The Third Eye (17 page)

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 fiery sensation traced a searing path through her veins. She felt her body twisting and shrinking upon itself. She looked down and saw that she had turned into a smaller replica of her mother. Tara raised her hood and looked around. Her eyesight was crisp and clear. Next to her she saw a slightly larger cobra: Ananth.

“Quick, follow me and be absolutely quiet,” said Parvati. “Mushika, come with us.”

She glided out of the crevice but instead of crawling out onto the path, she went up the wall, which was overgrown with vines, and onto the branch of a sal tree. Tara and Ananth followed her into the safety of the leaves. Mushika scampered up behind them, sure-footed and confident. From their perch, they watched silently.

Zarku stood at the entrance, pointing to the footsteps. The rest of the Vetalas stood around him, holding aloft burning torches.

“Both of them are in there.
SEIZE THEM NOW,
” roared Zarku, his third eye spitting yellow sparks. Two of the thinnest Vetalas came forward and squeezed through the crevice while the others surrounded the entrance.

Tara moved closer to her mother. Needing her touch, she intertwined the tip of her tail with her mother's tail.
Their sleek black bodies blended in with the foliage, making them invisible.

“Hurry up, you morons. What is taking so long?” yelled Zarku. “Drag them out here so that I can have the pleasure of burning them to ashes.”

Within minutes, the Vetalas reappeared. Heads bowed, they inched toward Zarku, trembling from head to foot. One of them pointed into the cave and grunted, shaking his head.

“
NO NO
NOOOOOOO
,” yelled Zarku. “They have escaped yet again, and you imbeciles have let it happen. You will be severely punished,” he said, his voice dropping to a whisper.

Both Vetalas threw themselves onto Zarku's feet, mewling for mercy. Zarku looked down at them. His face was expressionless but his black eyes were twin whirlpools of rage.

His third eye, spitting red sparks, opened fully. The beam expanded to bathe the Vetalas cowering at his feet. The men on the ground shrieked in pain and terror. The rest of the army stood back in mute horror. The beam intensified. The skin of the two Vetalas started to blister and the smell of burnt flesh filled the air. Their hair caught fire and their eyeballs melted and dripped down their faces in rivulets of black. Tara closed her eyes and tried to drown out the agonized howling. Within seconds, the men were reduced to a pile of grey ash. Zarku jumped into the pile with both feet and did a manic dance, scattering the ashes
in all directions as he giggled. Then, he stopped.

“As for the rest of you,” he said, addressing the survivors, “go find the children and bring them to me, dead or alive, or else ...”

He swivelled on his heel and walked away.

There was a long silence. Tara wept and gazed at the Vetalas, who stood staring at the scattered ashes in shock.

“Come on, we have a long way to go,” whispered Parvati.

“Are we going to the Devi Temple, Mother?

“No, Tara, we're going to a cave at the top of this mountain. It's closer and safer.”

She slithered higher up the tree. Tara followed her gracefully, revelling in the fluid movement without fear of being discovered. Ananth followed her. They made their way up to the summit of the mountain, racing from tree to tree. Mushika kept pace with them.

After what seemed like hours, Tara was absolutely exhausted. “How much further, Mother? I am so tired. Can't we rest?”

“Just a little further, Tara! Don't you want to see Suraj?”

“Suraj? Is he alive?” Her heart swelled with joy. “But when he disappeared ... I thought that wild animals had ... how?”

“Wait and see.”

Energy coursed through Tara's supple frame.

“I have so much to ask you, Mother.”

“I have much to tell you, Tara.”

Ananth was silent.

“I have a surprise for you, too, Ananth,” said Parvati.

“I've lost both my parents. No surprise could bring me joy,” he replied in a flat voice.

“We'll see about that,” said Parvati.

Dawn was breaking as all four of them reached the cave. A large banyan tree stood outside it. Parvati slid down a swaying root and vanished into the depths of the cave, followed closely by Mushika. Tara waited for Ananth to catch up. He was very slow.

“What's the matter, Ananth? Something is wrong, and you had better tell me what it is or we are not going any further.”

“I miss my mother,” he said in a choked voice. “Seeing your mother reminded me of mine.”

Tara slithered up to him and looked him in the eye. “I will share my mother with you. I am sure she would be happy to accept you as her child. Suraj and I would love to have an elder brother.”

“It will not be the same,” he said in a gruff voice. Nevertheless, he sounded happier.

“Now, let's go in. I am dying to see Suraj. You'll love him, but he can be quite silly ...”

Babbling on and on, Tara led the way and they slid into the cave just as the sun peeped over the horizon. Parvati was nowhere to be seen. In the gloom, Tara saw a man
coming toward her, but she could not see his face. He was too big to be Suraj. She stopped. As he came nearer she noticed the stick in his hand. A trap! This man was coming to kill them!

“
RUN!
” she screamed as she whirled round.

Ananth was right behind her and, in their haste, their bodies tangled together and they writhed on the floor helplessly, unable to escape. The man came toward them rapidly. His stick swished through the air. She flinched and waited for the blow to land on her head, certain that death would be instantaneous.

Tara felt a light tap on her head. She raised her hand to her head and felt hair — she had changed back into her human form. She looked at Ananth, who lay sprawled on the floor next to her. As her eyes adjusted to the gloom, she recognized the face staring down at them. Her grandfather, Prabala, stood there, tears streaming down his face, his arms outstretched.

“Come here, Tara.”

He gathered her close in a warm embrace.

“I have missed you so much, my child. You have been through a lot these past few days. Yes,” he said, sensing her astonishment. “I know everything.”

Tara hugged him back with equal intensity. Ananth stood close by without saying a word.

“Ananth, come here. You have been extremely brave and a great help to Tara.” Prabala drew Ananth into his
embrace. Tara was feeling safe for the first time in ages and was reluctant to let go.

“Where is Mother, Dada?” she asked Prabala, addressing her grandfather respectfully.

“She is preparing a meal for all of us.”

Prabala uttered a few words. A huge stone rolled itself in front of the cave, sealing the entrance. Then he put an arm around Tara and Ananth and led them to the back of the cave, where a welcoming fire crackled. Tara gasped and Ananth's mouth fell open in surprise. There sat his mother, Gayatri, with another woman and a little boy.

“Mother!” he yelled, running forward and embracing her.

Tara saw Suraj that same instant and he catapulted himself into her arms. She covered him with kisses.

“My baby brother! You're alive, you're safe!”

“Who are you calling a baby?” he demanded, yet he snuggled deep into her arms.

Everyone cried and spoke at the same time. Prabala raised his hand and said, “One at a time, please.”

“Suraj, what happened to you? How did you get here?” asked Tara. She closed her eyes, the memory of his disappearance still very painful, even though she could see Suraj was alive and well.

“A lot happened, Didi. But it is a long story.”

“Children,” boomed Prabala, “let's eat and then we'll talk. I know both of you have a lot of questions,” he said, looking at Tara and Ananth.

Amid laughter and tears, everyone sat down to a delicious meal. Tara had forgotten what a hot meal tasted like. Parvati and Gayatri had prepared a feast that belied the ascetic setting of the cave. There was succulent wild fowl simmered in a spicy butter gravy, roast hare with tandoori masala, hot rice flavoured with cumin seeds, and yellow dal with ghee.

The aromas wafted around them, making everyone's mouth water. Before she started eating, Tara put a bit of everything on a leaf and offered it to Mushika, who sat patiently behind her, emitting tiny squeaks now and then. For a while, there was complete silence as everyone piled their banana leaves high with the dal, rice, wild fowl, and hare. Ananth, Tara, and Suraj slurped and burped their way through the meal, sighing deeply from time to time. At last, everyone finished eating and Parvati cleared away the banana leaves and brought out some paan, which she distributed to the elders; the children had sweet rice pudding. Tara was feeling full and drowsy, but questions were whizzing around in her mind. Ananth's mother made them all a hot cup of tea and they sat round a cosy fire to catch up on all the news.

“Where have you been all this while, Mother?” asked Tara.

Parvati's eyes became misty, and, clearing her throat, she began.

“After the villagers decided that I was a witch and I was to be stoned to death, I knew I had to escape. Father
and I both decided to go away for a while. I knew that we would be needed by Morni later, much later, and we had to stay alive to save the villagers from the clutches of Zarku.”