Life goes on

‘Sir, another body found…the total count is 21 now’ the inspector informed him.

This time it was a young woman. Aged about 20 years. Yellow shirt and brown skirt. Is that all you could say about the girl?

It may not say that she lived a life full of dreams. Not that she must have been on the way to fulfill them.

That she never imagined a small fault in the boat would bring an end to her life and drown her dreams in the depths of the lake.

Her photo also went to the board that displayed the unidentified bodies, while her parents moved madly among the other bodies laid on the other corridor of the hospital.



He had had enough for the day. 15 bodies had already gone through his hands.

And this girl reminded him of Janaki who was coming home after two years.
He had promised to be there at the railway station to pick her .As always he knew she would understand her dad and his job.
It was always so with her. He couldn't be there on her first day in school. It was then, that the angry mob had destroyed the church in the town.
On the annual day in her final year in school, he was so proud that he could see her recieve the best student award, but then the minister suddenly changed plans of his visit to the town and he had to accompany the security.
Neither could he be there to see her off when she went to university far from home. She was scared, she was nervous.
All he could do was kiss her forehead while she was sleeping on the night before, and leave early morning for the special duty at the site of communal violence.

Even then, whenever her mother complained furiously of daddy not being home when needed, she tried to pacify her and justify him.


"Sir..22 now"...said a voice from his back.

As he looked at the swollen face of another young girl, he sighed .
At least Janaki was alive. She was there somewhere near by.Still living her dreams. Still hoping for a day when she can spend the entire day with her dad sharing stories from college.

But what could he tell those parents still searcing for their dear daughter in the pile of bodies...