THE SHINING MILESTONES

                                               THE SHINING MILESTONES    

                                                         Part-3

After 10 minutes, Eiti saw a military truck stopped on the road, hidden behind that rock, she thought to enter inside that, and talking to herself, “Remember that first time you ran Eiti, at the age of 8 years you struggled and reached grandmother’s place. Now prepare yourself once again,” She went on tiptoe to the truck and entered inside without making noise. While running, her makeup got smudged due to continuous wiping sweat over her face. Unaware of her scary face, she didn’t realised about her scary looks.

Eiti adjusted herself in between some trunks and big bags fulfilled of military camp usage stuffs. Within 45 minutes, truck reached military camp. Two men came out, one was driver and another was army personnel. Eiti stepped out slowly and tried to hide again to avoid their sight. But this time she was caught by army driver when he moved to unload army stuffs. Army driver holded Eiti’s hands tightly and shouted, “Abhay sir, please come here. One lady is here.” He asked Eiti rudely, “Who are you? Tell me comeon.”

Eiti tried to get rid of him and cried, “Please leave my hand. Let me go.” 

Army driver scolded, “No you will be punished by army major. You have to suffer now.”   

Military camp member Abhay came there and asked army driver to leave Eiti.

Abhay requested Eiti, “listen girl, please come with me, I’ll help you.”

Eiti in scared voice said, “Sir, please listen let me stay here for tonight and tomorrow morning I’ll go back.”    

Abhay took Eiti comfortably along with him to army major’s office. Eiti was relaxed that, “One night’s stay here and tomorrow I’ll try to find some other place.”

At army major’s office Abhay changed into anger and drag her inside. He explained the incident to army major and asked to punish Eiti.

 Army Major and Abhay discussed, “We should investigate about this girl’s background. If she is an intruder from enemy country then? Look at her face like makeup smudged all over the face.” 

Army major asked Eiti, “Tell us about yourself. Your name, age, background and everything. Orelse we have to punish you.” 

Eiti hesitantly replied, “No sir I’ll will tell you how I reached here.”

Eiti cried and gave details about her story of marriage and grandmother’s demise. They didn’t easily believed her as they had military minds and scrolled her stuffs. Also they red grandmother’s letter and planned some investigations for Eiti.

Army Major pointed to Abhay and said, “We should let Eiti stay here for 1 month and during this we can crosscheck her background.”  

Abhay replied, “You are right sir, here she will be under our observations and I think we should give her some work here and a supervisor Verma sir, who will keep track of her every single move.”

Army major said, “She is just 14 years Abhay, this will be against child labour law. So, think before you assign her any job.”

Abhay comfortingly assured, “Sir, trust me I’ll assign her very small job and this will help us to know more about her. This is our military training camp and look at her guts she reached here by hiding herself and her innocence can’t be trusted because enemy country always selects underage children to fulfil the purpose. ”

 Eiti saw them chatting with each other in low voice and thought, “What are they chatting? Oh god! Please save me, because of fear in flurry I did mistake of entering inside military truck.”

Eiti moved towards them and asked, “Sorry for the interruption, Sir, what have you decided about me. Please don’t inform my parents, otherwise they will again force me for illegal marriage. If you want I’ll do any job like cooking, cleaning and whatever you say.”

Abhay replied, “Yes, we assign you to clean the camp ground were our training is conducted every morning 5 am.”

Eiti was happy that without any grudges they allowed her to stay but she was unaware about their plan. She happily replied, “Oh thank you Sir, you saved my life in true sense. I can perform other jobs also if you say.” 

Abhay replied, “No, currently only this much and later we will let you know. Also you can stay at our servant’s quarter and after one month we will give you salary of your job.”

Eiti was not curious to know about her salary but satisfied by Abhay’s support. He asked head peon to drop Eiti at servant’s quarter.

Abhay said, “Go Eiti, take rest and tomorrow morning sharp at camp training field.”

Eiti replied with smile, “Sure sir, thank you.”

Army major asked Abhay, “Abhay do you think this innocent girl can be an intruder? I have many years of experience, I can read the faces and tell the reality. Hope this girl is innocent.”

Abhay replied, “ I respect your judgement but last year you remember that Kashmir’s incident of an intruder? How he destroyed whole training centre? This has forced me to observe her.”

Here, Eiti was in her servant quarter. There was one more bed for other servant in room. After sometime that elder servant lady came with dinner for Eiti.

Eiti asked her, “Hi! I am Eiti. Abhay sir told me to stay here for somedays. What’s your name madam?”

Elder servant lady smiled, “Hi! My name is Lata and I am working in this training centre since many years. I perform kitchen duties like cooking and washing utensils. But which job is assigned to you?”

Eiti interestingly replied, “Abhay sir asked me to clean training camp ground from tomorrow.”

Lata said, “Oh I am sorry Eiti, I bought this dinner for you. As you are new to this place, so peon asked me to serve you. Please have it and sleep as you have to get up early in morning.”

Eiti was happy to see this and thought, “Till date exept my grandmother, nobody served me food like this. I think this place will be one of the most memorial in my life.”

Eiti had her dinner and Lata also went to sleep. Next morning, Eiti was on training field. As told by Abhay, Eiti did all her duties and when she saw Abhay on the ground, she moved towards him and asked, “Good Morning sir, how was my work? You can see clean training field.”

Abhay looked at the training field which was so cleaned as never before. He was impressed with Eiti’s work but on the other side of brain, keeping an eye on her. Within sometime training started and Abhay was the senior trainer of the camp students. Abhay asked Eiti to do other jobs but she was blank, as only one job was assigned to her. She went to the kitchen and saw Lata cooking lunch.

Eiti asked, “Lata, can I help you in chopping vegetables? If you want I can cook some dishes that will ease your load.”

Lata took a deep breath and said, “Oh please come Eiti, you came at the right time because my helper has gone to his hometown for one week. You can’t even imagine I have to cook for 1,000 people in camp. Will you be able to cook for these many people?”

Eiti was shocked to hear this, but still took it as a challenge and in wobbling sound she asked, “Lata, you will give me idea about quantity of food to be cooked?”

Lata explained her the preparing food process as per army diet. She cooked dal-rice for the first time in large quantity as per Lata’s instructions. Lata was lightened, that Eiti cooked delicious dal and next time dal-rice and chopping work was assigned to Eiti only.

Eiti felt something wrong and asked, “Lata, for these many people only you and your helper to cook? This is not digesting. Where is the remaining staff?”

Lata smiled and answered, “No dear, we were total 4 staff members for cooking. Each person was assigned different kitchen jobs, but camp people didn’t find them upto the mark. They were not able to cook as per military diet and I always tried to improve them as I am the head cook but now I am relaxed as you came.”

Eiti got impressed with Lata’s friendly nature as she was the only companion of loneliness. Just a few days passed, one day Eiti saw camp students were learning about military weapons like machine guns, battle tanks, machine guns, mortars, rocket launchers, pistols, guns, lightweight machine guns etc. she got excited and wanted to learn the same but due to camp strict rules, she remain halfheartedly. Sometimes, managed to sneak the weapon training and one day, Abhay caught her. Abhay already had a doubt on Eiti from first day onwards. This act of her has turned his doubt into belief.

Abhay in stubborn voice, “Eiti, What are you doing here? I was right about you, come with me. Come on.”

Eiti by pleading, “No sir, please hear me out! Leave my hands.”

Abhay holded her hands tightly and dragged straight to the army major’s office. There he explained the scenario to army major and Eiti was scolded by him. Without listening to Eiti’s statements, the army major strictly ordered head peon to shift Eiti to the small prisoner’s room. Later, Lata was called and interrogated about Eiti. Lata’s statements proved Eiti innocent but their state of mind didn’t approved it.

Eiti curses the luck, “Now I had to see this day too. Without any crime I am in prison. Only I watched training, such a big punishment? How can they be so foolish to imprison some innocent?” On the other side, Abhay was into strict monitoring preparations on Eiti.

Lata use to visit Eiti out of sight of everyone, “Hi! How are you? Nobody knows that I am here with food. This food is only for you. Not as tasty as you cook but tried to make as per your choice.”

Eiti with tears, “Thanks a lot Lata, only you know that I am innocent, then please explain these army people. You are here since many years right? They imprisons innocents always?” 

Lata had no reply but handed her the food plate and asked to finish it fast before anyone could see. Eiti had food and finds lack of her cooking methods in taste but she gave very cute feedback, on which Lata’s heart melted, “Dal is delicious with added politeness, mixed vegetable is fine with added love and affection, rice is smoothly steamed with care and this desert is extra sweet with attachment.”

Lata was speechless as she was never ever honoured before like this. She shared a little secret with Eiti, “I heard today at afternoon, Abhay sir talking about a meeting with your parents. He got information about your family background so he checked every detail.” Eiti was very shocked to know and wanted to meeting to be cancelled.

Eiti pleaded Lata, “Please try to convince Abhay sir, my parents will call me back and again they will fix my marriage with some weird person. Lata, you don’t know that I am an unwanted child. Since childhood I am been tortured. Again my parents will get chance to repeat the same but this time it will be more worst than my thoughts.”

Lata consoled Eiti, “let me see what I can do. You don’t worry, I will try to talk to Abhay sir. You take care. I need to go now. Bye.”

Lata left from there and Eiti drowned into deep thinking of past incidents. Current situation didn’t affected her than a painful past. She was scared of her parents rather than military camp leaders. The prison was at the dark corner side of the camp where hardly the sunrays could reach that’s why Lata was not caught by anyone.

Next day, Abhay called Eiti in interrogation room. Eiti was looking at the room’s walls. There were photo of many terrorists, maps directions, targets written on board and projector.

Eiti asked, “Sir, what are these things? I wanted to know please give me details.” 

Abhay arrogantly replied, “You sit down, this is none of your business that what is this room about. You need to give me details. Understand.”

Eiti got nervous after hearing these statements, “Sorry sir, actually I like to collect information about new things. So, I asked.”

Abhay bought all her belongings and asked to explain about it in detail, “Eiti, please tell me about you. Your story, your background. I met your parents, but as per army rules I need to know about you.”

Eiti started explaining about her past and her belongings. She told her whole story of torture and grandmother. When she told about the gold chain, Abhay saw that chain very carefully and remembered something.

Abhay holded that chain and eagerly asked, “Wait a second, this chain is same like that old lady hand over me some days back. She met with an accident and I took her to the hospital but unfortunately she died and hand over me this chain. I searched her address and delivered all her belongings back to her home. It was a small hut.”

Eiti got up from chair and moved towards Abhay. She holded his hands tightly and asked, “Really, please tell me what you know about that old lady. She was my grandmother. Did she tell you anything about me?”

Abhay answered in lost voice, “Yes she told me about her granddaughter. But why are you bothered to know?”

Eiti in despair voice, “Abhay sir, she was my grandmother. I lost her because of my parents. She was my only support.”

By saying this, Eiti cried a lot and Abhay told further, “I did her funeral process. She didn’t give any information about her family for informing.”

Abhay who was very stubborn at the beginning of interrogation, got emotional after listening to Eiti’s sad story. He had sympathy on her and tried to calm her. He thought to discuss with army major and release Eiti but on the other side, he also thought that her parents could again spoil her life as she is minor and could not take decisions, her dependencies are on her parents. This may ruin her future.

Eiti wanted to know that what her parents told Abhay about her. So, she asked, “Sir, today why did asked me about my life history?”

Abhay in hesitation, “Ahh! No actually I went at your parent’s place and got to know about you. Rest I heard from you and wanted to complete army’s interrogation process.”

Eiti asked, “Now what else is remaining?you could have interrogated me on the first day itself, then you would have released me before. Am I right?”

Eiti was knowing very well from inside that Abhay met her parents as Lata informed her before about this. But still she wanted to know from Abhay. He didn’t say everything he knew because it was full of negative comments about Eiti. Abhay was sadden on Eiti’s destiny and wanted to save her.

Abhay in embarrasement, “Yeah, I know. But as I told you about army rules.”

Eiti interrupted in between, “Army rules are more than humanity? Who gave you right to inflict me and reminisce the past? You know what Abhay sir, that proverb saying is perfect for you-‘Habits die hard.’

Eiti got up from chair and moved towards outside of interrogation room in anger. Abhay stopped her and asked, “Wait! What’s your age? Because you behave like….”

Again Eiti interrupted Abhay in arrogance, “Remember that first of my introduction when I entered here? You will get your answers surely.”

Abhay tranquilize her, “Huh! You can stay here till one month.”

Eiti in arrogant smiled, “Oh really, your doubts are not cleared yet?”

Eiti left that room and moved towards her servant quarter room. There Lata met her.

Lata moved towards Eiti happily, “Eiti! Come! Come! Sit here. How are you? You are released? I requested Abhay sir for you. I think he got sense after that.”

Eiti replied, “No dear, he completed his army interrogation process and almost jerked me. He asked me to leave till one month here.”

Lata was shocked to know about Abhay’s kindness, “Really! Thank god, now I will enjoy your company and within few days my helper will be back. We three kitchen staff will finish the work soon. Also more time saved for chit-chat. What say?”

Eiti laughed, “Lata, you are more enthusiastic than me. Huh! All my frustration vanished.”

Lata reacts excitedly, “Oh yeah! I was so bored alone and my helper is also mad every silly thing I explain him.”

Here Eiti and Lata were laughing and chatting and there Abhay discussed Eiti’s case with army major. It was already decided to let Eiti stay here for one month for her investigation, because she was an intruder in their eyes. Now army major ordered Abhay to release Eiti immediately.

Abhay seriously asked, “But sir, where will she go? Her parents are also not good with her.”

Army major strictly sounded, “Abhay, just do as I say. You send someone to drop her back at her parents place. Even I will send a warning letter with Eiti, in which it will be mention that Eiti should not be tortured again.”

Abhay in pleading voice, “But sir, her parents can’t be trusted. They are…… ”

Army major rudely interrupted him while talking, “End of the conversation Abhay.”

Abhay shared his thoughts about Eiti with his best friend named Navin in army camp. Navin was more a consultant than a friend in case of girlfriends in Abhay’s life.

Navin suggests Abhay, “My dear friend, don’t be sad. You give some money in her hand to pass a few days. I understand your emotions but Eiti is minor and some path has to be chosen for her. Rest her destiny.”

Abhay in emotional voice, “But this time Navin, I saw the truth in her eyes. Such a fearless personality in minor age. She was just 14 years old Navin, but still understandings were like a mature person.”

Navin doubts on Abhay, “Wait! Wait! Wait! You know that girl so much, that this time you judged correctly. I wish this judgement you would have used in case of your past girlfriends, then till date a true life partner could have entered in your life.”

Both of them laughed on their mutual conversations and made a plan for Eiti’s well-being.

Abhay thought something and while talking suddenly said, “Oh wait! I have a plan.” 

Navin asked with shocking expressions, “Now what?”

Abhay whispers in Navin’s ear and he was agreed with Abhay after which Navin said, “Huh!! For the first time in life, you took correct decision. She is minor but still changed your way of thinking completely. I am impressed.”

Instead of army driver, Abhay decided to drop Eiti. She met Lata and they gave a tight hug to each other.

Lata cried, “Eiti, don’t forget me. Our friendship was for these many days only.”

Eiti replied, “Yeah sure, I will write you letters and will remain in touch like this. Ok bye. Take care and cook delicious dal.” 

Lata smiled while crying, “Yes, but your hand’s magic will be missing Eiti.”

Abhay blowed horn and Eiti moved sadly towards army jeep.

Abhay while driving, “By the way Eiti, why were you peeping at our training on that day?”

Eiti questioned in return, “This is your new way of interrogation? Firstly, that room and now while driving?”

Abhay replied, “You are getting me wrong Eiti. Because that was showing your interests on our training activities.”

Eiti answered, “Yes, it was full of energy and power. I wish I could also……”

Abhay asked, “Could what?” 

Eiti kept quiet and was thinking that, “If I could have got this kind of trainings then today, the life would have been something else.”

Abhay again asked, “Could what? Hello!!! I am talking to you.”

Eiti answered, “Aa, nothing. But where are we going? This way is not for my home?”

Abhay smiled, “Yes, I will drop you at my Ranjit uncle’s farm house. I have informed the caretaker already. Rest if you need anything, he will look after you.” 

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