The EarthQuake

The earth rumbled, the sky shook… hell broke loose. Within a couple of seconds, the whole earth was shattered. There was chaos all around. Huge cracks had spread into the wall of my rented ground floor apartment. In a place which was once called Heaven on Earth, now it was one of the most terror stricken parts of the world. Nature had struck again. I was frustrated with my life. Not a single day had passed when I had not come face to face with blood, death and agony. My feelings had got numb to death and terror. It was a part of my daily life. It was my life.

I had to call up my family. Check whether they were safe. I punched in the phone number on my cell. The call dropped. Networks must have been jammed. I ran to the telephone in the adjacent room. Maybe landlines were working. I picked up the receiver - no tone. The phone was dead. I had to get to my family. I had started living alone since a few years. Being a reporter, my life was in constant danger. I could not put my family in jeopardy. So I picked up my camera and cell phone . I had to go back home.

The earth shook again. Now, it was even more violent than ever. Something hit my head…

I opened my eyes. There was an intense light that came from the usually dull streetlight. It was night. I did not remember how long I was lying there. I was surprised no one bothered to wake me. I saw a broken concrete piece lying next to me. I turned and looked into the street. My memory gathered momentum. I remembered the earthquake in the morning. I was to head home. I hope my family was safe. I ran to the main road. I put out my hand to a passing by taxi. The taxi whizzed past. Another one whizzed past. Not a single taxi stopped. I started running on the road. The road was deserted than ever. I frantically waved out to all the passing vehicles. None of them stopped. It was strange. It all felt like a dream. Or was it a nightmare. I did not feel cold as I should have. Nights are usually cold. Very cold.

I remembered my sisters. The eldest of them was to be married next month. She was the most intelligent. She had taken up the responsibility of the mother in the family after she passed away last year, falling prey to a stray bullet at a terrorist crossfire in the market place. Farida was like a mother to both the younger sisters and my father who was paralyzed on the right side. My youngest sister was in school. Her smile was the sweetest in the world. She had lost all her teeth to chocolate. Her hair bounced like a mop as she ran towards me anticipating a box of choclolates. Diary milk with fruits and nuts was her favorite. My middle sister, was of the intellectual types. She was studying medicine and madly in love with a Hindu guy. No one was aware of this fact except me. It was news that could have a dire consequence in our community. I wanted them to get married and stay abroad. Maybe in London, Australia or Canada. It would be safer for both of them to stay there. I was the only person aware of this secret. Father was bedridden. Rajiv, my friend who lived in Mumbai always cursed me for staying away from my family. He said I was selfish. He said that by living away from my family, their life was in constant danger. Maybe he was. If I were with them today, I would not be here running around deserted streets without a clue about my family. I should live with my family. Their need for me was bigger than the danger I anticipated.

I reached home. There was a crowd outside. The sound of howling echoed into the lane outside the house. The people around were animatedly talking if something very grave had happened. No one reacted to my presence. I ran inside. I saw my father on the wheelchair sobbing. I turned around. I saw my two younger sisters crying. My eldest sister was missing. I was shocked, words failed to come out. I was speechless. The sound of an ambulance filled the air. I rushed towards the ambulance. I couldn’t believe my eyes. Farida… where was she? The back of the ambulance opened. Farida stepped out. I heaved a sigh of relief. Two men alighted after her with a stretcher. I went forward to hug her, to tell her that I was so relieved. That’s when my eyes went to the stretcher. I lay on the stretcher. Cold. Dead