Khattu was the hub of underground illegal smuggling. Our house didii, supposed to sew our clothes and help us in cleaning was our supplier. Every day, she would bring buttload of Khattu and Laakhamari, and sometimes even noodles. Her profit was 30 percent. We got outside food, she made the money, and no one needed to know anything. It was good business for everyone.
So this was the perfect time for the entrance of The Whistleblower. This one was a staff-child, and though being a staff child rarely made you a whistleblower, this one was different. He ratted house didi, and everyone else out.
She was summoned by the HoH and asked if it was true, but after a week it was back to business. The price of Khattu had risen considerably, as if to make up for the loss incurred during the gap, but we were good to go.
Now that I think of it, it was a good idea even from HoH’s point of view. The only alternate source of outside food would have been the black gate, and if was easy to get into slippery slope, and slope finally into the morass of weed even before you were in grade seven. Thanks to our house didi, it was averted for most by many years.