Page 66 - Love Story of a Commando

bothering about me or even calling my name. My parents’ place was
definitely not very promising, but after the resignation I had no reasons left
to be in Mumbai.
But you know as much as I loved being an atheist those days, I
realized that God never actually closes all the doors. The flickering bright
light would enter my life even when I thought there was no hope.
One day, I got a call from an unknown number. I was sipping coffee
near my sea-facing window and I picked it up quite lazily.
‘Hello?’ I said.
‘Hello! Miss Riya?’
It took me a while to realize that it was Mr Durrani.
‘Yeah! Hello? Mr Durrani?’ I was confused by the sudden call.
‘Yes! This is me and I heard you have left your job.’ The two-liners
were back again. Bingo!
‘Yes! But how do you know?’ I asked.
‘I am in Mumbai actually and when I contacted your company,
someone else picked up and informed me that you have left the job,’ he said.
‘Okay! But what do you want from me? I have nothing to do with the
company now and I am not obliged to entertain you on your Mumbai visits.’
I had been dying to say something nasty for a long time.
God does not really close all the doors. I smirked.
‘I wanted to ask you if you would be interested in working for us?
The job does not pay anything at all but we can provide you with food and
accommodation.’ He seemed unmoved by my remark.
My ears instantly perked up and I said, ‘Job? Well, what kind of job
are you offering me and why do you think I’d be interested?’
‘I really liked your work credentials and it would be great if you
could look after the kids in a school in Tral, Kashmir, which also provides
shelter to orphaned Kashmiri children apart from educating them. All you
have to do is to teach those kids about computers and other things to help
them stand on their own feet. It is a small project but we basically try our
best not to let these orphans fall prey to terrorism and get trained across the
borders in terrorists camps or turn into suicide bombers,’ he replied.
‘Okay. But I am not sure whether I’d be able to do that and that too
in Kashmir. Frankly my parents will not approve. The security risks are
high,’ I said absentmindedly.
‘See, you don’t worry about the security. The locals are very friendly
to the NGOs; it’s just the armed forces they hate and many of the army
personnel from the Special Forces keep a close tab on the government
employees there. Nothing has happened till now, apart from clashes between
the locals and security forces now and then,’ he said.
My heart skipped a beat at the words ‘Special Forces’!