Child Labour

                   Joe continued to pick up the remnants of a once mighty Turkish vase. Though it was just stranded alone in the corner, it got all the respect and homage once it was no more. Every piece of it was related to the long ancestry and for every passing second its value doubled. It was not a mistake Joe has committed, it was a sin. A sin for which there was no repentance, which will forever strangle him and remind him of the moment he took just a breath of air outside his set boundaries. ‘The sin was unpardonable and the price has to be paid’ said Ms. Cilia. ‘The child must be reminded of his bounds and such a lesson be taught to him that he never forgets it his whole good-for-nothing life’ spoke Ms. Cilia in a proud tone. Joe cursed the time he even thought of behaving out of norms in the Brooks’ Mansion.

                Joe came to work from a tender age of 6 and his luck has turned its face away from him from that very day. All the day he was involved in chores ranging from running errands and doing any thing that might pop in Ms. Cilia’s mind. A perfection of 100% was expected from his at all costs and he was required to present his best when assigned a job. Joe was supposed to respond whenever called by saying “At you service, mistress” and report back immediately when a work has been done. Ms. Cilia was an extremely calm personality. Even in the wake of a rage, she’d act as if nothing has gone wrong at all. This was the reason she succeeded over the Brooks’ Empire even though she has brothers elder than her. She was a silent observer in her nature; she’d notice rather observe every thing rather than pointing it out and look for a more appropriate situation. Joe has learned at this early an age to watch before he step and when he gets caught, he’s trapped deep in the clutches of monster.

                Couple of weeks earlier Joe went to the market to get the groceries and other related stuff from the market. He had borrowed a fellow servant’s bicycle. During his visit to the market, he suddenly lost track of time for the market was new and he was too involved in the lights and flashes. When he had done with everything and decided to come back, another doom awaited him. The bike was gone! He had been in troubles before leaving a mark unpolished on the shoes or spilling drops of water of the dining table was nothing compared to what had happened now. He came late and ended in and inquiry by the butler. Joe confessed that it was just a bit of negligence on his part that the bike was lost.  Ms. Cilia listened to what Joe has to say and maintained a stern yet calm attitude towards the issue. He still remembers the beating he took from the butler and the bicycle owner and how he starved for two weeks in order to repay the damage he owed.

                This time he knew that the doom is so impending that I will certainly not make it. The vase was though just in the corner, it was because of the water that Brian, Ms. Cilia’s 14 year old, has spilled all over the place that he slipped and tripped over the vase, causing it to disintegrate in a thousand pieces. Still it was held his fault for not being careful enough. Butler has complete support of Ms. Cilia on his actions and he was responsible to maintain law and order in the mansion. The types of measures he took were he said ’to make sure verdict of law kept and the order maintained’. Joe ended up with heavy bruises on his back due to the belt lashes he received, a swollen cheek, fractured finger and a concussion over his wrist. With every piece he picked of the broken vase, he shed a tear. He cursed his being, his existence, his presence in hell. The droplets were falling freely; at this rate, he thought, he would’ve filled the entire vase! He let out a giggle on the thought and suddenly all the gloom vanished away.

                Joe couldn’t turn a side on the bed that night for his back has swelled twice the size. He stood on a side, facing towards the window. Moonlight was falling over his face and he started staring at the moon. He stared and for a long time his mind was preoccupied with him recalling his past, analyzing his present and the doubtful future. He started crying again at the thoughts of his past and present. A hot drop would generate itself in his eyes, travel all the way across his swollen cheek where he was punched by Butler Mark. He brought more of his past in his mind and more he felt warmth on his face. But yet he copes to gather much of him everyday and to give the best he had all the time. He’s innocent he knew that and that was all that he needed. He managed to pull over the sheet with his shivering tender little hands and shut his eyes in the belief ‘There Is a God’!