‘Have we been given any less pain here? Don’t you remember how they put us in the cowshed? Don’t you remember how we were caught? Can you forget how they snatched our valuables from us in the jail? And the awful train journey? Have you forgotten all that so soon? Have you forgotten the abuses? After all this, will you return like shameless people? People will spit on us, you see? People will abuse us, as ungrateful traitors – will you listen to that? If you can tolerate that, go ahead. I won’t. I will go if the ship comes.’

‘Have you heard the news? The Chinese consulate has closed down. Bank of China has closed down, too. After this, will we be able to live the same way as before? No matter what we do, no one will trust us. The CID will be after us to see if we are spies and put us in jail. After that they will tell us to leave. See how many people have been chased out! Some were not even allowed to take their children and wife with them. Some were pushed out through the Nathu La pass. So much suffering!’

‘What will happen to our properties? And our money? Where is it all anyway? Our accounts with the Bank of China have been seized by the Indian government. I’ve heard that our houses and belongings will be auctioned as enemy property. There will be no security for us in this country. There is no choice but to toil hard in Communist China. At least we will not have to live in fear. No one will snatch our hard-earned property. No one will consider us enemies, traitors or spies.’

Mei Lin’s uncle came and sat down, looking serious. ‘I’ve heard that the Dalai Lamas of Wing 1 are writing to the Indian government, saying that no one in their camp wants to go to China. They are afraid.’

‘How can they speak for us? We will decide whether or not we want to go.’ All the assembled people were agitated.

‘Let’s go and ask them right now.’

‘Don’t quarrel, don’t pick a fight,’ Yiu Yi’s grandpa shouted as they stood up to go. But no one listened to him.

Some people from Wing 4 also joined them. The people of Wing 1 had gathered in one place.

Seeing the inmates from Wings 4 and 5 in an aggressive mood, a group of young boys came forward to confront them.

‘What is it?’

‘Is it true that you are writing to the government?’

‘Yes, so what?’

‘What are you planning to write?’

‘We are writing that we will not go to China.’

‘What do you mean by “we”? You mean us as well, don’t you?’

‘Have you come to threaten us? We will write what we wish. Why do you bother? You go and write your own letters.’