My Mother's Crime

Published02 October 2015

Reading Time 2 mins

Author Stories of Nepal

Location Nepal

"I would hear the villagers whisper behind my back. It would be about my mother. I remember, I had come back from school and asked her for some food. But instead, she started throwing the ashes from the stove on me. And I wondered, why is she acting like this? I was only 12 and didn't know what was wrong with her. Father was the villages' witch doctor but sometimes he would take odd jobs for extra money. Father and mother always fought. Before sunset, I would go and pray to god, 'Please god, don't let the sun set', because I knew sunset meant my father drinking and my mother shouting. It was during Tihar and he had gone out to play Deusi and returned home at dawn and passed out at the porch. I had gone out with friends and when I was returning, I heard loud screams coming from my house. I darted towards home but a few people stopped me from entering. I somehow struggled and let myself free and ran inside. There I saw my father lay on the floor with a pool of blood coming out of his head. A big stone rested next to him. I called for mother, "Ama, Ama". But there was no answer. My six months old sister still rocked in the cradle. Then I heard someone cry out, 'He is dead. It's her. She has run away. It's her.' And like a log, I slumped to the ground." (Sujan Tamang, Batase, Sindhupalchok. Met him in Thamel, Kathmandu) (1/3)

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