"Siaaaaa...!!"
"Siaaaaa...!!"
"Where is my princess, where did she go?"
"Where's our birthday girl, huuuh?"
"Playing hide and seek with Papaa?"
"Aaah, I see, my princess has become very smart, I cannot find her now, where did she go?"
"Okay, pappa's accepting defeat! Now will you please come out, my dear? Please?"
The little girl was hiding behind the wardrobe inside the playroom in the basement and was grinning ear to ear while listening to her father's pleas.
She was so happy with the thought of defeating her father in their game!
It's her fifth birthday today, and she received this big playroom full of toys as her fifth birthday gift!
A big birthday party is also arranged for her, where they're gonna celebrate her birthday with so many friends of hers!
The first cake had already been cut by the birthday girl last night at midnight with her parents, and in an hour, she'll cut the second cake in the presence of all the guests!
Currently, the father and daughter were playing hide and seek with each other as usual, while her mother was busy with the last-moment party arrangements!
It's the fifth birthday of their only lovely daughter, and the couple wants to make it very special and remarkable for her!
All the guests will start to arrive in an hour or so, and everything should be prepared and ready before the party begins!
Inside the room, the father & daughter were busy in their game of hide and seek, the man slowly tiptoed towards his daughter, "Ohhh, who's there standing behind the wardrobe? Is that my princess?"
"I can see the crown..!!"
"Yeahhh!!! My princess..!!!" The man picked up the girl in his arms and pressed a kiss on her cheek, "Awwe, wow! Is it your birthday outfit? My my, you're looking like a real princess, my love!!"
The little girl giggled happily after getting praised by her father, she was looking like a Disney princess with the crown, and the beautiful shimmering blue gown.
"Where's my gift, papaa?" She held out her hand for the gift, resulting in her father showering her face with small kisses, "Gift, huuh? Tell me what you want now?"
The girl fell in deep thoughts with her father's question, but then certainly her eyes lit up, "A violin!"
"A violin—"
Bang!!
Bang!!
Bang!!
The man certainly fell quiet with the loud sound, and his brows furrowed up in confusion!
What's with the sound, what's going on outside?
He felt something amiss, after listening a little more sound, and shivered up in realization!
"Firecrackers!!"
"Papaa, let's go, I wanna see the firecrackers!" The little girl struggled to get off her father's arm after listening to the loud sounds from the courtyard!
For her, this was the sound of firecrackers!
However, her father held her tighter in his arms and stared at her silently, he knew that this sound was not from any firecrackers, but something else!
His heart skipped on remembering about his wife who was busy outside with the staff earlier, and his throat ray dried out of fear!
He put down the girl immediately, and bent down to talk to her, "Princess, you wanna see the firecrackers, right?"
"Yes, papaa!" The little girl nodded in excitement, for her father to speak again hiding his anxiety, "Okay, but papaa has one condition for you!"
"What?"
"You've to sit here with your eyes closed, and you cannot make any noises till papa returns with your mommy, would you be able to do it, princess?"
"Yes, papaa!"
"That's like my girl, papaa will be back soon, okay? Now close your eyes, and count the stars, okay?"
"Okay, papaa!"
.....
"Princess...!!"
"Siaa...!!"
The girl opened her eyes with her mother's voice, she was waiting for so long inside the room, and was eager to go outside!
However, her eyes widened on noticing her mother's white saree which had turned red with the blood oozing out of her stomach!
The beautiful lady was in a haphazard condition, her body was filled with so many bruises, her saree was torn, her lips were bruised badly, and she was looking horrible!
"Mommaaa.....!!"
"...Momma, wh...what happ...happened? Wh....Where's da...daddy...!!"
".... What happened to you, momma?!"
The little girl ran towards her mother who was unable to stand anymore due to the excruciating pain and blood loss!
The lady hugged her daughter tightly for one last time, and then kissed her cheeks and forehead before speaking weakly, ".....Siaa, listen to... to your momm.... mommy, you've to lea....ve this place now.....!!
Don.....Don't cry, my love.....!! Momma is fi....fine, and da....ddy is...is also fine! We.....Will come to...morrow, now....now you'll leave.....leave with Suf....Sufia, okayy?"
The girl shook her head and cried even more in fear, she just hugged her mother tighter, ".....I...I won't....leave you and da.....daddy!! I....I won't leave youu!!"
However, the woman behind her mother just detached her from her mother forcefully and picked her up in her arms, "We....We've to leave, baby!!"
"Nooo....!! Let me goo....!!"
"Mommy...!!"
The little girl continued to struggle in the woman's arms while crying more!
She could feel that her mother was not well, and they were in danger, which made her cry out more in fear!
The lady on the other side held out her hand and clutched the woman's hand before saying some last words to her, "Suf.... Suffia, pro.....promise me, you....you'll pro....tect my.....my daughter!"
"I promise, my lady! I...I will protect her with my life, my lady!" The woman nodded while tearing up, she promised with determination!
The lady spoke again ignoring her pain, "Take her...her out of this plac.... place quickly, leav..... leave this place, this.....this country...and nev....ver com..... backk.... Suffiaaa...!!
My....My daughter is.....is now your.....your res...pon..sibility, take care of her...!!!
Nev...Never come back.....!!"
"I will, my lady!"
"Suffia will protect your daughter with her life, it's a promise!"
The lady removed all her ornaments from her body and gave them to the woman before guiding them towards the hidden exit of the house, which would take them straight to the nearest railway station!
"Mommmaa...!!"
"Mommm.....!!"
The woman closed the girl's lips and followed her Madame slowly from behind, she was hellbent on saving the girl at any cost!
"Go....!!"
"Lev.....Leave now....!!!"
"Bye-bye, my... love!!"
The lady bid goodbye to her daughter and fell on the floor, she had no more strength in her body!
However, just as the two were ready to leave the house, a series of screams, and groans hit their ears, and they witnessed something unbelievable!
"Da.... Daddyyyy...!!"
"Run..... Suffiaaa...!!"
The woman didn't turn back, she just closed the girl's mouth to stop her from making noises, and ran out of the house!
"Common, now go and catch that girl!"
"I want her, she's hiding somewhere maybe, bring her here!!"
"Shit, I think they escaped!"
"What you mean by they escaped, I want her!"
"She cannot escape, find her!!"
These were the lines she could hear from behind, as they ran out to hide somewhere!