STRIPES
BISWAJIT
A middle-aged man kidnapped little Emily to a beach-bungalow. — ‘Rude rascal! Take me back home’ — ‘Stop crying’ — ‘My dad is tough fighter. Let me go, else he’d..’ — ‘Shut up! See the photo?’ — ‘Oh, a baby. Did you steal him too? Who’s it?’ — ‘He was my only son’ — ‘Was?’ — ‘Your father killed him’ — ‘Impossible. You’re liar, rascal’ — ‘You may forgive your dad’s misdeed, but I won’t forget what I lost?’ (Silence..) — ‘But why did dad do so?’ — ‘He had fired at me, his bullet smashed the baby in my lap’ — ‘But I’m innocent. Let me go’ — ‘I need not harm you dear; call me uncle, not rascal’ — ‘I misunderstood you, sorry’ Suddenly, ‘Attack!’ Three encounter specialists fired at one. One of the attackers, Emily’s father, proclaimed, ‘**** Done at last!’ The victim managed to pick his revolver up. — ‘Uncle! Don’t kill my dad, please’ Emily pleaded in fear. — ‘Ohh..stop them!’ Before she could move, her dad had fired another round. The man stooped to flat. ‘Dad why did you kill him? And his baby!’ ‘Shut up. It’s a rebel’ ‘Well done sir, you’ll secure a promotion, higher stripes’ It shocked Emily— all for stripes! Strange. Across the sea, even in the sky Emily found stripes, as if, upheld to salute some great struggle. She silently saluted the rebel uncle. ______________________________________________________ Photo: Author |