“Wham!”
The hooded menace was pulled off the young girl and thrown against the wall. Eyes glinting, the lithe figure held the hood from the scruff of his neck, “So, are you going to pick on someone smaller than you ever again?”
The impact was still reverberating through his body. Head spinning, all his perceived joy left him instantly, as fear seeped through slowly but steadily.
Desperately trying to keep his wits about him he peered at the person in front of him. There was a bright halo around the head, features indistinguishable. The middle aged, thickset man was still reeling from the quick turn of events.
“No…no…no!” he shouted, which was a barely audible hoarse croak. He felt his body falling freely, landing with a thud on the strong cemented pavement! The pale light streaming down the streetlamps did not help to dispel the darkness which engulfed him. “Who is he? Such strength and agility!”
As the lithe figure melted into the darkness of the narrow street, she seemed to transform.
Quickening her pace, she turned into the next street, easily merging in the sea of humanity. An average heighted person, returning from work in the evening.
What a day it had been!
Up before daybreak, so she could finish her yoga practice, prepare breakfast and tiffin for everyone, and rush off to work on time, she didn’t really need an alarm. Going through all the paperwork, interactions, talk, talk, talk… she depended on all her positivity.
That morning she helped to find homework, lost library book and also a pair of socks… which miraculously emerged from the drawer meant for socks! Her bags weighed down her shoulder with the work she carried home. Part and parcel of her work.
Soon she spotted her grocery store… and trooped in.
In 10 minutes she emerged, her bags overflowing as her mind quickly assembled a menu.
“Hi! I am home!” she shouted as she kicked the front door shut while dumping things on the kitchen counter. “Hello Mom!” shouted Rohan, Shiny and hubby Jai!
“What’s for dinner?”
Within no time the house was filled with the aroma of vegetable pulao, chicken curry and stuffed capsicums! As Jai laid out the table, the famished family trooped into the kitchen, drawn in by the magnetic spell of the delicious meal.
Amongst the clinking cutlery, and chink of glasses, snatches of conversation indicated a busy day.
“So how did your day go Ma?” asked Shiny.
“ I had to teach Where the mind is without fear, in grade 10; followed by a debate in grade 12; then meet with the parents of a few students who have been squirting water and using colourful language and….”
“ Oh! Just another day!” they cried in unision.
“Yup!” she smiled….
Recalling the two villains she had sorted out, she put away her mask, cloak, and leggings in the bag… Just another day for Wonder woman!
