WANTED

MARTHA

I was enjoying my new life as Martha. Martha could talk freely, Martha could choose her meals, Martha was a farmer and Martha had a good friend. Martha felt alive, I felt alive.

I had stayed for three weeks on Mr James' farm land and I had discovered some things about him. He lived alone because he had no family. He said that he had two brothers and they were both dead and for all he knew, they had no children.

It seemed he sensed my uneasiness on how impossible it almost was to have neither family nor friends around because he continued by telling me of how he was close to getting married but his wife to be then suddenly grew cold feet on the day of their wedding and left him with a note on how sorry she was for treating him that way. As he spoke, I saw the pain reflect in his eyes as he relived his memories and I had the sudden urge to comfort him, but I was still not comfortable with any form of close proximity with the opposite sex so I said a low sorry and hoped my voice conveyed my genuine pity towards him.

He said that singular occurrence left a scar so deep in his heart and that his utmost pain was because she asked him in the letter not to go after her but how could he not. He looked for her for days and on the sixth day of the search for his beloved, he found her in the arms of another and they were kissing passionately. This made him so withdrawn and he decided to settle here. Away from the constant hustle and bustle of the city life and to sooth his aching heart. I wondered what made him tell me such a private matter. I attributed it to probably being alone for so long and finally having a companion, but he talked freely.

He further told me that anytime he wanted to have a feel of civilization, he went out to the city and delivered engine oil. He asked if I would love to go with him on his next venture but I told him that I did prefer to tend to the crops. I secretly longed to go to the city but I could not, for fear of my aunt or her husband or the public at large for putting their favourite neurosurgeon in harm's way. I rather remained in this shielded environment, away from prying eyes. Till I am sure things are calm and I would not show myself. Not now, not soonest.

Early the next morning, Mr James was up and knocked on the door of the little room I stayed to inform me of his departure to earn some money and to have a feel of civilization.

I bid him bye and could not sleep back so I began my morning chores. I used a long broom to sweep, forming same lines as I swept.

When I was done, the sun was up in the sky and I went to tend to the crops and the poultry birds . As I fed the birds, I thought of which would be used for dinner by the end of the month and how such a life pattern was how I lived before. To be fed so that when fattened, I could serve my master.

I quickly shut the coop and started taking care of the sitting room and my room. I could not fix Mr James' room because he does it himself and I respected his privacy. After doing everything I was meant to do, I went to my room and slept off. But the sweetness in my afternoon sleep was short lived when I heard the sound of the lorry which I knew to be Mr James'.

I went out to welcome him but I stopped when I saw how stern his face looked and how rigid his shoulders were. He did not even turn off the ignition of his vehicle when he lightly took my hand and pulled me to the sitting room.

I was confused due to his action on coming back but he asked a question I was not expecting. He asked who I was.

I looked at him like he was crazy and was about to tell him I was Martha and cook up a lie about my lineage when he pulled a paper from his inner coat's side pocket and there was my picture and the word WANTED, boldly written underneath it.

I wanted to snatch the paper from his hand but he held it higher and asked the question again. I knew I had to tell him the truth because I was not just wanted by Dr Matthew but by the government for attempted murder.