AJOY
My name is Ajoy. Last night, my father surprised me with a candlelit cake. Then he showed me a mini-splash-pool. ‘Your birthday gift’, he said. Today, we went for a long drive. We strolled in a park and had my favorite ice-cream on our way back. It was an enjoyable but tiring day. He was not wearing his usual all-black attire and a white neckband. I have no idea what he does but wonder why I get an uncanny negative vibe from most of his visitors.
It was already late when we returned home, despite my resistance. He tucked me up in my bed. He looked sorrowful. With his right hand, he held my mother, kissed her and went back to his room. Besides seeing her on his neck-chain pendant, I haven’t seen her in person for a long time. He never talks to me about her, presuming I won’t understand.
Wait a minute. What is that noise? I think it’s the sound of the main door opening. Is my father going out this late? Let me check. Nope. The main door is shut. It’s dark. Can’t see anyone. But where is this rather familiar odour coming from? My senses warn me that something is amiss. I hear a loud thud. Instinctively, I sprint to my father’s room and find him on the floor, lying on a pool of blood. He stares at me but does not blink.
I am so shell-shocked that I can’t even scream. Instead, I lie down beside him over his shoulders and whimper. Just then, I hear a toilet-flushing sound from the washroom. I hastily get up and hide under the bed. A few seconds later, I see a man with a big knife tucked under his belt. His face is not visible from where I am. I tilt my head and watch him getting into the opposite room. My room. This might be the only opportunity I have, to run away. But I am too scared to even move.
He returns and is frantically searching for something in my father’s room, emptying out the contents of all the almirahs and drawers but does not take anything. Then, he approaches my father, rummages his pockets, grabs his face and hysterically yells at him. He was about to stand-up but bents down again midway, circumspect. He discovers me. I see his face now. My body is shaking vigorously. I instantly recognize him as the man who had been here a few days back. I see his facial expressions changing from being enraged to somewhat sympathetic. He pulls me out gently.
We share a mutual gaze. He strokes my back, which relieves my panting. He smiles at me, then notices my neck tag and says, ‘Don’t worry Ajoy, I will take care of you.’ I lick his blood-covered hand. While being taken away from my home, I fathom out that I have a new master now, but my best friend will always be my father.
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