KAFILA - Journey Towards Freedom (Part - 7)

Photo by Jens Lindner

Days of Solitude.....

The window overlooks the typical north Kolkata narrow lanes that snake around to form a complex labyrinth. Rukaiya looks at the pale curtains, which were once bright green.

"They need washing", she thought offhandedly. Today was her day off from work, the only day when she got time to finish all the impending chores of her one-room dingy flat, where she had been living for the past one year. She tried to keep it as clean as she could but having the kitchen and bedroom inside one room, made it a near impossible task for her, given her duty hours.

"Where is the chatwallah?", Rukaiya absentmindedly thought while picking a dirty spot on the curtain.

Her one and only indulgence and only source of trickling information, this chatwallah hailed from her country and a neighboring village. Small bits of information about her parents, came to her once in a blue moon through this man.

Moving away from the window, she gave another forlorn and somewhat a bored look to the silver anklet that one of her admirers had gifted her last night. As she turned around and got a wholesome view of her flat standing from one corner of the room, it suddenly took her back to Rafique's low lit dingy flat in Dhaka. Almost the same .............

One Year Back

It was morning, when Rukaiya, along with several other malnourished girls were dumped in a truck. After a long bumpy ride, when the shutter went up, it was chilly and dark. Before Rukaiya could wonder were her fate had led her, they were all taken into a dilapidated building at the corner of the street. Pan stained walls and floors illuminated under the white light of a dying bulb, greeted the girls. Once inside the building they were taken into a medium sized room, where a woman and Mohsin were waiting for them.

"Here is the fresh installment Mami. Have your pick", Mohsin said to the women sitting beside him.

"Mami" rose up to get a close look at the girls. She picked three within a minute before moving on to Rukaiya. Both of them had a close look at each other. She was beautiful once Rukaiya thought, but now, pockmarks, crow lines, and wrinkles dominated a face radiating ruthlessness and covering the last strand of the disappearing beauty from her face.

"She is not for here, Mohsin. She has to go up.", Mami's harsh words broke Rukaiya's reverie.

"I thought so, just wanted to show you what we got in exchange of Heena"

"But she clearly lacks grooming. Far from being presentable to the clientele", Mami retorted.

"Yeah, but she'll get there", Mohsin gave a dirty grin.

Fast Forward

The sweet "tung - tung" of the chat cart brought Rukaiya back to the present. As soon as she heard the bells, she rushed down to meet the chatwallah. Before opening the door, Rukaiya composed herself, took a few deep breaths and stepped outside.

"I'll have my regular", Rukaiya said as she approached the chatwallah.

The man started preparing her dish in silence. After a few agonizing moments, Rukaiya asked in a very small voice, "any news?"

Every time she asks this question, Rukaiya gets enveloped by fear, panic, and loneliness. Sorrow was the only thing she doesn't feel. At least her parents were not in constant pain, given they knew what Rukaiya did. She was dead to them, that's what Rafique had told her parents once he returned, dead due to drowning. The one and only favor that Rafique had bestowed upon her.

"Your mother died", the chatwallah declared in a low voice.

To be cont .........