Days passed like this. I started learning how to do works there. I started eating food on my own as I didn't have any other option. We boys and girls used to play in same area but there was partition and we were not allowed to cross and go on each others side. Bhayia was elder so he used to work somewhere else so I never saw him. But I saw that boy many times who came to call Abhay bhayia that day. I many times felt him staring at me. We caught each other staring many times. We passed smiles. We knew we wanted to talk to say a lot to each other. Our eyes spoke a lot but alas!!! we didn't have any option. I always thought one day maybe one day we will surely get to talk.

I used to meet bhayia oncein two months. Over the years, we got habitual. Food we used to get was of so poor quality. We didn't even feel like looking at it but somehow we had to eat. Many children used to die of many diseases, malnutrition, etc. No one really cared that we children were alive or dead. We were surviving not living.

7 years passed away like this. No one adopted us. No one cared about us. I was 12 and bhayia was 17. It was the day I had to meet bhayia. I don't know why but from last few meets I am feeling like bhayia is hiding something from me. I felt his face had become dull. His weight has been reduced. He is not same like he was before. I just ignored all this as I was too happy I was gonna meet him. I went in the hall waiting for him. I waited for him for a long time. I started thinking did he forget. But how can he they rarely let us meet and he can't just forget the day. Is he alright. Many weired thoughts were coming in my mind. My eyes teared up. But I tried shooking away my thoughts.

Finally he came there. My happiness knew no bounds. I was overwhelmed to see him would be an understatement. But that happiness was short lived. As soon as I saw him, his face had become so dull. He couldn't even stand properly. His bones could be seen from every part of his. My doubts were right. He was not well. His condition was too poor.

I felt like crying seeing him like this. I made him sit and cupped his face with shaking hands. My eyes were filled with tears. He tried speaking but everytime ended up coughing. I stopped him asking him not to speak anything.

He went back after sometime. I cried badly. I was not able to think or understand anything. What happened to my brother. Being a 12 years old small child I didn't even know what to do. I cried everyday remembering bhayia's condition. I didn't know with whom to talk. And if I talked, will someone help. I was feeling so helpless, so useless that can't help my brother who was in so much pain. I was loosing my mind.

Then one day
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To be continued

Stay tuned for next chapter