The barbeque

 

When Ranjit woke up in the morning, he felt a dull pain on the head. He was somewhat hazy as he felt his head. The room was dark and the bed hard, unlike his usual bright room that opened up to the sky with birds chirping from the trees and the noise of vessels from the kitchen. He faintly remembered that he had left his friends and entered in the evening the reserved forest area across the road where he saw a young spotted deer. No one entered the place. He could remember nothing more of that evening except the thud on his head till he went blank.

It has been more than a fortnight since the boy of eight years found himself in a tenement with a tall and big man, dark in colour, yellow teeth and matted hair. He evoked fear when he smiled but he did no harm. He provided him with food that seemed different and unpalatable but he brought many fruits of different varieties. But his cries to send him back to his place elicited a stony silence. When he asked where he was, he signaled he would tell later but warned him never to stir out of the dwelling. He was however kind often patting him and rubbing his chin and arms. He could speak a little Hindi with a heavy accent of his language.

It was a week later, he heard one day a lot of people playing drums and indescribable shouts and what seemed like singing in hoarse voices till late in the night. Ranjit felt the smell of acrid smoke and something burning accompanied by screams in pain and shouts of joy. The boy shivered in fear and lay cuddled in the bed. The entire atmosphere was eerie and there was no way of seeking the help of his parents. There was no inkling of what his parents did to trace him. He always cried when the big man was not around and dozed off to sleep.

When the man arrived later and the drum beats became louder and the voices shriller, Ranjit asked what they were all about. He spoke slowly, “Today is a festival day. There is a gathering to sing and dance followed by an annual dinner where many animals would be roasted as in barbeque. The entire village would rejoice, drink and dance and have their dinner. A festival much looked forward,”

“I am scared to hear human voices and our language amid the shouts. Are people from our parts there?” he asked

The heavily built man did not reply but just showed his yellow teeth in what seemed to be a smile.

“Are you not going for dinner?” asked Ranjit.

“No, I prefer to have a tasty homely meal tonight. It is getting late. Go, have a bath and scrub well,” he said softly.