I vividly remember that day when George came to my room and injected me with a bottle of yellow liquid. I felt weird but I was thankful to him. He was always there when I was in trouble and needed him the most.
When I was four years old I lost my mother. Young and innocent back then, I cried days and nights in her absence, and for days I didn’t eat or drink. I became weak and fell sick but my tears wouldn’t stop flowing from my sunken eyes. Every morning I woke up with the hope to see my mother sleeping next to me but it was always a disappointment. There were times when I really missed her, especially when I saw my friends with their mothers. My childhood was sad but things began to change with the passage of time and I moved on. Today, if I am alive and happy, it is all because of George, my savior!
I pray that no one suffers from any kind of misfortunes like me.
My life changed drastically after that night when George came to my room. I thought an injection was necessary because I was pregnant at that time. Yes! You heard that right. It was already seven months by then. I was so happy like any woman would be. In fact, I felt I was the happiest woman on earth. My mother always said that women are more gentle and compassionate than men, so nature has given the best gift to women. I didn’t understand what she was trying to tell me back then, but today I am actually feeling it—the best gift of becoming a mother. Thanks Mama!
The next day I was moved to another room. Everything looked strange and I couldn’t figure out where they were taking me. It had been days since I had seen George last. I have never had the idea ablut the iron house next to ours. I knew something fishy was going on in that regard but nobody would tell me anything. My body started swelling up, I was feeling dizzy, and I lost all my strength. After a few days, I had a pain in my back and minutes later I puked blood. I could not take it anymore, so I decided to talk to those people who had brought me there. My eyes searched for George but he was nowhere to be seen. I was in tears and shivering badly. I walked slowly through an empty hall and brought myself to another chamber. I looked at them; they were furious and one of them hit me hard on my head. They started chasing me and I ran for my life. One of them caught me by my neck and dragged me through the hall, tied both my hands and legs, and confined me in a small room. Meanwhile, I got my labor pain and I could not even move. I cried for help but nobody turned up. I didn’t give up, but instead faced the situation and after hours of struggle, my baby was delivered. It was a boy. I held my baby close to me and kissed him on his forehead. I was so happy to see my baby that I forgot all the pains for a moment. Then, I noticed something strange when I was holding him. He was not breathing; my child was born dead. I cried in disbelief and in a flick of a second all my hopes and dreams were shattered.
From a distance I could hear their footsteps approaching towards me. They said they were going to kill me and I was terrified when I heard this. I was still holding my baby as one of them opened the door into the room. He was a tall guy but I could not see his face as he wore a mask. Two men who followed him inside also wore the same masks. To my surprise, one of them was calling the tall guy George and said, “It is dead, what to do with the newborn?” The moment I knew he was George, I cried out a lot and asked him why were they trying to kill me? I asked him to take me away, but what could I expect from these ruthless humans? They said cows like me are raised only for meat and that we have high demand in the market. I didn’t know what that even meant. I screamed, I cried and begged at their feet for a chance to be with my baby for one last time. They didn’t listen, but instead grabbed my baby and threw it away like trash. I was shocked to see such an inhuman act and it was none other than George doing it.
They twisted my neck and taped my mouth and started skinning me out. It was too painful and I could not take it. I was very weak and unable to defend myself anymore. They have started to cut my legs apart and then pull out my intestines. My eyes have started to bleed and I can barely see anything. I don’t think I will make it. I am losing my senses; I think it is time for me to leave this world. All that still worries me is my innocent friends who are still on the farm. I wish someone could help them!
By Sherab Younten
8th Year, NNI
