...AND WE ALL FALL DOWN.

She hesitated before leaving the building. Taking a deep breath, she finally came out of the gates. As she walked, the tension within her could be sensed. Short, quick steps, bag clutched close to her body and eyes constantly looking down. She was so full of shame that she could not look into any of the many eyes darting towards her. When she reached college, not a single friend of hers came to talk to her. Overnight she had become a stranger to them, with whom no body wanted to be associated with. She was paying the price of being his sister.


Back in the house, the mother hid herself behind the closed doors, cut off from the outside world. The maids refused to work for her family anymore. She busied herself in the household chores to keep the thoughts and guilt away. But every now and then, tears automatically flowed down her wrinkled cheeks and curses for him unknowingly skipped her mouth.

After a week of solitude, the father finally left the house for his normal morning walk. As usual, there weren't many people in the park. The few buddies that he had just patted his back and walked away. Not a word was spoken between them. He thought he was strong, but he was too weak to accept the present situation. He walked back to the safety of his house, only to lock himself up for yet another week.


His brother felt uneasy going to school. Lessons were important. Reluctantly entering through the school gates, he found his situation was no different from that of his sister or father. To him it seemed as if he was invisible to everyone. No one even glanced at him. But amongst all of them, came a small tap from behind. It was his cousin (they studied in the same class). He pulled him to a corner only to express his anger. They had never fought before, they always stood by each other but today he abused him. His situation was the same, invisible to others. He left saying, "It's my bad luck that umm related to you and that bloody HIM."


Meanwhile, HE was behind the bars. Even after being beaten up badly by his inmates for what he had done, there was not a pinch of shame in his eyes or any bit of remorse on his face. Rather there was pride. He wasn't worried about being behind the bars. He was sure he would be released soon. Sooner than his other inmates. His crime was very small. He had just raped a girl, that's it.

But not many families face this, as very few of the rapists are actually caught. Most of them escape. They are left free to hunt down another prey. And even if they are caught, do they care? Not the least. Because they know they are not gonna be punished...ever in their lifetime.