“ We will not leave this place |
tured us enough? Please leave us |
|
until we find that man.” He contin- |
now” |
|
ued. |
There was a brief silence for |
|
“ What has he done, leave him.” |
some time and all that could be heard |
|
The woman blurted out. |
was the starling of leaves which the |
|
The Army captain outraged at |
wind shuddered from time to time. |
|
how the woman gathered guts to |
The captain had a brooding |
|
speak up to him, took out his pistol |
look on his face and it seemed he was |
|
and straightaway headed towards |
about to explode. But nothing hapthe |
|
woman. People protested but |
pened. He simply walked right |
|
were silenced. He pointed the barrel |
across the girl and murmured someof |
|
his gun to the forehead of a one |
thing to one of his army personnel. |
|
year old infant which the woman |
The interrogation continued for |
|
was carrying in her arms. The infant |
some minutes and soon the captain |
|
was her only son. |
grew weary and decided to leave. |
|
“ Please don ' t, I beg you, he is |
Before leaving he warned everyone |
|
my son, he is everything I have.” The |
that he would comeback soon and |
|
woman begged. |
next time he would show no mercy. |
|
Many men tried to protest but |
curtly,“ We too have children, we too |
As the army truck left the vil- |
all in vain. They were beaten up by |
have brothers and mothers, we are |
lage people mustered back their |
clubs and rifles. The captain ignored |
not ruthless but you people force us |
strength and attended to the injured. |
the lady and pulled back the slide of |
to act like brutes. All we are asking is |
Everything was left in tatters and |
the pistol. As soon as he put his fin- |
information about the bomber. He is |
obliterated to pain and sorrow. The |
ger on the trigger the woman burst |
not a hero, he has killed civilians. |
morning had changed into a mourn- |
into tears. |
Either you people tell me about that |
ing. Yet, there was something beau- |
“ How about I kill your son and |
militant or you all will remember |
tiful about that moment. It had to |
then I tell you I ' m innocent.” The captain |
this day for years to come” |
pass. |
shouted and rage took over him. |
Hearing the captain, a small girl |
Today, after seventeen years |
“ Please don ' t. Kill me instead” |
not more than fifteen years of age |
when my mother often tells me how |
The mother said, her voice hoarse |
stepped up to him and said,“ You can- |
I escaped death when I was an infant, |
due to tears. |
not threaten us like this, we told you |
all I do is stare in her old eyes which |
|
Within seconds, many other army men ran towards the captain and stopped him from committing a brutal sin. The captain calmed down
and put his pistol back and shouted
|
that we don ' t know anything. If you don ' t believe us then kill us all. What is the difference between you and those militants? You all take lives of innocent people. Haven ' t you tor- |
still narrate a story of tyranny. I feel like I can still feel the barrel of that gun on my forehead. Moreover, I feel the suffering of those innocent people. I feel cold. |