PROBLEMS AFTER PROBLEMS

"Who.... What are you?"

I ignored his question and again asked, "Can you get me out of here?"

I saw their shocked and scared faces after hearing my voice. Even I was surprised. My voice. That didn't sounded like mine. How? Why? How did it turn to a soft one from a husky in overnight?

I shook my head, no time to think about this. But my voice appeared so soft and hypnotizing. Correctly, seducingly soft. I reminded myself, 'My first priority is to get out of here. Don't think about anything else.'

Then the young man spoke, "Are...Are you....The monster?" His voice was fulled with fear, horror and disbelief.

I looked at myself. Though I was a bit dirty and wearing a rag, but my hands looked like a perfect human. I looked down to see my legs, long strands of rough muddly coloured things fell on my face. I looked up. Oh my hair! It was so messy. They might be scared because of this. I brushed my dirty rough hair with my dirty smooth hands. Then I looked into their curious but scared eyes.

Unknowingly I wasn't mad at them for calling me a 'Monster'. But it felt so funny. He was a grown up and he still believed in this superstitions? Is he kidding me or my life is kidding me? But still I couldn't blame him. I was in a state where anyone would misunderstand me, but misunderstanding me as a 'Monster'. Isn't it a bit too much? I calmed myself down.

I could hear their whispers. The young lad was saying to the old man, "Dad, so the rumours were true. There's really a monster here. We shouldn't have come here."

His father hit on his head and whispered, "Are you stupid? How can you call a monster in front of the monster?" But I could hear him. I thought, 'What are You calling me then?'

He turned to me and asked with politeness as if masking his fear, "Little girl, what are you doing here?"

As I took a step, they stepped back again. I decided to stay in my place. "Sir, I don't know how I ended up here. I was going to my college with my friends. It was my first day. But I don't know how I ended up here? When I opened my eyes I was already here," and I looked at myself up & down, "In this condition. Will you please help to get out of here? I want to go home."

Now they seemed less scared. They had also dropped their defensive postures.

They looked at me up and down, still looking careful. The old man rubbed his chin, "So, you are lost and don't remember how you ended up here?"

I nodded my head, "Yes Sir! Sir, please help me," I gave them a pleading look.

The man looked at his son. His son gave him a look as if telling him Tell-her-now. Then they looked at me. I understood what they wanted. Before the man opened his mouth, I spoke, "If you can help me to go back to my home, I will give you money. You can name any price and I'll give you that. But please, Sir, help me out from here." They looked at each other again and nodded.

Now the boy spoke, "How much can you pay us?"

I said confidently, "As much as you want."

Without any thinking, he gave a quick reply, "Can you give 20 thousand? No more no less."

'Twenty thousand. It's really less. I can pay them myself, no need to bother mom or dad for this.'

I nodded, "I can. But you need to help me to home."

They looked at each other, "Where is your home?"

"Rathore Villa."

The old bald man raised one eyebrow, "Do you know what you're telling? It's the mansion of the great businessman."

"I know. I've grown up there. That is my home."

'I can't tell them my full identity. If they take their chance of my weakness.'

So I added further, "My mom has been a nanny over there. I had been living there with my mom."

The old man looked at me for the last time and said, "Okay! But you need to give us more then."

'I can even gift you a villa for yourself if you satisfy me.'

I nodded, "Okay. But please help me out first."

The old man nodded and said, "Okay! Follow us."

But they didn't let me out so quickly. We roamed in the garbage for sometime till they found some broken gadgets. I looked at them with so many questions.

'What are you doing?

Why are you looking for this?

What will you do with this?

When will I go out?

Will you be able to take me out today?

How long am I going to walk?'

Then, after walking for a half day, (it seemed to me like that), we heard some noises. It seemed many men were talking.

The young man gave his father a warning look, "Baba, Looks like they had come back."

His father nodded, "I'm not deaf! I can hear that, bastard! Let's get out of hear."

Before I could ask, 'who are they?' I found myself following the young man, who was helding my right hand.

We stopped near a heap leaning near the fence that covered this dumping ground. Then they began to climb on it.

"Hey! What... What are you doing?"

The boy's eyes narrowed, "Shh!" and whispered, "What do you think? We're getting out of here. C'mon!"

I also whispered, "You mean... by here, like this?"

"Are you coming or not?" His father had already jumped outside the place and whispering, in an audible range for the two of us.

I started to climb as they did. But to my surprise it didn't seem that hard, but was fun.

'Mm... I need to built something like this climbingin my house yard. It's quite fun!'

'No! Ana! We need to get out of here first!' I scolded myself for getting distracted.

As soon as we were out, the boy stretched his hand, "So how are you going to pay us?"

I gave a look at my condition and shrugged looking back at them, "How do you expect me to pay like this when I've nothing?"

"You said you will pay!" He raised an eyebrow, "So are you going back on your words now?"

"I always keep my promise. But you should think before you speak. Look at me. How can I go to my home like this? Take me to your home or a hotel. I want to get freshed and wear nice clothes."

"You!" I tried to say something but his father stopped him. The man spoke, "We can't afford a hotel for you. And about our home.... You may not like that place."

I looked at them, "Don't tell me that you....you are homeless?"

Both of them shouted, "No!"

"Then. Let's go!" They hesitated but led the way. Soon I regretted to come with them. We entered a place just like a slum area.

Lane after lane, narrow lanes, sometimes even narrower. I had to duck my head sometimes. What the worst part? Everyone was talking from one house to another by screaming. Few gossiping, few arguing. It seemed my ear was about to explode hearing them. What a noisy place! I could hear the quarrels, the cry of babies and some weird sounds of fighting. I thought I could endure all these things until, I was fully wet.

I was following these two who was walking in front. I was walking, ducking my head just to avoid getting hurt by the dangerous open corners. I couldn't look up, I was following their footsteps. Suddenly, I felt something cool on my head, then it spread to my whole body.

Soon a female voice followed, "Oh! I'm sorry, Badal. Sorry, Rishi. I didn't see you."

I looked up to see who was that blind woman, but I couldn't see her properly.

Badal raised his hand and waved, "It's okay, Kamla Bhabhi!"

Then the female voice sounded surprise, "Oh my! Who is this girl?"

Her voice was too loud, maybe her way of informing others. Soon many eyes fell on us. As if those eyes were of the hungry eagles and vultures, looking at their prey. And their faces expressing many questions. Like-

'Who is she?

Rishi's wife?

A new girl here?

What is she doing with them?'

And so on.

Rishi turned back and looked at me for a second, "Just a friend, Kamla bhabhi."

He took my hand and started to walk fast ignoring all of them.

But I could hear everyone. "Hey, Rishi!"

"Introduce her to us."

"What is her name?"

"Where is she from?"

"What happened to her?"

"Why is she like this?"

"Oh my! She's completely soaked in water!"

"Hey! Hey! Rishi! Badal! Hey!"

"What happened? What's with all this noise?"

"Who's that girl?"

And so many..... But both the father and son ignored them, as the voices followed from one house to another.....

We arrived in front of a small door. I guessed already it should be their home. It was on the ground floor. No windows, just a door. The young man opened the door and they both entered. As I entered there, I was stunned to look inside. It was so small. Even my bathroom was 5 times bigger than this.There was only one room in the house and I found two torn mats on the floor. The walls are faded and there were even holes. There were unorganized clothes at the corner of the room. They all looked dirty, no less than a rag. But still better than what I was wearing now.

When I was busy in my gazes, the boy interrupted me, "There's the bathroom," and pointed out at my right side. And then took a shirt and trousers for me. I looked at him with my eyes widened but little shy. How can he give me things this way? I'm a girl. Is a shirt enough like that? He seemed to understand what I mean by that look. He breathed, "Oh!" and took one more shirt and tore it half horizontally. Then he handed it to me and said, "I hope you can keep your promise and remember our help."

I nodded.

"Son, let's wait outside. She needs to change." He nodded and they went out. I was about to go inside the bathroom, the boy said peeking behind the small door, "And by the way, don't use all the water. Spare us some," then he closed the door.

Hmm.

As I opened the door of the bathroom, my head span. It was even smaller than the room. Just few movements can stuck a person. I wondered how those father and son lived here. They needed a grand salute. Really! My eyes even widened more when I saw there's no tap in there but two bucket of water and a small bath mug. I had never imagined in my life that I had to deal things like these. Somehow I managed to have a bath and came out quickly. The soap was so little. God! Save me! The towel was of very poor quality. It took a long time to soak the water from my hair. I was about to wear the clothes, I heard someone threatening, "So when are you planning to pay us back? Huh?" Then a loud sound came as if someone was pushed on the door. The door shook. I thought to myself, "Before the door breaks, I need to wear my clothes completely." I hurried.

But I could hear their threats and even their hits. As I finished wearing, I heard a male voice saying, "Don't go in. Hey, don't go." And then the door opened with a loud noise. The door was almost broken and half dangling. Then three horrible looking men stood there.

I looked at them up and down. They also looked at me in the same way. Then the man standing at the front, maybe their leader, turned to the father who was already frightened, "So you're having a delicious meal here," and turned to me with those lustful eyes, opening his mouth.

His expression disgusted me and I could feel the anger inside my blood. I felt I knew what they were thinking. He said while walking near, "Let me taste it first."

I clenched my hands into the fist. I looked behind. Only the father was there, his son wasn't there. The father was scared but doing nothing while looking at a corner outside. He gave a last look and went to the direction where he was looking a moment ago. Did he just flee away? Leaving me here? What the heck?!

My eyes shifted to the men near me. They had surrounded me already. Only one word was coming from their eyes.

LUST

I moved back but I couldn't further. I felt a hard thing behind my back.

'God! Why is this room so small? Please help me from here. Please!'

But a hand wrapped around my waist pulling me towards the... the weird man.....

No!