Shruti and Rati travel in the same school bus.
Rati's stop comes first, and Shruti's comes later.
Now that Rati has Shruti's company, she doesn't feel troubled at all. The journey passes nicely.
Rati's stop arrives.
Rati and Rama get down from the bus.
As she steps down, Shruti waves from the bus window,
"Bye, Rati!"
Rati turns back, gives a small smile, and waves her right hand,
"Bye."
Both Rati and Rama go inside the house. Their uncle is lying on a cot, resting after eating.
Hearing them, he wakes up and says,
"Rati, come here."
"What?"
"Go change your dress first, then I'll tell you."
"Okay."
After changing, he says,
"Bring your diary."
"Why?"
"Just bring it, I'll tell you."
Rati brings her diary and gives it to him.
He opens it and starts reading. After a while, he says,
"Tell me, Rati, do you complete all your homework or not?"
"I do all my homework."
"Oh really? Then why has your teacher written so many complaints in your diary?"
"Where?"
"Right here!"
"No, uncle, I didn't do anything. I study properly in school."
"Hmm… I was also thinking my Rati is a good girl, how could she do mischief?"
"Now bring all your subject books."
Hearing this, Rati feels a sudden shock.
"Uncle, I haven't eaten yet. Let me eat first."
"Oh yes, my dear hasn't eaten yet. Go eat quickly."
"Then I'll ask you counting and tables."
Hearing this, Rati's heart starts racing like an engine.
She was already hungry since the bus ride, because today her mother had cooked her favorite vegetable—jackfruit.
But after hearing her uncle's scary announcement, she doesn't feel like eating at all.
"What will I do? I don't remember anything…"
"Oh God, please save me today. Tomorrow I'll manage somehow. Please help me… please!"
After some time, she hears her uncle calling from outside,
"Rati! Rati!"
"What?" (she shouts back)
"Have you eaten?"
"Not yet!"
"Eat quickly and come here."
"Okay."
Unwillingly, Rati comes to him with her bag.
"Take out all your fair notebooks."
"All subjects?"
"Yes."
Rati first takes out her Hindi notebook.
"What is this? You haven't done your Hindi homework!?"
"Uncle, I did it… but there's a big boy in my class. He tore my page."
"Did you tell your teacher?"
"I did, but she supports him and didn't scold him."
"Next time if he tears your page, tell me."
"Okay."
"Now take out another notebook."
Inside her mind, Rati keeps praying,
"Oh God… please do something… please save me…"
"Why are you not taking it out?"
"I am taking it out…"
Just then, someone calls her uncle and enters the house.
"Oh, come, brother!"
Rati's uncle says,
"Rati, bring water in a glass and some sweets on a plate."
"Okay."
Rati runs inside and brings water and sweets.
Her uncle says,
"Take your books inside and call your mother from the neighborhood."
"Okay."
For the first time, Rati feels so happy seeing a guest.
"Thank you, God! Thank you so much!"
She brings her mother, thinking the danger is over. She feels relieved and happy.
But she doesn't know—it's just the calm before the storm.
After talking to the guest, her uncle calls again,
"Rati, come here."
Innocently unaware, Rati runs to him.
"Go bring your notebooks."
Hearing this, Rati is shocked.
"What a betrayal!"
She thought God had saved her for the whole day, but it was just like a short break in a TV serial.
Now she has no choice.
She brings her notebooks again.
Seeing them, her uncle is shocked.
Every page of every subject is marked with red pen by the teacher—full of complaints about Rati's studies.
Her uncle stares at her, then goes outside and brings a thin stick.
"So this is your study? You never do homework and during class you just draw flowers in your notebook!"
"And when I ask you, you lie to me saying everything is fine!"
"Now stretch your hands forward."
"Forward!" (he shouts)
Rati slowly stretches her hands.
He hits both her hands twice with the stick.
"If you cry, I'll hit you more."
Holding back her tears, she says,
"I'm not crying."
"Now bring my old notebook from my bag."
"Okay."
She brings it.
"I am giving you writing work in this. It must be completed by evening."
"When I return from the fields at 7 PM, I'll check it."
"If it's not done, you'll get ten more hits."
"Understood?"
Rati stays silent.
He shouts again,
"Did you hear me?"
In a low, angry voice, with her head down, she replies,
"Yes…"