The Collateral (5)

"Chinni, Saumya let's move. We are already late." Haria called his wife and daughter.

"Yes, coming.

Saumya put this bottle in your bag. Let's go, fast. "

The three rushed.

Chinni turned back, "It was difficult to decorate a small home for the small family. Leaving it forever happened so easily." Chinni looked around with her filled eyes.

"Mummy, why are we shifting to a new place? This bag is so heavy."

Haria looked back,

"We were bored of that old place, no. So, got to find a new one. But we will have to move fast, okay"

"Okay" Saumya was annoyed.

"You didn't forget the umbrella, did you?" Chinni asked.

"No dear. It's with me."

Their voices slowly faded away from their unlatched home.

xxx

In half an hour, they arrived at the woody forest. Unlike the name, it was no longer a forest. Fresh plantations were done in 100 acres of land after a heavy deforestation over the area.

"House no. 616, house no. 616. Which one is this ,madam?"

"It's 714. 616 is in the sixth row. There," The lady replied to haria.

The three , sneaking away from the armed troops, reached their place. Haria looked to his right, it was Prati.

"Thank God Haria,you were not noticed by the troops. Just a minute ago, they caught a family entering. You know what the punishment was? Their penalty was to offer the smallest of their bags. We anyway don't have much belongings left, and these people are tricky."

Haria pointed to the officer and asked,

"For how long, has he been speaking on the mic."

Prati whispered,

"Twenty minutes already. He seems to be the incharge, mr.chobhiyal. Uptill now in his speech, he has been boasting the army and their plan, but no one tells the truth like why is this mass migration to nowhere happening. One good thing,they have printed out the guidelines. Check out yours in your box."

Haria looked around now,

"So, this is our small town assembled in this large area. 500 households around me, each household having 30 m^2 space in a 6*5 box. Maximum 4 people in one box. Though I know almost a hundred people in the town , I see at most 20 known faces nearby me."

Prati was describing,

"This much public will be moving day and night, one after the another, town after town to the east coast. This evacuation of the whole country;let's see what do our well-wishers have placed at the east and the west coast."

Haria calmly glanced at the rebel.

The speech was done.

Mr. Chobhiyal declared, "After the gunfire, everyone starts moving. It's time."

Simultaneous gunfires.

Haria hurried, "let's move."