Just a few seconds ago she heard a nerve racking scream.....it came from the play area...the same direction from where she had heard cackling of laughter, arguments coming out of small sweet voices....half of them just being parrotted, just because the older kids use them....sweet, melodious chatter,it was like the early morning chirping of the green parrots that keep flitting about from one tree to another,amidst the noise and din of the traffic...It was all so normal....the noise was needed, to assure her, that everything was going on just fine...
The scene out of the balcony seemed so beautiful., so blissfully joyous, sandcastles being made, small ginger hands digging into the sandpit, making long tunnels to let the water from the tap,filled in the bisleri bottle , taken from some generous ground floor apartment lady. All bringing a smile to her face.
She went about getting things ready for the evening meal, put aside the toys still running around on its tracks or spinning in the board all by its loneself...
Pulled on her shoes...she had decided to go for a walk...the weather was so brilliant, it made you want to feel the breeze..she had just finished tying the laces, still smiling, thinking of how it felt to feel free, and happy...
And then she heard it!!
Her blood froze!!...It always did, at such sounds...her house was sitting right there like some mother hen watching over her brood...and she did just that....kept an eye for all the other mothers....She rose from her chair, to go in the direction of the sound, when the frantic ringing of the phone, brought her back. She half ran, half walked, she wanted to get back to see what the scream was all about.
She answered the phone.., and stood transfixed., her heart beating faster than before and her mind running in all directions..but it was just a fraction of a second. She needed to act fast. She knew in her heart, what was wrong...she just felt it.
And then she ran...as fast as she could...and looked down into the area, where she was told he was...Her heart did a somersault..
He was sitting there, so tiny and so lost.., his friends, just a year older maybe, surrounding him. One took his hand and held it up for others to see..."hey, look, da!! His hand can do one full round!" Her tears were streaming down her cheeks!!
And then she found her voice! "Stop that!! Don't touch him!!" she screamed her lungs out!! It must have been the fear in her voice or the agony, will never know...all the kids were rooted to their places....the older brother looked up, and went about his game ( for that age, his game was important, how could he know what was wrong!!and how bad?? )
She bounded down the steps...couldnt wait for the elevator to take her down, she ran, like a mad bull was chasing her!!! 3 steps at a time..and reached 4 floors in record time of 10 secs...never know how she did that!!
Looked at the little face looking up at her...never had she seen a more serene face, eyes so trusting and hands held out!!
She went forward arms outstretched!! Glad that she had reached him...glad that she could see for herself what was wrong!
She looked down then...and what she saw, broke her heart!! The hand was hanging limp from the wrist, a small portion of the wrist at a varying angle from the forearm....she swallowed hard...she couldn't afford to cry..couldn't afford to show fear...couldn't even ask what had happened???
Just lifted the little bundle all of five, in her arms, and then she felt the shiver, and felt the tremble....his face was burrowed in her neck, ....and then she knew he was feeling safe, safe in his mother's arms, safe in his mother's cooing!!!
But then will this image ever go away from her mind???
