Raise your voice

While typing
on facebook,
her rebellious
rant,
she looked at the wall
clock,

finished her typing nervously
started pacing around in her
small yet cosy apartment,
it was the time her
husband will be back

Slowly, the familiar fear
enveloped her,
being around him was like
walking on eggshells,
after all, anything could
make him angry
anything,
sometimes even
her breathing annoys him,
as if her existence
was a burden for him to carry

She checked out her chores,
kitchen cleaned- checked
dinner ready- checked,
floor shining-checked

Her calculation was interrupted
as soon as the doorbell rang
she breathed in
tried to smile

Here he was,
bloodshed eyes
too much hatred on his
face
as if,
as if he borrowed it
from everyone he
crossed path with
on his way back home

he stood at the door
like that,
for a while

she looked at him
with her pale face
and fear in her heart

He pushed her away,
she followed him
I cooked your favourite
dish, she uttered

she tried to mend up
for the mistakes,
she didn’t even make

there was just silence
between the two
as he sat and she
served.

He took the first bite and
screamed
you still, don’t know how to cook?

But I made it very carefully,
exactly the way you like

he threw away the plate
and slapped her hard
mumbling
how dare you
talk back
all you have to do is
sit at home and cook
and that too you can’t do

She sat there numb,
with dry eyes
and a lump in her throat

while her facebook notification
popped
200 people liked your post
” raise your voice”

Domestic violence has always been a concern all over the world, but during the lockdown, number of such cases have spiked like never before.
If you observe or notice please try and help, I think fixing a code sign amongst women in society, amongst friends or anyone you can trust might help.
Keep the helpline numbers with you, fight back, raise your voice.