer to the same was that kids like her wouldn't understand it. But why would she have bleeding lips in the morning? Those marks on her mother's arms and neck always confused her. Who was hurting her every night? She asked everyone in the house, but none answered her query. For all she knew and understood, she hated them and she was sure about it. She despised the fact that every time someone came to meet her mother, Kaka took her away from their room. "You shouldn't hear their talks" he would say and make her lie on the bed in another room, all alone! Why couldn't they understand the fact that she needed her mother? Kaka covered her with the blanket as usual and patted her head with a smile. She gave him a light smile and held his hands close in a tight grip. A few minutes later when she was half way into sleep, she felt him remove his hands from her grip. He placed a kiss on her forehead while caressing her head. Soon, she felt his warmth slip away. She pouted in displeasure and snuggling further into the blanket.

The next morning, she woke up and sat on the bed waiting for somebody to open it. They usually lock it from outside because they knew otherwise, she would try to reach her mother. She saw Chetan Kaka open the door. But unlike the other days, he looked gloomy. As he sat by her side, she could make out he was crying. She asked him what was wrong and he hugged her tight breaking down completely. She couldn't understand anything. Why was kaka crying? Was he crying because she called him Shaitan, yesterday?? But she calls him the same everyday. Then why was he crying now? No matter what, Chetan Kaka was her most favourite person in the house. He would play with her, console her, feed her. She pulled out of the embrace and wiped his tears giving him a smile. What she didn't know was that her innocent smile only increased his agony. Kaka carried her downstairs and she saw everyone gathered there. Some crying, some trying to console the others; but none happy. She looked for her mother in the lot but failed to find her. It was only later that her eyes caught a sight. Her mother was lying on the floor covered in a white cloth. It looked like she was sleeping. But why was she not waking up even after her repeated calls? She wanted her mother to hug her like she always did. She tried waking her up again, now crying. Soon she saw the uncles in the house lifting her mother. She tried to reach her mother but Kaka held her back. He said her mother wouldn't wake up. Why? And why was she taken away? But as always, nobody answered her.

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* Kaka is a word used to refer a person as 'uncle'.