Sweet Home
- Part 4 -

By Nameirakpam Bobo Meitei *

The standing zombies are lined up, their belongings being towed down and the dishevelled young man standing at the beginning of the line. They stand to attention unintentionally presenting, which seems mocking, the stout man whistles signalling the rest, bushy freedom fighters, they are safe.

Leading the freedom fighters a middle-aged man with rusted face, half-awakened eyes constantly winking behind the Police shades, his bald head slightly exposed as his hat sits carelessly, his bulging belly makes him the distinct man among his people.

He stands facing the dishevelled man whose eyes cast upon the ground, sensing the indifference of the young man the belly-bulging man opens his mouth, exposing the stained teeth, to declare that he is commander of one revolutionary group and he believes that the passengers should pay whatever they have to foster this cause of his.

He paces up and down like a military officer inspecting his soldiers and stops in front of the driver, before he speaks, this time, he pushes his Italian shades by using his right index finger, then he yells at the driver as though the driver is the convict as he is the guardian of this heavenly world " you scumbag! I want them to give me whatever they have! Do you understand?"

Like a man who foresaw what he would be told he driver "yes" before the commander finishes his tirade. Not being satisfied with his threats he now brandishes his pistol as a medieval warrior would do with his sword and hollers "Give me all you or you dig your own grave here!"

Hearing this command the indifferent young man digs into his pockets and then into his bag and comes forwards to present a hundred Rupee note and a copy of Tolstoy's "war and peace". The surprised commander examines the willing yet indifferent character , he snatches the money and rams into his pocket then he same hand reaches out for the thick book, with a snicker " what the fuck is that?

It's fucking cold here this could help us start the fire at night." A loud laughter follows the snicker. His comrades fix their eyes in unison and they smile in unison even though they didn't hear what the man said. Following the boss's order they frisk the men and women passengers to glean their belongings.

In each revolutionary hand there is a gold chain or a wad of rupee notes, this scene reminds the indifferent man his childhood. One day he was returning home and the rain was coming down hard, the canals were overflowing and the pebble-strewn road leading to his house was virtually submerge in water, kicking the water as he was in a mood to play he stumbled over a pit in which something black was flapping and instantly he figured out that it was catfish.

His opened hands landed on the back of the flapping big catfish. His hands clasped over the doomed fish he sent out a loud scream which was reduced indistinct sound owing to the shattering thunder.

Despite the frightening lightening and the thunder he didn't let go of the helpless fish and hastened towards home where he was waited by his worried mother, at the sight of the mother he cries out "mom! I caught a fish! Mom! Mom! Look!"

The worried mother asked him where he had been and he was told of leaving him stand in the porch for a while. While standing leaning against the wooden pillar he stared at the fish's eyes and what he saw was the pitiful and defenceless look and its tail stopped flapping, not believing he was seeing that look in a fish he rose to his feet abruptly and rushed to the pond near the cowshed to release the begging fish. When the fish was released the pity in him turned guilt.

The marauding revolutionary bandits withdraw from the place with loud glee but the boss delays his otherwise would have been gleeful withdrawal to re-examine the man who has given him the thick book.

His pistol still in his hand slightly stooping down as if the pistol is weighing him down, lifting up the pistol and pressing the barrel against the man's bony chest he pushes the indifferent man a bit and keeps threatening eye contact.

At this point the indifferent thinks to himself that if the bullet went through his chest it would hollow out the heart which has long been aching, and then he wonders about what he would feel when the pains gushed out in the form of blood leaving just the walking corpse devoid of feelings, pain and memories.

He thinks that the man has offered him a favour and man is going to do something he never thought, he looks into the eyes the behind the Italian eyeglasses, his hands in a fraction of a second grasp the pistol barrel and shouts at the man " shoot! Shoot! You goddammit! Do it now! I say do it now!"

His scream makes everyone turn around and looking at the man they wonder if he isn't afraid of that lunatic revolutionary leader.

Meanwhile the leader who is shaken by the man's reaction lowers his head, his chin touching the pistol, detaches himself from the ferocious man, his unfired pistol in both hands he scampers over the high-rising mounds, his head over the shoulder exposing the petrified face he disappears like a man who has been permitted to win.

to be continued...