Upbringing

By Tarushi Sharma

A girl of 15 Aprajita, was going home from the school. It was a rainy day. She was waiting for taxi under the shade of a closed shop. It has been more than an hour since she wasn't getting anything to reach her home. The rain has stopped so she decided to walk to her house. On the way she gets a taxi. She sat inside.

The driver looked here and there and gave her a weird look. She felt something fishy but ignored it as she thought it might be her delusion. She was feeling thirsty so she asked for water. The driver gave her a bottle. She drink that. After 10 minutes she felt intoxicated. Her eyes began to close. Her sight blurred.

The taxi driver saw her though the front mirror. He turned taxi towards forest where his friends were waiting for him. He reached there. Then he took out the girl with the help of his friends. They dragged her inside the forest. She was feeling everything but can't do anything.

Slowly she opened her eyes. She saw that she was surrounded by four men who were looking at her like hungry wild beasts. She managed to stand up. One of them touched her face, but she held her hand. Other man slapped her tightly. She fell on the ground. Then he pulled her dupatta and threw it away. She was dragging her feet to move. All of them were laughing like devils. Then he grabbed her shirt and tore it. She pushed him back by moving her hands and legs. He then grabbed her hands tightly.

"She is using her limbs too much! Is she not sedated properly?" He said.

"Yes boss! I had intoxicated her properly." Taxi driver said.

"Just hold her tightly." He ordered.

All his men grabbed her hands and legs tightly so that she can't move.

"Leave me! Let me go. What wrong I have done to you?" Aprajita requested them.

All of them were laughing at her. The boss took of his clothes and came closer to her. She was crying and screaming but there was no one to help her. Then he removed her skirt. All of them attacked at her. She was screaming with pain. They were bluntly beating and scratching every part of her body. The boss kissed her wildly then tied a piece of cloth on her mouth.

After an hour she became weak and fainted. When their lust fire was over they tied her hands and legs with her torn clothes. They threw her in the interior of forest to die so that any wild animals can eat her and it should not look as a rape. They destroyed all the proofs and ran away.

Aprajita's parents got worried for not reaching home on time. Her father inquired in the school. They told him that she left two hours ago. His began to search for her by calling all her friends and all possible places where she can go after the school but couldn't find her.

Two days passed like that. The doorbell rang. Aprajita's mother opened the door. She was shocked to see Aprajita's condition. She was badly injured. Her clothes were torn. Her parents took her to the

hospital. There they were shocked to know that she was raped. Her father decided to give punishment to all criminals and to give her daughter justice. He filed a complaint and within two weeks they were in prison.

One month has been passed. Aprajita was getting better now. Then she got to know that she was pregnant. When she shares the news with her parents they tell her to abort the child so that they should not come in the bad books of society but she refused.

One day she heard that her parents were planning to abort this pregnancy against her wish. In order to save her child she left her house and ran away. She goes to the bus stand and moved to another city.

She was walking on the road side. She was really tired and searching for suitable place to stay but couldn't find. She felt dizzy and fainted.

A woman Dr. Gauri Mittal, saw her and took her to hospital. When Aprajita came into senses, she told everything to her as she helped her so she has a faith in her. Gauri decided to help her. She took Aprajita to her home. She gave a place to live also gave her a job. She also took responsibility of her studies. Gauri has become like her mother for Aprajita. She used to call her "Amma".

After 8 months Aprajita gave birth to a baby boy. She named her Arpit. She decided to do the best upbringing of her son. She will keep away from all the evils and crime. She will make him a good human being.

20 years later.....

Aprajita was doing her household work. The doorbell rang.

"My son has came."

She opened the door. She was shocked to see her son. His clothes were having the blood stains everywhere. He was beaten and injured badly. He can't even stand properly and fell down. Aprajita hold him. She got worried and shouted.

"Amma come fast! Arpit...." she tried to speak but her voice got stuck in her throat. Gauri came out of her room.

"What happened Appu beta! Why did you just screamed so loud?"

Both of them took him to the hospital. Aprajita got panic. Many bad thoughts are coming in her mind. A weird fear had covered her. Gauri was trying to calm her.

"Calm down Appu. Nothing happened. He will be fine soon and start troubling you when he gets up." Gauri said.

"How could be I keep calm amma! Just look at his condition, it seems like someone has tried to kidnap him. I don't know what my son has just faced?"

"There will be nothing like that. Just thank God that he is alright now."

"There is no one except him. If anything happens to him I will die." She started crying. Gauri hugged her and consoling her.

Next morning Arpit gained his conscious. Doctor checked him. After the check up he came out.

"Nothing to worry about. There are only some minor injuries. It will take time to recover. He is better than before. You can take him home along with you."

Aprajita rushed inside. As she saw her she began to kiss her every part of her face.

"What's this mom! How many times I have tell you that I am grown up boy now. Well I must say you are behaving as if you are my girlfriend."

"Just shut up! You are a kid for me even today. Okay tell me how you got injured? Who did that? How many times I told you to not to fight with anyone then why don't you listen to me? Something major could happen."

"Mom, I am alright but don't know for what period of time as you hold me so tightly." "Yes Aprajita, leave him. It must be paining. " Gauri said.

Aprajita broke the hug.

"But what had happened beta?" Gauri asked.

"Nani, when I was returning home from the college, I saw some boys were molesting a girl. If I would not reach there on time then don't know that boys could do to that girl. There was a minor fight with the boys in order to save the girl!" Arpit said.

Aprajita eyes become teary with her son's words. She was feeling very proud. That moment she realised that she has raised a gentleman. Her upbringing and values has made her boy a real man. She recalled her incident and hugged her son.

"Today, I feel being honoured of my upbringing. You made me proud of you." Aprajita said.

By Tarushi Sharma