She was sweating profusely now. Her clothes were all wet as if she had just had a swim. All she could hear was her own heart beat lub-dub-lub-dub...which occasinally skipped a beat or two. She tried to see but nothing was visible, for a while she thought she had gone blind.. but then it was so dark nobody could see anything. It was damp and cold and a shiver ran down her spine. She cuddled herself even more lightly and her limbs felt like they could tear apart. She was crouched down under those big hanging things like in that movie 'coma'. She imagined that scene and the thought made her shiver this time, not the cold. She wanted to scream but could not, it never came out of her throat. She wanted to get up and run for the door but her legs refused to cooperate, probably deep in her heart she didn't want to.

She sat there with her knees up and resting her chin on them for what seemed like an eternity. She remembered her mom, she saw her face in the dark.. what a comfort it was. her light perfume smell, she could smell it right now in there. Tears rolled down those cheeks and she sobbed quietly.. it was as if something opened inside her and on and on they came... her mom's soft skin and her touch is all she wanted right now. And then she remembered her dad. Oh how much she missed them. Her dad was her hero.. not any short of a batman or a superman. He was always there when she needed him and he tried to fulfill all her wishes how ever absurd they seemed... now the tears never seemed to be stopping.. the sobs came in quicker and louder.

Just then the door opened.. a bright light filled the room. A strong smell of raw flesh hit her nostrils.

"What's the matter with you? How many times have I told you not to come in here? Is this a place for you to play? I have been searching whole of the house for you and you little rascal sit in this closet and dream about God knows what?"

"Err...I was just playing make-believe mama," she said meekly.

"For a 6 year old you do have lot of imagination. Now come on out and help me with the chicken, your dad needs to deliver it by noon."

"Yes mama" was all she could say.

She wiped her tears and followed her mama into the kitchen. While going, she saw her dad sitting in the big chair smoking his cheap cigar and drinking beer in the living room. That all he does for most of the day.

"Send me another beer, will you?" He shouted from there.

"Don't you think it is too early in the day?" Her mom shouted back from the kitchen.

"Open the ice box and go give that beer to you papa." she said to little Sasha.

When she took the beer to her papa, he smiled and patted her on her cheek and said.."Be a good girl and help your mama, you will be a good wife too like her when you grow up."

Sasha could not understand if it was a blessing or a curse but a small ray of hope lingered in that tiny little heart that things would be different when she would grow up. Or else there is always that game of "make-believe".

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