Blood and Ashes

2.

She ran as fast as her little legs could carry her, dodging the stones, sticks, and bottles that flew in the air. She didn't know why the people were fighting, why they were shouting and hitting each other. She only knew that she had to find her mother, who had gone to the market to buy some vegetables.

She had been playing with her doll in their small hut, when she heard the loud noises outside. She looked out of the window and saw a crowd of angry men, some wearing orange caps and some wearing white caps. They were throwing things at each other and setting fire to the shops and houses. She was scared and confused. She wanted her mother to come back and take her away from this madness.

She grabbed her doll and ran out of the hut, hoping to find her mother in the market. But the market was a scene of chaos and destruction. She saw people lying on the ground, bleeding and crying. She saw stalls and carts overturned and burned. She saw animals running wild and scared. She couldn't find her mother anywhere.

She kept running, looking for a familiar face, a friendly hand, a safe place. She saw a man with a long beard and a white cap, holding a knife. He saw her and smiled. He reached out his hand and said, "Come here, little girl. I'll take you to your mother. She's with us."

She was about to go with him, when she saw another man with a shaved head and an orange cap, holding a stick. He saw her and frowned. He swung his stick and said, "Get away from him, little girl. He's a bad man. He's not one of us."

She was confused and frightened. She didn't know who to trust, who to follow. She dropped her doll and ran away from both of them. She ran until she reached a bridge over a river. She saw a boat with a woman and a child in it. The woman had a kind face and a colorful sari. The child had a smile and a toy car. They looked happy and peaceful.

She ran towards them, hoping they would help her. She reached the edge of the bridge and called out, "Aunty, aunty, please help me. I'm looking for my mother. I'm lost and scared."

The woman looked at her and gasped. She said, "Sita? Is that you? Oh, my God, it's you!"

She recognized the woman. She was her mother's sister, her aunt. She had not seen her for a long time, because her mother and her aunt had a fight over something. She didn't know what it was, but she knew it was something to do with religion. Her mother was a Hindu and her aunt was a Muslim. They had stopped talking to each other and visiting each other.

She felt a surge of joy and relief. She had found her family. She had found her mother's sister. She jumped into the boat and hugged her aunt. She said, "Aunty, aunty, I'm so happy to see you. Where's my mother? Is she with you?"

Her aunt hugged her back and cried. She said, "Sita, Sita, I'm so sorry. Your mother is not with me. Your mother is gone. She was killed in the riot by my husband."