Very Brave Girl

I can’t sleep because I’m worried about someone. I guess now I know what parents must feel like when they’re waiting up for their kids. I met Hannah and Luke at an internet café tonight. They were trying to sort out some stuff with their final report and were having some technical issues. Being the savvy MIS person that I am , I helped them out. By the time we left the place it was a little past midnight. Since I had a car, I offered to drive them home. Luke is staying in Kollupitiya tonight and Hannah is in Dehiwela. They said it would be quicker to drop Luke off first. We did that and then went to Hannah’s. As we drove off Galle road I said: “Wow, this place seems pretty shady.” Well, we drove even further into the neighborhood and it only got worse. We finally pulled into a small street/pathway where the house was. I have no idea how she even found a place like this. The house was robbed a couple of weeks ago, some of her stuff was taken and she’s still staying there. Talk about determination. I asked her how she got home everyday. She said she took the bus. I couldn’t believe it. Sri Lanka is not like Canada. People get raped (and sometimes murdered) here on a fairly regular basis.

The house was huge and the lady who owns it doesn’t even stay there at night. Even though Hannah said she was fine, I said I would check the place with her. Every night before going to bed, she goes and checks every room one by one to make sure someone isn’t in the house. I don’t know what she would have done had someone been in the house, but anyway. The house itself is even a little creepy. Before I left she asked me to send her a txt when I got home safely. I told her not to worry about me. I’ll definitely be OK. She still wanted a txt. While driving back I got a txt saying: “Thank u so much4drivin me home and4checkin the house 4me meant alot2me.please txt me wen u get in safely otherwise i’l worry.take care good nite” Jeevan was telling me how he wouldn’t even hang out at that house let alone sleep there. I told J although she’s been there for 3 weeks and she’s only got 1 more day left, I don’t want her in that house one day longer. I wrote her a txt to let her know I got home safely and told her how impressed I was that she has such a strong character (and that she was ‘well fit’!) to stay in a house like that all by herself. Just before I could send it, I got another txt: “Ru home yet? I won’t sleep until i know ur safe. Txt me as soon as u get home otherwise il b’well’ worried” Very sweet of her.

However, now (notice the time!) I’M the one who can’t sleep because I know she’s not safe. Tomorrow I’ll see if Luke can stay with her, if she can stay here, with Heshani or I’ll see about staying there as a last resort. I keep thinking to myself how I wouldn’t even let a guy sleep in that house, let alone a young girl. If this was my little sister I would NEVER let her stay somewhere like that. Had I seen this place earlier I would have definitely made some other arrangements for her. If something were to happen to her on her last day here I would feel terrible. I’d be partly responsible because maybe I should have offered to stay or just told her to come here. Anyway, I’m praying she should be alright. I’m sure she’ll be OK. I really need to sleep but I can’t…