The Story of Meera Ch. 03

"I'm in a dark place," Meera said, "Kabir is there with me, he is holding my hand...we are moving...and there's this revolting stench...that's making me sick...it's like...we are in a garbage truck...Kabir is holding me firmly trying to pacify me...there is a small crack through which there's a beam of light coming in...I try to look through it...we are on a road, a desert road...there is a road sign..."

Meera appeared agitated. Her eyeballs were rapidly moving under her closed eyelids. Mithila held her hand firmly and said, "What does the sign say?"

"Its..a name Lahbab...Kabir is saying something to me...he's saying, "Hold on a little longer my love, we'll be reaching the harbour soon."

"That's it, you are on the right track Meera, perhaps this is the memory about your escape," Mithila said, "Now try to go a little backwards in time, and see if you can remember anything about a child."

"A child...yes, I see a new born child, in my arms...the same child I saw before...it's a little girl, her eyes hazel...No! No! They took her from me...now they are dragging me somewhere...and I hear that voice again...that old lady...she is saying the same thing again - 'your daughter is alive. She is a blessed angel.'...what are they doing...some men are here, they are holding me down, I want to break free, but their grip is so strong, they are holding my hands and legs...I can't move..."

Mithila noticed that Meera was alarmingly agitated.

"Okay, Meera...just breathe, you are okay, you are not in danger anymore," Mithila said, "Open your eyes slowly, let's stop for now..."

"NO!" Meera screamed, "I can't move, I can't move...they are holding me down...one of those men, I know him, I've seen him before...he is...I don't know, I am very afraid of him...he is standing in the dark and he is commanding the men who are holding me, one of those men...he is holding something in his hand...it's a tattoo gun...the man standing in the dark, he is saying something to the man with the tattoo gun...he is saying, "Write it in a language that she can read, I want her to remember for the rest of her life what a whore she has been..." and now...that guy...he is writing something on my breasts...it hurts...and they are doing something between my legs...inserting something...it is cold...it hurts a lot...IT BURNS! I can't move...I can't scream...MAKE IT STOP! MAKE IT STOP!"

Meera began to scream hysterically.

"Snap out of it Meera!" Mithila said, shaking her firmly.

But Meera couldn't. She was like trapped in a painful memory and just couldn't snap out of it. Mithila instantly called for assistance. Meera writhed in the chair struggling with a traumatic memory and all of a sudden, she collapsed. Mithila rushed towards her and was horrified when she felt no pulse. Meera wasn't breathing either.

Without losing time, Mithila started CPR. The nurses and other assistants arrived quickly and Meera was shifted to ICU for resuscitation. After intensive efforts by the doctors, Meera's heart finally started beating again. She was kept under observation for some time.

When her condition stabilized, Mithila went to see her.

"I told you it was dangerous," Mithila said.

"I got another glimpse of my baby," Meera said trying to smile under her oxygen mask, "Every bit of it was worth it."

"Meera, we don't even know if those were real memories," Mithila said angrily, "And I am never doing this again. Do you even realize that just happened here? Your heart just stopped! I can't even imagine the intensity of the trauma that can make a 20-year old's heart just stop. And I never want you to venture there ever again."

"I just want to find my baby..." Meera said.

"At what cost Meera?" Mithila argued.

"I've already lost Kabir," Meera said, "If my baby is alive somewhere...she needs me...I wanna be there for her, she would give meaning to my life..."

"You won't be of any help to your child if you are dead," Mithila said trying to talk some sense into Meera, "If your memories are meant to return, let them come naturally to you. Don't push it, you hear me?"

Meera nodded. Then she just turned to one side and closed her eyes.

"Meera, I can't even imagine your pain," Mithila said, fondling her head, "But I truly care about you, I just want you to be safe."

"Mithila," Meera said weakly, "Do you know any man who has blue eyes? I mean, does someone close to you, like a boyfriend or your husband, or some man in your life, have blue eyes?"

"No, Meera," Mithila said, "Blue eyes are extremely rare around here, and no, there is no blue eyed man in my life. But why do you ask?"

"There is a blue eyed man who haunts me in my dreams," Meera said tearfully, "And I see you with him every time..."

"Sweetheart," Mithila said, hugging Meera, "We will figure out everything eventually, you know...right now, you need to rest."

Meera just smiled weakly at her and closed her eyes.