Freedom for whom?

“Passengers are requested to fasten their seat belts and the Cabin Crew is requested to take their seats as we set for a take-off”, the announcement from the co-pilot almost made me jump up to my feet as I was already snoring with my forehead leaning on the glass window. The aircraft started to pick-up the speed, and as moments passed, we were in the air. The craft was still increasing its altitude when one of the members of the Cabin Crew suddenly sought for an attention from the passengers and announced not to panic. I was wondering, as was seated at the window seat, I couldn't see anything that was going on at the head of the aircraft. A man appeared, walking  towards us , with a gun!

              

               I was staring at the man and I was completely in a mode of shock, I could notice people screaming at my back! “Don’t move!” His voice was sharp and I could notice the effort put into the words said through his alcoholic lungs. That didn't make me feel nice and comfortable. I felt a spasm of panic run through my back. Yet it made me realize what was happening in the Indian Airlines; the plane has been HIJACKED! I truly didn’t know at all as to what would be the next step, though I was sure that taking a step would only make it worse. But what did they come for? Why were they doing this? Where were they taking us? When are they going to release us? I took a look through the plane without raising my feet. I only stretched my waist and I could see five of them- the hijackers!- who have boarded along with us; who have now taken over the plane. And we are the “Hostages”.

 I was still in the shock from which I was not likely to come out. I felt my heart beating like a jet plane. I felt dizzy- for some reason, I felt suffocated .I tried to cool myself a bit. Just then, I saw an air- hostess passing through us with one of  “those guys” at her back, pointing a gun at the back of her head. She was probably being taken to the pilot’s cabin for some instructions. I looked out of the window and stared at the cottony clouds passing below me. My mom came to my mind - her pacifying smile and her heavenly kindness. I closed my eyes and started praying as to tiny droplets of sorrow fell from my eyes and rested on my lap. Then I remembered my father’s words. It was at situations like these when I have to be bold like a fearless little brave girl. Then he would call me “daddy’s girl”!

There was a beep at the speaker above my seat and the co-pilot spoke again with a voice which had fear, this time. “Kind attention ladies and gentlemen, our destination has been changed towards the east and we would reach the ground in a few minutes.” No one could ever imagine the horrified look on my face. “our destination is changed ? What does he mean by that?” I thought to myself. Then those thoughts wandered. They turned out very dangerous. I was the final stage of danger when one of the hijackers spoke up, interrupting me. He made my heart beat stop for a second. He was the person I saw in the newspaper last night saying that he would soon take revenge. And now he did.

“You people deserve this.” He shouted. My nerves flickered. I shivered out of fear. Your law put the most important and favourite member of our banned organization, in jail. He has been through iron rod marks on his skin and electric shocks. He was not provided with food for a week and kept in the most dreadful jail in the whole of India. He has been through the horrors and tortures of hell. He was punished because he only took revenge for what your country has done. He has done it because YOU have done it. And now you will pay for it. You will pay for it much more than you should. We demanded the Government of India to release our leader, or you will go home with your souls missing. That’s what you deserve!”

‘Death’ was the only word which struck my brain. It came in different modes of tenses. And ‘What if-‘was their prefix. None of the two options seemed good to me- the terrorist being released or me going home with my soul missing. “Panic leads nowhere” I thought. The plane landed onto a rocky are. I could feel the roughness of the earth below as the plane landed. I feared it would crash, but it didn't  We got down and the pilot got a call. He handed over the phone to one of the ‘men in black’. He spoke for some time and smiled as he cut the phone, his ugly yellow teeth glowing in the breaking dawn. He had us for a day-19 hours to be more precise.

I didn't know what happened but the terrorists went away and there was another plane coming toward us. We got in it in no time and it took us back to our departure venue. I was so relieved . My dad was waiting for me. My mom kissed me. “you okay, honey? We were so worried about you.” She said. “Yes mom! I love you”. “That’s daddy’s girl!” dad said and we left to our home.

The next day I woke up from my bed soon. Of course I couldn’t sleep. I glanced at the paper beside my cup of chocolate milk drink, and narrowed my eyes to look through my blurred eyesight. And there it was written in bold letters…’PLANE HIJACKED AND TERRORIST RELEASED”. So my relief did not last very long. Now how are they going to attack our country again? Perhaps another hijack…this time to explode the plane!