Sunday 8 June 2014

The Judgement...

This post has been published by me as a part of the Blog-a-Ton 47; the forty-seventh edition of the online marathon of Bloggers; where we decide and we write. To be part of the next edition, visit and start following Blog-a-Ton.



It’s 2 A.M, and I’m sitting here, writing this.
I know my time is running out, and I need to write this soon, before the dawn breaks.
Before beginning my journey, that is.

As my pen flows on this paper, I know I have no future to dream of. Absolutely.
I’ve known it for a long time now.
Not everyone gets to know that beforehand, I know.

There’s nothing that I need to be afraid of, really.
Still, I fear ridicule and rejection, more than ever.
I’m a lonely soul ; I don’t interact much with my neighbours.
I’m afraid of their questions.
“What did you do to bring this upon yourself?”, their gaze seems to ask.
I don’t want to answer them.
I’m happy to have answered my conscience, so I shy away from them, and their raised eyebrows. 

So, it was almost like a fresh raindrop on the dry, arid earth when I learnt that the place where I live has a beautiful library housing the best of the books in many languages.
Needless to say, that has been my paradise for the past few months.
You might ask me why I wanted to drown myself in books, when could foresee no future for myself. Valid question, indeed.
My answer is that, even if there wasn’t a foreseeable future, I had to live through the present, hadn’t I ?
Those wonderful books helped me do that.
Through them , I saw the world beyond the horizons of my thoughts. I read of the pain that people suffered, I saw life as they saw it.
I laughed, cried, sang and danced with them. I laughed to their jokes. When I slept, they gave me company in my dreams.
And helped me sail through my life, the aimless drift that it was.

In all their calm existence, they carry a voice. The voice of silence. And that silence must be heard.

I heard them tell me that I should put this in writing before  I embark on the journey.

A story.

A thirteen year old girl . Physically challenged.
She can’t speak; her vocal cords have been dysfunctional since birth.
She can move only her upper torso, and has been confined to the wheel chair since she was four.
She reads a lot, trying to build her world with the words that dance before her eyes.
To her, her widowed mother is the world. And of course, her brother, who’s elder to her by four years , in whose care her mother leaves her , when she goes for work as a home nurse,  every morning.
She spends her time, reading, painting , and listening to the radio from where she gathers most of her knowledge.
The evening hours of lessons with her mother are her greatest bliss. Because she loves learning.
And her mother speaks to her silence in a way none else can.

One evening, her mother returns to a silent, deserted home, to see her unconscious.
Her blouse torn open, revealing the budding blossoms of womanhood inside, the mark of teeth evident against the fair skin on her chest.
Her lips wounded ; scratches on the body, indicating conflict.
And blood trickling down ,from between her weak legs dangling helplessly down the wheel chair, and forming a puddle on the white floor beneath.

Shocked, her mother tries to wake her up, while trying to process the images mentally , and praying that the worst hasn’t happened.

When she gains consciousness, she hugs her mother and keeps still,  tears streaming down her closed eyes.
Her mother’s questions don’t get an answer.
She stares at the nothingness in front of her in silence.

But her mother understands.
She knows every inch of her daughter, and she knows that her  silence must be heard, must be read deep into.
And that it carries meanings, perhaps those that she’d never wish to be true.
Another look at her face confirms her fears.

Later that evening, when her son returns home, she confronts him.
Questions him about his sister. About what has happened to her.

In an inebriated state of mind, he admits to having raped her.

“What’s she useful for, anyway? I just had some fun,“ he says, numbing her senses.

The words her son has just mouthed throw her into a fit of rage, and it is a matter of few minutes before she finds a knife that she inserts deep into his stomach , taking away the very life she bestowed him with.
The scream that’s born in his throat dies on his lips, as his eyes widen in the horror of the realization.

She’s seen the trust shatter.
Her own womb betraying its kin.
Lust overpowering love.
And motherhood holds greater meaning to her now.

The next morning, when the law arrives, she admits to the murder.
The last private conversation that she has with her daughter, before the nuns from the convent take her to their orphanage, is a promise, that the truth would remain silent.

She’s satisfied  that she answered her conscience . She doesn’t seek protection from the law.
She’s just a mother who killed her son , probably because he found out about her secret affair - that’s the society’s version of her story.
She doesn’t worry that she’s been awarded the gallows.
She knows her daughter is now safe, at the new home.

She’s happy that she could read through her daughter’s silence.
That she didn’t leave it unseen.
And this is the message that she leaves behind, that every single silent tear is important.
That silence, must always, be heard.

Do you think the mother wasn’t justified in her deeds ?

Even if you do, I don’t think so.

That’s why I killed my son the moment I knew he had seen my daughter as a fruit to feed his lust.

That’s why I look forward to the noose that’s awaiting me , as the dawn breaks.

I made sure her silence had been heard, in the way I could.

Tell me, am I wrong ?
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46 comments:

  1. I finished reading a story that will haunt me for at least a couple of months.

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  2. the narrative just pierced through me like a knife....so gripping, so powerful, and so poignant....for once, i don't know what to say...

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  3. Such a moving post Sreeja. What the moths did is something which mothers should do everywhere. To protect their daughters. Sadly, such mothers are rare today.

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  4. I wish I had read this post in the morning. It is really a haunting, chilling story, and told in such forceful way. I am speechless really.

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    1. That speaks volumes, Beloo ! Thanks a lot :)

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  5. Too scary...tough to fathom. This story creates more rage than sympathy. Beautifully written.

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    1. Yes, it does create rage :) Thanks for the visit and the nice words, Viyoma :)

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  6. Oh my God!! I have tears in my eyes and my gut is frozen. What beautiful narration Sreeja. The mother was right in what she did. I would have done the same too! I hope this is just a story and not a real incident.

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    1. Fiction for me, but I'm sure this fact exists somewhere in this world ! Thanks a lot, Soumya !

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  7. I have goosebumps.. I am mortified. Such mothers are rare...
    This was a painful read!

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    1. Very rare, aren't they, Red ?
      Thanks, babe :)

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  8. oh noooo but she did the right thing..

    and i do wish there are more such mothers who can stand against such men.. our nation will be a better safer place for sure

    Bikram

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  9. scary and it settles deep in the mind. gave me goosebumps. powerful indeed.

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    1. Thanks a lot, factfiction :) Welcome to my blog :)

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  10. Sreeja, I salute your powerful writing and am speechless and numb on the cruel situation....These should never happen to anyone. BTW, congratulations on another long blog march :-)

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    1. Thanks a lot, Jayanta ji. That's so nice of you :)

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  11. Omg that was just extremely heart peircing.... Welll written...

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    1. Thanks a lot, Arushi :) :)
      Welcome to my blog :)

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  12. OMG! That's a powerful and a moving story, Sreeja! Liked it a lot!
    All the very best for BAT! :)

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  13. I think she should bring truth in front of the law to set an example of other such brothers and to motivate other mothers who silently witness their sons or husbands raping their daughters, nicely penned though

    Silence Must Be Heard

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    1. How easy is that, is the question.
      Thanks Cifar :) :)

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  14. I had gooseflesh as I went through your post. What a horrific, tragic and well written tale you've woven?!
    Who else would have understood the daughter's silent trauma but her own mother? The mother's actions are totally justified.

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    1. True, Vinodini. None understands a daughter as much as a mother does !

      Thanks a lot, dear :)

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  15. It would have been sad had the mother done anything else, only a mother can understand her children the way no one else can. Amazing post :)

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    1. True, Jaibala. Only mothers can understand us in ways special.

      Thanks a lot, and welcome to my space !

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  16. that was intense... it's sad that a brother would commit such ghastly act against his sister. I am glad mother took an action.

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  17. Well-written, as always!
    I hope mothers (and other family members) get equally angry when their sons misbehave with other girls/women. No need to kill the offenders, but see to it that they are brought to justice. Sadly, when such things happen, most parents proclaim that, "MY son is a good boy! He will NEVER do such a thing!" even though they know he's guilty.

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    1. Very true, such blind faith actually prevents justice from being meted out to the victim. Thanks a lot, Pro :)

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  18. Very well written Sreeja. *goosebumps*

    Someone is Special

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  19. What a horrific tale! Her own brother... OMG. Well-written.

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    1. Thanks for the nice words, Kiran :) Welcome to my space :)

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  20. Sad tale, Sreeja.
    Own womb betrayed so & she killed him & yet told another tale to protect her daughter... Heart-touching.
    We need lots of courage to hear such silence... Words may kill us.

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    1. Yes, words kill us , many a time. Thanks for the visit, and the nice words, Anita :)

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  21. I may not be getting it correctly, but please tell me this is not a real story :'(
    Almighty Mother! Please make us realise our strengths and that you are with us, so that we can fight such evil and not let this happen anymore!

    Regarding the story-telling and verbiage, SABAASH Sreeja!

    Great!
    Keep it up!

    Thank You!

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    1. Not a real story known to me, but this is nothing short of reality, is it ?

      Thanks, RSN. Welcome again to this blog. Thanks a lot for the nice words !!

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  22. Powerful story...!!! Mothers have been known to do such things right through history. I think women sometimes have a stronger sense of right and wrong and they do not care to absolve anyone who may have done something wrong!

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    1. That is a valid point, Meera. Women are stronger than they think.
      Thanks for the visit, and the nice words !

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  23. Hey!

    First things first,this is not a spam :)

    I have nominated your blog for the Liebster Award. Please check http://me-and-my-darkside.blogspot.com/2014/06/my-liebster-award-nomination-toast-to.html … for details

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Speak to me here :) :)