Fifteen Lanes - S.J. Laidlaw Page 0,95

were the victims and who were the criminals.

Unfortunately, my role in the raid was not yet over. A cop caught me before I got very far and hauled me back to the officer in charge.

“Is this your house?” he demanded.

I was so terrified I could only nod.

He put a loudspeaker to his mouth. “Let’s go!” he shouted to the legions of cops flanking him.

It seemed impossible that so many people could fit inside our house but they stormed the door with purpose, rushing in like a rising tide. I tried to follow but was held back, so I watched in horror as, one after another, everyone I loved was dragged out in handcuffs. The women who shared my room were among the last. The awkward access, up and down our narrow ladder, must have slowed the cops, but it didn’t deter them.

Prita-Auntie was first. She frothed at the mouth she was so enraged. It took three men to get her in a van. She kicked one of them in his private parts. I cringed to imagine how he might retaliate when they got her to the station.

Ma was next. She was too weak to fight.

“It’s my ma,” I screamed, struggling with the cop who was holding me. He seemed to understand and let me go. I rushed to her, putting my arms around her waist. It wasn’t my intention to impede her captors but only beg her forgiveness, but they pulled me off her and threw me to the ground.

“Ma,” I cried, prostrate on the pavement, as she was hustled past. “I’m sorry, Ma!”

“Find Aamaal and Shami!” she shouted. She struggled. One of the cops lost his grip. She looked back at me. “Keep them safe.”

I scrambled to my feet and raced after her. “I’m sorry,” I cried. I needed her to understand. “I’m sorry.”

Both cops had hold of her again. They half-pushed, half-lifted her into the back of the van to join Prita-Auntie. Prita-Auntie was crying now. She looked scared. Ma stumbled and fell to her knees, off balance with her hands cuffed behind her. For a moment she just sat on the floor, defeated, as if she hadn’t the energy to lift herself onto the bench. I tried to climb in to help her but one of the cops shoved me aside.

“It’s my ma!” I screamed, but he held me fast.

“Leave me,” Ma shouted. “I’m all right. Go!”

“Noor!” It was Deepa-Auntie, suddenly beside me, also in cuffs. I hugged her, though she couldn’t hug me back.

“It’s my fault,” I said.

“You did well, Noor. Your ma’s right, go find your Shami and Aamaal now.”

The cops hustled her away.

Ma still hadn’t uttered a single word of forgiveness, but I left. My siblings were more important. They were why I’d brought the police. I ran back to the entrance to our house. No more adults were coming out. I hadn’t seen Binti-Ma’am or Pran.

Some children were already in vans, separated from their mothers and aunties. I raced back and forth on shaky legs from one vehicle to another. I couldn’t see Shami or Aamaal anywhere. I returned to our house, where two cops guarded the entrance.

“I need to go inside,” I said. “My brother and sister haven’t come out yet.”

“The house is clear,” said one of the cops. “There are only policemen in there now. Check the vans.”

“I’ve checked them all. Please, let me past.”

“No one’s allowed back in.”

I looked wildly around for someone to help me. Finally, I spotted the cop who’d interviewed me at VJ’s house. I ran to him and explained the situation. I was hysterical. I’m not sure I made much sense, but he followed me back to the entrance and ordered the guards to let me through.

The house felt strangely unfamiliar, though I’d left less than twenty-four hours before. The noises and smells that had filled my childhood were gone. It seemed impossible that my history could be expunged so quickly and completely. I crept down the hallway and peeked around the corner to make sure the coast was clear before rushing for the ladder. I was up it as fast as I’d ever climbed and found my siblings exactly where I knew they’d be, huddled under the bed, their arms wrapped around each other though poor Aamaal had one arm in a cast.

“Come out now.” I knelt on the floor, leaned down and reached for the entwined mass of them. Aamaal shuffled them both out of reach.

“Ma said to stay here,” she said.

“She didn’t mean