Then, controlling his tears, he placed a hand on his son’s shoulder. ‘Let us take her away. What else can we do.’

They carried Yiu Yi’s body back to their wing. Amidst heartbroken sobs they buried her near a neem tree in a corner of the wing. Someone planted a twig of a thorny plant with tiny white flowers over the grave.

Leaving the past in the grave, they returned. All the other internees had assembled in front of her room. The children sat there together. The space in front of the room was heavy with the stifled sound of sobbing. The people who had returned sat down, lowering their heads.

The camp commander and the deputy commander had just arrived with the camp doctor. The guard was not at the gate at that time. He was running towards Yiu Yi’s room.

‘That child who died today. Who is the father of that child? From under the ground there has been a voice calling out “Baba, Baba.” That child is not dead.’

Everyone ran back to the grave.

Yiu Yi’s father started digging like a madman. So did the others.

Yiu Yi was still, her body covered in soil. It was warm, as if she was alive. Only, it was still. Only, it was silent.

Had there been life in her body only moments ago? Did she regain consciousness in the grave after the heatstroke?

Holding her soil-covered body against his chest, Yiu Yi’s father looked up at the doctor for a few moments before breaking down.

‘Oh doctor, why didn’t you come just a little earlier? My child is dead, doctor!’

A deafening silence descended on Wing 5.

Four

Four

It was dawn.

Seven nights had passed, soaked with tears, heavy with the sound of crying.

Seven unbearable nights.

And then it stopped. There were no sounds coming from Wing 5. People went about their daily chores in silence.

It was as if Yiu Yi had taken away the life-giving breeze with her. One by one people were coming out of their rooms. Preparations began for the journey ahead. In a while, they would all leave for Madras.

All their appeals had been in vain. The government of India paid no heed to the captives imprisoned in Deoli camp. The heap of applications remained unanswered.

In her room, Mei Lin was combing Mei Hang’s hair. Siu and Ahlin sat beside her. Mei Hang was getting married today. Her parents wanted to see her marry Hong before they left for China.

Mei Lin was wearing a deep green terry cotton mekhela-chador. She’d bought the material from the canteen and stitched it herself.

‘If you somehow meet Pulok, tell him, Mei Hang – I didn’t want to go,’ Mei Lin said slowly.

Mei Hang grasped Mei Lin’s hand. Letting the tears flow freely, they sat there in silence, their eyes downcast.