The Collateral (3)

While watching the guidelines everyone was like, "How?","Why?". Their eyes and mouth were wide open. They were not even anxious at that moment. It was a mammoth 5-page guidelines. Their language was questionable, their way was brutal. Some of the rules were repeated meant for exaggeration. Everyone was looking at the television screen:

"Make small groups of your families. The smallest set of people you care for."

"It will take 10 days to reach the coast. So, first of all carry food and water for your group."

"Don't care for your other resources. Take food and water as much as you can."

"Minimise the interaction with groups other than yours. Only your group members will help you ahead."

"We will all first assemble at the 'woody forest' and begin our journey at 10 am tomorrow."

"There has been boxes drawn on the ground with an alloted house number.

All the members of your house have to limit yourself in the box before starting."

"All of you will be moving facing who is ahead of you."

"Don't use your transportation means of any form. Those don't belong to you now."

"We have arranged for shelters in the night. We will move whole day long starting from 7am and will take rest in the night starting from 7pm."

"When we reach, arrange yourself in the boxes with the allotted house number."

"In the case of violence. No mercy will be negotiated. Punishments will be severe."

"Avoid interaction with other groups and constantly follow the army instructions. They will be consistently moving with you."

"Seek for their help or advice in case of an emergency."

"Carry along your medication kit."

"If things get turbulent. Freeze at where you are. Just believe on the army, they are committed to protect you."

Don't ever look back when you start moving."

"In case you can't still believe that this mobilisation is real. Wash your face with clean water and see around. Government has seized all the properties of the individual or the group. And the government has been seized as well. Don't think too much. Don't let us force you. Consider this the strictest guideline of all."

Guidelines was done.

Everyone calmly took to their homes. Shop shutters started being closed. Everyone began gathering their valuables. Some took their memorable gifts, some made place for diamonds. Some were looking around confused,"what all to take." "They had announced that money and valuables is not important. So, accommodate maximum food and water." Someone was blabbering. The beggars were not busy. They were roaming around seeing what all are they taking.

Big industries and big machines were put to halt. Stealing and loots of food and resources of the rich came to an end. Dogs could enter any house to ask for loaf of meat. Cats could enter any house and drink the milk.

There were no vehicles on the road. Night had come but no house shut down their bulbs. Farmers were crying over the land they would have to leave, businessmen over their factories, shopkeepers were adoring their shops, pujari baba was gazing at the temple, shopkeepers were looking at their shops, someone released the encaged bird, some peopel were looking at their bookshelves, Musicians were touching their collection of the instruments, archaeologists were seeing their antique collection.

Everything was now reduced to food and shelter. Only family bonds remained and nothing else. Kids were jumping as if they are going to a new place. They didn't know what were their parents thinking. Someone suggested to look at the kids and inherit their behaviour in such a situation. But, it was too tough. Anyway, 1 hour was remaining for 10AM tick.