THE VICE

Chapter 3

We were about to turn and head back to the place from where we have come, when all of a sudden, the screeching of the megaphone being turned on, was heard from the police van.   

“If you have any arms, drop it immediately and surrender!” The voice screamed through the megaphone.  

“We will show no mercy to all the people standing here if you all don’t follow what we say!”  

I looked at her briefly for a moment and saw her standing there absolutely still smiling with pressed lips. I felt as if she was curved out of stone. I could only see her breasts rising and falling as she was inhaling and exhaling, except that, everything was still.  

Strands of hair her was scattered all over her face, and there was a scar on her shoulder which was peeking out from under the neck of her tee. I looked at it for a long time, before she abruptly turned away from me.  Afraid that I have done something wrong, I looked at the greenery and towards the sky, only to notice it wasn’t dark anymore.  

The cry of the students in unison was becoming louder, as they marched towards the barricade. The megaphones from both the sides were blaring out random comments, opinions and instructions.  

“Demolish the government!” 

“Demolish the system!” 

The slogans tore through the summer air, as the police, took position before the attack.  

“Steel knife.” Came the voice from beside me.  

I looked at her, and this time, she was not making any attempts to hide her scar.  

“Do you know how much I hate, being this vulnerable to any human?” her eyes were impenetrable, as she spoke.  

I gave her a ‘I don’t know’ look, and she sighed on successfully deciphering my expression of puzzlement. Her two small eyes darted from my face to the faraway marching protesters to the vast stretch of the greyish blue sky.  

“Maybe if I die, someday the secrets of my miserable life will be buried with me and certainly, I never want that to happen. Never was enough courageous, perhaps to speak up, for there was the fear of being judged, and being condemned by this conservative society.” 

There was anguish in her eyes, and the corners have swollen up unnaturally as she was on the verge of crying. For a brief moment I thought of pulling her into an embrace, but having met a few hours ago, that didn’t seem the right thing to do. I kept silent looking at her face.  

She rubbed the corners of her eyes, with her bare hands and cleared her throat before speaking again.  

“There is always a fear in me, that the person standing or talking with me, may inflict harm at any moment. Whenever I have closed my eyes, I can see the images of my past so vividly, that is when I stumble and feel the stiffening down my throat.”  

Our hands, brushed against each other. Every cell of my skin, immediately became aware of her presence, and I wonder, when is the last time I’ve seen a human so vulnerable.  

Giving her a slight nudge, I assured her,  

“If you think I’m okay-ish enough, then you can tell me. I can promise you I will forget everything as soon as you end.”  

She looked at me a bit too long, then all of a sudden snapped her eyes off, as If suddenly losing interest in me. I found her laughing, covering her mouth with her hands, and head bowed down.  

“Thanks.” she said softly.  

“I guess you are okay-ish enough to tell my tales.