Mercy

Harish was from a well-settled and happy family. His grandfather left with a lot of wealth. Even if they spend money without thinking, still it won't get less, we are so rich. It's been said that where there is the stay of Goddess Lakshmi, Goddess Saraswati doesn't reside there. There is a lack of knowledge. The same situation was there in Harish's family. His father Maganbhai and his mother Kanchanben always used to be on foreign tours. Sister Rashmi used to sleep in the day and stay in disco clubs at night. In short, the full family was submerged in the influence of alcohol and moreover, in diet, they used to have Non-Veg food. So they were away from good qualities.

One day the family planned for the tour to Africa. Harish was excited from that day. They sat in a plane and after hours of travelling, they reached Africa. In those beautiful forests, amidst greenery, and with pure air around their senses were cherished. They plotted a tent with all the facilities near the forest. They were tired after hours of travelling, however, the beautiful sceneries of the forest couldn't stop them from enjoying that enormous beauty of nature.

At night, the whole family was set at the dining table, and their gossip was about only things i.e. The beauty of nature around. The Chefs served them dinner plates consisting of Fried Chicken, Non-Veg Biriyani. Their love for nature could be noticed even from their choice of food.

Rashmi took a piece of Chicken, and asked her mother, "Mom, we keep names of humans, then why don't these chickens have a name?"

Kanchanben chewed the flesh piece properly and enjoying its deliciousness she said, "They have it, honey. But we keep their name after their death."

Maganbhai asked in curiosity, "How do we do that?"

With a smile, Kanchanben said, "Chicken Lollipop, Chicken Biriyani, Stuffed Chicken."

All laughed at it. Chewing the flesh from the piece in hand, and smiling, if anyone sees them, then it was enough for giving him goosebumps. It's Man's setback that he doesn't sit before the mirror while having dinner. If at that time, Kanchanben saw her face in the mirror, then she would have either broken the mirror or would have left Non-Veg.

They were busy with their dinner, at that time suddenly their tent started shaking. Voice of tearing of cloth was heard. And with that, the waiters started running away. Before Harish could understand what was happening, some tribals entered the tent. And straightaway put their sword on the neck of Harish and his family members. With shock, Harish looked at his father Maganbhai. A tribal was standing aside holding the waiter. The frightened waiter pushed the tribal and tried to run away and he succeeded in it. The tribal who was pushed was standing peacefully there. With utmost shock, Harish was watching all this. Hitting the table and slipping off on land the waiter reached the door. And before he could celebrate his freedom, an arrow came and went through his head. Unaware of what happened, he ran with the arrow in his head and fell down after a distance. At that time Harish understood that why they stayed silent even though the waiter was running because they have also covered the tent from outside. Some people took the body of the waiter on sticks and started walking from there. A tribal put the sword on Harish's back and signalled him to walk with them. Harish and his family quietly followed them. It was dark outside. The forest which was beautiful during the light of daytime seemed fearful during the darkness of night. Those tribals took them to a cave. The cosy, dark cave had a cage. They were set free in that cage. Harish was done with all this, he started shouting, "Why did you catch us? What do you need? How much money should I give you? Tell me?"

A light voice came from the cage, "They don't need money, They need food."

Harish noticed the cage for the first time and discovered that 2 more people are already present in the cage before them.

Seeing Harish that Man said, "My name is Afas, Doesn't matter How loud you scream or shout they won't be affected, these people couldn't understand your language."

Harish said, "Which caste do they belong to? Tell me, I have learned different languages before coming here. What's their religion ?"

Afas said with helplessness, "They don't have a caste, They don't have a religion. They just understand the language of hunger."

Harish said, "So what do they want? I will fulfil their wish."

Afas laughed and said, "You couldn't give them anything, because they got what they wish for." Harish asked with shock, "What?"

Afas said, "You! They have chosen you for satisfying their hunger. We aren't prisoners or slaves in this cage. But we are just food in their store." Harish got goosebumps, "What? What did you just say?"

Afas said politely, "They're Man-Eaters."

Suddenly some tribals arrived. And started chopping into pieces the dead body of that waiter. Seeing this inhumane scene, Rashmi went unconscious. Maganbhai and Kanchanben got to puke. Harish said, "How, How can they do this? Such a cheap thing?"

2 days passed in this way. One day, in the morning some tribal came. Those 2 people went in the backside of the cage. Seeing their behaviour Harish was shocked and said in a loud voice, "Mom, Dad, Rashmi go backward. There's a danger." Immediately Maganbhai and Kanchanben setback. Tribal opened the door and caught the hairs of Rashmi and started pulling her. Rashmi started shouting for help. Tribal was pulling her. Harish slowly took out a smile knife from his pocket and aimed it at Rashmi's hair. Hairs were cut off, Rashmi escaped. She came in the back part of the cage with deep breaths. Tribal started coming in the back part of the cage kicking their swords. Afas kicked another man in the cage who was kept as prey. He was caught by the tribal. He tried a lot to be safe, he tried his best to escape, but all was in vain. Few tribal dragged him. One of them closed the cage and locked the door.

One tribal flipped a knife on the neck of that screaming man, and with blood dripping from his mouth, his screams went silent. Harish and his family members were shocked to see this incident. Rashmi was still taking deep breaths, and with thankful eyes see looked at Afas. If he wouldn't have reacted, then that knife would've been on her neck. With tiredness and fear, They slept soon.

The next day in the morning, again the same people came. Harish and his family members went on the backside. The tribals started screaming and going around the cage. With fear, the people in the cage started running. Suddenly Rashmi slipped and fell. One of the tribals caught her cloth and started pulling her with the cloth. With helplessness, she looked at Harish. Harish took out his knife-like yesterday, but this time one of the tribal was aware of it and he hit a stick on Harish's forehead. Darkness spread around his eyes. Slowly the cloth of her sister was slipping off from Harish's hand, and with that Harish saw Rashmi's life moving towards her death. The cage was shut down. Harish listened pleads of his parents, "Leave my daughter. Set us free. Help help." Their body was shivering with fear. The blood in the body was becoming poison. Harish raised his head before getting unconscious, one tribal had put the knife on Rashmi's neck, "Brother..." a pleading was heard and Harish went unconscious.

It must have rained. With a cold drop of water, Harish woke up. Remembering yesterday, he got up suddenly. He glared all around, only Afas was there in the cage. He searched for his parents all around but no one was there. He asked Afas, "My parents?" Afas signalled him with the finger, Harish looked in the direction of the finger. The tribal was having a meal.

Harish asked, "Where are my parents?"

Afas said, "On the table, in the plates."

Harish cried, "You inhumane people, What you have done. You're eating my family. You will suffer a lot because of this sin. You heartless people, You didn't feel mercy even after listening to their helpless pleads? What did you get by killing those innocent, helpless people? Just for filling the stomach, You did such a thing? Are you even aware of what you're doing? You're making a grave in your stomach. Grave, People's Grave, Grave of dreams of living people."

Listening to this Afas started laughing. Harish said with anger, "Afas, you're laughing at my such condition?"

Afas said peacefully, "Friend, whenever you ate chicken or goat did you ever thought this? That the ones you're eating are someone's brother, someone's sister, or someone's dearest? And today you're getting such thoughts? The way you never felt wrong in eating chicken or goat, in the same way, these people don't feel shame in eating humans."

Trying to clarify Harish said, "But brother, I don't chop the chickens or goats. It's sold in the market and I buy it and eat it. How can you compare me with these inhumane? These people are killing humans and eating them."

With the same peace, Afas said, "But you eat them, that's why the butchers cut for you. As you don't know how to chop, and they know it. This is a slight difference between you and these Man-Eaters."

Suddenly some tribal came again. Afas went on the backend of the cage and said, "Harish, You know? I'm in this cage for the last 5 years. Do you know the reason? Because I know these tribal never allow the cage to get empty. Now from tomorrow, I'll be alone in this cage. Until someone else comes, They will not kill me." Saying this Afas kicked Harish. Harish was caught by a tribal. He started pulling him. Harish started shouting, "Leave me, Leave me. I don't want to die. I want to live... I want to live... Leave me, leave me."

"Harish, Harish, What are you murmuring in sleep?" Harish's mother Kanchanben said shaking him.

Harish opened his eyes, his mother was in front of his eyes. There was still a time of 3 hours for flight and he is at home. He was dreaming. Getting this thought Harish hugged his mother. And with tears in his eyes, he said, "Mom, Mom now we will not ruin any family. We will not separate any brother or sister from their mother. We will not separate any son from his father. Mom, we aren't tribal. We are educated. Are we?"

Kanchanben didn't get anything and said, "Come let's have something to eat. I have made an omelette for you."

Will Harish eat an omelette? This Harish is none other than the reader of this story. The end of the story would be decided by them. To kill someone, eat, and live? Or to live and let live? I have just shown a half-dream. A world with Animal welfare. It's you who have to complete it. Thanks.