Revolution or Nightmare?

A. S. Pradhan | June 17, 2015

At a time of turmoil,

violent demonstrating crowd

in the street outside

In a pitch dark night.
Unrelenting crowd against
unrelenting ruler.

The husband, the wife

and their baby girl

huddled

in the ground-floor room,

scared for safety. 

Their own breathing

seemed amplified

through megaphone.

The room,

separate from the main house,

that fronted the open yard

of the residential compound

with walls,

but missing gate.

It was a small world

of the young couple

And their little baby.
His world. Almost violated.

Gunshots pierce

the night air,

dispersing the mass

of demonstrators.

A strident crowd

break from the mass

and entered the compound,

shouting, screaming,

then kicking at the door.
Chest thumping,
heart pounding.
Panicking.

Were they seeking

safe shelter?

Or were they

looking to kill?

Who knew!

The man,

scared to death,

had one mission:

To save his young family.

To save his world.

Fearing the door

would be broken in,

He pushed the sofa against it

Shutting the revolting crowd

Out of his small world.

It seemed like an eon

When finally the crowd left

Leaving the small world

The young family called home.

They said, it was revolution

For the young family

It was

a fearful nightmare.
Lasting, etched in mind.

Note: Based on real events of 1991 People's Movement in Kathmandu.