The little girl...

The little girl struck the first matchstick against the wall, and cupped it with her tiny hands, as it sputtered and came to life. The darkness was dispelled by the bright, yellow light and a heavenly warmth filled the air. The winter was severe this year and that night was particularly bad. The streets were empty and noone ventured outdoors, not even the dogs. Her feet were bare and her flimsy top and skirt did nothing to keep the cold out. She slowly moved the matchstick close to her feet, careful not to put it out, because she knew there were only two more sticks to keep her warm until morning. Her feet were lifeless; numb and blue from the cold and from treading on the snow. She tried twitching her toes, but they wouldn't move. As she took the matchstick closer to her toes, the snow around her feet glistened in the bright light. The snow!! How she had loved playing in the snow!! How her mother used to wrap her up in warm clothes and sit next to her by the fireplace as they watched the snowfall from the window..."I want to play in the snow mommy...just once", she used to plead. Her mother used to hug her tight and say, "No sweetie, you'll feel cold...You see the top of those mountains there, far away? That's where your daddy is". "But mommy, wont daddy feel cold?" The smile on her mother's face used to fade away momentarily. "Oh yes sweetie. He will...But soon, he'll come back to us. I promise you, he will..." The little girl slowly drifted off into the unforgettable memories of those happier days. She had almost forgotten the pain in her feet, when she was rudely awakened from her dream by a chilly gust of wind. And then, there was darkness...The warmth was gone and she once again felt the sharp pain throughout her body. It was unbearable!!

With shivering hands, she struck the second match stick against the wall. The heat was soothing, and as it slowly eased the stiffness in her limbs, she felt another stinging pain in her stomach. A kind-hearted lady had given her a small cup of rice and some dhal that morning, but she hadnt been so lucky since then. Every time she asked for food from the neighbors, she was reminded of her father. "Never take anything from others, my dear", he had advised her. "But you never buy me anything daddy. You're always in those mountains." Her daddy used to kiss her forehead and say, "Do you see those white mountains there, my dear?", pointing his finger to the north..."There are bad people beyond those. They want to take away our homes. But soon, daddy will be with sweetie...and will buy her everything in the world"..."Cant you bring them home daddy? We can all be together". Her father used to laugh at this and say, "When you grow up into a big girl, I'm sure you'll do it..."......The little girl slowly got up on her feet and pressed her face to the window of the house. There was a fireplace and there were people sitting at the dining table, eating and chatting merrily. Just like home, she thought!!...She watched the match stick, as it burnt the little fingers that held it. And she was surprised that she felt no pain. But she knew that, in an instant, she would be in a far greater agony.

She quickly struck the third matchstick, the last one!! She was beginning to feel tired and sleepy, just like the other night..........A tall gentleman wearing a black hat had taken notice of the little girl, curled up in a corner by the road. And his heart went out to her. He walked up to her, bent over and enquired, "Are you feeling cold, my child? Have you eaten? Come with me and I'll give you some rice". "Will I feel warm, uncle?". "Oh yes, child..you will", he replied with a pleasant smile. The little girl followed him to his house...and to his inner room. He gave her rice and vegetables. That was the best meal she had had in a long time, but she was beginning to feel tired and sleepy. The gentleman touched her shoulder gently and said, "Lie down on my bed, my child. You can leave when its bright and warm." She remembered little after that, and the next morning, she found herself in the snow, by the road, her entire body aching like never before........Sleep was taking over now, and she could hardly keep her eyes open. She was lying in the snow, but strangely, there was no pain in her limbs or her stomach. Only the weariness. Her mother had once told her that, after their final sleep, people would go to a place without pain and hunger. And that it would be filled with warmth and joy. At last, she would feel warm, she thought. She wanted to smile, but she couldn't...She couldn't move. She was looking at the vast black sky studded with beautiful white dots. Giving in to her weariness, she closed her eyes peacefully, knowing that it was a better place that she was going to....