The Deep Scar (690 words)

Guna, a school dropout, had fallen into bad company and turned to petty theft to fund his drinking and other vices. While he hadn’t yet graduated to serious crimes like housebreaking, he was content picking pockets in crowded markets, stealing boxes at railway stations, and occasionally snatching gold chains on desolate roads at dusk. To make his getaways easier, he rode a stolen scooter. Guna was no stranger to spending short stints in jail, only to return to his old ways as soon as he was released.

His name figured prominently in police records as a suspect, and he was frequently ‘interrogated’ whenever there was a theft involving important people. The deep scar on his neck, the result of a brawl among rival criminal gangs, made him easy to identify.

Guna came from a decent family, but all efforts by his parents and siblings to reform him had failed. After years of futile attempts, they gave up in despair, distancing themselves from his self-destructive path.

As fate would have it, Guna’s next victim was a family member of an influential politician. The politician’s wife and daughter, laden with heavy purchases, were loading their bags into the trunk of their car. As they stepped away to collect more packages from the portico, the bags they had already placed in the trunk mysteriously vanished. In their haste, they had neglected the basic precaution of having one person stand guard. The lapse cost them dearly.

The police swung into action, desperate to catch the culprit. They knew the usual suspects operating in various localities, many of whom they were on familiar terms with. Constable Manickam was assigned to track down Guna, who had gone into hiding. Despite relentless efforts over three days, Manickam was unable to find any leads on Guna’s whereabouts. The pressure was mounting to recover the stolen goods, and the constable knew he had to find Guna at any cost.

Acting on a tip, Manickam headed to a village on the outskirts of the city. It was around 4 p.m. when he arrived, only to be greeted by a scene of chaos. A massive fire had broken out, engulfing a cluster of thatched huts. Gusty winds fed the flames, which spread rapidly from one hut to another, giving the residents little time to salvage their belongings.

Panic-stricken villagers ran in all directions, clutching whatever valuables they could grab. Some carried young children, while others supported elderly parents or hauled boxes, beds, and cooking utensils. The air was thick with black smoke, and the sounds of terrified screams and wails filled the atmosphere.

Manickam's attention was drawn to a young woman who was screaming hysterically that her baby was trapped inside a burning hut. The flames had already consumed most of the structure, and no one dared to enter. Just then, a young man darted towards the burning hut and leapt through the flames into the opening that served as a doorway. Moments later, he emerged, his clothes on fire, cradling a small bundle wrapped in cloth.

He handed the baby to the frantic mother before collapsing to the ground, screaming in agony. Villagers rushed forward, pouring sand and water over him to extinguish the flames. Although badly burned, it appeared he might survive.

Manickam pushed through the crowd to get a closer look at the heroic young man. His heart skipped a beat as he recognized the darkened face and the distinctive deep scar on the young man’s neck. It was Guna.

The crowd around them erupted in praise for Guna’s bravery, marvelling at how he had risked his own life to save a child. The mother’s tears of terror transformed into tears of joy as she clutched her baby to her chest.

Manickam wiped his misty eyes, his heart heavy with conflicting emotions. After a moment, he turned away, deciding to pretend he hadn’t seen the scar. Without a word, he trudged back to his vehicle, leaving the village behind.