The following morning as the sun rose over the hill behind
the heath, Champa woke up as usual. She tuned the radio into the national
channel as melodious voices welcomed the day with Ramyana chaupais. The
music erupted from the radio at around seven in the morning which was then
followed by national news. Nothing unusual was reported at that scale. She
swept the floor and woke up Devesh who was cuddled up in a bedsheet. The
afterhours in the night always became chilly and the bedsheet otherwise unused
until late in the night, was an item of desire in the wee hours of the morning.
Devesh got up and adjusted his lungi. Picked out a datoon
from the alaa and came out in the front yard. The grass in the garden was still
cool and moist from the overnight dew. He squatted on the ground chewing the datoon(traditional herbal stick used for brushing teeth in Indian villages).
Weak sunlight drizzled into the village waking up the alive
one after the other. The music from Champa’s radio was a cue for Lakshman to
wake up and start bathing near the village handpump. Soon Devika and Champa would
be here to collect water for the daily chores at their huts.
Devika had woken up early in the morning and had gone into
the woods to relieve herself in the open. She came back before daybreak and
crept into the disheveled bed in the hut as Prajwal snored loudly on the
khatiya. As the sunlight became intense, the flies in the village became
restless. They had started interrupting Prajwal’s sleep as he cursed everyone
in general and no one in particular half asleep. “Dhut… behenchod… “ The flies eventually won as he shrugged the
incomplete slumber off his eyes and sat upright on the khatiya.
He could hear the music from the radio in Champa’s hut had
now switched to news. He could not find Sukhinder on the adjoining khatiya
where he usually was every morning. He saw a barrage of stubbed beedis on the
dusty ground – a testimony to the long night.
“Devi… Hau.. Devi…
Beta paani..” he cribbed from the khatiya as he folded his legs and
scratched his entire body in a restless shake. Devika did not respond and he
was left with no choice but to get up and fetch water himself. He got inside
the hut and picked a glass from the kitchen and scraped the bottom of the ghada (traditional India earthen pot for
storing water). The glass was half full. Strange. He remembered it was full the
last night when he had gone to sleep. He dismissed the thought as soon as it
came and got on with his day.
Titu came out of the house and walked straight up to
Champa’s house. “Dadi.. ek tamatar laal
laal wapas sunao” (Granny, pls recite the Tomato verse once more) he demanded as he ran into the open
hut. “Devesh chacha.. abhi tak soyie rahe
hain? Kal raat ko hamko mootne bhi nahi diye Pipal ka neeche…” (Is Devesh
uncle sleeping still? Do you know he did not let me piss under a tree last
night) Champa put the jhadoo in the
corner and uncovered her saree covered face as some dust broke her into a
cough.
“Bapu uthi gailon
tora? Jinda chhe ki naahi?? ” (Did your father wake up? Is he alive or
what?) she asked Titu as he ran into circles in the courtyard outside. “Babu to soye raha.. humma uthaibo kari par
uthbe nahi chhe..” (No.. he still sleeps.. I tries to wake him up but he
did not) he replied with a childish non chalance not uncommon to a twelve year
old. Champa nodded plainly and continued with the household
chores. Devesh was listening intently to the 12 year old and spat the tender
stems of the datoon from his mouth
and threw the rest on the road. He folded his lungi and squatted on the
verandah outside the house and demanded tea. The daily chore before he would
walk up to Lakhan’s shop to discuss the news from the radio.
*
Sukhinder wasn’t seen until the afternoon and he ran into
Prajwal at Lakhan’s shop. “Kya bhaiya..
gaye nahi abhi tak shahar?” (What happened? You did not leave for the town?)
he inquired. “Haan! Woh aaj man nahi
tha.. kal jaibe.. bihane bihane pet kharab bhai gawa…” (Yeah.. the stomach
is upset.. will leave tomorrow) Sukhinder seemed lost but answered quickly throwing
furtive glances towards Giridhar’s hut.
Prajwal caught his glance mid way.. “Ka tukur tukur dekh rahe ho babu… konho dikkat?? Jaabe ka man nahi hai
tora.. hum to raate ko bole the…”(What’s with the nervous glances.. any
problem? You don’t want to leave… I told you last night..) he smiled as if he
knew something. Lakhan came out with a bowl of steamed potatoes and started
peeling them for the samosas. “Kal raate
aap aaye rahe kya idhar Sukhi bhaiya? Hum to neend mein rahe magar laga kaunho
aaya tha der raat mein” (Did you come here last night Sukhi bhaiya? I was
asleep but it seemed someone came late in the night) Lakhan asked innocuously.
Sukhi avoided the question and picked a potato from the bowl “ Behenchod.. garam hai bhosadi.. thanda
paani daal na” (Fucker.. the potatoes are too hot.. put some cold water). Prajwal laughed hysterically. Lakhan looked bemused and
scratched his back incessantly before getting back to peeling the potatoes.
The rest of the day was uneventful. It is during night when
the evil is unmasked roaming freely on the roads. With a surprisingly quiet
dusk, the sun slipped behind the clouds and let the moon initiate the business.
The stained full moon crept out hurriedly and bathed the village in a glaring
light. Exposing more than the sun could during the day.
Late in the night when the crickets is all you could hear, a
dark silhouette walked quietly towards Giridhar’s house. Its speed was impeded
by a limp leg and it stopped frequently to check if someone was following.
Sukhinder had been curious all day. He creaked open the door. It was unlocked.
Strange. He had left no trails last night he thought. He opened the door and
walked in. He lit a match stick and there lay Giridhar’s body dead in the
quiet. He limped around when he heard movement in the back. Someone else was in
the room. He scanned the light and was looking straight into the scared eyes of
Devika.
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