When I regained consciousness, I found myself in the barn. My skin still stung. I touched the mark...his brand, gingerly and a jolt of pain shot through my entire body.
I heaved myself up and sat leaning against the wall, its roughness pricking my back, helping me take my mind off the burnt circle of flesh.
He had tried to wipe it off the wall, but it still remained. The faded outline of a cage. I extended my arm and traced the word in its centre.
Chakor.
No matter how hard he tried, he hadn't been able to get rid of it.
Get rid of her.
Despite everything that had happened, the thought made me happy.
The old, rusty shackles lying in the opposite corner caught my eye. I couldn't help but wonder why they were so tiny.
Of course, they were tiny. They were used to bind a small child.
And then suddenly she was in front of me. Barely four feet tall, in a red and blue frock, staring up at me defiantly just like when I'd first laid eyes on her.
Chakor.
Her tiny face broke out into a large smile. She tried waving at me, lifting up a hand, weighed down by the metal ropes. Her smile was replaced by a sadness that broke my heart.
Foolishly, I walked towards her. The pain and exhaustion had messed with my head. I knew she was only my imagination. But I couldn't help myself.
I just wanted to tell her she wasn't alone. She must've been so scared. Just a child and locked up all alone in this dark, cold, dirty place.
I just wanted to tell her I was sorry no one was there for her before. I wanted to tell her not to be frightened. That everything would be okay. That she'd have a wonderful life and grow up to be the most amazing person I'd ever known.
I just wanted to tell her...
The doors were thrown open as daylight flooded in. I had never been happier to see Shikhu.
Greetings and explanations were exchanged before he enveloped me in a bear hug, breaking the employees' stupid code of conduct. He noticed the mark. Before the sympathy could begin, I rather brusquely requested for his kurta to cover up.
He obliged without argument. He truly was a good lad.
He told me to hurry outside to the main gate. I walked with long strides, trying to ignore the awkwardness of wearing someone else's clothes for the first time in my life and the fear that my father would swoop down on me any moment.
I found one of our cars waiting for me at the gate. It was the smallest we owned, something I would have never even considered driving myself.
And in the driver's seat was Chakor, nervously drumming her fingers against the steering wheel. Her face broke out into a smile when she saw me as she reached across to unlock the passenger's seat.
For a brief moment, I had the same vision. Her, as a child, smiling up at me from inside her cage. There was so much I wanted to tell her.
She began talking almost as soon as I sat. How worried they'd all been wondering where I disappeared last week, the rude shock they received when Kamal Narayan told them he'd enslaved me, the plan she concocted to get him arrested.
I raised a hand and placed it over her mouth making her freeze mid - sentence. She looked at me, her eyes reflecting surprise.
"Kitna bolti ho tum," I said, pretending to be unmoved by everything and still in good humour, "Tumhe chup karaane ka yehi tareeka maloom hota hai."
She glared at me and grabbed my hand. She seemed to be on the verge of telling me off again, when she paused and turned my hand, examining my wrist. She grabbed the other hand and did the same.
She looked up at me, relieved, "Shukar hai. Tumhe mohar nahin laga paaya Kamal Narayan."
I felt a lump in my throat as she smiled at me.
I settled back in my seat, forcing myself not to think about it.
"Bohot lamba safar hai Delhi tak ka. Kamal Narayan jail mein zarur hai, lekin usse wahan rakhne ke liye humein iss gawah se milna hoga jiska pata humein Adi ne diya hai.
So jaao tum. Bohot thak gaye hoge na? Jaldi mein khaana paani laana bhool gaye hum. Raaste mein kisi dhaabe par rukenge, thik hai?"
I had almost drifted off to sleep. I lazily stretched an arm and found her hand with mine.
"Chakor?"
"Uh...haan Suraj?"
"Thank you."
And for a change, she neither remarked what a miracle it was that I was saying the magic words nor did she say she'd see to it I paid her back.
Instead, she held my hand and smiled at me, giving me a slight nod.
"Suraj?"
"Hmm?"
"Tum sach keh rahe the uss din...tumhare bina humaari zindagi adhoori hai."
Edited by Aradh_27 - 8 years ago
Arjun
Cricket
