A Daisy in the Rain

It was a rainy night, Avinash was driving back home on a lonely street. The visibility was poor in the heavy downpour, when suddenly he saw a girl in the middle of the street. Thanks to his good reflexes that he pressed the brakes on time. She suffered a mild hit and fell down. He rushed out to see her. Poor thing was lying semiconscious, writhing in pain and shivering in the cold.

He lifted her up and put her in his car. He noticed that she was visibly pregnant. He rushed to the hospital, he was hoping and praying he didn't her hurt or her baby, he would never forgive himself if he did. The doctors took the girl under their care, and soon she regained consciousness. Anxious about her, he rushed into the room.

"Are you OK?" he asked. She didn't reply, just gave him a blank stare. He repeated his question, but she just made some incomprehensible sounds.

Someone tapped on his shoulder and told him that the doctor wants to speak to him. He walked into his chamber. The doctor greeted Avinash and said, "There is something you must know sir. This girl is mentally challenged and most probably was this way since birth. She is also 6 months pregnant. We tried asking her about her family, but she is unable to give us any valuable information. Apart from that, there are several evidences of previous abuse of this woman - scars, old fractures and the pregnancy itself might have arisen out of rape. She is malnourished, indicating her neglected state. However, she hasn't suffered any harm because of hitting against your car except for a few minor scratches, and her baby is also unharmed."

He was listening calmly to the doctor. He felt deep sympathy for the girl. He thought for a while, took a deep breath and said, "I wish to lodge an FIR."

The police arrived soon and recorded Avinash's and the doctor's statements. The girl was however unable to speak anything valuable. Avinash requested the police to help him trace her family at the earliest, and also those people who were responsible for this condition of hers.

He went in her room and sat down next to her and held her hand. She gave a sudden fright reaction the moment he touched her, but he calmly held her hand and smiled at her. She stared at him for a long time and slowly calmed down.

The doctor and the police were discussing about where to place her till her family is traced.

"This is a small town and there are no good facilities to shelter such women nearby" the police inspector said, "There is one in the neighbouring town about 200 kilometers from here, but I doubt if there is any vacancy to accommodate one more person."

"I am sorry but we can't keep her in the hospital either." the doctor replied.

"If it would be alright, I wish to take her under my care till her family is traced." Avinash said to the inspector.

"Fine Mr. Avinash" the inspector said. "I know that you are from a respectable family, I can trust you to take care of her for a few days."

Avinash was glad to take her with him. There was certainly room and food in him house to shelter this little angel for a few days. While he was driving her home, he saw her stare at the beauty of the world with the curiosity of a child. Perhaps she had been confined indoors for a long time.

He got rude stares from my neighbours as they saw him take a pregnant woman inside his house, but he didn't care. He took her to a cozy room he had readied for her. He had bought a teddy bear for her and placed it on the bed. She crawled onto the bed, hugged the teddy bear and rolled onto the soft sheets and laughed like a child. He was only standing and smiling at her. Since he had met her, he had only seen her sad, terrified face. To watch her laugh and play like this was so rewarding.

"Daisy" he called her. She just looked in the direction of the sound.

"Your name is Daisy" he said pointing at her. That is what he had decided to call her. "I am Avinash." he said pointing at himself.

"Say Avinash" he insisted. He had to repeat it a couple of times before she struggled out the words, "Avi...aash" he smiled at her and hugged her.

He got her some food, but she couldn't eat it without spilling it all over herself. She realized she made a mess and her sad tearful eyes were apologising. He smiled at her, cleaned her up and put her to bed. Perhaps she was very tired, she fell asleep.

He heard the doorbell ring. It was Meera, his fiancé. She barged into the house with a very angry expression. "What am I hearing Avinash? You brought home a pregnant girl?"

"That right" he said, "I need your help to care for her. I am sure being a woman you can understand better. She has been through a lot. I just want to take care of her for a few days till we find her family."

"She has been through a lot? Who told you all that? She herself? Or are you going to believe everything the doctor said who only wanted to get rid of her life her family did? Have you even thought about what people will say? We are about the get married soon, and you doing such a thing is shameful not only for you, but also for me."

"I don't think there is anything to be ashamed about helping someone." he said.

"I am sorry but this is really not acceptable. There are so many women care centres and NGOs who care for such people. Why bring her home? Don't you care about me?"

"Of course I do, but I..."

"Please reconsider Avinash, we live in a society...you have no idea what people are talking about you.." She interrupted him. Without saying any further word, she walked away.

Avinash was dejected. He expected his better half to support him, he expected her to have a good heart like he did. He really didn't care about the world when he believed he was right. He peeped into the bedroom and watched Daisy sleeping peacefully. He sat down next to her, stroking her hair.

He had lost his family in an accident few years ago. He stayed alone in his apartment since then. He always craved for a loving company. The helplessness and the loneliness he saw in Daisy's eyes, reminded of how he felt without his family. There were dark times when he had nothing, times when he was so weary but his grief wouldn't let him sleep, times when he craved that someone would just stroke his head lovingly till he falls asleep. Meera was a fine woman, fortunate enough to have never seen such a dark phase in life. There was this part of Avinash that she never understood.

He hired a nurse to care for Daisy when he was away for work. Daisy was a sweetheart, even though everyone around her looked at her with scorn, nothing could wipe off the innocence of her face. She never created any trouble for Avinash. She would quietly follow him around the house and stand in one corner and watch him. She used to get distressed whenever he went out of sight. He would often played hide and seek with her, he would hide and she would come looking for him. If she was unable to find him, she would start crying and he would come out of his hiding. She would scream in joy on seeing him again.

She would be very sad when he would leave for work, but he always promised that he would be back and bring something for her. And he always did, sometimes toys, sometimes chocolates.

"Avi, Avi..." he heard Daisy calling out in joy. When he went to see what it was, she gleefully showed him a crayon drawing of herself and Avinash.

"That's so beautiful sweetheart!" he said. He decided to keep it as a memory.

Days passed by. Daisy got more and more comfortable in his company. He used to hold her in his arms every night and tell her a bedtime story. She would be delighted to enter the world of fairies and other beautiful things she had never heard of before.

One night Avinash found her sobbing quietly as she moved her hand over her swollen tummy. He held her close and she hugged him tightly. "What is happening to me? This so painful..." she spoke tearfully.

"There is a little angel in there" he consoled her, "That angel will come into this world when the time is right and will love you more than anyone else can. And you will never be alone again."

"Really?" she said hugging him even tighter, "I am very scared".

"Don't be, everything will be alright" he said kissing her forehead, "Sleep now, sweet dreams."

Almost 2 weeks passed by, but no trace of her family. But Avinash didn't mind at all. He loved her company. But Meera was getting increasingly impatient. One evening she came to his house to invite him for candlelight dinner with her.

"That's really sweet of you dear" he said, "But it is OK if Daisy comes along? She stays indoor most of the times, I am sure she'd love some fresh air."

Daisy just happened to enter the room and smiled at Meera, that made Meera lose her temper. "Why has this pregnant slut charmed you so much?" she growled.

"I understand how you feel Meera, and I am really sorry about that. But just once, only once, stop thinking about yourself and think about her, how she might be feeling. And she is not going to be here for too long." He replied calmly.

"There is nothing to think about her. Retards don't have feelings. This bitch with a pea sized brain is trying to steal my man." Meera screamed at Daisy.

Daisy got frightened seeing her anger and broke into tears. She looked at Avinash and said, "Daisy...sorry.."

Avinash hugged her and tried to comfort her. "Don't cry sweetie, you don't have to say sorry, it is not your fault."

"Not her fault?" Meera screamed, "The way you care about her, I am thinking perhaps this baby is yours...you fucked this retard and now fell in love with her."

"ENOUGH MEERA!" Avinash shouted back, "This poor thing doesn't even know what is happening to her..all she knows in that she is in a lot of pain, and in want of love and care...it is a shame that you can't see that. I had really hoped you had a heart...I loved you Meera really, I thought I could share everything with you,...I thought you would believe in me, share the same feeling of compassion I feel for this helpless girl...and here you are talking so dirty...I am glad I could see this side of you too... I don't wish to talk to you anymore. Just leave."

Meera walked away. Daisy was still shuddering in his arms. She was very scared. "Not punishment please...very afraid...no punish..." she spoke a broken sentence as she was shuddering in fear.

Avinash looked into her eyes as she spoke. He could see only fear and helplessness. 'What kind of a monster would punish this beautiful girl?' he thought. A mentally challenged mind that doesn't even remember her name, but remembers punishments...how much more painful was her story after all? He lifted her in his arms and carried her to the bed. He sat down next to her holding her had till she fell asleep. The drawing book he had brought for her was lying near her bed. He flipped through it to see some disturbing drawings. First one was a dead woman in her grave with a knife stuck in her head and a man hanging by the neck with the noose suspended from a tree above the grave and a child standing nearby. One was a teddy bear with blood all over it. One drawing showed a hand with missing fingernails. There was another one showing a lot of children but one girl whose skin was completely blue, one drawing showing a flower with broken petals inside a cage, another one showing a mutilated doll surrounded by monstrous creatures, and one page was coloured completely black. He wanted to know the meaning of these pictures, she was trying to communicate through them, but nothing was clear.

Next day he received a call from the police that they had found out where she came from. It was a mental asylum. He went there along with the police and Daisy. She screamed hysterically as she recognized the place, but the staff quickly overpowered her and took her away.

"Her name registered here is Alisha." The psychiatrist told the police. "She was sent here from an orphanage. She was a very violent child and often hurt other children. She suffers from intermittent explosive disorder, she is quiet and calm most of the times but when agitated she can be very dangerous."

"I am not buying your nonsense!" Avinash growled, "She can't even speak and you are saying she is dangerous? First of all, who the fuck is responsible for her sexual abuse? I want that bastard arrested right now!"

"I am afraid there is not much clue to trace that person. He is not from out institution because she escaped from here one year ago. Here is a copy of the report we filed with the police. We tried hard to find her but there was no trace of her, no one knows where she was during this time. Maybe someone raped her during that time, the only person who can tell us what exactly happened is Alisha herself." the doctor defended.

Their conversation was interrupted by a loud scream of a man. Everyone rushed to the place to find a staff member dangerously wounded. Daisy was holding a rusted nail in her hand which she had used to pierce the man's eye. She was trembling with anger, her eyes were blood red. Avinash was shocked to see this violent from of her. The moment she saw him, her expression softened and she broke into tears, she dropped the bloodied nail and rushed to Avinash and hugged him tightly.

"Don't leave Daisy here...very bad place..." she begged tearfully.

He hugged her back. He didn't care what the doctor had to say about her. He didn't even believe what he saw...he just believed in his Daisy, in her innocence and purity.

"We must go now, Mr. Avinash" the police inspector said, "She is mentally ill, she must stay the asylum now."

"I can't leave her here...I want her to stay with me.." he said still holding Daisy.

"I am sorry, but the court won't give your permission to take her home considering the fact that she is dangerously sick. She is a threat to the society. She must stay here and undergo treatment. You can come visit her though." The inspector consoled Avinash.

With a heavy heart he let go of Daisy. The moment he turned to go, she screamed loudly and grabbed him. "Please don't go..." she begged. Her grip was so tight that her fingernails dug into his skin and drew out his blood. But he could feel that her pain was much more intense that was she had causing him. He didn't even wince. He just stood there motionless and speechless and the staff pulled her off him and dragged her away. He just watched tearfully as she struggled with all her strength to get free so she could come and hold him again.

There were many cages in the asylum where mad people were kept like animals. In one of those cages was his Daisy. They had injected her with a tranquilizer and put her to sleep. Her hands and feet were chained to prevent her from hurting anyone. She looked so innocent. Avinash looked at her with tearful eyes. His heart still denied what he just saw and heard. But he had no choice but to leave.

He got into his car and drove off with a heavy heart.

Back in the asylum when the tranquilizer effect wore off, Daisy restlessly began to call out his name. She was unaware of so many evil eyes on her wanting to relish what they had been deprived of for more than a year.

The door opened and 2 men stepped into her cell. She suddenly became quiet and began to crawl away but her restraints didn't allow her to move much. "Oh don't be afraid little 'Daisy'" they laughed at her. "Do you want to go to Avinash?" they asked.

Daisy was trembling in fear. But she wanted Avinash so badly. She nodded in affirmation.

"We will take you to him, be a good girl and come silently."

Daisy walked quietly with the two men. They lead her down the stairs into a dark place. She wasn't afraid of the dark, she was used to it. One of those men suddenly grabbed her from behind and pressed her mouth firmly so she couldn't scream. The other man stripped off her clothes. She could resist only weakly, she was so weary. The men laughed and took turns to rape her. Daisy hardly had any energy left to fight or scream. She was naked in the cold, and hungry as the two beasts feasted upon her helplessness. Her pregnancy had made her weak. She just closed her eyes and entered her mind, thinking of the beautiful memories of the time she spent with Avinash, perhaps the only beautiful moments of her life.

When they were done with her, they left her lying there on the cold floor. They went to call others to join them in their cruel deed. There were too confident that she was weak and broken, they didn't bother restraining her. But Daisy was a fighter. She gathered all her energy and dragged herself back on her feet. She wanted to cover herself but her clothes were all torn. Her brave mind was fighting all the pain and shame, only thing she wanted was to be with Avinash. She tried to find a way out and with some luck, she succeeded.

Surrounding the asylum was a patch of wilderness. She walked naked through the creepy forest, completely drenched in the heavy downpour but for it was all worth it for finding the man who was so kind to her, perhaps the only man who ever gave her love. The night was dark and cold, but she kept walking through the rain screaming out his name.

Avinash was still driving home through the heavy rain, unable to forget Daisy. His heart repeatedly refused to believe everything he heard about her. Poor girl...raised in an orphanage...perhaps even her family didn't want her, he doubted if she was even cared for properly in the orphanage, and then the mental asylum - such a dark place for a flower like her. Everyone had a theory about Daisy, but Avinash only believed the story that the scars on her body and the innocence in her eyes told. The pictures she had drawn were now making sense to him, she was trying to tell him her painful story. A girl who is abused, beaten, starved and raped multiple times isn't even expected to react, how convenient it is to label her anger as 'intermittent explosive disorder'? He struggled to contain his anger. He shuddered thinking about his little flower would survive in that darkness. From the depth of his heart he wanted to give her all the love and care she deserved, but he was helpless. There was a devastating feeling of emptiness in his heart. He bitterly cursed his fate, and perhaps for the first time in his life he was angry with God.

Daisy was begging the very same God to take her to Avinash but perhaps her voice was too weak to reach His ears. Unable to walk further, she fell to the ground onto the wet mud, weak and hungry, shivering in cold, weakly whispering Avinash's name. She deeply yearned for the warmth of his love, but the cold slowly strangled the life out of her.

The cold and rain were so unkind,
To her broken body, her tortured mind
A heart that cries, the heart that bleeds,
A little love is all she needs,
Someone to care, someone to hold,
And a hug to keep her safe from cold,
But all she ever got was pain,
Little daisy withered in the rain.