Home Away From Home
It was a dark, stormy night. Clouds blanketed the sky and hid the full moon in its full glory behind them.
“The ship must sail tonight lest they catch us.”
“You are repeating the same mistake you made 5 years back.”
That was the last dialogue I heard before a pin pricked me and I fell into deep slumber.
Soft waves kissed my feet. Slowly and reluctantly, I blinked, shook my head and rubbed my eyes with knuckles to come back to senses. I was perturbed to find myself amidst a swarm of unconscious girls. Petrified, my eyes started scanning for Sheryl, the blue eyed girl, clad in white salwar kameez, colourful bangles and burgundy hair falling over her shoulders. She helped me slip away from my alcoholic and abusive husband. She had promised me a good job and better life in the foreign land. But that prick? Were we being tricked and trafficked? I was lost in pensive thoughts when I heard an alarm and people shouting, “Grab on the lifejackets and find your way to the lifeboats.”
I shook up a few girls but perhaps the salty water had already taken over their lungs. Even I was drowned till neck and marginally escaped to the deck. The sea life had already carpeted the floor. I was waving and shouting frantically, hoping the last lifeboat spots me and comes back to save me and the hundred other girls who laid in deep slumber. But all my hopes were swept away by the monstrous wave that hit the ship and crushed it into pieces. Luckily, I could cling on a raft that swayed with the rhythm of waves that were getting stronger with each passing moment. The mist from the waves blurred my eyes but the thunderous boom enlightened me.
The thunder came like a prelude to a great song. It broke the mighty ship but held me afloat on the little raft. The rain pierced through my skin to wash away all the past abuses. The sea enveloped me to save me from the human traffickers. The worst storm had approached to break me free from the shackles of adultery. Stranded in the raft, I laid flat like a liberated soul floating amidst the clouds of heaven. Hours later, moonlight shone on water. The sea regained its sanity and threw me on an island.
Men and women clad in beads and ornaments were dancing around the fire. I didn’t look like one of them except one who was kind enough to walk up to me. “I am Sal. 5 years ago, a storm sneaked me out from the trap of human traffickers, to this island.” Her warm hands held mine and guided me to her hut.
The insects hummed on the tunes of waves and the branches of trees swayed in the melody. The beauty of nature seeped into my soul and shone through my eyes saying, “This looks more home than my home.”
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