A Father's Squall

A FATHER'S SQUALL

i opened my eyes..everything blurred..where am i? I can see people around me...why the hell my heart feels so heavy...why my eyes are filled with tears...What the hell happened to me?
Someone tapped me on my shoulders.Is that a doctor?Oh,so i am in a hospital.but WHY?I tried to remember what happened.But as the memories came rushing to me,i wished i should not have tried.........

"Indira! Wake up! The results are coming out today. Come on let us read the nespaper from Pandey Ji's", i was already in my shirt while i was waking my sleepy wife up.
"Ohh...it's jus 4 in the morning.atleast 3 more hours left. Will you please let the sun to rise",she replied and slipped back to sleep. i checked the watch.Yeah,it is just 4.I felt a bit embarassed.I was always a super-cool husband.
Hmm,i spoiled that.

I was thinking all the night about my daughter's Medical Entrance results and maybe,that's why i just freaked out now. i walked into my daughter's room and sat near her. My pretty girl was sleeping there with no tension at her face.Oh,no one will have tension while sleeping,except me.But why should i get tensed..My daughter,Diya,is the best student in her school.She has scored 98 percent inher 12th exams and has performed superbly in all her mock-entrance exams.Then why should i be in tension?? By morning,my dreams will come true.If Diya gets the Medical Entrance rank,she will be a doctor in 5 years! A doctore from this poor village! I have done everything i can do from what i get from my job. I work in a textile shop in the daytime and as a security in a bank at night. I barely sleep and have food.But the thought that it's for my daughter takes away all my worries and keeps me going.

"Raghav,wake up!",that was my wife shouting at me.She was all smiling at me when i opened my eyes. Oh,it's morning! i ran out and opened the door.Lot of people were outside.At first i thought,those were the people i owe money but
those were the media people.Yes,my daughter secured 3rd rank in the entrance exam!! Tears rooled own my cheeks and i saw my pretty Diya talking to the media. Oh, God is awesome!

She got admission to the best medical college in the City.I had fight with my emotions in sending her away but this was the moment i was waiting for years.I visited her every month and she was happy there and me too.But now i am going to visit after a 3 months gap.I got down at the City Bus Stand and bought some fruits for her,especially her favourite grapes.As i walked on,i saw a large crowd at the sub-way.I couldnt see what was happening there,so i asked a guy what was happening.
He replied,' Bhai sab,it is common here.somebody has been murdered and the body is dropped here". Oh! City life,i thought. may be some kind of gangwars.I cursed the goverment and walked to the hostel.I could see people competing each other to take the photos of the deadbody in their mobile-phones.Crazy people!
I reached the hostel and asked warden for Diya. She checked the register and replied," She went to another hostel last night to doa project work". I was sad that i couldnt see her after comin after 3 months.I gave the fruit pack to the warden and walked back to the Bus Stand.
I reached the City Bus Stand and went into a chai shop. The TV was on and the World Cup triumph news was going on.I sipped my tea and it had no sugar.I did not mind because i was watching the news. Suddenly a flash news came up:
" A 19-year old girl was raped and muedere last night. her body was thrown at the subway....", I bit my lips and my heart was thudding faster.."....The girl's name is Diya, a first-year student at the........."
The chai glass dropped off my hands and darkness rushed into my eyes..i could feel my head hitting the cement floor...

"Raghav...Raghav..",the doctor woke me up from my thoughts. I looked at my wife for a moment.she was devastated.I started crying....i could do nothing esle...but cry..cry as loud as i can..


It's been two years since Diya has gone.The light of my life has gone.
Ting-Ting. The cycle-bell of the newspaper boy. I picked up the newspaper and opened it.The headlines hit me right into my eyes:
"A 21-year old girl was kidnapped,raped and murdered last night.This is the forth in the last two months.The Govt............"

I took a deep breath and thought: God is awesome?


the end(?)
Sreeraj K.R