A day of indulgence

A day of indulgence

"New day, new beginnings!", Azad said, stretching himself after a good night's sleep. "Oye asshole, wakeup!". His best friend was lying next to him, half asleep. "Will you take a look at this gorgeous view". Hordes of tanks and artillery were entering the border city of Lahore. The Indians were advancing rapidly. The war looked grim. Jai woke up to the sound of a distant explosion. "Azad, we can't live here for long, the sepoy are probably looking out for you. Remember, do not get captured alive". The fearless son of a General, Azad was the youngest of the two sons. Still in early teens, Azad wanted to join the Pakistani Army. His elder brother was KIA in the Kargil war. Jai could see vengeance in his eyes.

They packed their bags and left their broken shelter that's been their home since war broke out a week ago. Now out of food and water, they started scrounging, visiting house by house, eating whatever leftover food they could find. Life in the city was in shambles for the elite and the poor alike. The bourgeois was the most affected. With limited ration, increasing demand and no supply, people started fighting for every last morsel. "War is hell!", Jai said as they searched an empty house. "War is not hell, it's tragic. So many helpless innocent people caught in the crossfire. Hell would not be filled up with such people.", Azad said. "War shows the true colours of humanity, it showcases it at its worse. You think dictatorship is bad because of a bad apple, imagine democracy where all the parties are bought and paid for and now the real rulers are the military industrial complex. At least the dictatorship can end with the death of the ruler, but democracy goes on! People forget what shouldn't be forgotten and not what should be". Jai could see his eyes glisten with hope and revenge.

A noise at the door froze both of them, Azad took out his brother's pistol that he'd been carrying since the war broke out. With only a single bullet left, he knew he had to make it count. A quiet whisper between the two was enough to shake up the house. They saw a silhouette of a girl running toward the door. They dashed toward her, caught her by the neck, put the gun to her temple and awaited. She closed her eyes and started chanting Bhagavad Gita. Surprised, Jai asked Azad to put the gun down. "Where are you from...uhh", Azad said, "Saba", she said, "Saba, where are you from?", he repeated. She was quiet. "Where are your parents?", "Dead", she replied. Now feeling sorry, Jai asked her to face him. He looked her straight in the eyes, "Are you a spy?". "No, of course not.". "We can't trust her", Azad said. Jai wasn't convinced.

Azad found a rope in the house and tied her hands. "Cannot risk it", he said. "We can't leave her alone. She won't survive for long! Let's go!". Saba was hesitant to travel with them, but not seeing a safer route, she complied. Now with one more mouth to feed, they started scrounging other houses. Saba would be a look out while the other two searched for food. Travelling on open roads during the day was unsafe, so they travelled by night. Unsure how long they would be able to survive, Azad decided to go home. His house was in the midst of the war. With the Indian army surrounding the city, it was perilous to visit it. "I must go home", Azad said. Jai, an orphan, couldn't deny his request. Saba followed.

A gun went off nearby and all three ducked. A patrol was around the corner. Dashing to the back of the house, they found themselves in a small store room. The room was filled with grains. "Jackpot!", Azad said. "We shouldn't leave this house. There's enough food for us to last months''. "Does that mean you aren't going home?", Jai said. "I was really looking forward to meeting Uncle and Aunty." With a dejected look, Azad took a handful of rice and dal and went to the kitchen, then waited for the them to cook. "I am famished", Saba said. "So am I!", both said in unison. The cooker whistled twice before they could realise their mistake. Azad dashed to turn off the gas but it was too late. The patrol stopped right outside the door, flashlights on, "Police!", someone shouted.

Now panicking, the trio started running toward the back of the house hoping to find an escape route. The kitchen door led to the back passage which led to a small alley. The alley was filled with the rotten stench of death. 2 dead bodies belonging to the owners of the house were strewn over the pavement. Saba felt sick seeing the dead bodies. Go ahead, Jai said. I'll catch up. Azad moved ahead while Jai stayed with Saba. Seeing blood in her vomit, Jai wanted her to rest. They went to next door neighbours but the door was locked. Jai entered through the kitchen window. The house was dilapidated but comfortable considering the situation. He immediately went to the bathroom to find any medicines he could get hands on. Finding nothing, he went to the kitchen to see if there was any food left. Again disappointed, he went to Saba who was still recovering from her last vomit.

Azad knocked on the door. Jai looked out the window to find Azad carrying a big bag. It was full of goodies. Chocolates, chips, crackers, chewing gum, grains, fruits, soft drinks and vegetables. "How are you feeling?", Azad asked Saba. "Not bad", Saba said, trying not to sound like a burden over them. He handed her some chocolates. "You'll feel better", he said. Like a little kid, she devoured the chocolates as both Azad and Jai watched over her.

"Hello, is there anyone home? I am hurt. Could you please let me in.", a man shouted from outside the house. He could see silhouettes inside the house. He waited patiently. Jai and Azad, panicking, decided not to open the door. "I know you are in there, please open the door. I am bleeding.", Jai went near the window and looked outside. Sure enough, a blood stricken man was standing on the porch. "Keep your gun outside!", Jai looked at Azad and nodded. "Are you alone?", Azad shouted. "Yes!", came a quick reply. Azad opened the door. The man was drenched in blood. "Is it yours?", Jai asked. "What does it look like?", he grimaced. They started looking for a first aid kit in the house while Saba kept an eye on the man. Not finding any, Jai took a bedsheet and tore it apart, found some antiseptic, drenched the cloth in water and went to the living room. "This might sting a little!", he said while looking for any wounds on the man. "Have some chocolate. You'll feel better", Saba offered.

Thanking the 3 of them, the man started looking for any clothes in the house. Jai and Azad weren't sure if they could trust the man. He was a Pakistani army captain. He took a close look at Azad and said, "Aren't you General Fawadh's son?". "You must have mistaken me for someone else Sir '', Azad said. Wanting not to reveal his identity for the sake of his safety, he conjured a bunch of lies. The man ignored him. "Your father's dead", the man said with a hint of doubt. Knowing full well that if he reacted, his identity would be revealed, Azad, devastated, closed his eyes and stood still. Unable to contain his grief, he asked the captain if it's safe to go home. "You can come with me", the captain said. Anxiously, he looked at the other two. Jai realised that Azad had made up his mind to go with the captain.

Not wanting to leave his friend alone, the 3 of them decided to go together. The journey home was treacherous, blood strewn bodies piled up everywhere they looked. Azad took out his pistol and asked the captain if he had any bullets left. The captain took out a box of bullets from his coat pocket. Ecstatic, Azad filled the gun with it and shot one in the air. "Are you out of your mind?", the captain shouted. A siren went off nearby and all 4 of them ducked into a foxhole. A patrol jeep started roaming the area. Not wanting to be captured, the captain decided to take a shot at tackling the patrol. There were 2 people onboard the jeep. "How's your aim?", the captain asked Azad. "No idea!", Azad said. "That's just great", the captain sighed. I'll take the driver, you take the other one, the captain whispered as the jeep passed near them.

Two shots rang like one and two bodies dropped down from the jeep. It came to a halt a few metres ahead of them. With a look of triumph, Azad decided to check up on the bodies. "They are dead for sure.", he said as a matter of factly to the captain. Continuing their journey, they reached home in the midst of night. Jai went in first. His nostrils were filled with a rotten stench of death. He found a dead body in the house. "Don't come in yet", Jai shouted. His mother was lying in a pool of blood. Unable to continue his excitement of reaching home, Azad went ahead. Looking at the body of his mother, he dropped down to his knees, tears rolling down his cheeks. Saba put her hand on his head like a sister consoling her brother. He took her hand and wiped his tears with it. Saba didn't object.

Now dejected, Azad could see revenge in his own eyes and shouted at the top of his lungs. Saba put her hand immediately on his mouth to muffle the sound. Hearing the commotion, a few army men came inside and arrested all of them. Azad's pistol was confiscated. "You look like General Fawadh's son", asked one of the sepoys. You have a bounty on your head. Dead or alive, 50 thousand rupees. The captain was now feeling regret bringing them with him. He was released immediately. Not wanting to leave the kids alone, he decided to follow them to the barracks. The boys, remembering their oath, decided to make a run for it. They were immediately shot.

Saba, heartbroken, also made a run for it. She made it to the outskirts of the city where the war had already ended. She now lives with her grandmother. The captain was promoted to Major. He lived the rest of his life in service to his country.