I walked out of Ghulam Mustafa’s house that was located in a dark street. Suddenly, Rehman Baba along with four other individuals appeared from the street corner. Rehman Baba was not surprised to see me.

“Are you alright?” he asked in a very calm voice.

I was keeping my head low. My father was dead. I had poisoned him. Although, he was a monster but also my biological father. Now, I was feeling sorry for him because I knew that a day would arrive when I might turn out to be like him. I did not reply to Rehman Baba but he knew what must have happened inside. He asked me to go to his room and stay there. He also advised me to wait for him and not leave the room till he arrives. With heavy feet, I walked straight to Rehman Baba’s room, removed my shoes and went to bed.

I woke up in the afternoon and found everyone sleeping in the room. I went outside, freshened up, returned to the room and slouched back on the empty bed. There was so much going around but my mind was blank. It was indeed a sad day. As the time passed, they all started waking up. Kamal Khan went out and came back with food and we all ate quietly. I did not ask them anything about the dead body of Ghulam Mustafa but I knew that they must have burnt him in his own backyard.

“We all feel sorry for your father and how he had to end his own life. I never wanted you to be the person going inside his house but this was the safest option. Had we attacked your father, there would be heavy losses with many people dead. You saved many lives today,” Rehman Baba said while paying his condolences.

“Kamal Khan had taken money from Nawab Sadiq to kill you but I convinced him against it because you have done no harm to us rather you helped us in getting rid of a monster. You are free to go now. I must, however, warn you not to return to this

place,” he added.

I looked at Rehman Baba and he smiled at me.

“You can stay the night here and leave in the morning. Kamal Khan will accompany you till Jaipur and will give you enough money so that you get settled in any city of your choice. My advice to you is to forgive Nawab Sadiq for killing your grandfather and start a new life,” advised Rehman Baba.

I did not say thing. Although I had no plans of going to Bahawalpur but my mother was there and I had to make sure that she is alright. I also had to see if Saman and her brother were fine. Shakoor had saved my life and now it was my time to return the favour. Then there was Shahzadi whose parents got killed because of me. I had left her with Hakeem. I have to go back to her and fulfil my promises.

Next day, I woke up early in the morning. I had the breakfast with Kamal Khan that he brought for me and we were ready to leave by 6:30 a.m. I bid farewell to Rehman Baba, his brother and Hari Singh. Kamal Khan and I headed to the bus stop from where we had to catch the first bus for Jaipur. It was almost three hours journey. We were sitting next to each other but did not talk. At around 10 a.m., we got out of the bus at Jaipur and Kamal Khan gave me 100 rupees which were more than enough to take me to any city of subcontinent. Kamal Khan left without shaking hands. He probably considered me as a monster too. I did not blame him for his hatred towards me. Anyone who knew my father and grandfather would naturally feel the same. I was destined to become a beast and I had to find a cure before it becomes serious.

I was standing at the bus station. There were more people and few buses and everybody seemed to be in a hurry. I was though relaxed because I had finished my job and was ready to receive my reward. I thought about Saman and a broad smile appeared on my face.

I had to meet her before I go back and thank her and Shakoor for saving my life. I was not familiar with the area but knew the directions. The city was not that big and I could see the tall minarets of the railway station right from where I was standing.

I knew that Shakoor worked in a hotel near railway station which was burnt to ashes and I also knew the way to his home that was located in an adjoining street to the hotel. So, first I made my way to the hotel and asked about Shakoor from the waiters at the hotel but they didn’t have any information about him. Then I decided to go to his house. I reached to the street and walked up to his place. I was about to knock on the door when I saw the lock and my hand got hung in the air.

“I am here to meet Shakoor. Do you know where I can find him?” I asked a passer-by.

“You seem Muslim to me. This area is not safe for you. I am a Hindu but I am against killing our neighbours who have lived with us for centuries. We have advised them to shift to Muslim majority areas before Partition,” the man said in whispers.

I looked at him intriguingly. It was 1946 and British India was about to be divided. There had been widespread bloodshed and riots throughout the India. Muslims had started migrating to safer places. Jaipur was a Hindu majority area but it was still peaceful. I asked couple of other neighbours as well and someone told me that Shakoor had some relatives in Karachi and it was very likely that he had shifted there. I was wondering because Shakoor and Saman had no plans of migrating when I left them only a few days ago. But then they did not have to reveal their plans to me. Moreover, they might have been forced to leave because of the hotel incident. I thought of going to Karachi one day and look for them. I wanted to help them as they helped me in my worst time. For now, my next destination was Hakeem’s village.

I decided to spend the night at a good hotel near railway station. Then I went to railway booking counter which was just opposite to my hotel and purchased a first class ticket to Fazilka. The train was to leave next morning at 6 am. I came back to my hotel room, had some food and went to sleep.

The waiter woke me up at 5 a.m. Railway station was crowded even in the wee hours. I managed to reach my coupe well before time. I did not see Kamal Khan anywhere at railway station. He must be travelling in some other bogie. I was accompanied by three other men in the compartment. After initial round of introductions, I found out that the eldest one was the grandfather who was travelling with his son and a grandson who was about my age. The train left Jaipur station at 7 a.m. The older man kept sleeping throughout the journey while I had a good chat with the other two. Mohsin, the grandson was very talkative and a good company.

“Would you be migrating to Pakistan,” I asked him.

“We have a lot of property and agricultural land in Jaipur and around Ajmer Sharif which we do not want to abandon. We are going to see if we can find some Hindu influentials in Lahore who can buy our lands and sell us their property to us in Pakistan,” Mohsin’s father replied. They were skeptical of newly formed government compensating them appropriately. Soon, Mohsin became my friend. He was a lovely boy but with an immature take on life.

He would get off on every stop and buy something from the station dragging me with him too.

Twenty years later when I visited Ajmer Sharif, I went out to find out about the family of Mohsin. They were influential landlords and locals knew about them. It was, however, heartbreaking to discover that they opted to stay back during Partition and the whole family including the young and old, men and women and even children were butchered by Hindu mobs. Their women were raped and killed. The young children were put on lances and their dead bodies were mutilated. Their fields were burnt and their houses demolished. This was the story of almost every Muslim family who stayed back in Hindu majority areas of India. Those who travelled to Pakistan had similar stories. The generation today can’t even imagine the horrific events of 1947 and sacrifices of their elders which they made to create this country that we so naively take for granted. I was though lucky that I lived in Pakistan and had nothing much to lose. I was in Lahore in the August of 1947. I along with many other youngsters provided safe exit to Hindus who wanted to migrate to India and ensured full protection to those who opted to stay back.

I got down from the train when it reached the station where I had left Shahzadi with Hakeem. It was midnight. Mohsin and his family were asleep. I did not wake them up. I quietly sneaked out from the coupe and disembarked at the station. I, however, stayed in a dark corner waiting for the train to move and watching for anyone who could be following me. I was sure Kamal Khan did not know about this place. He was paid heavily by Nawab Sadiq to kill me. Although he had promised Rehman Baba that he would spare my life and would return the money to Nawab Sadiq but I was doubtful.

I had been looking for him at every station but did not see him which meant only one thing – either he was not on this train or he was deliberately trying to hide. And it made me curious.