A bravery act

It was raining heavily at midnight. There was no attendant in the ICU ward. Perhaps, after the doctors’ last round, the nurses might have gone to the recreation room. Maya was allowed to stay in the ICU ward. Sitting beside her critical mother who met with a major accident, she was worried about her recovery.

Her mother Shyama was a social activist. Her connection with top administrators, influential personalities saved her from any mishap to date. She was a bold, straightforward, zero-tolerant person in matters of injustice. Currently, she was raising her voice against child trafficking. She had rescued many children from the beggars and reunited them with their parents.

Maya knew her mother well. Since her childhood, she had noticed how her grandparents and close and distant relatives were always scared of her mother’s protest. Shyama had fought many battles at home, sometimes alone and sometimes with the support of family. The menstrual rule of living isolated, an age-long rule of getting engaged with domestic chores by leaving education incomplete, not to pursue medicals and engineering, marriage by twenty- two, such rules for girls disturbed her badly; an imposition of various restrictions to curb freedom of speech and action were questioned by her repeatedly.

All women-related issues she handled enthusiastically and created a rosy path for girls of the family. She was admired by everyone and on request, people were ready to work with her. A month earlier, information about a notorious gang was delivered to her. She called a meeting of her close associates and discussed a plan with them. They had to get the main culprit. She was experienced enough and so to protect her team from the goons she didn’t share her ideas with others. She met with a stranger Raveena and asked for her favor.

One morning, the mastermind of the child traffickers, Subhas received a call. He immediately left for his house. The call was of his wife who was crying nonstop as their two children were missing. He was surprised because in the city he was the only one involved in the kidnapping business. Was that an act of his rivals? He searched for his children but didn’t find them. His wife asked him to lodge an FIR, but he refused because it might be risky for their life. His wife didn’t know that he was a notorious criminal, actively involved in such crime. She kept on requesting him to take help from the police. He consoled her and went to his den. There he was taken aback when spotted his children in a group of the trapped little ones. They were blindfolded, tied, and were kept hungry in the cramped underground room. He asked who dared to kidnap his children. A new joinee said he did it because he was unaware of the fact that Subhas had a family and children. Subhas punished him cruelly. He cut his hands as he touched his daughter with that. 

Subhas’s children reached home safely. They were scared and developed symptoms of mental illness. The daughter refused to go out and shut herself inside her room. The son was in trauma and needed a counsellor. In the counselling session, the doctor talked to them. They said when they were blindfolded they were in complete darkness. They understood they would never be released by the child traffickers. They knew that they would be sent abroad and sold to some rich evil people. They would be called sex slaves. The girl was unable to control her tears when said she had lost all hope and decided to kill herself if she would be sold to anyone. The son was sure they would either cut his limbs or made him blind. 

Subhas’s wife cursed the child tormentor and wished he would never have happiness and peace in life. The children asked their father why the innocent children were subject to such inhuman treatment? Why the kids were snatched from their parents? Subhas had no answer. He felt so bad about his real identity. He was no more a human being. His greed had turned him into the devil. He decided to release the children who’re kept underground. But the buyers threatened him. He had to deliver what he had promised. The day when the consignment was loaded on the ship, there was a police raid and the children were rescued. He suffered a huge financial loss.

A day later he came to know that there was an informer in his gang. He searched but couldn’t find anyone. One evening he read an article which said the famous social activist with her efforts had rescued children from his grip. He knew well, to prove his innocence in front of the flesh trade mafia, he had to punish Shyama. He made arrangements and was successful in executing his plan. The nation was praying for her speedy recovery. Even his wife was sad. She asked him, “Why do good people suffer so much? What was Shyama’s fault? She reunited the parents and kids. Why God is so unjust?”

He had no reply. He silently left the room and prayed to God for his forgiveness. 

The next day, Shyama regained consciousness and the first person she met was Raveena. She thanked her for being part of her plan by allowing her children to go through that trauma. If she would not have helped her that night, the children would never be free. Raveena apologized that due to Subhas she was in critical condition. Shyama smiled and uttered, “When you can dare to sacrifice your children for a great cause; when your kids can assist you willingly for the cause, then I too can definitely sacrifice my life.”

Raveena touched her feet and uttered, I am thankful to you that you had revealed the real identity of my husband. I talked to my children and they also denied accepting him as their father. Such a criminal doesn’t deserve a family life. We can’t be a victim of his sins.”

She left the hospital premise, proceeded to a family court to file for divorce from Subhas.