They were not given anything to eat after Chaparmukh. All of them were extremely hungry.

Yunlin was unable to breastfeed her baby. Her milk had dried up. The baby was crying in hunger. The pregnant Wai Kwan lay listless. The children were silent, knowing that there was no use complaining.

Mei Hang sat on a bench with her chin on her knees. Overpowering her feelings of hunger, frustration and uncertainty, was her love for Hong. What other reason besides love could there be to live in this strange world? Amidst the sheer lifelessness of the compartment Mei Hang drifted into her own dream world.

‘Water, ache,’ Ko Fuk said in a faint voice.

Mei Hang looked at the tear-stained face of the little boy, and then at Cha Mu.

‘There is no water,’ Cha Mu said slowly.

‘Does anyone have any water?’ Mei Hang asked loudly.

Everyone shook their heads.

‘I’ll get some,’ Mei Lin stood up. Carrying a bowl with her, she went through the crowd to the wash basin near the door.

‘There is no water in the tap,’ Khagen Baishya said.

Standing perplexed near the basin for a while, Mei Lin returned.

‘Does anyone here have any water? Give some for the boy.’

Some shook their heads while others looked down. Mei Lin returned slowly.

‘There is no water anywhere, Ko Fuk,’ Mei Lin said.

Ko Fuk turned glum. Silently he placed his head back on Cha Mu’s lap. Mei Lin stood for a few moments and then turned back. There was still some water in the toilet.

‘Mei Lin, are you going to give him the water from the toilet?’ Tung Chin looked at Mei Lin sadly.

‘The child is so thirsty. What else can I do?’

Mei Lin returned with the water. Everyone sat motionless. The first who stood up to collect water from the toilet was Wenling. Behind her was Liang’s sister-in law. It caused a stir inside the compartment. People made a beeline for the toilet.

After drinking the water, Ko Fuk looked at Mei Lin with feverish eyes and asked slowly, ‘Why did the people abuse us? What is the meaning of “beiman”?’

‘I know the meaning,’ said Yiu Yi. ‘Now there is no “Hindi-Chini bhai-bhai”. China is now India’s enemy. We are enemies. We are betrayers. Beiman.’

Yiu Yi’s grandpa, who was playing Mahjong, turned around to look at Yiu Yi. Then leaving the game halfway, he came and sat next to the children.

‘Do you want to hear a story?’

The children looked at Yiu Yi’s grandfather. But their eyes didn’t contain any happiness. He sat amidst the children and slowly began.

‘This is the story of Leifeng pagoda. Many, many years ago, there was a boy who lived in a place called Hangzhou …’

The train halted. The enthralled listeners were startled. They anxiously gathered near the windows to look outside.

They had stopped in the middle of a barren and uninhabited field.