I was travelling from my hometown to the city where I live. It was an overnight train journey. Our three-year old son doesn’t get a separate berth yet. So he curls up beside me or my husband. And to be honest, I would not want to put him up on a separate berth just yet. Owing to my severe backache my husband volunteered to lay our son beside him. I am not used to sleeping away from him. So I felt uncomfortable. But he was beside none other than his father. So it was ok. And of course, I promised myself I would watch him every now and then.
Things were quite normal till he slept. Being the naughty little monkey he is, my child ran about to each of the fellow passenger in the compartment addressing them as uncle and aunty. They offered him biscuits and chocolates which I denied politely saying that he has had his dinner. Few of them were already asleep. After expending all his energy, my little one came up to me rubbing his eyes and yawning. I picked him up, gave him some water and rocked him to sleep. He was asleep in an instant. I lay him beside my husband, switched off the lights, reminded my husband not to sleep off forgetting about the little one and headed off to sleep myself.
“Amma, Amma..” I heard him call. I opened my eyes and saw a figure standing next to where my husband and son were sleeping. He was trying to lift my son off the berth. I screamed and sat up. My husband work up hearing me scream and so did all the other passengers. The lights were switched on. The man tried to run away. But the co-passengers apprehended him. I was too shocked to respond to any questions. “how did you know?”, “ did he try to harm you?” “ are you ok?”. I just sat there holding my son as close to me as possible, never wanting to loosen the grip.
Some came up to me and told me that the man was handed over to the TTR who had informed the police. Some said he came in from the sleeper compartment. I didn’t know, I didn’t want to know. My husband tried to calm me down as well. I wasn’t crying, I did not want to create a ruckus. I was in a state of shock.My thoughts were elsewhere. What would have happened if I had not woken up. Where would my son be now? How would I have spent the rest of my life thinking about him all day, everyday, cursing that miserable night. I didn’t want to imagine anymore. I thought about the strange little voice that addressed me.
The voice definitely sounded like my son’s. His call for help. But it was a stranger who was mimicking my son’s voice. To this day I have not been able to put my finger on it. I would like to believe that it was something divine. The divine who knows the unconscious, unconditional bond that exists between a mother and her child. The divine who knows that there is nothing more pure than a mother’s love. Otherwise how did I end up seeing what others never saw , how did I hear what others never heard? The man or kidnapper, managed to open the door to the second a/c compartment, he managed to walk past all the others and chose my son, he managed to push aside the curtains, he tiptoed so close to where my husband lay and was about to walk away with my son.
And then the stranger called, to which I responded by opening my eyes. I was able save my son in time. And I would be eternally thankful to that stranger’s voice. I feel this was a message from above, asking me to be more careful, asking me to be vigilant. Whatever it maybe, today my son is safe in my arms.
–END–
Disclaimer- This is a work of fiction. Also to create awareness about what happens in our country and how as parents we should be vigilant with an extra pair of eyes and ears.
Happy reading!
