By: Lubnah
Abdulhalim
 |
| Photo courtesy: Unknown |
A
catastrophe
A
catastrophe indeed.
I
was only four by then,
So
innocent, so naïve…
When
the beautiful blue horizon,
Turned
into a dark pond,
And
everything became misty.
The
rain drops went drip-drip-drip
With
the wind blowing in gusts.
The
people sang with gusto,
As
the children went frolicking around.
The
guitars were played smoothly,
As
everyone danced freely.
I
looked at papa
And
I felt real proud,
A
sergeant-in-chief
Was
real worth it.
Honorable
guests,
Commanders,
Generals,
A
great party it was, indeed.
I
moved with papa proudly
As
he made me meet his allies.
“These
are your uncles,” he said,
And
I nodded in agreement.
So
innocent, so naïve,
I
didn’t know what to say.
One
of them held my small hand tightly,
And
said briefly,
“Won’t
you like to have a walk with uncle?”
But
that wasn’t a question,
Yet
rather, a short request.
My
father let me go off me,
And
I followed ‘uncle’ sheepishly.
We
went far and farther away.
And
when I asked my fate,
He
hoarsely said,
“You
will right now know.”
As
we went on walking,
He
insisted,
“Your
papa should never know.”
I
cried in bewilderment,
As
he took me to the river across.
So
dark and quiet the place was,
Like
a narrow cave it was.
Next,
he betrayed me,
And
I painfully cried in agony for papa.
I
was in a sudden frisson,
As
the blood oozed down the floor.
I
didn’t comprehend at all,
Neither
did I want to,
I
just wanted papa again
For
the pain was too much for me.
Four
was my age,
So
innocent, so naïve.
My
tears couldn’t stop flowing
And
I couldn’t stop saying,
“What
have you done uncle?”
“What
have you done!”
It’s
the pain of betrayal,
The
pain of mistrust,
The
pain, of rape.
LET’S
FIGHT AGAINST RAPE.
