First year creative writing contest: Third place entry

The state of the nation

“Mercy. Mercy please!”, she shrieked, her body contorted in ways no human body should be, as passers-by threw a coin or two at the frail looking woman sitting on the tarnished platform leading to the government hospital. A half torn demonetized ₹1000 caught her weary eyes as they scanned the surrounding for any possible claimants. She was in for a good meal today.  She hurriedly took the note with great apprehension of being caught in the act. She stood up with a new breath of life and marched hastily towards the nearby ‘Mother’s Hotel’ which served high quality food at extremely cheap prices that it left the state treasury in ruins. But, it was a paradise for people like the protagonist and they revered the Mother who created this in the first place. To her dismay, the meals were not yet ready,  so she had to wait for a while until the hotel opened. She decided to wait it out at the nearby temple where she expected a good bounty in the form of alms.

After seeking divine intervention in her state of deprivation, she sat down on the ground near the entrance to the temple. Now,  quite worn out due to the hectic day’s work, she couldn’t resist shutting her eyes. A few devotees passed by, undeterred by the condition of the helpless woman until, a bald headed guy in a white shirt and dhoti dropped in front of the temple from his car that was a part of a huge cavalcade. People from all the corners thronged this person, possibly a politician given a mention of his stature. He wittingly waved his hands at the crowd and began walking towards the temple, when he glimpsed  the woman sitting desolate at the entrance . He was suddenly stupefied at the appearance of this woman ,and immediately rushed towards her and prostrated at her feet. “What has gripped over our leader? Has he gone mad!” murmured the mob. The woman opened her eyes, and was dumbfounded seeing the man lying before her. The politician rose up and catching her hands high, proclaimed to the crowd, “I have found our new leader. She is the gift that god said he would send, to redeem our souls.” Before she was able to comprehend what was happening around her, she was hurriedly pushed into a car, and the next moment she was swearing-in as the next ruler of the state. Crackers were burst, VIPs assembled and the whole place was on cloud nine, when suddenly the sound of the traditional siren was heard. Out of the convoy,  came out men in uniform and rushed straight towards the podium and presented the woman with the warrant for her arrest for possessing illegal, demonetized money that was disproportionate to her known income. ‘Alas,’ cried the masses, as their newfound leader was now behind bars.

-Adithya K

First year, Mechanical Enginnering