The Axe

It was raining heavily. The thatched roof of the tiny hut was almost falling apart. Jhumki sat there at the door of the dilapidated, dark hut and listened to the thunder outside with the gushing sound of the rain exploding the sky. Her mom yelled, ‘Get ready quickly. We have to rush.’ Jhumki did not budge. Her mom came, slapped Jhumki’s head excruciatingly and said, ‘Are you deaf? I said “Get ready right now”. Your aunt does not have all day. We have to get this done today.’ Jhumki looked at her mom and said, ‘You go ahead. I will join you.’ Her mom yelled again, ‘You crazy girl. We don’t have time.Come with me now.’ Jhumki looked at her mom and said, ‘I have some work before that. Where is the axe?’ Her mom replied, ‘Today we don’t need logs to light fire for cooking. We have enough. Moreover, it’s raining. You get ready quickly and come with me.’ Jhumki did not budge. She looked at the rain outside and said, ‘Give me the axe. I will chop the logs and come. I have been sitting idle the whole day.’ Jhumki’s mom shouted, ‘It’s right at the backyard near the well.’ Jhumki nodded. She still kept on looking at the rain. Her mom came and slapped on her right cheek tightly and screamed, ‘What are you waiting for? Let’s go. Your dad will be here any moment.’ Jhumki stared at a blank spot at the horizon and said, ‘I will go after he comes. You go ahead. I promise I will come.’ Jhumki’s mom knew that there was no point arguing with Jhumki. She sternly told Jhumki, ‘Remember Jhumki, this is not a joke. You have to come and meet your aunt today.’ Jhumki calmly asked, ‘Why are you not taking me to Shailaja Aunty?’ Jhumki’s mom replied angrily, ‘Because that “idiot” said she can’t do it. Jhumki looked at her mom with stone cold eyes and said, ‘She is not an idiot. Why did you not let me go and meet Arun Uncle?’ Jhumki’s mom pulled Jhumki’s hair and said, ‘You stupid girl. Do you know the consequences of meeting Arun Uncle?’ Jhumki did not say anything. She got up. She went to get ready. Just when she was about to get ready, Veeru came. Jhumki’s mom Lata yelled again and said, ‘Your dad is here. Hurry up.’ Jhumki shouted, ‘You go ahead. I will join you.’ Veeru stood there, smiled at Lata and said, ‘ Go ahead dear. She will join you later.’ Lata knew, there was no point persuading Jhumki and Veeru. She left them alone.

Lata waited for an hour at her sister’s place for Jhumki to come. Lata was worried. She did not want to leave Jhumki and come but then Veeru wouldn’t allow Lata to force Jhumki. Jhumki was also reluctant to come. It was pitch dark now. Lata knew Jhumki would never come now. She told her sister that she will bring Jhumki tomorrow. Saying that, she rushed home. The rain had stopped. When she reached home, her heart skipped a beat. There was a huge crowd of people surrounding her tiny hut. She could see Shailaja and Arun there among all the people. Jhumki had a peaceful smile on her face. She stood there beside Shailaja. Veeru was lying on the floor on a pool of blood with the ‘axe’ pierced on his abdomen with all the intestines out. Jhumki had stabbed drunk Veeru with the axe multitudinous times till she knew he was dead. Then she had gone to call Commissioner Arun and Dr. Shailaja to tell them what she had done. 15 year old,Jhumki was sexually abused by her step father Veeru every single day. Her mom hushed her because Veeru was the bread earner of the family. Jhumki never realised that she was pregnant. Seeing her symptoms, when Lata took her to Dr. Shailaja, Dr. Shailaja strictly said that it’s too late for the abortion. Lata had told Dr. Shailaja that Jhumki was married and if Dr. Shailaja interfered in this, Jhumki’s in laws will disown her. Jhumki was too shocked to say anything. But, the abuse never stopped. She could not go and complain to police as long as Veeru and Lata were around. Lata had planned to abort the fetus with the help of her sister who claimed to be a midwife. Jhumki knew that today she had to end this. Carrying her heavy tummy, she went to get the axe. After Lata left, drunk Veeru clumsily went behind Jhumki and caressed her bosom. Jhumki turned around and slashed Veeru’s stomach and kept on stabbing it till she saw a stream of blood gushing out and Veeru stopped moving. After that, she ran to the police station and told everything to Commissioner Arun. Jhumki told Arun to inform Dr.Shailaja about this incident because Jhumki was an ardent fan of Dr. Shailaja. Jhumki wanted to be like her. Today Jhumki was happy. She did not know what was in store for her. But, she was happy because she knew nothing can be worse than what she had gone through. She looked at the ‘axe’ and then looked at Dr. Shailaja and said, ‘Ma’am, I always wanted to be a doctor like you, but I never knew I would conduct a surgery on a rapist with an axe.’ Dr. Shailaja hugged Jhumki tight and said, ‘ I am with you brave girl. I will ensure that you get justice and train other girls also to use an ‘axe’ so that no one dreams of touching a girl without her permission.