I was standing at the platform waiting for my friend whom I was to meet after 6 years. The train was late by half-n-hour so I thought to have a cup of tea. Suddenly, before I could realize, something sharp hit me near my shoulder and I fell on the ground. I could see the blood oozing out from the wound, but there was no one to come and help me. People were running in every direction. It was hurting making it hard for me to even breathe. I understood that I was dying and so were many more people near me. Memories of my 3 year old daughter, my husband, my loved ones flashed in my mind with every depleting breath. I was dying but like this-I never imagined, what have I done, why did he kill me, and above that who killed me…I even don’t know why was I dead…although my body was lying motionless cold on the platform, my soul was not ready to accept the fact that we died…it wasn’t in peace….it wanted to know who killed me and why….
With these questions in heart, I stood up leaving my dead body behind, I wish my family would able to find me among so many bodies. I don’t want to think about my family, my friends, my loved ones, as thoughts about them will make me even more weak. Its so tough to leave them, but what they are going to feel once they will be informed is even more scary. So I decided to first find answers to my questions. I walked through the lying bodies, crying people, group of policemen, cults of saved lives, noise of arriving ambulance, horns of autos and taxies. I kept wandering on the streets of Mumbai for next 30 minutes or so. Everything seemed so fine, then why me? I saw there was a crowd standing outside a television shop. I went out of curiosity to find the reason. A newsreader was telling about a terrorist attack on Mumbai which has taken place half-n-hour ago at the CST station. Someone had open fired on the people at the station which has claimed around 30 lives and many injuries. I knew I was among those 30 people. At least now my family would know where I am.
So those were terrorists who killed me, but why me, what have I done to them. The newsreader read that there were attacks at ten different locations in Mumbai, and that they have entered hotels like Taj and Oberai. Although by now I knew who killed me and to some extent why, but it disturbed me more. I headed towards the The Taj to at least get a glace of the person who slayed me.
While I was heading towards the hotel so many questions banged in my head like—how do these terrorists look like, are they humans or something else, are they born like we are born, do they have mother and parents, did they play with toys when they were young, and their mother loved them and protected them from all odds, do they know it hurts even when we cut our finger with a kitchen knife, do they love music, do they drink the same water what we drink, is their blood cold or warm red or black, do they love small children and smile back when a baby smiles at them, have they ever fell in love with nature, with people, with colors, had they ever known what is happiness……there were so many such questions ringing in my head as I reached the Taj. I saw a media clutter there with cameras and mikes, there were policemen in and around the hotel, and sounds of bullets were coming now and then. I went inside passing the policemen standing at the entrance. Inside the world had changed. There were bodies lying everywhere. So, I thought, they did the same thing here. I was even more eager to see their face, what does this terrorist look like. As I went ahead I saw a young boy hiding behind a wall. He was hit by a bullet on his arm. He was bleeding but stood quietly. The sound of firing was coming from the next room. I wished this boy makes out of the hotel and went ahead. I saw hotel staff helping a group of people to move out of the hotel quietly from a service gallery. I was happy to see at least some people being able to save their lives.
For sometime there was complete silence everywhere. I saw someone carrying a big shoulder bag, hiding behind the walls and coming towards me, I was in face-to-face with terror. One of the terrorists was standing right in front of me holding a gun. A tall young good-looking boy, hardly 22 or 23 years old, a boy who should be holding a pen or a laptop was holding a gun, shoulders which should have carried responsibilities of family n country were holding a bag full of explosives, and I again and again looked at him trying to convince myself that he was one of the faces of fright. How could he do this, kill innocent people whom he never knew, enter a place and open fire at anything and everything, I cant believe this. Right at that moment, someone trying to escape ran down the staircase. Not to my belief this human-looking figure fired at him till the man fell dead. I stood there numb trying to accept as true what I have just seen. Deflated and dazed I decided to leave the hotel and wait till this is over, as I can not see more of this. Though I was dead but every time I saw a dead body I died again. I left the bloody staircase, frightened people, under-equipped policemen who were combating these trained loaded militants, and came outside the hotel. As I reached outside I saw some of the people being taken in ambulances to hospital, I was pleased to see the boy also in that group whom I met inside. I waited with everyone else for next two days till the last terrorist was killed. I came to know that near to 200 hundred people died. Some of our brave policemen and army people gave their lives for the sake of the nation.
When I thought about these terrorists, I found that although they were killed in last two days but in reality they died long before. There was no life in them; they don’t know what is love, happiness, peace, bond and togetherness. They are worse than the cold blooded animals; they are just the puppets of a few demons that use them as bombs to kill peace in this world. They don’t have name, family, nation, friends; they are brutal, heartless, bloodless, ill-creatures between us.
About me, I am still here, in between the people of India, unsatisfied, confused, angry searching for peace. I wish I lie in peace someday……..
