Q is for Quasarbi
"Quasarbi," called out Sandhya.
"Why are you screaming? Who is dead?"
"Quasarbi please help me. Just this last time" sobbed Sandhya.
"That h****** has come home drunk again?"
Sandhya sniffed, "for the last time."
"He has been telling you that since 16 years. And you still believe him."
"This time I managed Quasarbi" she whispered.
Quasarbi`s eyes widened in horror
"Just as you had told me. Smashed his head with the bat. He was so sloshed he did not fight back."
Quasarbi took a deep breath. She had managed to do the same with Kadar. She could handle this.
She embraced Sandhya,"Just do as I say.Come we need to clean him. And place him on the floor.Cover him with a sheet and then we beat our chests and weep."
Sandhya wiped the blood that had trickled on the side of his face. Then dragged him to a clean spot and covered him with a sheet. The whole neighbourhood had gathered and some whispered. "He was not so bad. Only if he was not a drunkard."
Tears blinded Qusarbi`s eyes as she looked at Sandhya sobbing inconsolably. There is only so much one should take she thought to herself as she wiped her tears and enveloped Sandhya in her arms.
10 comments:
Only if he was not a drunkard...He was good only if.... These only ifs are the only troubles.
A sad reality poignantly and beautifully expressed through your short story, Arti. Lovely one.
www.nooranandchawla.com
'He was a good man' - the things we are taught to see!
very true. There is only so much that one should take.
Glad that after 16 years.... Finally peace!! Lovely story.... Oozing of strength!!
If only! Well, if only she could be rid of the drama as well.
@ Sonia..aren`t they ?
@ Nooir thank you for your kind words Noor
@ Nisha you bet!
@ HWWK Absolutely
@ Ira yea but then there is guilt..
@ Rekha...if only...
Hard hitting tale and end Arti. Wish the courage to leave and let go precedes the courage to strike. Maybe these are two different kinds of courageousness. Maybe one comes from strength and de-conditioning and the other from despair.
@ Arti It is a very grey area..They are not scared to strike after a point but are definitely scared of walking out. You are right-it stems from despair
Very evocative tale! He was a good man, if only he wasn't a drunkard!? If only the others knew what it must be like to bein her shoes. Then they wouldn't have said that!
Post a Comment