Meera Unveils....(a sequel to “THE REFLECTION IN THE MIRROR”)

While the memories flooded in and the tears rolled down wetting her rouge covered cheeks, Meera was suddenly jolted back to reality when somebody shouted her name. She got up, checked herself in the mirror and walked out of the room.

The hall was dimly lit with small red bulbs giving the room a shady appearance. A medium-sized cot nested on one corner where a lady sat sipping the hookah and talking to some people. The air was filled with the nauseating smell of alcohol and smoke accentuated with the loud verbal chatter of the men present there.

Meera went and joined the queue of girls who were overtly decked up in flashy clothes and cosmetics. Suddenly Meera’s eyes fell on the man who was talking to Ameena bi and offering her money. What Meera could guess was Ameena bi was not satisfied with whatever money that person had to offer. The man must have been in his late twenties and seemed to be a first-timer to this place. He had teamed up his blue jeans with a grey t-shirt and looked quite out of place. After a negotiation which went on for ten minutes, finally Ameena bi directed the man to where the girls were standing in a queue.

Choose whomsoever you like! said Ameena bi.

The man was looking at the girls with downcast eyes when his attention caught hold of Meera. He looked at her startled, then went to her and turning to Ameena bi, said “I want to go with her”. 

Ameena bi signalled to Meera and she went out of the hall, followed by that man.

As they exited the hall, it led to a narrow corridor with small rooms on both sides. The doors of most of the rooms were closed. The man who was following Meera had been observing everything keenly, when he suddenly came out of his reverie by the laughter of a couple of girls who crossed their path. Those girls seemed to be of the same age as Meera and were looking at him, from head to toe and discussing something amongst themselves. 

Meera then led him to a room and closed the door and shut the windows. The room was very small wherein a medium-sized bed occupied the left side of the room whereas a wooden table and chair were placed adjacent to it. A dimly lit lamp crouched on the table and the blue painted walls gave the room a dingy look. The man was eyeing every nook and corner of the place when he saw Meera walking up to him. She placed her left hand around his neck, held him closer and started running her right fingers seductively on his cheeks and his stubble. Slowly she started diving her hands down and as she was about to unbutton his shirt, he brushed off her hands and went to sit on the bed, leaving Meera completely astounded. Ignoring her thoughts, she went and sat beside him on the bed. 

“What happened sir? are you not happy with my way? do you want me to try something else?” asked Meera, confused with his behaviour.

The man kept looking at the mosaic floor without uttering a single word. And then as he got up to leave, Meera pulled him back to the bed, “look sir, you can tell me what will make you happy and I will do that only. But please don’t go away like this, because if you do and Ameena bi gets to know that I could not satisfy you, she would lock me up with some greedy stranger for three nights!”.

Ignoring her words, the man was about to get up from the bed when Meera held his hand and pulled him closer. She then pushed him onto the bed and started unbuttoning his shirt. 

Stop it! Meera! shouted the man, leaving Meera speechless.

Sunehri! That’s what my name is sir. I think there is some confusion. Who is Meera?, she said unnerved.

Enough Meera! now please stop this drama. I know who you are. Maybe you don’t remember me, but I know you are the same Meera, Naren kaka’s only daughter and the pride of our village.

Meera was left startled at this horrifying revelation. The room was now enshrouded in an uneasy silence interrupted by the occasional cracking sound of the fan.

Suddenly Meera got up and started to leave when the person interrupted, “look Meera, I didn’t come here with any intention of buying a night for myself. I am a reporter and I wanted to make a documentary on the life of a sex worker. A friend of mine suggested me to visit this place to get a better view of how things work here”. But when I spotted you among the girls, I was taken aback. How can you do this? The tears have still not dried from Naren kaka’s eyes and you are doing this for money? You gave up your family for the sake of money? Were materialistic pleasures so important for you? Have you even thought about them? Do you even have the slightest hint what your family has undergone in all these years? 

Meera’s face fell! After all these years, the mention of her family had moistened her eyes. Little drops of tears had already formed on the corner of her eyes. With a trembling voice, she asked meekly “how are baba and maa?”

“The tragedy has taken it’s toll on kaka and kaaki..they look much older than their age. Kaka’s eyes still keep searching for you and kaaki can’t stop her tears at the mention of your name. They miss you way too much! You were the reason of their existence and your absence has left them crippled for the rest of life. Since the day you went missing they left no stone unturned to search for you. They plead before man and prayed to God, but no one helped. They still hope that someday their little Meera would run into their arms and hug them tightly.”

Meera was completely awestruck at this sorrowful narration. Her eyes were red and swollen. She had been crying all this while remembering her parents. Between her sobs and bated breath, she said “please dnt tell baba and maa that you know about me”.

“I don’t believe my ears! After listening to all this, you still don’t feel like seeing them? They would be so happy to see you! It would be like a revival for kaka and kaaki.” 

I am sorry but I cannot go back to them! said Meera. The man suddenly got enraged and turning to her, said “after knowing all this, you still don’t want to go back to them? you want them to live with this pain and suffering? and all this for money? 

I can’t go back to them, I can’t give them any more agony or shame, said Meera weeping badly. The dark night snatched away all my happiness, my family, my friends, my dreams.. everything. 

Startled with the sudden turn of events, the man asked “what do you mean?”

“I was kidnapped and I was raped!” cried out Meera, letting out all the anguish of her tormented heart.

“What????”

“Yes! that evening by the time I left for home it was a little after sunset and I was walking alone as my friends had left early. I had reached midway in the road that led to the canal when suddenly three men blocked my path. They must be in their early thirties and had a shady look. My heartbeats had already accelerated when one of them spoke, “where are you walking alone? come we will drop you at your place.” 

Terrified I answered, “please let me go.”

“We will let you go, but the first at least spend some time with us!” said the other. 

I ignored his comments and started walking when I felt a pang in my wrist. They twisted my hand and pulled me forth, “we won’t let you go so easily!” and all three of them laughed at my horror-stricken face. The blood from my face had drained and I was pale thinking of the forthcoming danger. I begged and plead and sought for mercy but they went unheard. 

One of them held both my hands together and tied them and the other stuffed a piece of cloth into my mouth. And I was dragged into the bushes. I tried a lot to protest and shout for help but all in vain. The night had descended and it’s darkness engulfed my life.

They took me to a small house on the other side of the road and locked the doors. The room was dingy with a single bulb hanging from the roof and a couple of rickety chairs.

Gripped in fear, I was praying for a miracle when I was pushed to the floor. The demons in them attacked me tattering my dignity and shattering my life. I gasped for breath..I begged for pity.. and I prayed for my life! but nobody came.. nobody listened and nobody helped.

By the time I lost consciousness, I could feel my life slipping away from my hands and I remembered the innocent face of my baba! 

Meera took a deep breath before continuing, “when I regained consciousness, I found myself at this place.” Those men were procurers who had kidnapped me that night and then later sold me to Ameena bi. 

By the time Meera finished narrating her ordeal and turned back to look at him, he was in a complete state of shock. She went up to him and said, “please go back and don’t come to this place again. It is not meant for people like you! And please never tell my baba n maa that you met me! They will be devastated if they come to know the truth and I cannot cause them any more pain.” 

Finally out of his reverie, he spoke “I am so sorry Meera, I did not imagine in my wildest nightmare that something of this sort may have happened. You have gone through a lot! But you don’t belong to this place..you deserve a better-dignified life. Please come along with me, if you want I will talk to Ameena bi and request her. I am sure everything would be fine once we reach the village. I know what happened is irreparable but atleast kaka and kaaki’s presence in your life would help you heal your wounds and start your life afresh.”

Meera had been in deep thought all this while. She then walked towards the door, “please go from here! I am destined to be here.. there is no going back from this hell! I have accepted my fate. At least I can save my baba and maa from this agony.” Saying this Meera opened the door and walked out.....