7 Madhu handed gurumai’s will to Padma, then headed back to the cage. Salma had allowed the parcel to play with her son for a bit, but had then put her back in lock-up. All Salma had wanted was a playmate for her son, and once he had been returned to the NGO, the parcel was no longer needed. This worked beautifully for Madhu: the parcel had been allowed to breathe, then a chokehold had been put on her all over again. When Madhu shone the flashlight on the parcel, she noticed that the soles of her feet were swollen. She must have been kicking the cage bars. But she was calm now, defeated and totally receptive. “There was a girl like you once, a long time ago,” said Madhu. “After just one week, she could not remember her mother’s face. Do you remember your mother’s face?” “Yes…” “Touch the bars,” said Madhu. “Put your hands on the bars.” The parcel was hesitant. Madhu could see she thought she was going to be beaten, but of course Madhu would do no such thing.
