The Factory

He walked over the rubble, breathing in dust and breathing out his recollection of what used to be. He was last there 15 years ago. He remembered running down the muddy road, in his white shirt and blue shorts, eager to meet his friends. He was very punctual, seldom late, he would make it even if he was ill. This, for him, was the best part of his day. He longed to come down on the weekends too. But the factory would be closed, and they weren't allowed to be in the area when that was the case.

He seemed to know where he was walking to, he walked towards where the main building used to be, and tried to find the outlines of the rooms. He could see them now. All filled with his friends - chatting excitedly about their last game of cricket. He waved to a few of the faces he recognized, but continued strolling down the hallway, lest he be late. He really didn't like that. He liked the master, but he also knew that once irked, he may not be able to control his temper. He found himself walking faster, almost jogging towards the end of the hallway. He could hear them all over the place, and he could now hear them at the end of the corridor. As he drew nearer, he recognized the voices of his friends, his best friends - Varun and Mini. He could hear them arguing over who was doing better, as always. He found himself running towards the door now. He didn't want to miss them.

The last time he was here, the only time he was late, they had already left before he made it. Them and a few others. As he ran towards the door, within shouting distance now, he heard a sharp blast up ahead. He was stunned, shocked and stood frozen for a second. Somehow he knew what it meant, and he was already starting to well up inside. Suddenly, there were blasts all over and he was surrounded by the screams of his little friends, and swirling fire, engulfing them. He started running away, but suddenly realized that he didn't want to. Not again. With his face full of tears, and shirt full of sweat, he started walking towards his friends. He was determined to find them. He ran towards the door, turned the corner at the end of the corridor and suddenly found himself in the middle of a pile of rubble. He could hear the voices of his friends, crying, screaming for help, but he couldn't see them. He could just see dirt, and his spot - empty, unoccupied. It was too late. He walked quietly to his spot and sat down.

He never saw them again, and being one of the few survivors, was shipped off to a different village for a clean cover-up. His family, happy to accept the generosity of the Seth, moved with him and started a new life.