part 10

Part 10

 

He didn’t know how to face his wife.  He had promised her that Vidisha was the safest place for their youngest daughter.  She was not sure but had accepted his decision and now…!

Doctor kept his hand on Dr. Salil’s shoulder encouraging him to go and meet his wife Nilima.  He had no courage.  Nilima had come out of unconsciousness and was waiting for her husband when she was told that he had recovered from the bullet shot. 

The bullets from her stomach and arm were removed and after four days she had opened her eyes to see her eldest daughter Disha sitting next to her.  She looked around after the doctors paid the visit and examined her.  She was out of danger.

“Your Papa…!” she could blurt with efforts.  Disha dashed out to call her papa.  Dr. Salil walked in the ICU ward to face his wife.  He came in avoiding to look at her.

“Salil…” she raised her hand.  He could only hold on to her. 

“Dhaa…?” He couldn’t face the question.

“Everyone is alright, Mamma!” Disha had come to his rescue.  He just nodded hiding his tears.

“Thank God!” she closed her eyes again feeling relieved.  Salil looked at Disha miserably.  She gave a squeeze holding his hand and said.

“Papa, you need to take rest.  Nurse is waiting for you to administer the dose… Please… you can talk to mamma later….!” Dr. Salil got up and went out.  Nilima opened her eyes and saw Disha sitting next to her.

“Where is Dharini?” she asked.

“Laxmi bai is taking care of everyone.  They are not allowed in here!” Disha spoke gravely.  Nilima looked away.

“Is everyone ok?” Nilima asked and Disha nodded confidently hiding everything from her mother.  “You take rest, Mamma!” she said holding her hand. 

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“Awanwaaaaaa…….” Dhatri had opened her mouth in the middle of the night wetting the bed.  Biloy sat up next to her.  “Baby…!” he tried to pacify her.  She was not to be stopped.  Everyone got up.  She was crying loudly.  The lady crawled nearer to see.

“Oh! She has wet the sheet!” she said removing the sheet.

“Shit…!” the grumpy man got up.  Dhatri cried loudly feeling frightened in the darkness.  The lantern was put out.  Her body was itching and burning…! She cried loudly scratching everywhere.  The lady lit the lantern and brought it nearer. 

“Oh! God! Look at her…!” Dhatri’s body was swollen with rashes and  blisters.   She looked like a blistering balloon.   She was crying.  Bijoy knew the insect bite would bring such blisters on the body. 

“Shit.. shit..!” the grumpy man’s hands twitched to slap her again but she was surrounded by everyone else. 

Bijoy gave her a chocolate.  She refused throwing it away.  “I don’t have anti histamine… !” the lady said rummaging in the bag.  Everyone looked at each other.

“Do we have rice with us?” asked bijoy.  He knew rice paste would reduce the burning sensation.  The twilight signalled that there would soon be sunrise.  Dhatri had never stopped crying.  Her blisters were burning.  She was scratching all over. 

“Pottiii… !” she cried out and the lady lept forward to remove her clothes.  Dhatri refused asking everyone to go out.  The lady helped her.  Bijoy stayed on.  Dhatri didn’t object.  She felt a little better after her pottiii. 

“Look..!” she said pointing her finger outside.  Sunrise had brought in rays of orange and gold direct into the cave…

“No…. Ghost…..!” Dhatri screamed running in opposite direction.  The grumpy man with long hair was obstructing the sunrays standing at the entrance of the cave and his shadow fell on the opposite wall of the cave presenting a very spooky scene.  Dhatri yelled and screamed in fright.  Bijoy lifted her. She screamed in pain as her boils burned. 

“Its ok! Not ghost!” he pacified her.  “Humgry…..!” she started crying again.  The grumpy man brought in a slice of bread.  Her eyes twinkled.   She looked at it.  “Jam…?” she asked.  Everyone looked at each other.  “Jam? No Jam!” said the grumpy man angrily.  She threw the slice and started off again whizzing and gasping in a fit of crying…

“No… wait….! No Jam…. But sweet!” Bijoy had come back with sugar.  He spread it on the bread slice and gave it to her.

“Hihi… huh…!” smile spread over her face so did on Bijoy’s face! “Humm .. have it!” the lady was standing with water bottle and a anti histamine tablet.  She helped Dhatri to swallow the tablet and eat the bread slice. 

“Milk…!” Dhatri demanded.  “No milk, now.. baby… later…!” Bijoy said stroking her head.  She screamed in pain…. She had blisters on the skull too.  Her crying never stopped.  Slowly she felt exhausted and sleepy.  The tablet had its effect and she went into deep sleep.  Bijoy wrapped her in the sheet.  The lady helped him tie her onto his back and he carried Sleeping Dhatri on his back. 

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It was eight days since she was kidnapped and still there was no trace.  They knew who had done it but had no clue, why?  Why on earth did they kidnap a five year old kid from a small peaceful town Vidisha.  The media tried to probe in, but Everyone around Dr. Salil remained silent.  Dharini was never allowed out on her own. 

“I do not know, why?” Dr. Salil kept saying so did everyone else.  The local news papers had given up concluding that she might be dead by now citing the incidence that a reporter was abducted in similar fashion and his body parts were sent back to his family in smaller packets by post.  “Do we have to wait for similar post?” asked the local daily concluding that Dhatri might be dead. 

Dr. Salil had stopped reading the news papers or news on television.  It was First July 2000 when a police officer marched to his house. 

“We have a body found in Chandrapur District of a small girl…!” he had said to Dr. Salil’s dismay.  He glanced inside.  Only Dayal Chacha had heart it and was clutching his hand on his mouth in shock. 

Dr. Salil sat on the chair with a thud.  “You need to come with us.  The body has decomposed considerably.  You need to identify..!” the police officer said and Dr. salil nodded.  It was a month since Dhatri was kidnapped.  Her mother Nilimaa was still recovering.

Dr. Salil went with the police officer accompanied by Dayal Chacha, clutching his chest with apprehension, lying to everyone that they had an interrogation in Chandrapur Police Station about the kidnapping case, since Chandrapur was the strong hold of naxals.

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