“Only that he wants revenge and it involves me,” said Tara. Her voice was barely above a whisper. “If I ran away, he said he'd finish off the lot of you before I came back with help. You see, I really had no choice. I had to come back.”
All of sudden Tara was so tired she could barely stand. She stumbled away and slumped down in a corner. He was back and he had a surprise for her. In a few hours she would know exactly what it was. For now she just wanted to stop thinking about it or her head would explode.
Ananth knelt beside her. “I'm so sorry, Tara. I didn't know. I ⦠er ⦠we ⦠assumed that you were too scared â”
“Of late you've been assuming a lot, Ananth,” said Tara. “You don't think!”
He exhaled noisily and she didn't need to see his face to know that he was angry and probably a bit ashamed, too.
“I can't wait,” said Kabir. “I have to see my sister!” He pounded on the door.
“Stop it!” said Ananth. “Have you gone mad, Kabir?
Do you think banging on the door is going to get us out of here?”
Kabir stopped. His heavy breathing was the only sound in the room. Beyond the heavy doors, the pounding echoed through the temple and faded away into silence. No one came.
“We need to plan the next move,” said Vayu.
“Surprises don't work out too well.”
“Just like yours,” said Raani. “We would never have been caught if it hadn't been for you, you fat lump!”
“Stop!” hissed Tara. She stared at the whites of four pairs of eyes that stared back at her. “When will you get it into your heads that this was carefully planned by Zarku to lure me here using my brother? Layla and Kali both helped. One child is already dead! Sadia or Suraj could be next.”
When no one replied, she continued, “And get one thing straight, one way or the other, he would have caught us. So stop blaming Vayu. We'll just have to wait till tomorrow.”
“Not me,” said Kabir, pacing the floor. “I'm going for help. I can't sit around and wait for this maniac in powder form to do what he likes.”
“Calm down,” said Ananth. “Let's wait and see what Zarku has in mind and then plan our next move. I don't want to do anything without seeing Suraj and Sadia first.”
“What if killing all of us is what he has in mind?” said Kabir. “You want to wait around for that?”
There was a deep silence. Tara had to admit there was some truth in it. She was the one he really wanted but he hadn't specified â alive or dead. And the others? Would he let them go or kill them for the fun of it? She desperately wanted to know and yet thinking about it made her sick.
“This door looks too solid to break through,” said Raani. “I see no other way.”
Kabir looked at the lighter patch high up on the wall. “Help me, Vayu,” he said. “I bet there's a window up there. That's why this room isn't completely dark.”
Vayu intertwined his fingers and braced himself against the wall. Kabir stepped on Vayu's hands and pulled himself up. He plunged his hand into the foliage covering the wall and tore away a handful of vines. Silvery light poured into the room through a small barred window.
“Just as I thought,” said Kabir. “Here is our escape route.”
“
Really?
” said Ananth. The sneer in his voice was unmistakeable. “Get down and we'll make a proper plan.”
“I can get through this easy,” said Kabir. He rattled the bars and measured the gap between them with outstretched fingers.
“Can you really fit through those bars?” asked Tara. “They look too narrow even for someone as small as Suraj.” Pain flared in her chest at the thought of her brother. He must be somewhere close by. Scared and lonely. If only she could have seen him once, she could have spared him one more night of anguish.
I hope you burn in
hell, Kali. I hope you die a horrible and painful death.
“My body will be no problem,” said Kabir. “Getting my head through the bars will be the biggest challenge.
Let me have a look and see where we are.” He stood on tiptoes on Vayu's palms, swaying slightly. He craned his neck. “Can only see treetops. Need to get higher.”
Vayu held him steady without as much as a groan.
Kabir pulled himself up on the small ledge in front of the window. “Much better!”
“What do you see?” asked Ananth. “Which direction are we facing?”
“We're at the back of the temple. There's a small courtyard and then the forest starts. The ground doesn't look too far off, either. I should be able to jump down easily. But once I'm out, then what?”
“Go south and head for the river,” said Ananth.
“You can't miss it if you keep the North Star behind you at all times. Boats are always tethered at regular intervals along the banks. If you can get there, you should be able to row to the nearest village â Ambala â I think. It's downstream so it will be much faster, you'll be going with the current. They can send word to Morni and Ramgarh for help.”
Tara listened to the plans with growing dread. Were they doing the right thing? What if Kabir was caught?
Zarku hated to look a fool.
Lord Ganesh, please help me
, she prayed.
I don't have a suitable offering right now, but
I'll donate a kilo of sugar if you help us escape.
At that precise moment, something ran over her leg and she jumped. She looked down into bright-red eyes. A rat! It stood up on its hind legs, sniffing the air.
“
Mushika?
” Tara breathed. “You've come back!”
The moment she spoke the rat fled. She glanced up feeling foolish. No one seemed to have noticed. They were all intent on Kabir and his efforts to escape.
“Do you really think you'll get through?”asked Raani. She watched him, her arms folded across her chest. “This isn't as easy as getting into a basket, you know. You'll have to rearrange your bones in an entirely different way. And if your head gets stuck, none of us will be able to ⦔
“You're a right ray of sunshine, Raani,” said Tara, “What would we do without you? Kabir said he can do this and he will.”
“How dare â” Raani started to say.
“I know, Raani, I know,” said Kabir. “Don't remind me of how bad this could get. Please?”
Raani walked away to a corner of the room and sat down in a huff.
Kabir leaped down from the window. “I better leave right away. No point in waiting around.”
“Be careful,” said Ananth. “Don't take any chances. Good luck.”
“You should take your clothes off,” said Vayu.
They all gaped at him.
“You think I have a better chance of escaping if I'm naked?” said Kabir.
“You'll be able to get through those bars a lot easier,” said Vayu. “We can always throw the clothes out the window once you're through.”
“Of course,” said Kabir with a faint smile. “Good idea.” He took off his shorts and shirt, stripping down to his underwear. His lean body shone with sweat.
“Well, this is it,” he said. He looked around.
“I wish you weren't going, Kabir,” said Tara. “I don't like this at all.”
“I have to, Tara. This could be our only chance. Will you promise me something?” His tone was very serious.
“Of course, Kabir.”
“If anything were to happen to me, promise me you'll get Sadia back home. Promise me!”
“Stop it, Kabir. You're scaring me talking this way.”
He took her hands in his and looked deep into her eyes. “
Promise me!
”
Tara felt the blood rush to her face and was glad that it was dark. “I promise, Kabir. If every last one of you abandons me and I am left all alone to rescue Sadia, I promise to bring her back.” She forced herself to laugh though she wanted to be sick. “There, happy now? It'll never happen that way, you know. I'm very sure.”
“Thank you,” said Kabir. “Now my mind is at peace.”
Vayu patted Kabir on the back and then hoisted him up on his shoulders. Kabir clambered on to the narrow ledge nimbly. He slid his right leg through the bars easily. He fitted his torso between them and eased it through in small, gentle movements, coaxing his bones to shift and flatten. They watched in silence.
Tara had positioned herself by the door. Her ear was pressed to it, but her eyes were glued to Kabir, silhouetted against the window.
Kabir was halfway through when he stopped.
Move
, pleaded Tara silently.
We don't have all night
. Kabir took a deep breath and pushed, but he did not budge an inch; his ribcage was jammed tight between the narrow vertical bars. He stared down at them, the whites of his eyes unusually large.
“I'm stuck,” he gasped.
“Come back down, Kabir,” said Ananth. “We'll try something else.”
“Can't. Move.” He sucked in his breath and tried yet again, groaning. “Back hurts.”
Tara ran closer and realized why his face was so scrunched up. Kabir's back was a mass of scratches from the sharp edges of the rusted metal bars, and slick with blood.
“Stop it and come down immediately, Kabir,” said Tara. “You're hurt! There has to be another way.”
“Have ⦠to do this,” panted Kabir. “Just ⦠try ⦠harder.”
Don't let anyone come now
, Tara prayed. Right on cue, she heard footsteps.
“Someone's coming!” said Tara. “Oh my God, we'll be caught. Someone get him down. Quick!”
“Kabir, please hurry,” whispered Raani. “I can hear them, too. They're coming fast.”
“Arrghhhh,” said Kabir pushing harder. He barely moved an inch. “Ananth. Help.”
“Hoist me up, Vayu,” said Ananth. Vayu made a cradle with his palms again and Ananth scrambled up.
“Steady now,” he said.
Vayu grunted in reply.
Ananth pushed Kabir gently. He did not budge a centimetre.
“Quick, Ananth,
quick
.” said Tara.
“Sorry, Kabir,” said Ananth. “This is going to hurt.”
Ananth pushed hard. Kabir yelped as his body shot through. His head was still on their side of the bars.
The footsteps were closer now. Someone was singing tunelessly.
Ananth wrestled with Kabir's head, trying to ease it through. Raani twisted her dupatta into a tight ball as she stared up at them.
Someone fumbled with the bolt outside.
“Come down,” begged Raani. “If that madman catches you up there or if Kali sees you ⦔
“I can't,” gasped Kabir. “No time.” He reached behind him and wetted his palm with the blood on his back. He smeared his face and pulled, whimpering as he tugged and wriggled. Ananth, still standing on Vayu's shoulders, pushed Kabir's forehead. It barely moved. He smeared some more blood on Kabir's cheeks and pushed again, all the while muttering, “Sorry, Kabir ⦠so sorry.”
The bolt shot back with a metallic clang. Tara's legs turned to jelly. They were all doomed. She had seen Zarku in a rage and someone always got hurt. Or died.
“The clothes,” said Tara. “Throw them out.”
Just as door started to open, Kabir pulled his head through the bars and dropped out of sight. Raani handed Kabir's clothes up to Ananth, who threw them out the window. Ananth jumped off Vayu's shoulders. They quickly moved away from the window and faced the door, their breathing unnaturally loud in the still air.
Someone walked into the room carrying a lantern. The wick was turned up high and they were momentarily blinded. Tara shaded her eyes trying to see clearly.
Finally she made out who it was. She screamed.
“
SURAJ!”
Tara launched herself at her little brother and hugged him tight, sure that her heart would leap out of her chest. She held him at arm's length, devouring him with her eyes before clasping him to her, again. She never wanted to let go.
“Oh, thank God you're all right!” She kissed his cheeks, tasting the salt of her own tears. “You're back and you're safe but ⦠that monster let you come here?” said Tara. Her eyes darted to the door. “Is Kali around?”
Suraj shook his head. “No, Didi. I'm all alone. You came. I knew you would! I'm so happy to see you.”
He sounded so confident, so calm. Tara almost burst with pride at the way he was handling himself despite the scare he had gotten. He was stronger than she gave him credit for.
“Weren't you scared when the hyenas snatched you?” asked Ananth. He knelt beside Suraj and tousled his hair.
“I was at first,” said Suraj. “But not anymore. Now that you're all here, everything's going to be all right.”
“Where is Sadia?” asked Tara. “Why didn't you bring her with you?”
“She's ill,” said Suraj. “She was too weak to walk so I told her to sleep.”
They all gathered round Suraj, listening to him intently. Tara was glad that Kabir had escaped. Had he heard this, he would have done something impulsive and very foolish.
“Will you take us to her?” Tara asked. Her voice dropped to a whisper. “Once we get her we'll escape!”
Suraj's face turned a shade paler. “We mustn't,” he said.
“Why not?” asked Ananth.
Suraj shot a terrified look at the door. Tara followed his gaze. Why hadn't someone come to lock it up? Were the hyenas guarding it? She caught Ananth's eye. He was staring at the door, just as confused.
“It's all right, Suraj,” said Tara. “There's no need to be afraid. We're together now, no one can hurt you.”
Suraj slipped his hand into hers. Tara blinked back tears. It was something Suraj did when he was scared. Till this moment she hadn't realized how much that small gesture meant to her. She squeezed his hand and smiled.
“She's right,” said Vayu. “You're safe with us now.
You won't suffer the same fate as your friend.”