That night in the desert was incredibly silent. Still, Pawan tried to listen. There was only his own breath, Munni's feet shuffling through the sand, and the faint clink of the duffle zippers. If he stopped listening he wouldn't be able to ignore the pain. His whole body ached from the beating he'd been given. He was exhausted and knew Munni was in need of a rest, but wanted to make sure there were at least a few kilometers between them and the border fence.
Munni walked barely a pace ahead of him, head bowed, eyes on her feet, dutifully tramping along in the darkness.
Both of them were hungry. They finished off the bread Pawan brought along while riding in Boo Ali's jeep. His water was also down to a few sips and he hoped they would find some in the morning. They couldn't be too far from a village or at least a well.
When he felt they'd covered enough distance, he placed a hand lightly atop Munni's head and stopped. She turned and looked up at him. He gave a slight tilt of his head and smiled tiredly. Munni smiled and plopped herself down right where she was. Pawan laughed a little and sat down beside her. Before removing his own shoes, he reached out to untie her small sneakers. They were filled with sand. Pawan poured out the sand while wearing a funny shocked expression on his face, making Munni laugh soundlessly. He then pulled off her dusty socks, shook them out and lay them out on the sand.
"Thik hain?" He asked her.
She lifted her hand and nodded.
"Achaa." he said and smiled, glad she wasn't in any pain.
He breathed a sigh and began to untie his own boots. After laying out his socks, Pawan placed his bag under his head and nestled into the sand. Munni, who had been sitting waiting for him to settle, moved close and tucked herself against his side. He put his arm around her and patted her dark hair.
"Sab thik ho jaaega." He said softly.
Snuggled close to her maa-maa, Munni fell asleep almost immediately. Pawan remained awake for a long time looking up at the stars and listening to her quiet breathing.
For a while his mind wandered until eventually returned to rest with the little girl asleep under his protection.
She was so precious and since he'd met her such a short time ago, he felt like he could do anything. All he wanted to do was protect her. Rasika had been right about everything. The child trusted him and loved him and he would do everything for her. Nothing else mattered between them. How they bonded so quickly and so tightly, Pawan didn't understand, but it filled him with such peace. He closed his eyes and prayed that they would find her parents and find them quickly.
The air that night was very cool, but Munni was curled up against Pawan, his arm gently around her back. As he listened to her soft steadying breathing, his mind wandered again, to a day ago. When he found her with the "travel agent". Involuntarily, his jaw clenched. It made him so angry and so upset. He took a breathe and tried to rid the thoughts, reminding himself that she was safe and just a little closer to home now.
In Pakistan.
Pawan did not want to think about it, but after what just happened with the soldiers, his father-in-law's words echoed in his mind. "People of her country brutally kill the people of my country."
He closed his eyes and prayed. He wanted to get back to Rasika. The thought of marrying her made him so happy. He closed his eyes as tears suddenly pricked the corners. What if he didn't make it home? What if his father-in-law was right? He looked over at Munni, nestled in his arm. Would never get to have children of his own?...
Pawan opened his eyes and let the vast, countless stars fill his sight. He breathed in deeply and exhaled slowly. "Nothing is impossible for such a person, Rasika." He heard his own words in his memory and he truly believed them. There in the dark vast night a small smile came to his lips. He was doing the right thing and he would be protected. Munni would get home and so would he. How or when, he didn't know, but peace came over him again as he remembered he wasn't alone.
After that, he drifted in and out of sleep. Each time his eyes opened he was lulled back to unconsciousness by the comforting presence of the endless, twinkling stars.
When Pawan awoke he felt rested and the aches in his body had dulled considerably. He was grateful for that. The sky was beginning to pale and the stars were giving way to the morning. Munni was still asleep with her head now resting on his chest, rising and falling with each of his breaths. He patted her gently to wake her. Her eyes opened first and Pawan greeted her with a smile. They sat up together and brushed the sand from their hair. Munni stretched and moved to put her socks and shoes on. When their shoes were on and both bags hoisted onto Pawan's shoulders, the pair set out walking. Thankfully the sand ended not long after and plant life appeared around them, as well as a road!
When a truck hauling sheep came into view, Munni looked hopefully up at Pawan. He waved and the driver slowed to a stop. Before Pawan could ask, the man kindly offered them a ride. Pawan was comforted by that kindness and accepted gratefully.
Just as the sun began warming their faces, the two travelers climbed in back with the sheep and sat down. Pawan rested against the sides of the truck bed while Munni leaned on his arm. They rode until they reached a town, grateful for not having to walk the whole way. Once their feet were on solid ground, Pawan thanked the driver and took Munni's hand in his. They headed down the lane, each looking very forward to water and breakfast.