Mansi

The rain started getting heavier. So heavy that it splashed through the wedding hall windows. Savita's mother was worried. The groom's family was about to come in a few minutes. They had insisted on the wedding to be taken place in a wedding hall in Bangalore but the bride's family was from Hubli. So it was held in Hubli. Suddenly, the lights went out. Savita's mother became more nervous. "The generator will take some time. If the groom's family sees this, then what will they think of us?" Savita's mother thought.

Meanwhile, Savita's friends were in a room with her, teasing and playing. It was a typical middle- class wedding, with the hall decorated, music was blaring over the speakers which no one was listening to. Women were wearing expensive saris and showing off to each other. But when the electricity went out, everybody was getting irritated. Many people were invited, and among them was one of Savita's friend Mansi. She couldn't speak. So Savita's mother looked down upon her.

When Savita's mother was groaning, Mansi came and started explaining her in the sign language. " What is this stupidity! Already I am tensed and you are trying to explain to me something useless! Get out!" Then Mansi tried to take her somewhere but she refused to move. Mansi fell at her feet but Savita's mother was adamant.

After some time, they heard a shout. It was coming from the electricity room. They rushed there and saw Savita standing there with a look of shock on her face and Mansi lying on the floor. They called the ambulance and took Mansi to the hospital where she was declared dead.

Savita's mother asked Savita what had happened and she said " Since the electricity had gone out I decided to check the electricity board. But Mansi told me not to in sign language but I went there anyway. So she went to tell you and when you refused to come, she came back and saw me trying to touch the board and since she couldn't speak, she ran and tried to avoid me from touching the board and in that process, she got a shock and fell down, motionless. When I tried to wake her up, she smiled and died on the spot."

Savita's mother was shocked. The girl whom she looked down upon had saved her daughter from death. She was ashamed. She paid for Mansi's last rites.