Faisal - Story 1

The riots had torn the town apart. There was not a street that was not burning - not a family that was not touched. In seven days a petty dispute over a piece of land had evolved into one of the worst communal riots the town had ever witnessed over the last fifty years.

It was 2 am when Faisal heard a thud in the verandah. Sleep had eluded him today as well. Kaun ho sakta hai. The rioters had moved into the far end of the town. And the looters who were now following the rioters’ footprints wouldn't be expected to raid the house of a poor car mechanic.

Usne paas rakhi hockey uthayi aur ek torch bhi (the bulb in the verandah had been broken three days back) "Kaun hai," woh chillaya. "Kaun hai saala wahan pe. Samne aa."

In the silence of the night he heard a whimpering sound. The torch light discovered a silhouette crouching next to the empty oil drum. Ek ladki thi. Bees-baiees saal ki lagti hai.
"Kaun hai tu"
She moved closer to the broken drum as if trying to hide behind it.
"Abey kaun hai tu. Chhup mat. Kya naam hai tera? Yahan kaise aayi? Kyon aayi? Bata."

Still no answer. Zeba ki yaad aayi usse. Woh bhi aise hi chipakti thi darwaze se jab kuch galti karti thi.

"Acha chal idhar aa. Dekh mein hockey rakh raha hoon. Mera naam Faisal hai. Yeh mera ghar hai. Main yahan baju mein jo Sulaiman Motors garage mein kaam karta hoon..tha..shayad. Ab toh na Sulaiman bhai rahe naa unka garage; Allah unhe jannat naseeb kare. Chal ab tu bata kaun hai tu. Tere abbo-ammi kahan hain? Bol naa. Dekh darr mat. Mere ko apna bhai maan. Zeba, meri behen, teri jitni hi hogi. Chal bol ab."

"Main yahan ki nahin hoon."

"Yahan ki matlab - Ahmed Nagar ki nahin hai. Toh kahan rehti hai."

"Saket Housing Society. Main aaj Delhi se aayi thi. Bhaiya aaye the lene station par. Par wahan hamla ho gaya aur main kho gayi. Please mujhe ghar pauncha do."

"Naam kya hai tera."
"Sumi"

Faisal was quiet for the next few minutes. Sirf do khayal the uske paas - ek Zeba ka aur ek ki yeh ladki Hindu hai. Phir usse yaad aayi ammi jaan ki nasihantein. Ammi kehti thi har bar ki Quran sharif mein likha hai ki ek acha insaan har zarooratmand ki madad karta hai. Yeh Faisal teri khushkismati thi ke aaj kisiki madad karne ke layak hai.

“Faisal bhai! Faisal bhai darwaza kholo. Ek ladki aayi hai iss taraf. Hindu saali.”

“Chal andar jaa. Wahan Zeba ka burka rakha hai. Pehen le. Au khuda ke liye chupp rehna. Samjhi. Jaa ab. Bhag!”

He goes and opens the door.

“Kya hai? Kam se kam raat mein toh kuch sukoon mile. Kya hai?”
“Faisal bhai. Ek randi saali aayi hai iss taraf. Feroz ne dekha hai. Tumhari muder par chadi thi. Andar chhupi hogi.”
“Andar koi nahin hai. Main ne dekh liya hai. Feroz ko kuch galat faimi hogi.”
“Nahin Faisal bhai.” This time it was Feroz himself who chipped in. “Maine dekha. Allah tala jhoot na bulwaye. Yahin hai woh.”
“Main aakhri baar bol raha hoon yeh baat. Andar koi nahin hai. Jao tum log. Shaam se aise jaahiloon jaise ghoom rahe ho. Ghar jao. Subah hone wali hai. Fajr ka waqt ho raha hai.”
“Par Faisal bhai.”
“Jao”

Inside Sumi was shivering. She kept praying that the mob outside would listen to Faisal. “Oh God please help me. Please. Just let me go home. Please.”

She heard Faisal close the main door.
“Chale gaye sab”
“Thank you so much. Tumhare paas cell phone hai kya. Mera dead ho gaya hai. Mummy se baat karni hai."
“Nahin woh toh nahi hai. Ek kaam karo. Tum idhar andar so jao. Darwaza band kar lena. Main bahar sota hoon. Subah chod aaonga.”

Yeh keh ke who chala gaya. Sumi didn’t sleep the remaining night. At 5 ‘0 clock she heard Faisal get up. He completed his prayers and sharp at 6 knocked at her door. “Chalein” They left from the back ally. Crossed three mohallas. The damage of the riots was visible everywhere. Sumi covered from head to toe in Zeba’s burkha kept praying the whole time.

“Waise tumhari behen kahan hai.”
“Tum yahan kal hi aayi na Dilli se”
“Haan”
“Jhagda hamare mohalle se hi shuru hua tha. Pehle hi din ek toli aayi thi. Raat mein 3 baje. 2 ghante mein sab khatam kar diya.” Faisal rone laga. “Main nahin tha tab. Dost ke yahan gaya tha. Jab khabar mile tab bhaagte aaya. Kafan bhi nayi naseeb hua usse.”
“I am sorry.”
“Pata nahin kahan hai. Tumhari jaisi hi thi. Shayad tumse thodi moti. Inshallah milegi kabhi. Kahin. Dua karna.”
“Haan zaroor karoongi. Sab theek ho jayega. Tum mere bhaiya jaise hi ho.”
“Shukriya. Acha dekho yahan se tum logo ke ghar shuru hote hain. Zeba ke kapde de do mujhe.”
“Theek hai.”

After 15 minutes of walking, Sumi screams. “Woh raha mera ghar”
“Acha toh main chalta hoon”
“Suno”

“Abey dekho saale wahan jaa raha hai. Pakdo saale ko.”

The mob was upon them in a minute. Sumi screamed. “Main yahin ki hoon. Mera naam Sumi hai. Mera ghar hai samne. Please madd karo meri.”
“Aur tera naam kya hai”
“Faisal”
“Tum jaanti ho isko”
“Nahin”
“Chalo Faisal miyan tumse kuch baatein karni hain.”

Aaj tak Sumi ko nahi pata usne “nahin” kyon bola. Aaj tak Faisal ka bhi pata nain chala.