Daughters of Kalika

১৫. trust issues

Eyes are the mirror to one's soul.

****

Tears cascaded down Maya's eyes, staining her soft cheeks with strokes of pain.

"It's just a crush, Maya! For God's sake don't be so foolish."

But she had been foolish. She had expected too much, maybe. It was a one-way road to love and definitely one-sided too. Had he loved her, he wouldn't have been so rude.

"Yet he does consider me his friend, does he not?" What is so personal and triggering about the fourth victim that Hrishav turned so bitter and offended?

"Wait... is it... is that her?"

Two bickering crows hit themselves against the window pane of Maya's room. Maya shrieked at the top of her lungs, afraid that the crash would leave bloody marks, but fortunately the birds flew away. Crows fighting under the moonlight was too strange. Maya hugged her knees to her chest, crawling up into a ball.

This is scary.

Radha had spoken about some her to whom Hrishav belonged. So, is that it? That lady was murdered?

For the first time Maya felt she should put herself in his shoes. What would she do to find her beloved brutally murdered, dumped in a pool of blood, never to return again? Would she be able to heal from this injury?

No, probably never.

I should not have brought the topic to him.

Maya let out a frustrated groan and drowned herself in the pillows. It was almost 2 o'clock in the muzzled night, in the sinister village of Devipuram, where even if Devi lived in the name she was too imaginary to even exist. The clock ticked in the silence, hypnotising the weak mind of Maya, lulling her to sleep as tired thoughts begged to be let go of. Soon she felt her limbs go heavy and eyelids droop. Sleep called her home...

And she needed to go.

****

Someone shook her in an attempt to wake her up. She felt tickling, nimble fingers tap on her feet. Still in the trap of slumber, Maya struggled to open her eyes. Her mind was awake and knew someone was touching her but her body was paralysed.

Wake up, wake up. I call you.

Won't you come to meet me?

Inhaling deeply the air of life, she filled her lungs with vigour and her eyes fluttered open. She stretched her body, yawning like a little princess.

No one was there. But she clearly remembered hearing a voice. It was familiar– naive, sweet as honey with a dash of innocence.

"Who was it?"

Ah, Sahiba! Yes, it was the voice of Sahiba.

"Was it just a dream? Because she had asked if I would come to her when she called me..."

So should I go?

"Maybe, maybe she needs me."

Freshening up and after having breakfast, she got into a pair of bell-bottom jeans and a shirt. On the way towards the door, Nathu stopped her.

"Where are you going? Some new adventure?"

"To Sahiba. I think she's calling me."

Nathu's brows curved quizzically. "Calling you? Did she send someone?"

Maya couldn't explain what she felt. "Actually I had told her to wait for me. This meeting was scheduled."

Nathu looked at her sceptically. "Alright. Just be back on time."