INTRODUCTION
Nothing but crickets, gentle waves breaking on the shores of the lake and the rustling of tree leaves were heard in the dead of the night. The waning gibbous moon and the backdrop of stars reflected onto the quiet lake. A calm, peaceful atmosphere was displayed.
A draft breezed past, rippling the reflection of stars on the lake.
Suddenly a head jolted up from the lake, the woman gasping in large amounts of air. She was in immense pain, dragging along with her the body of her beloved sister towards the shore. She dropped the unconscious body onto the rocky ground, before collapsing herself.
She looked up towards the sky, then clenched her eyes shut, roaring loudly as she pushed her baby out.
Tiresome hours later, the cries of a baby filled the peaceful atmosphere.
The woman took her silk dupatta off, rung it dry and wrapped the baby with it before placing it beside her unconscious sister.
“ ‘Atamanaa ‘an tusamihani ya ukhti,” she said before dragging herself up on her feet, leaving her sister and newborn baby behind to go up onto the broken road bridge to seek help.
