Ruth raged inside at the cruel world that would treat a child in such a manner. She had completely forgotten that she was herself a child, such had be...n her abrupt aging process. She stood wearily and pulled the non- responsive Elizabeth to her feet, then moved her toward the back of the truck. Ruth clambered down first, then helped the poor girl down. Elizabeth stood exactly as she was planted, her jaws slack, her eyes vacant and her hair disarrayed.Ruth did what little she could to straighten. It was but a matter of time that both of them would get physical but none of them ever dared to make the first move with the fear of loosing a great friend. It was one eventful night when both of them got wet during one of their many bike rides through the town. They went to Gopals hostel room (girls were allowed into boys hostels) to dry themselves. Incidentally, Gopal’s room had an attached bathroom and Asha always stored a pair of her spare clothes in Gopal’s room. They changed and started. Atfirst, she had been too numb to pay any attention. What difference would itmake to someone like her? But then, one Sabbath, she had slipped into a meeting in disguise. She hadknown where the impulse had come from, but she felt called, and did notresist. No one seemed to even notice her presence. There, the local priesthad chosen to read a passage from the prophet Isaiah. It was a strangechoice, but it changed everything for her.The passage started like this:"He was despised and rejected by. Perhaps all of my wife's fascinations had something to do with her background. As the daughter of a conservative family, activities like adultery, let alone prostitution were the more degrading you could imagine.My wife wanted me to buy a big suburban house with a large kitchen (she loves cooking, and always complained about the kitchen in the appartment we owned before). Now for two years, every week guys visit our house to fuck her. Otherwise we cannot pay the mortgage rent.Was it really.