Snippets of Madam Sirr (S1)

Way Back Home

The night breeze rustled blowing away on scraps of leaves, the sliver of the moon slicing through the velveteen black. An occasional owl hooted breaking the hush that had invaded Lucknow. The streets were calm, almost unrecognizable without the chaos and unruly disorder that claimed the city during the day. Everything seemed in place yet an unrecognizable hybridity lingered in the air.

CC glanced at the towering MPT in front of him, silhouetted within the confines of the darkness. The old whitewashed walls gleamed in a pearly glow catching the reflection of a silver torch from above. It seemed divine, transcending human interaction. The MPT, lively with its muse of tranquility reflected CC, his mind a hive of chaos and conflict.

He sighed, caressing his badge in his hands, smoothening the slightly rusted metal edges. He had given his resignation letter taking the decision to leave the MPT, to leave the force forever. CC glanced up, the moonlight shining in his eyes as he walked back to the past. His bruised and swollen face, decked with reddened welts laughed at him, sharing in on a perverse joke. Unconsciously, he ran his fingers over the bruises, wincing slightly at the pain. The humiliation. The embarrassment. The disgrace to his uniform. Everything stirred in flash.

CC stood in a flash, his emotions overwhelming him. He tightened his fist into a ball as the pin of his badge pierced his skin. He hissed in pain, staring wordlessly at the thin drops of blood dripping to the ground. CC paced around, the constant jab of the pin keeping him grounded. How could he continue his job when he was humiliated in front of the public? He walked around, his fingers softening his hair. His eyes closed as he recalled the fatal condition of his mother, the responsibility of his sister. How could he return to the village? CC felt suffocated, his breath yearning for a release. He felt as a failure, as an officer, as a son and a brother.

He wiped his tears immediately sensing a hand on his shoulder. He turned back surprised to see Haseena in front of him, her eyes flashing with concern.

"CC are you okay?" she asked.

CC gritted his teeth and bowed his head to the ground, desperately hiding his tears. His recent actions had caused Madam Sir to publicly apologize to Shivani yet Haseena hadn't said a word against him. He felt ashamed, that he had brought shame upon the senior whom he considered as his own sister.

Haseena forwarded him a napkin, gesturing him to wipe his eyes. She didn't speak, sensing the turmoil inside him. She silently asked him to follow her as she started her jeep and drove away. The drive was silent, broken by the occasional grating of teeth and sighs. Haseena glanced at him, her eyes caught between worry and love.

Haseena stared at him helplessly. She felt as if she had failed CC as a senior. He had always been a cheery and jovial but now...She sighed, her foot stepping on the accelerator. Her mind flashed back to the snippets of the conversations she had heard. Haseena knew that CC was disappointed in her. She knew that almost everyone was disappointed in her tha she had ordered KS to be in her limits putting an end to the famous bhaukhal reign. But what else could Haseena do? She was a senior. She had to think about everyone else, not only her.

She stopped suddenly, slamming the brakes violently thrusting them both forward. She got down, CC following her close behind. They were walking upon a deserted road with an old-fashioned ice cream cart in a corner. Haseena ordered two cups as the pair wordlessly sat down on a nearby bench.

"Cheetah...." she called out, her voice gentle as the night. "I know that whatever I say right now will never lessen the pain you experienced but I'm saying this again....reconsider your decision..."

He looked up, the bolts of tears pricking his eyes. "Madam Sir, how can I do my duty when the public manipulate their power? How can I as an officer take care of them when they don't even respect this uniform?"