As Maya looked at her own self in mirror for few moments transfixed at her, memories flooded, she heard her mother’s voice, “theres my angel kissing her lovingly”, from a distant past and that was her first out on her own to her friends birthday party. Naina didn’t want her daughter to be sent alone but Maya persuaded her mom because she knew her mother perfectly well that, it was difficult for her to say no to Maya. She was dressed in pink her favorite party wears and though she was just 10, even then she had a fair sense of dressing.She started on her own bicycle adding her ear wears perfectly matching to her dress. Waving excitedly to her mom she started thinking all the wonderful things that were awaiting her in the birthday party of her best friend Nathasha.Looking at the gift she had bought for her using her pocket money, Maya rode proudly, her head held high. On her way.
as she rode past her favorite shop,she came across a frilled frock in pink and just loved it.she looked at her watch she was still an hour early that was the way of her mother.
She stopped by and got in and was surprised to see a stranger for she expected her buddy Ben, She liked Ben even before she could gather her memory up and Ben always had chocolates to retreat his kid customers. But this man re treated her in a friendly air too. Her eyes were all on the new frock and she was wondering how her friends would get around her when she adorned herself in the new attire. The man knew what was in her mind and got the frock from the show case and asked to try it on .though hesitant at the start she couldn’t contain herself for long and gave way to the frills. With all her childhood charm she took it and went on to the changing room, after that what really happened she didn’t have a clew; what she knew was she didn’t like his sweat on her and the smoke of cigar that was still on him was slowing carried on to her, the way he held her she wanted to run away to mom. Mom’s lap was the safest place to hide on whenever she felt insecure but now what was happening was beyond she could fathom. And finally he looked into those frightened eyes and in a threatening voice told her not to tell anyone . She didn’t know what was in that voice still she never let this secret out not even to her mom who was her best friend till then. She ran out of there ran out of fear ,out of disgust, out of helplessness, out of those feeling she didn’t even know existed. She ran till those feet could carry her and rest just faded into lost memory though.
It seemed like yesterday to Maya, sometimes it seemed like, it happened to someone else and she were a mere spectator. Standing in front of those innocent gals looking at her filled in hopes, she just knew 
where to start from a story perhaps some her own some what she had acquired during her work working for rehabilitation of such gals. Now she knew the reason why sometimes life chooses its tremor upon some people and for all of it she had no complaints.
And she smiled straight from the heart a smile that’s hungry to fill in those face who were all a victim of Maya’s kind. And thus was born DARK HOPES.
