He is your father :: Part 3
Story By Thiyam Ningol, Africa

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When Fatma was 2 years of age, the old lady passed away and Mariam had to come back to her grand mother, but she was not welcomed by her uncles. She had to live on her own. She did all the odd jobs to get a living. She went from door to door asking for work in exchange for food. After struggling for nearly 2 months, one day somebody sent a message for Mariam to go and see her.

The lady was a primary school teacher, a single parent of a little girl, same age as Fatma. She had been looking for a helper to take care of her daughter while she was working. Mariam accepted readily the offer and moved in the house of the teacher. Together they had a smooth life; the two children also grew up together like sisters.

The teacher had a small farm where she used to cultivate bananas and cassava. She did not have enough time to take care of the farm. With Mariam's help, the farm produced more than enough food for the four of them. They sold the surplus and divided the profit equally. Mariam had learnt a lot in her life. She was already a mature lady with a lot of bitter experiences. She stayed with the teacher for nearly ten years when the teacher was given a transfer to the district head quarter. Mariam bought the small farm; built a small cottage and started living an independent life.

When Mariam saw her daughter Fatma, she saw her own image of what happened to her,15 years ago. Fatma's cloths were torn; blood stained and she did not speak a word. Mariam did as her grandma did to her. She helped her daughter to wash herself and consoled her daughter. When Fatma had calmed down, Mariam just asked one question to her daughter " It is the fat railway watchman, isn't?"

Fatma looked at her mother with surprise-"how did she know"

Mariam succeeded in comforting her daughter, but the decade long rage burning inside her heart started catching fire anew. New fuel had been added. She excused herself for few minutes from her daughter; she told her that her neighbour friend was supposed to come and collect some money for new stocks of fruit for her stall, but with the condition in the house, she would prefer instead to go and give the money herself.

Mariam took the small kitchen knife, her favourite handy knife for peeling the orange rinds for her customers. Because of using several years for that purpose, the delicate, thin knife had been eaten up by the acid of the fruits. The blade had a semilunar form.

She proceeded straight to the railway station towards the abandoned wagon. No one was there. She looked around. She found her fruit tray in the wagon and her daughters rubber slippers thrown near the door. She collected them all. She had to find him. She would wait till he appeared.

At the far end of one of the rails, she noticed flickering lights. The beam of the light from the source of the light was constantly changing direction. She realized it was coming from a light held by an unstable hand, most probably a swaying person. It could only be him. Nobody walked on the rail tracks with a torch. Mariam had seen him several times before while he was on duty walking along the tracks.

She walked towards the direction of the light. When she was about 50 meters from the light, under the moonlight, she recognized, the huge swaying figure coming towards her. Her chance was approaching. She would not allow this time to slip away. She had to do it at least for her daughter's sake. She forgot all about her sickness. Suddenly she felt so tall and so strong. She gripped the knife tight and plunged it on the abdomen of the huge figure. The knife bent and could not go far.

Mariam did not realize it. She stabbed him again and again with the bent knife. With the impact of Mariam's force, the huge, swaying man lost balance and fell backward on the rail track, hitting his head. The lantern he was holding fell off, the chimney shattered and the light blew off. Mariam saw the man lying without movements. She had accomplished her revenge. She moved out from there with satisfaction and hurried back to her daughter to give her the good news. She was in such a hurry that she did not see the headlight of a train approaching from far in the darkness. She did not hear the engine sound also.

By the time the engine came to a screeching halt, Mariam was long gone. The train head had hit an animal, the train driver thought. Usually in that particular track, only trains with problems pass for servicing at the garage. So the driver was relaxed and did not notice the figure on the rail in time. The train stopped about 200 meters from the spot where it hit the object and the object was carried along under the carriage.

The alarm siren was blown and people around came to the spot. They managed to free the huge man from under the carriage. Instantly everybody recognized him from the uniform he was wearing. In his trouser pocket, there were sparkling glass pieces from the broken Konyagi bottle. Only the bright orange level of Konyagi was intact. Alcohol smell was felt even from far. His face was smashed into pieces. His uniform was torn at places and while the rescuers were trying to pull out the body, they tore it more. The huge belly was ruptured, intestine was crushed, contents smeared on the cloths.

The railway staff and security guards came unanimously to the conclusion " fallen drunk, and passed over by the passing train". For formality sake, the body was sent for post mortem, the result came, word by word confirming the police report".

Mariam found Fatma still moaning with pain and shame. She embraced her daughter and told her everything- ……he raped me also; he is your father. The whole night they remained awake.

" Now that fat man will not disturb us any more. I have sent him where he belongs"- Mariam told Fatma. She told her that she was ready to go to jail with smile when the police come to arrest her. She did not need to hide.

After that day, Mariam improved tremendously. She was back into her business again. Everyday she waited for the policeman to come, anytime. But nobody came.

Months passed. She had managed to send Fatma to secondary school.

Pre admission medical examination declared Fatma fit and healthy.

Both mother and daughter vowed never to forget the railway watchman and stay away from men of his alike.

Concluded ....