What could anida say

What could anida say?

Yes what could she say? She was not supposed to have an opinion and if she did it was forbidden to voice it. But the voice would rise inside her head so much that it deafened her ears, it was hard to silence it. And so she persuaded herself to channelize this energy into paintings. Yes that was allowed! She could paint because it was innocuous and did not harm anybody or so they thought Because her paintings were filled with rebellion, contempt and the naked truth. Only nobody looked at them seriously.nobody cared. Anida started to love it. She smiled at the dumbness that her paintings could now shout at the top of her voice in the middle of the household. They thought she has become a worthless artist who knows nothing but colours and contours and canvases. They would sometimes look at the painted canvases with doubts but they were far beyond their comprehension and a waste of time. something to keep the girl busy and silence her for sometime. The girl has found a hobby! Good to keep her engaged till we find a suitable match. Her hands would move in frenzy she looked like she was having a fit. Vibrant colours represented the anger which she was filled with, bold strokes of her brush talked about freedom. The red was blood, the grey was smoke, the black was a binding burqa.

In one of them there was a small little girl writing in blood a huge manuscript. She was petite as her, long hair and black eyes like any other girl in the village only that it was her. Anida could write her name but she wished she could write more. She wished she could write a constitution where people could stand up and say what they wanted to do or how they wanted to live.

The paintings has become too bold now. And started grabbing attention of the wise old people from the family. What does she keep on drawing? They are weird...so much use of red colour. Is she possessed by the demon? She should now spend more time in the kitchen learn how to cook and take care of her younger siblings. Teach her duties. We are looking for a match for god's sake.

The colours were taken away, the sheets were rolled up and locked in a trunk. What could anida say? Her secret rebellion was crushed. Her only escape was closed. She sat near the stove with her infant brother in her lap who was inconsolable but so was she. Her eyes red with angered tears or the smoke she cant say.

He looked like the old man who worked at a shop nearby. His teeth coloured and his clothes reeked of ciggerette. It was difficult to see through the mesh of her burqa but she can see that her whole family was seated in a circle her two mothers her father uncles aunts and the old man with smoky smell. He looked at her and smiled. Then said "does anida has anything to say about the matter?" before he could finish her father jumped in "ohhh what could anida say? She is a obedient daughter never defied her family. She will prove to be an excellent wife don't you worry."

And the room erupted with the sounds of congratulating gestures and claps and hugs and kisses exchanged with sweets. She sat there still. What could she say?