“Uncle leave us.”

“Where are you taking us?”

“Uncle, open the door.”

“Uncle can you hear me, I say open the door”.

 It wasn’t a cry for help instead it was a scream of anger by a young girl.

“Ezhil, are you there?”

“Where are you?”

“Ezhil, can you see me? Ezhil, Ezhil, Ezhilllll……”

A young girl’s scream for search exploded in that darkness and it ignited others too.

“Help! Help! Is somebody there, Help me. Can anybody hear? Is anybody there around.”

“Please leave me, please.”

 All and sundry called out for help. The people screamed one after another. The fear was a contagious one in that spot.

The young girl was shocked to hear the people’s screams. It hit her reality still she searched for Ezhil’s voice amidst several screams.

The clueless ones kept on shouting for help. Two or three went back to silent mode as they realized screaming doesn’t help them anymore. The initial entries into the dark were tired of begging and pleading for help. So, they chose to be silent.

“Uncle, where have you taken us?” The young girl cried.

After a pause, she screamed out of shock. “Oh my god! Uncle, don’t play with us, it stinks in here.”

“Oh my god! Is it blood here? Oh god! Why? You promised to help us, don’t you remember? Ezhil, where are you?” The young girl bawled.

“This doesn’t work here. Be silent.” A firm voice ordered once again.

“Who are you? what do you want? Where’s the baby? It was right here next to me. What did you do? The girl who once cried for help now screamed at her unknown enemy.

The girl’s questions shook the young girl, and her fear leapt uncontrollably.

“Who are you all? Uncle, please tell me, who are they?”

“Which baby are they talking about? What’s going on? Uncle? Ezhil.” The young girl screamed; she didn’t have the courage to speak to any other person out there. She raised several questions to a man whom she taught was there among that group of people. She didn’t wait for any reply she blabbered and cried continuously out of fear.

“It stinks like a slaughterhouse. Uncle please, I can’t bear this smell anymore, please, please leave us….” She begged and at the same time, her search for Ezhil didn’t stop there.

“Slaughterhouse, with a replacement. Humans instead of animals.” A man’s intimidating voice shook them. The little hope they had was shaken by the man.

Original Copyright © Sukanya Pon