Dev's Destiny in Danger
The young boy even at eight was very different from his siblings in his thoughts and actions. He would not easily leave any matter unless he went deep into it when his siblings remained content with what the elderly decide and instruct. This little chap sought for reasons and explanations-a big WHY and HOW would immediately come into play as soon as he came across any event, incident, or even his parents' call to assist them in their chores.
Having learned the long prospects of learning and being taught at school, his father came to a decision to send the boy to the nearest town to live with his close relations and get admitted to one of the cheapest schools. With a heavy heart, his mother consented to take and leave her pet son at theirs.
"Please work hard here at home and there at school, and never allow anybody to make a complaint against your speech and actions''. Dev started sobbing before she had finished her advice.
"But mama, I don't know no one here, and you're leaving me to live without all?"
"You don't know why we've chosen you to stay away from us and go to school"
"Why then can't we all brothers and our sister stay here together and go to school? Why only me? I can't live away from you all, mama." His eyes were teeming with tears as he continued. " Is going to school truly more important than my mama, papa, and brothers and my little sister, Gita?"
His mom was dumbfounded and didn't know what were the answers to Dev's innocent queries. Having never been to school nor being literate, she simply answered in the affirmative but couldn't reason further.
It was time for his mother to take her leave by ensuring his safe custody in theirs. Mrs. Bharti assured Dev's mom that she need not worry about the boy. "He will get used to this new environment in a few days' time besides Tej is here to play with him."
Feeling absolutely indebted to Mrs. Bharti, Dev's mom left for home, but she was still not convinced that her boy would be happy there. This moment was like dismembering herself but it had to happen sooner or later.
Back home, there was silence and sadness when Dev's mom returned after seven days of her travel to the town. Madhu, Naina, and Vasant all at the same time bombarded her with their queries, "Mama, where's Dev? Where have you left him? Isn't he going to live with us? But Why...? How can we live without him, our little Dev?" All the three siblings started to cry before she could say something to console them.
It was almost 7 in the evening and the sun had already gone behind the hills. Ganesh arrived home only to find everyone quiet and upset. Now, he broke the silence. "Is everyone fine in the town and did they say anything?"
"Yes, all are doing fine. There's nothing as such but Dev was scared and worried a bit. I tried my best to convince him and so did she, his aunt. I hope he will cope with the new setting well in time."
She went to the kitchen and the kids followed her expecting if she had brought them some candies and cookies. She gave them some candies each and told them not to be upset but happy that their young brother was going to be a big man (educated and respectable like the city dwellers). And the kids were convinced more because of the candies than her erudite explanations.
Ganesh and Mina were weaving their dreams until late in the night. "Do you think Mina I made the right decision?" Mina had no answer as Dev's sobbing face was vivid in her eyes. She was trying to occupy her mind with something else but Ganesh relighted it.
"Just trust your youngest kid, you know he is smarter than many in the village."
"I know he is in the village, but the town?"
"Now, just stop overthinking about it. They are there to teach him the ways of the town and above all, he goes to school."
The cock's crow has heard and they woke up. The sun was not on the distant horizon. Ganesh went to the cowshed and checked if all animals were safe. Mina set the kettle on the fire tripod. The kids also woke up earlier that today as they were super excited to take the cream sweet tea with cookies that they were missing since October the previous year.
Five months after Dev was admitted to school, some villagers came to inform the Bhartis that Dev's mom was sick and she wanted to see her little boy soon. The actual reason was but unimaginably different than what they had told them. The whole villagers had been robbed and looted in broad daylight forcing the villagers to leave their homes, cattle, the lush green corn, and paddy plantation. Their houses were burnt down to ashes. They had been threatened with death, did they not leave the village in three days' time.
Dev was worried that his mother was bedridden. He insisted on going with the men back home and be with his family. The Bhartis was appalled and could not stop Dev from reuniting with his family.
They landed in an unknown place after about 18 long hours of travel in a lorry. It was an old abandoned school, far away from the village Dev hailed. He was utterly unaware as to what the whole villagers were doing there in that abandoned school. He was too impatient to see his mama and all his family members. In the south corner of that old school was a lonesome room where Dev's parents and siblings were cuddled like drenched puppies. Only a few hours were there for the daybreak when everyone woke up to welcome Dev back. Mina started caressing the boy and others simply came by and looked at him like he was a visitor from another planet.
Read the next part Life in the Relief Camp to see what life has in store for Dev and his family...
