Shravanti unlocked the door and went in. She looked around with a tired and bored expression, put down the carry-bag on dining table and slumped on the sofa. She wiped her face with the end of the dupatta (scarf), closed eyes and tilted her head on the sofa backrest. Feeling drained, after the busy early morning hours, she felt lonely, though she had a handsome loving husband and a cute little daughter.
Every morning, Shravanti would be the first to wake-up. She would then prepare two cups of tea and take one to still sleeping Arun. After pushing and calling him several times he would sit up with sleepy eyes and leisurely take the cup. Shravanti would not wait. She had to warm up couple of dishes for Arun’s lunch pack and prepare some sandwiches for Minu’s Tiffin box. She would then arrange breakfast and hastily finish her cup of tea and two biscuits and make a trip to the bedroom. She would then wake up Minu, help her brush teeth and bathe her in warm water. Mummy would help her wear school uniform, put on her socks and shoes and neatly comb her hair. Minu’s water bottle, schoolbooks, pencil box, crayons and Tiffin box. Minu was only four years old and in the kindergarten. Breakfast over; Arun would depart for office leaving Minu to watch the cartoon channel till it was time to leave for school. Meantime, Shravanti would change dress, switch off the TV, lock the front door and go downstairs with Minu. The school was not far. Holding her hand, Minu would trudge along.
On her way back, Shravanti would purchase vegetables and few necessities from the local shops. That was her daily routine. On weekends, if Arun were in the mood, they would go out for a movie or to some exhibition or a circus show and dine out. Just an occasional deviation from the daily routine.
She opened her eyes and looked at the wall clock. Karuna, the housemaid would be in after another hour. She would first clear the breakfast table, clean all dishes, sweep and mop the floor, wash and hang clothes in the drying line and then call Shravanti to kitchen. Karuna was a dutiful young girl.
For Shravanti, life was dull and stereotyped. There was no variation. One day was no different from the other. It was boring. Like millions of other housewives, she longed for attention, not just as a wife or a mother, but also for her own sake. Something that would make her feel special, but then, that never happened.
She glanced at the clock and went to bedroom. She folded Arun’s pajamas, her own and Minu’s nightdresses. She pulled the bed sheets straight, fluffed the pillows and folded the blankets. Bed made, she removed Arun’s wet bathing towel from over the chair and picked up Minu’s rhyme book, lying half open on the floor. She placed it along with other storybooks on her small study table. She looked around, made sure that everything was in order and went to kitchen. Shravanti prepared a large mug of hot beverage and walked to the balcony. Her heart beat faster; she was mildly excited with a sweet secret expectation.
It had happened last week. Her inner desire to be appreciated as a pretty young woman was partly fulfilled. To her it was only an innocent fun and she did not consider anything wrong. In her heart of hearts, she remained the faithful loving wife and a caring mother. She considered nothing immoral in indulging in some harmless fun without any serious consequences. After all she was and would remain the sincere wife and mother.
The building on other side of the road had come up recently and occupants of the opposite apartment in fourth floor had moved in about a week back. There were only three young men and no female member. Nothing unusual about that. Many young people lived together. It was all right as long they behaved decently.
They slept on bed sheets spread over reed mats on the floor. There was no visible arrangement for cooking too. One teashop boy would bring in tea in the morning. They would have bread for breakfast and for lunch and dinner they would go out together, probably to some nearby eating-place. Shravanti had never seen them going out to work. They were probably employed in some Call Center working night shifts.
They all appeared to be less than thirty. The oldest was of medium height and strongly built. She noticed that he seldom spoke. The second fellow was tall, with muscular long limbs, a thin face and long hair tied back in a ponytail. Most of the times these two would be sitting cross legged on mats and seriously discuss something. For reasons unknown Shravanti did not like either. However, she found the third young man quite attractive. He was tall and fair with a mat of trimmed beard and thick dark brown hair.
Holding the cup between her palms, she put her elbows on the railing and looked down to the busy road. There were vehicles and people. She pretended to watch them, but then sensing some movement in the balcony opposite, she looked up. And as expected there was the handsome young man, with smiling eyes.
He wore a pair of off-white Bermuda shorts and a maroon sleeveless vest. Shravanti could see his strong hairy legs, muscular arms with well-formed biceps and the broad chest. To Shravanti, he appeared to be gentle and kind, despite his strong macho structure.
Though on the first impulse she wanted to ignore him, Shravanti could not help smiling back. Eyes twinkling, he gave an acknowledging nod. She felt her knees weaken and a strange slow churning in her belly. Her pulse rate shot up and her face flushed.
The doorbell rang. Shravanti gave a smiling glance at the young man and gestured that someone was at the door. He understood, smiled back, and went to his room.
It was Karuna. She went to kitchen and started her chores. Shravanti lazily surfed through the TV channels for a few minutes and then went to kitchen to prepare some lunch. Karuna finished her work and left. Shravanti glanced at the clock. It was almost noon. Time to bring Minu back from school….
For few months after marriage Shravanti used to be excited in Arun’s company. Now even after five years of marriage, she would expect the same excitement in bed. But on most nights he would turn to other side and within minutes, start snoring. For long time, Shravanti would toss from side to side. They loved each other very much. But somehow, daily life had become a dull routine with no excitement or surprises.
That night it was different. Minu slept and Shravanti felt restless. She whispered to Arun to come to the divan in drawing room. Arun was surprised. She rarely took the initiative. Then as usual, for some time they held each other close and kissed deeply. Arun fondled her and put his mouth all over her body.
That was when she had this fantasy. She suddenly imagined that it was the young man from the opposite apartment, putting his hands all over her and caressing. She shivered, moaned and breathed heavily. Groaning with a peculiar gurgling sound in the throat, she was writhing in a delightful sensation. Eyes shut; her thighs and arms tightened around Arun in a strong grip and after a violent shudder, she went limp with a deep sigh.
Arun rolled down to her side and put an arm over her soft, round, bare body. When he lightly kissed her cheek, she returned to reality. She then knew that it was Arun who held her. Image of the young man faded. She felt guilty and at the same time, she felt a tender love for Arun. Embracing, she lightly kissed him. Soon, they fell asleep in each other’s arms.
It was a little before dawn and still dark; there was a great commotion in the road below. Both Arun and Shravanti woke up suddenly and looked at each other, puzzled.
“What is the noise about?” Shravanti asked.
“No idea. Let me find out.” Hurriedly Arun got up and went to the balcony.
Now Shravanti could hear the sound of vehicles on the road. Someone was giving instructions over a loudspeaker. There were sounds of heavy boots and people shouting.
Shravanti rushed to the balcony and stood beside Arun.
There were some police jeeps and special vans flashing red and blue lights. One officer with a hand held loudspeaker instructed the armed policemen to surround the apartment building opposite. He also ordered the commandos with automatics, to go up to fourth floor and take guard. Powerful spotlights on top of a police van were then switched on and beamed on the fourth floor apartment opposite.
Lights were on in all apartments and people crowded in the balconies. People below were silently watching the operation. On an order from the officer, they moved backward and stood at a safe distance. Armed policemen stood guard in front forming a cordon.
Apprehending something, Shravanti asked Arun, in a shaky voice “What happened?”
“I do not know exactly, but it seems the police got definite information that some dangerous extremists have holed up in that apartment.”
Shravanti turned pale and she felt as though she was going to faint. She clutched his arm and asked in a feeble voice,
“What is going to happen now?” Her body was shaking.
“Who can say? Let us see. Don’t be afraid. We have nothing to do with them.” Arun put one arm around and held her tight.
Meantime the officer shouted into the loudspeaker.
“We know who you are. We have surrounded the building and blocked all escape routes. I advise you to surrender immediately. Can you hear me?”
There was no response. The apartment was dark and silent.
The officer repeated the same thing twice and when there was no response he shouted,
“We give you three minutes to surrender, otherwise we shall break open the door and storm into the apartment. “
Then to those standing in balconies in the opposite building. “You all go inside. Please do not stand there.”
They all rushed in and shut the doors.
He looked at his watch and started counting time. After three minutes of agonizing wait, he gave the order.
“Attack.”
The door of the fourth floor apartment crashed with a bang. Then came the sound of heavy boots and exchange of shots. There were two chilling cries followed by total silence for the next few moments.
Shravanti held Arun tightly and buried her face on his chest. She was shivering. There were two dying cries. What happened to the third?
Suddenly the balcony door burst open and the young man with beard rushed out with a coil of thick nylon rope, rapidly tied one end to the railing and holding an automatic pistol in one hand, started sliding down. Immediately, the commandos also ran to the balcony and aimed their guns at him. The officer below gestured not to shoot. Probably he wanted to catch the young man alive and extract vital information from him. He ordered the policemen on the ground to stand around the rope and clutch him, before he touched the ground.
The bearded young man was swiftly sliding down the rope. He gripped the rope in one hand with legs entwined around. In other hand he held the pistol and shouted that he would shoot anyone coming near the rope or trying to catch him. He slid down very fast like a professional performer.
“Well trained.” Arun commented.
Shravanti clutching him watched the young man with wide frightened eyes. Silently she prayed.
“God, Oh God, please let him escape. His parents, brothers and sisters are probably all waiting for him to return home. They maybe innocent people and do not know what is happening here at this moment. God, please let him not meet a tragic end, at such a young age. Please, please.”
He was then just about fifteen feet from the ground. Policemen rushed to the dangling rope.
The young man pointed his pistol at them and shouted, “I warn you again not to try to catch me. Get away.”
The policemen did not move. The young man just aimed and fired a shot at them. It hit one policeman in the shoulder and he fell down bleeding. He fired two more shots. One missed and the other hit another one in the arm. The police tried to grab him when he was almost touching the ground. But when he started shooting at random, injuring two more, they were ordered to shoot. The bullet hit him directly in the chest and he fell with a thud, blood soaking his maroon vest.
His eyes were still open and to Shravanti, he seemed to be looking at her. He smiled feebly and with a sigh closed the eyes. His head tilted to one side. Shravanti let out a shriek and clutching Arun buried her face on his chest.
It was not dark any more. The eastern sky was now glowing red, waiting for the sun to rise.
In bedroom Minu was still sleeping.
The ambulance arrived with blaring sirens. Hurriedly they left with the wounded and dead. Police and Press photographers were busy taking shots. Next the TV people appeared on the scene and started video graphing. Then came the forensic and investigation experts, interviewed some people and went up to the fourth floor apartment.
Police guards were posted at the entrance and no one, including residents was allowed to go out or come in without a check. Few curious onlookers still hung around.
Arun held Shravanti tenderly and said, “Let us go in, there is nothing much to see now.” He felt sorry for her. Poor girl. She had never witnessed such violence. It was horrible. It was a good thing that Minu was sleeping. Slowly he closed the balcony door.
Shravanti looked pale and dazed. She silently sat on the sofa for sometime and then went to the washbasin and thoroughly washed her face and eyes, as if wanting to erase all that she had seen. Without talking, she went to kitchen, prepared two cups of tea, handed one to Arun and slowly sipped the other. She felt slightly better.
She told Arun to wash and get ready for the office. Arun looked at her for sometime, and then asked hesitantly, “Are you alright? What a horrible scene this morning. If you want, I can stay home today.”
“No, no. I am all right. I shall go out with Minu now. Then Karuna will come. Then I shall cook and go and get Minu. Don’t worry. You need not miss office just for me.”
She glanced at the wall clock. It was time to go to kitchen, prepare some food, and pack Arun’s lunch and Minu’s Tiffin box, wake Minu up, bathe her and change her dress and help her with her shoes and school bag and lay the breakfast table, take Minu to school and return back alone. Then, she would once again make her daily cup of hot beverage and sit alone, watching TV. Shravanti would not go to the balcony from today.
She knew that whatever little diversion she had for the past few days was now gone forever and would never return. It would be the same routine tomorrow, and then the day after, then the next, and the next, then…….She did not know for how long.
Shravanti got up and went to kitchen.
ALL WRITINGS OF RABINDRANATH TAGORE
FATHERS AND SONS by Ivan Turgenev
STORIES BY GUY DE MAUPASSANT
MADAME BOVARY by Gustav Flaubert
A FAREWELL TO ARMS by Ernest Hemingway
OF HUMAN BONDAGE by Somerset Maugham 
THE WAYWARD BUS by John Steinbeck
