Rajjo ran ahead and stood in front of the bus waving like mad as Raahat whistled loudly, slamming his hands on the metal to get the driver’s attention. The driver nodded that he had seen them and they could hop on, and slowed the bus. Rajjo flung her bag at Raahat and ran towards the bus doors with Raahat following close on her heels. Their hearts sank as they saw people crammed in the narrow door like sardines, blocking the bus doors. There was no way Rajjo could get inside the bus. The only hope was to join the cluster of people the top. Well, she was going to be damned if she was going to be left behind.

She ran to the back of the bus and grabbed on to the ladder, as Raahat egged her on. The bus gained speed, the driver unaware. Just in time Rajjo reached out her hand and Raahat handed over her bag.

He waved at her as she hung on to the rear of the bus. They had done it! Raahat was elated that she was finally on her way to where she wanted to be.

She was going to miss him. Just like she missed Kesar, Rano, Karam, her family, her village. The list was endless. Raahat dabbed at a tear and walked back inside the compound, hoping she would find a place to sit on that goddamned bus.

Meanwhile, Rajjo hung on to the bus ladder and her dear life for thirty minutes till someone tapped on her shoulder. Her arm was becoming numb with effort and she was going to lose her grip anytime soon. She turned up to look at the person who had tapped her. It was an old toothless lady with reams of wrinkles and kind eyes. She gestured for her to come up. A few men made way. The bus stopped, two people got off from the roof. Rajjo found a way to squeeze in. She finally had a little space to sit on the roof of the bus.

The bus gained speed again and they were off. This was heaven. She was flying, the wind running through her hair. She could touch the sky, talk to the white fluffy clouds.

She had risked the dangerous climb because she would’ve regretted her inaction more than anything else.

‘You need to get somewhere urgently?’ asked the old woman who had given Rajjo a hand.

Rajjo nodded.

‘Where are you going?’

‘I am not sure but I need to get there fast.’ Rajjo replied over the roar of the wind.

The old woman chuckled.

‘You are riding on the wind, I am sure you will get there fast enough!’

The woman smiled a toothless smile and turned around to breathe in the scenery bathed by dawn. The slight nip in the air due to the blast of wind made them all huddle closer, an argent-coloured desperation brought them even closer.