Living in Exile

Get out of my house….   He yells, index finger right before the long nose of my brother. He was fuming in anger. I and my sister were standing either side of brother, and I stepped slowly behind least to be visible. Though my dad do not hold the history to hit us or anyone, throughout his life till date, but who's gonna take a chance? I was in 1^st std when our exile was in progress. My big B was one of the most unruly, uncontrolled, unmanageable and every UN and LESS associated with the word  disobedience. He was ahead of each and every mischief.
As my sister was always with him, and I am with her, ultimately we became  the part of his illegal crime  without any legal contribution and would be the prime suspects.

On contrary, my mother never gave us any such beautiful warnings, she was up to the mark, only the thing we could listen was… "Don’t call me Mummy!!! and dam dumm dhaam modern art all over the face (and these arts were only way to tame us). Father is quite, calm like sea but at time this sea showed us tsunami. And my brother was the sole human in whole universe who hold the proficiency to trigger this catastrophe

Do not exactly recall the kind of breach or home violation, my brother and we two daughters of my father had done, but was serious enough. And the verdict was exile. Mom was just standing beside motionless with a single expression,a winning smile as if saying "you all badly needed this."

And I was hallucinating in vain that, she would come running saying don’t don’t they are our kids. Don’t beat them for god sakes. (Overburden dialogues resulted from over watching of Hindi movies) She didn't move a inch also.

What are you all waiting for I said out and stand holding your ears….  He screamed again. And with our head buried in ground we slowly walked towards the exit door. My brother chuckled and whispered thank god murga nahin banaya and tum dono ko murgi (this was the all time evergreen punishment of my father). We were unable to hold our laugh at that moment.

Father was posted to Himachal those days, a place of beauty and bone chilling cold. We three stood in varanda, with our teeth chattering in rhythm. What we are going to do now? I asked almost tear and worried. Uff this big eyed cat( my pet name catty by my brother ) always starts crying. From where do you bring this ocean of tears? he continued and I hung my head down in despair. Don’t worry your big brother is still alive, what if we are abandoned, what if  we are alone,I'll take care of you!! he said waving his one hand in air and one still holding the ear. These words were erupted  not out of concern but the impact of again overloaded minds with Hindi cinemas

This was quite obvious, by default. Our school was on the mid way between defence PVR (of those time) and home. And the show time was 3:30. As we walked towards the home jumping  happily after school hours, many a time were being abducted by mother and crowd of aunties designated as Mom's friends on the way itself straight to theatre.Our refreshment would  starts sitting right in front of 75mm screen which only included eating both food and dialogues. Food moving to stomach and dialogues penetrating to our minds

So, back to our episode. Big brother was trying to figure out how we will carry our livelihood and I was already, as always, floating in dreams that after being kicked out of home, we will take the profession of nomads  and will travel  some far far  places away. I will be at home taking in charge of cooking and other household stuff and my sibling will step out for earning. The job would be small road side circus. Where in my sister will walk on the rope holding big bamboo stick and my brother will play drums simultaneously collecting the thrown money.

Suddenly I said to my brother bhai can’t we accompany our younger brother too, he can collect coins when you are busy playing drum. What drum? what coins? you duffer and they both started giggling. I was dragged out of dream world

Suddenly my mother appeared from nowhere and was furious to see us howling. With folded hands she stared at us and said nodding her head "shameless creature!!, you will never change, no matter whatever punishment you receive. Next time ill tell your father to leave you all in some jungle so that ill be relieved. God knows what will lead you in future. Come inside its too cold.

We again buried our heads in the ground and walked inside still holding the ears. And our dream of earning got shattered

Present day whenever I ask my mother about our exile, she would rarely remember and says laughing there are many more tales of your bravery and heroism,this must be just a bit of it

A Cold Hand..........

It was raining cats and dogs outside; I was standing on the veranda of NIIT institute waiting for the rain to stop. My house was just fifteen minutes away from there. I was already half an hour late but Indra Dev was not in mood for a halt. Mobile was not a handy trend those days. My last companion also left with her brother, and now it was getting darker. Madam, I am closing the institute, the peon said stretching his umbrella towards me. Shall I drop you? He continued giving a cunning half smile. So nice of you I nodded my head in denial. Single umbrella and two people hummmm, I thought raising my eyebrows (a usual –ve

repulsive thoughts that crop up every girl's mind when any help approach without demand). Soon peon also left brushing his umbrella over the rain.

No more waiting I thought and at last decided to walk towards home.Walking in rain was no doubt my favorite, but would have been lethal in winter days. Leaving all the consequences of cold behind, I started towards home. The moment I stepped, the clouds rumbled, I gave have a sharp look above and said, you cloudy rain don’t dare to frighten me. The faster I ran the louder were the clouds growling.Suddenly I slipped over the puddle of mud, ouch.......First reaction -did anyone witness my disaster? I rolled my eye balls to the entire corners, but there were only the tiny and furious drops of rain all over staring me.

On my way to home there used to be a ruined old building footing since decades. I was fully drenched and muddy too, hence decided to take shelter for a while inside the building. I quickly climbed over the stares and on to the veranda. It was still raining heavily. Suddenly lighting struck a tree just in front of me, and I jumped off my feet. I thought it’s better to move inside or I would be the next prey of the heartless clouds. I knocked the door but there was no response, I knocked again this time hard enough, and alsh! the door opened a bit. I peeped inside and with shivering voice said, anybody there? And a deep silence a meena kumari silence… I stepped inside. It was a dark room with blaze of light from one corner of the room. I was very tired and cold. I paced to the center of the room with chattering teeth to find something warm and discovered burning fire.

Hurriedly I went near it and sat beside a chair to get some warmth. Ohh what a relief what a comfort, and soon was asleep. I was awake by the thundering sound of lighting. As soon as I opened eyes my eyes lashes got contract due to brightly lightened room. I could see the floor, chess board type floor, duly decorated and furnished room. The rain had stopped but the winds were still howling, I glanced my watch and found hour hand was hitting 7pm. I stood up yawning.

Suddenly a thought drenched me with fear, if the building is ruined and abandoned then how lights are on, fire burning? I couldn't gallop and my leg seems to be frozen and bones chilled. Suddenly a hand, a cold hand over my warm and muddy shoulder. “Lady did you had a good sleep?” and I turned my neck.To my dismay I saw woman as white as snow stood beside me. Each and every horror episodes of serial and movies, I had ever seen in my entire life time were gushing out of my memory brain cell and floated in front of my eyes one by one Ahhh hhhhhhhh hhhhhhhh hhhh…. Leave me you  chudel devil!!!, I yelled with palm over my mouth making the most ugliest face and ran towards the door down to steps and on to the blackish flooded road. I could hear a loud sound behind me as if something broke, but dint dare to investigate. Not even Usin Bolt would have run so fast I was running in that jet speed,least bother to see if the white devil is following me or not. Of course the devil hardly requires any foot or legs as they could fly and grab anyone within minutes (Thought extracted from horror movies).

 

This very thought made me run faster. Soon I reached the busy road, but my acceleration did not come down and I kept my pace to reach home. Ahhhhhhhhhhh mummy I yelled and again something broke in my kitchen too. Have you gone nuts shouted my mom… what happened? I clinch to her and cried, mom I saw a devil a real one there. My sibling came running from other room to witness my woe. Where’s honey? Are you fine? Where your books? She questioned without giving a pause. Mom do you remember that old building on the way to NIIT, I happened to visit there and saw a devil, as white snow and as cold as ice, I said sobbing.

My elder brother and sister rolled on the floor laughing and I was amazed if I had cracked some jokes, I saw my mother even she had a 75mm smile on her face.Stupid she is not a devil but the owner of that building, my brother said tossing my head. She is suffering from ALBINISM (a disease in which body is unable to generate melanin resulting skin, hair appear white) and hence appeared unusual fair to you, he kept laughing. She has come down to renovate her ancestral building, he explained further.

I buried my head in my palm, and thought Ohh god what a fool I am and my sibling were still laughing teasing me darpok darpok chicken heart (coward) running in circle round me.