The Story of Murugan

Murugan sat shivering in his prison

It stank. The smell was fetid. The floor beneath his prison - giant sized cage with metal bars all around - was full of uncleaned faeces, both his, and of those who occupied his place before him. His captors never bothered to clean it up.

He couldn't recollect much of his journey to this place, only small bursts of memories. But it was a hellish ride. To this hellish destination.

It was dark then - pitch dark. He was kept in this same cell. Every now and then, the whole room shuddered violently, and his comrades screamed. Murugan couldn't sleep during that journey. He was relieved when it was over, at least this hell had light.

A rumble, and the clamour around him woke him up from his half-sleep state. The others were running agitatedly towards the corners of their cells. And his heart leaped into his mouth - he knew why.

Before his legs could act however, a giant hand grabbed him by his chest.
Murugan screamed. He struggled, hit out with his limbs, but it was to no avail, the hand was too strong, he'd seen his comrades struggle in vain.

The giant's hand was huge. Hair sprouted near the knuckles, and one finger had a giant metal hoop around it, with a huge vermilion red stone mounted on the metal.
The hand came out from the opening of his cage. Of course he hadn't heard it open - the others had seen the giant coming and were yelling and rushing back to avoid the hand of death.

A feeling of hopelessness washed over Murugan. He stopped struggling and stay limp in the giant's strong hand. The giant, sensing that Murugan stopped struggling, relaxed his iron grip, but only a little.

Murugan's entire life flashed by him now. To imagine that he once thought it was paradise !
And why not ? He was brought up with everyone else, in that strange place. At regular interval, he was fed, and what a feast it used to be! Life meant nothing but eating and sleeping. Murugan and his folks never cared for intellectual entertainment or excitement. They were simple folk.

His thoughts were interrupted, and he cried out in pain, when he was roughly thrust down on a giant metal platform. He lay still - was the end near ? He heard the usual rumble of the incomprehensible noise that used to come from these giants.

From the corner of his eye, Murugan could now discern the rest of his folk.
Their cages were in layers..different floors. Some 5-6 were sharing one cell. Now that their moment of danger had passed, they were now apathetic to his condition. They weren't even looking at him.

Why did the giants do this ? Murugan never cared earlier, but ironically now the question seemed all-important. What did they do to the rest of his comrades ? His vision was weak, he could never really make out what happened to his predecessors. Nor did he really care then.

The hand swooped down on him, and suddenly Murugan felt his chest constrict, and the metal platform move away from him. The world felt going out of focus.

What was this ? He was not going to die ? Murugan felt the first stirrings of hope start in his rapidly beating heart.

Wait.. what was that stench ?
It hit him like a hammer. BLOOD ! Blood all over !
And then he saw the second platform he was being taken to. And his blood ran cold.
The platform was thick with blood, guts, intestines, HEADS, FEET ! Murugan almost passed out in his fear, and his last meal churned in his stomach. And then, the giant caught hold of Murugan's neck, and in a quick, sudden, almost merciful motion, twisted and broke his neck.

And efficiently started chopping his body, and dressing the corpse.
Above the giant, the board read in English :

"BROILER CHICKEN - TODAY'S RATE : Rs. 76/- PER KG"