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These words bothered Ajith as well. Though she talked with him very friendly in Sinhala she alone knew her own conscience. Is it possible that she was aiding the terrorists? Can’t her husband be a Tiger?

“Here’s someone I know!” while he was playing with his plate of rice and contemplating, Ajith heard a familiar voice and looked up.

” Buddhi! what are you doing here?”

“We came here this evening.” Seeing Buddhi’s face was such a joy to Ajith.

“I thought I will never see you again.”

“Two more units were sent here,” Buddhi said as he sat next to Ajith on the bench. “The situation is getting worse.”

“We will do what we can”

“So, so?” Buddhi hugged Ajith. “It’s like seeing my parents. Are you eating or just playing with your food?”

“I have a headache.”

“Eat, eat. And take two Panadols. That will ease off the headache.”

“I took some already.”

“Let’s go get some fresh air.”

“Have you had dinner?”

“Yeah, we are all taken care of. Let’s go get some fresh air and you will be O.K.”

Actually when Ajith came outdoors and started talking with Buddhi, the heaviness in his head faded away. There was a lot for them to talk about. They stayed in the open air for a long time chatting. All around them was quietness. Once in a while they could hear the footsteps of soldiers on the ground. The sound of the waves and the wind that rustled the palm leaves came from beyond the walls like a comforting song. But everyone knew that danger was lurking nearby like the embers under the ashes.

Though Ajith and Buddhi talked about many different things there was one thing that Ajith did not mention to his friend. That was about the young woman he saw earlier that day in a farm in Niveli. While talking with Buddhi, Ajith forgot about her momentarily. But that night while sleeping he dreamt about a woman like her. He saw her coming towards him while waving at him. Ajith woke up with an uneasy feeling. In seeing her in a dream was a happiness as well as a sorrow.

After this, for several days he forgot everything because of his duties. Since there was another enemy attack in Chankanai he had to take part in the defense. Though several soldiers were injured no one died in the fight. The army managed to take in a few of the terrorists into custody.

After this attack, Ajith had a little time to rest. One day as he walked out of the camp he saw two familiar figures coming towards him. It was that woman from the farm, with her son by her side. She was holding his hand.

“Oh, sir…. do you remember me, sir?”

“Oh, yes…. in Niveli…….,”

“That’s right, sir. I remembered your face. Your eyes….,”

“Why? What happened?” Hiding the affection he was feeling towards her he inquired.

“Oh, sir. My man, Shivankaram was taken by the police. When I go to the police they say he was handed over to the army. Please help me, sir. Then I remembered you, sir. I inquired from several people, but nobody told me anything. From yesterday I have been waiting, and waiting, hoping that you would come this way.” She kept on babbling.

“Slow down. Come over here.” Ajith led her to the shade of a nearby tree. Her son was still scowling at him. Though Ajith touched his chin and gently shook it and smiled, the boy turned his face away with loathing and hid behind his mother.

“Now tell me what happened?”

This time the woman slowed down as she spoke. Her husband, Shivankaram had been taken into custody under the suspicion of him being a Tiger. The police accused him of taking part in the Chankanai attack. Since there was no word of him after two days had lapsed, she had gone to the police to inquire about him. The police officials had told her that Shivankaram had been handed over to the army. But the army was of no help to her. All this time, she had hung around outside the camp, hoping to see Ajith whom she had spoken to the other day. She revealed to Ajith that since she felt there was compassion and understanding within him that she was hoping that he could help her.

“Let me go find out,” saying this, Ajith turned around to go. “What is the name?”

“Shivankaram Appadurai.”

“No, I mean your name?”

“I…I am Janaki, Sundaram.” Her words were like a bolt of lightning that struck him in the brain. He felt a certain attraction in her name. “Janaki Sundaram.”

Sundaram meant beautifull. There was a certain beauty in her name.

While Janaki and Vasntharaja stayed under the shade of the tree outside the camp, Ajith went into the office and checked on all the names of the people that were taken into custody after the attack in Chankanai. But there was no such name as Shivankaram Appadurai.

“Some times they give false names,” Colonel Wanigasekera who showed the list to Ajith said. “What we have is the names given by them. We also have the a.k.a. names as well. All the aliases.”

In reality some prisoners had two or there different names. Ranganadan a.k.a. Karappuvelu. Samivel a.k.a. Thimuran. Etc. etc. etc.

Ajith went out and asked Janaki about this “Does Shivankaram have any other names?”

” I don’t know, sir. At home we call him Shivankaram. His mother calls him Weeran.” But Ajith did not see a name such as Weeran.

Janaki’s eyes were full of tears.