Scar In Hearts

The clock struck 7 as she woke up. She realized it was a bit late and rushed to the kitchen. She started making breakfast for her family. Then she remembered that she had not yet woke up her daughter. She quickly made her daughter's favorite cup of ginger tea which she usually drinks in the morning and sprang to her room. She looked around the room, no where to see her daughter. She was agitated and went blank for a moment. She ran to wake her husband up. She heard the water flowing inside the bathroom. She knocked on the bathroom door twice and asked her husband to come out. She heard him shouting "I will come, wait".

She returned to her daughter's room anxiously. She saw a small piece of paper, something written on it, was stuck on her daughter's cupboard. She went closer to read what was written on it. "Ma, I have an important seminar this morning, I need to be there in office by 8 am. So I am leaving earlier. You were sleeping so I did not wake you up. Sorry and love you!", it said. She let out a sigh but still could not let the nervousness out. She saw her husband getting ready for his work and handed him over the lunch.

"I had breakfast, did you eat? Do not forget to take medicines. Sleep in the afternoon, I will come a little late tonight. Take care." He kissed her forehead, caressed her and started walking out of the house before she could tell anything about the note left by her daughter.

She felt her stomach growling in hunger. She did not have anything since she woke up. She went to the kitchen and served herself some idly she made that morning. She switched on the TV and sat on the sofa with breakfast on her plate.

"13 year old, was kidnapped and was brutally raped by five men", A middle-aged girl read the news in robotic mode. She pressed the change button in the remote continuously cursing the channels.

"All filthy things happening in the world", she muttered under her breath.

She started cleaning the house. She went to her daughter's room which was messy and untidy. She folded the blankets, bedspreads and kept them in place. She saw the books that were spread on the bed and the floor. She arranged them neatly in the bookshelves. There were so many books in her room. She rewind to the past when her daughter completed her graduation. The girl was studious who always held an A+. She never studied hard but she was a smart and intelligent kid who excelled in her studies. She saw the medals and awards of her daughter. The girl was a classical dancer. There were many cups and medals which she got in dance competitions. Among them was the big shield with her daughter's name carved in it, the one she received for securing a top rank in her graduation. The mother beamed with proud. Just near the shield was a picture taken during her convocation. The daughter beamed ear to ear hugging her mother and father who stood by her sides proudly. The mother exclaimed as to how lovely is the picture and how young her daughter still is! She cleaned the room further and double-checked to make sure there are no dust left and left to her room to take a nap after her lunch.

She jerk awoke from her sleep and saw the clock which showed 5 past 7. She felt tired and sleepy. Maybe the medicine she took made her sleep this long. She washed her face and made dinner for her daughter. She switched on the TV to watch her serials. She did not forget to check the watch until it struck 8. Her daughter had not turned up yet. She decided to call her and picked up the phone. The phone rang without answering. She dallied again only to hear the phone ringing. She called her husband who did not pick up the call. She was filled with anxiety. She walked to the house gate and stood there for sometimes. She kept walking across the corridor. She felt very restless. She went to the kitchen and drank some water. She checked the phone which displayed 9.30 pm. She is too nervous now. She dallied her daughter but then the phone was switched off. She panicked than ever.

She saw her husband arriving. She ran towards him and told him about her daughter. Her hands shaking and voice shrieking. She was afraid something might have happened to their daughter. She knew the world is filthy and anything may happen to a girl who is alone at night. She wanted to go to herself and check her daughter at her office. She urged her husband to go to the police station.

Did her phone's battery die? Why did not the girl make a call and inform her earlier? What might have happened to her? was she safe? questions wandered her head making her dizzy. Her husband hugged her and took her inside. She plonked on the couch, dug her face into her palms and sobbed uncontrollably. The world swirled around her. She cursed her husband for keeping calm and not acting swiftly. She felt something strange about him. Her husband came near her with a glass of water.S he refused to stop her cries or look at him. He removed her hands covering her face and felt the hot tears rolling down her cheeks.

Don't worry! Nothing will happen to her. Please don't cry. He uttered in the efforts of consoling his wife.

All of a sudden her cries stopped. Her gaze glued to the floor. There were no tears anymore. Her face straight and emotionless.

Yes, You are right! nothing will happen to her! She muttered under her breath.

How will anything happen when she is already dead? Those filthy, mean animals raped and killed my daughter already. Those morons killed my daughter, she is dead and how will anything happen to her anymore? They killed her, She is dead, She is dead! Her voice thundered.

She ran into her daughter's room. She looked around the room. The silence in the empty room killed her soul once again. She imagined her daughter sitting on the cot and smiling at her. She took the blanket and flipped on the floor. She threw the pillow on the floor. She saw her daughter's cupboard. She kept flipping down all the books and things kept on the shelves until her husband rushed and consoled her. He took her to their room and caressed her until she was fast asleep.

The clock struck 7 in the morning when she opened her eyes. She checked the clock and felt anxious as it was a little late. She then rushed to the kitchen and in the middle of making breakfast, she realized she did not wake her daughter up for her ginger tea. She immediately made a cup of ginger tea and sprang to her daughter's room. But she was shocked as her daughter was not to be seen in her in the room.

We pass through a lot of news about sexual harassment and rapes but the families of the victims never pass through them. The pain always stays as a scar in their hearts.