he said listen everyone see how she reads go on read that first word again i failed to understand why it was necessary to call everyone there was nothing remarkable about reading from a book i did it every day perhaps i had read so well that dada wanted them all to applaud that was why he had called them if i read well aunt runu would dance with me in her arms uncle tutu would give me a sweet and grandma would give me a big guava from her tree so i read as loudly and clearly as i could moving my finger along each letter turmeric then i looked at the picture and said ginger at once everyone began roaring with laughter aunt jhunu had to sit down still laughing her urna slipping from her shoulder aunt runu was giggling helplessly ha ha ha ha guffawed dada and uncle tutu even ma and grandma couldnt stop laughing i stared at their faces a smile slowly appearing on my own for laughter is infectious it was as if a little play was enacted in which i was the only actor on the stage everyone else was in the audience grandma was the first to speak that word you just spelt is turmeric she said with a smile it may look like ginger in that picture but thats the wrong word on that fateful night i was simply pretending to be asleep as if traveling the land of dreams playing there with fairies winging on a high swing no longer a part of this world as if i did not know that pakistani army men wearing heavy boots had entered the room and were walking about a rifle dangling from every shoulder these men could kill anyone any time casually and without a care even when they were laughing and joking among themselves if they thought anyone in the room was awake they would either kill her instantly or take her by force to their camp where they would whip her incessantly torture her with a bayonet and make sure all her bones were crushed so little girl never mind what those heavy boots do in your room you must continue to sleep make sure your eyelids do not flutter your limbs do not move your fingers remain still your heart must not tremble for if it does you will be unable to hide the tremor from these men when they lift the mosquitonet and look at you lust and desire pouring from their eyes they will shoot flames out of their mouths as they speak in a language you cannot understand keep absolutely still when they flash a light on your face your chest your thighs they must see that you are not yet fully grown you are not even an adolescent and your breasts have not yet appeared it was as if a snake was climbing over my body slowly gliding up to my neck coiling itself around