Okay. So here I am. But where exactly is ‘here’, I have no idea, and that happens to be a major concern for me in the current situation. What do I see around me? Well, what do you see in a place where you’ve never been to before? Unfamiliar faces that stare at me with big wild eyes as they pass by, large buildings that stand dominant over the small lanes that make their way in between the great structures, the air filled with a strangely tempting aroma of fried fish. The dry scorching heat hits me hard, as my cheeks flush dark red and drops of perspiration begin trickling down from my forehead. I look around desperately, hoping to spot something that could explain what was going on with me. But all my attempts are in vain as all that I can see are gray buildings surrounding me from all directions. I look up at the windows, but no one seems to be living here. I remember wishing for some exciting adventure in my life a few days ago, but this is definitely not what I expected.

Here I sit on a rickety stool, amidst the swarming, mentally preoccupied people out on the street each with their own purpose of being here. I try to get up and walk around to explore the place and figure out what exactly happened with me in the last few hours, which seem to be erased from my memory which isn’t that good I must admit. But I can’t seem to be able to stand up. Why, you ask? Well you would agree that it is a tad bit challenging to get up when you have your legs tightly tied together and your hands seem to be too numb to untie them. Okay, so I’m hopelessly lost in the crowd, but the odd part is that I am not moving, rather everyone around me is. I am the stationary object which seems to be receiving a lot of undue attention from passersby. Whoever said that every woman likes attention should be in my place right now, that person will definitely think that they should have been more specific.

A weird-looking scruffy man wrapped in blankets, with his frizzy beard growing as wild as ever looks at me and comes close immediately. He leans in even closer and stops with his face just inches from mine. After looking directly into my eyes for a few discomforting moments, he turns around swiftly and walks off snickering to himself. Okay, that definitely didn’t make my condition any better; rather I would say it freaked me out even more. Now that I am left with no choice, I decide to scream out as loud as I can and if my luck is with me today someone might come explain to me exactly where I am. I open my mouth and yell with all the strength that I can muster. And what happens? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. And why? Well, because my voice seems to be lost mysteriously.

The inner child in me wants to weep and cry out loudly for someone to help me get out of this horrible place, but the façade that I have put on for the last few hours remains resolute and refuses to reveal any emotion. I hide my face in my shoulder and close my eyes for a while, hoping to be magically transported back home when I open them. I look up, and see a blurry outline of a bulky figure of a man walking towards me with small heavy steps. Slowly his face becomes clear and I gasp in horror. Is it him? No, it can’t be.