LITMIR.BIZ

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am so tired I could sleep right here,” she continued with a loud yawn.

      They walked in silence, keeping a lookout for shelter. Mushika had woken up and was perched on Tara’s shoulder, scanning the path along with her. He squeaked and his long tail whipped up and pointed. The path they walked on hugged the mountain on the right. The road fell away to a steep valley on the left. Far below in the waning daylight they could see many people clumsily climbing the slopes. There was no mistaking their greenish hue and dark hair.

      “Vetalas. They’re searching for us,” said Ananth.

       CHAPTER 13 PARVATI

      Mushika’s sharp eyes spotted a crevice in the mountain as they walked past.

      “There,” he squeaked in excitement.

      Ananth and Tara stopped to examine the narrow fissure in the rock. It seemed big enough for both of them to squeeze through. But would there be any place to sit and rest?

      “Let me take a look,” said Ananth.

      He squeezed inside. Tara stood outside, rubbing her arms to keep warm. Her eyes focused on the valley below. It was impossible to see anything in the gloom. She looked up. Stars adorned the night sky as if someone had carelessly scattered diamonds on a black carpet.

      “Well, what do you see?” asked Tara, after a few moments.

      “It’s very narrow, but deep,” called out Ananth. His voice sounded hollow and muffled.

      “Hurry up. I’m freezing,” said Tara.

      There was no reply from Ananth. Suddenly, a green hand shot out from the crevice and grabbed her wrist. Tara shrieked in panic and, snatching her hand away, sprinted up the path. Laughter reached her and she stopped. She whirled back in anger as she recognized the voice.

      “You, you ... stupid idiot,” spluttered Tara, stomping back to him.

      “I’m sorry,” Ananth said as he squeezed out of the crevice covered with green moss. “I couldn’t resist.”

      The dangerous gleam in Tara’s eyes stopped any further joking.

      “This crevice is quite deep, and at the very back is a small cave,” continued Ananth. “If we collect firewood, we could light a small fire.”

      “That’s a stupid idea,” said Tara in a cold voice. “The smoke will give us away. I have a couple of blankets. We can use those.”

      “I’m sorry, Tara. I didn’t mean to scare you. Can’t I even tease my sister?”

      Tara looked at his mischievous eyes glinting in the moonlight. She was suddenly reminded of Suraj.

      “All right, but don’t do it again.”

      They both squeezed into the crevice with the bundles. Mushika zipped through their legs and was in before them. The cave at the back was small but cosy. They unpacked the blankets and huddled close to wait out the night.

      A blood-curdling howl sounded in the distance and Tara clasped Ananth’s hand tightly. The minutes limped past and it seemed that the night would be endless. There was nothing to see or do in the complete darkness. The only sound was the occasional rumbling of empty stomachs. Mushika pattered over her shoulders and snuggled against her cheek.

      “It’s too silent,” said Ananth after a long while had passed. “Should I go take a peek?”

      “No! You stay right here,” hissed Tara.

      “Let me,” said Mushika. “No one will see me.”

      “Go, but be careful,” said Tara.

      Mushika ran out of the cave silently. Time crawled wearily by and Tara was starting to get really anxious when Mushika did not return.

      “Why is he taking so long?”

      “Be patient, Tara, he’s just a small mouse. The distance you can cover in a step, he probably needs fifty. He’ll be back,” said Ananth, patting her arm.

      No sooner were the words out of his mouth when Mushika shot into the cave, panting hard. He dived straight into Tara’s lap and sat there quaking.

      “They’re he-here,” he stammered.

      “Who?” whispered Tara and Ananth in unison, though they both knew the answer.

      “The Vetalas! There are so many of them. They’re marching up the hillside, checking every bush and tree and rock. There is a tall, bald man in black who is leading them. He’s been yelling at them to find and kill you both.”

      Mushika jumped straight into the inner pocket of Tara’s kurta. His terror touched her heart. Tara wished she too could nestle up in someone’s arms: her mother’s.

      The sound of an advancing army reached their ears — closer and closer they marched. Tara flattened herself at the back of the cave, the thump of her own heartbeat deafeningly loud in her ears.

      “Find them and kill them TONIGHT,” said a harsh voice, vibrating with suppressed anger.

      Zarku’s voice. They were doomed.

      “Oh Mother, where are you? Please, help us,” Tara prayed aloud.

      “I am here, my child,” said a soft voice from behind her. “Did you think I’d abandon you in your hour of need?” Tara peered into the inky depths of the black cave in shock. She heard a slithering sound.

      “Mother? Is that really you?” she asked, not daring to believe her ears. “Where are you?”

      Ananth groped for the matches in the bundle and drew out the box. He lit one and held it up.

      “Here,” said the voice, and into the dim light slithered a black cobra. The markings on its hood and shiny scales glistened in the match light.

      Tara instinctively drew back. She hated snakes, and cobras most of all.

      “It’s me, Tara. Don’t be afraid,” said the cobra, spreading its fan, tasting the air.

      Tara stopped and gazed at the snake in amazement. This was the same snake she had seen days ago in their hut in Morni. This snake had kissed Suraj and herself that night.

      “Mother, it was you all along. You were close to us and watching over us. You didn’t abandon us after all.”

      “Yes, my darling child. But there is no time to talk right now. Your lives are in great danger. Zarku will kill you if he finds you. We have to run.”

      Tara scrambled to her feet, ready to bolt out of the cave.

      “Not that way, Tara. Zarku is already at the entrance.”

      “Then how ...?” asked Tara, looking from Ananth to the cobra in confusion.

      “You have to trust me, both of you. I’m going to bite you to transform you into snakes so we can slip away unseen.”

      Tara crawled forward, but Ananth stopped her.

      “How do we know this is not a trick of Zarku’s to flush us out?”

      Tara hesitated. She hadn’t thought of that.

      “Trust me, Tara. It is I, your mother. In a few moments it will be too late. You have left so many footprints at the entrance of the cave that Zarku will have no difficulty finding you.”

      “Mother, what did you give me the night you disappeared?” asked Tara in a breathless voice.

      “The triangular mirror on a golden chain, and I told you to keep it with you, always.”

      “It is Mother,” wept Tara in relief. “No one else could have known that.”

      She crawled forward and stretched her face toward the black cobra, her eyes squished shut. She felt a pinprick on her throat and gasped. The next instant, a

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