we placed the nameplate on the front door,
“Chandra & Dyuti”,
it’s been a few years since we met,
& we are now living in the same house, big step,
the first few days were great, then trouble began to brew
we were the only same sex couple in the area,
in one of the kitty parties, we were reminded of our “place”,
people believed we were “just” roommates,we had never hidden our identity,
so we shared our status very proudly to anyone that would hear it.
one night there was a break in,
people broke our furniture, a few days later -
they broke our painted our prayer room black,
we complained but heard, “you have it coming, you should leave” or,
“It’s a respected neighbourhood, no one would do this”
then that fateful night, we had fallen asleep on the sofa,
watching something on Netflix, I wish we hadn’t.
they came in rushing, we woke up with a start
tried to run, & scream, but in vain, I watched them beat her to death -
before they turned to me, they began beating me when -
we heard the police sirens approaching, they quickly fled,
but not before they doused the home in petrol.
