At three o’clock in the afternoon, the cock that lived at Bapo Kale’s house stood full-chested on the mud wall of the compound and decided to crow. He had barely thrown his head back and opened his beak when a shriek filled the air, as untimely as the crowing of Bapo Kale’s cock and a thousand times shriller. The sound rose to a high pitch and stayed there as though all the women of Mauxi had decided to scream till Shiva himself came down.
Bhagi Kale peeped through the bars of her window and then shook Bapo by the shoulder.
‘A bus is coming. And a jeep. And a car! Wake up!’
Bapo wiped the dribble from the corners of his mouth and sat up. A bus and a jeep? In this part of Mauxi and at this time of day? The sound of women and children running came closer. Before long, there was a knock on the door.
‘Come out of the house and get into the bus!’ someone shouted.
‘What?’ Bapo shouted back, straining to hear above the sound of the wailing siren.
