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Grandfather - 60+ Madhu - 18, 32-26-34
For the last three mornings I have been noticing him. This man sits on the bench under the gulmohar tree of the park, smokes his cigarette and watches me. He doesn't look very old. Might be in his late 60's. But even with the wrinkles surrounding his eyes and the salt-and-pepper hair, he is really well built. His eyes follow as I run along the pavement, I have felt. He does not notice the others, just me.
At first, I had tried to ignore him. But it is the third morning now, and I had started to feel creeped out. So, I jogged straight up and faced him. Surprisingly, he was not fazed at all. He simply looked up at my frown with a friendly smile.
"Who are you? And why do you keep staring at me?" I was quick to the point.
"I see. So Puspa has not told you of me, hmm?" There was a slight disappointment in his voice.
I really was surprised. Puspa is my mom. Is he some old acquaintance of hers? And if so, why was he meeting me near my Hostel park and not her? I was really confused as what to reply. The man saw my face and solved the dilemma himself.
"Sorry my child, that we are meeting under these circumstances. I am Mahendra Pratap, your Grandfather".
Now I was really surprised. I knew that my mom had a love marriage and that my grandfather was against it, for I had heard papa say this before. But my mom had also added that my grandfather had died soon after, and I would never see him again.
Now I knew, that the fact was not entirely true.
My grandfather let out a long sigh and got up. I was so shook that I forgot even to touch his feet. But, he did not bother. He raised his hand and patted my head softly. Then, he reached into his pocket and produced a small notebook and a bar of Dairy Milk.
"I have my address and number written here. Whenever you want, just give me a call and my car will pick you up".
For a week I just kept debating with myself whether to call up my parents and speak about it. But every time I tried, my conscience kept reminding me of the same thing, that they lied to me. And my 18 year old teenage brain would not take it easy.
So after a week of struggle I decided to call him up. It was almost the end of Winter, and we would be having a Holiday soon. But this time, I had a totally different holiday plan in mind.
Grandfather's Fiat picked me up in the evening. I had already lied to my parents that I was going with my friends to Shimla on a holiday trip. As the car left behind the dusty roads of Delhi behind and landed onto the lush mountain beauty, I slid down the glass to take in the best views I could.
The car wound up the roads on the terrain, giving me the most amazing view of green nature that was just raising their head from the melting snow. It was cold, but pleasant. And I had come prepared for the cold. Above all, I really wanted to meet grandfather
The person who opened the door was not grandfather. She was a lady, probably in her late 20's. Almost as tall as me, slender, and a shade fair skin. She must have known of my arrival, for she quickly called my grandfather in to welcome me.
"Meet your mausi, Madhu". He introduced me to her. "And Kamli, this is your step niece".
As soon as she heard about me, her eyes gleamed up and a smile appeared in her face. It was only for a moment, but I felt like it was really creepy. Almost like a predator who smiles at the sight of a prey. But it could be my misinterpretation. Maybe she just was very happy to meet me.
Anyways, I got a room cleaned up to stay in. Grandfather lived in a villa, where he had a room in the groundfloor, my aunt Kamli in the next room, kitchen and bathroom. I got my room in the first floor, but I don't complain. The view of Kanchanjunga every morning is marvellous. And sitting in the balcony while brewing tea in the morning breeze felt like a royal treatment.
My first two days in the villa was really exciting. I would go out on walks, come back to relish the lunch, watch tv and go out again. At least to me it was the best holiday plan. Grandfather and mausi were both very caring towards me, but I felt like mausi was a tad more so. Whenever I was eating, I could feel her piercing gaze upon me. Maybe, it was just my overthinking mind..
On the third night, after a heavy meal of kadhai chicken I felt an urgent need to use to the bathroom, that too in the middle of the night. Now, to go to the bathroom I had to go to the groundfloor. I tried to move as stealthily as possible, not to wake anyone up. But to my surprise, I found the room of my mausi dimly lit. The door was ajar, and whispers were coming from inside. I was really curious, so I tiptoed over to the door. I could not make anything, but I could definitely make out that it was my grandfather and mausi having a heated conversation. I did not wait long, lest I would alert them of my presence, so I sneaked into the washroom, rushed back into my room and quickly pulled my blanket on.
After a while, I heard a soft creaking sound. Someone had pushed the door open really slow. If I were asleep, I would never know. The person stood there for a few moments, I could hear, before pulling the door closed once again. The whole night I could not get a blink of sleep
"The spring festival is tomorrow". Mausi informed me the next day as I sat down for breakfast. Grandfather was not out yet. Maybe he was still asleep or busy with something.
"Exciting, no?"
I looked up at her to reply, but the smirk at the corner of her lips blocked every word in my mouth.
I could not even ask her about the last night, and simply went back to chewing the tandoori roti.
I did not feel like going out the whole day. I closed myself in my room, bundled up in blankets and staring at the TV. But my mind kept jumbling and tossing thoughts. Why do I keep thinking about my Mausi Kamli like that? Maybe she is simply caring for me. Maybe it is my fault. But why can I not shrug away this feeling?
I slumped back in my bed, recalling the portraits of my grandfather in the living room. There were some portraits of mom, with him. Some were grandfather, but with a different female with no facial match to mom. Rather, she had more resemblance to mausi. That might be his other wife. Is it my inner fear that just because she is my step aunt, that she is plotting something against me? Should I tell grandfather about it? What were they arguing about last night?
All these thoughts were wearing my mind off. And I had not had a good sleep either. Unknown to myself, my eyelids drooped down and my mind wandered off into the realms of dreams.
I opened my eyes in a candle lit room with mild sounds of humming and rhythmic claps, and with no recollection of how I ended up here. I tried to sit up, only to realise that I was not lying down at all. I was standing with my limbs secured with leather straps at the corners of a plank.
And the view around chilled my spine to the core.
Every last thread of clothes had been stripped off my body. I was surrounded by a congregation of blacked robed figures, who were wearing masks. From their voices I could tell that there were both males and females, and they were mostly past middle age. The person in the front seemed to be leading the group, for he was wearing red robes and a different, more ornate mask. Their eyes were fixed on me, and they clapped on rhythms to the hums.
I craned my neck and struggled to break free, but it was no use. I was still a little groggy from whatever medicine I was put into, and the straps were impossible to get rid of. The gathering seemed unfazed by my efforts. They simply went on with their hummings.
I craned my neck and tried to find a way out. The room seemed familar, but all the contents had been removed. Wait, I know this room! To my horror, I realised that it was the front room of the same house I am in for the last few days! I looked to my left, and to my shock, tied in a similar fashion to another cross was my Mausi Kamli! Her face was ecstatic. As if she had been looking forward to this night for a long time. When our eyes met, she smiled cheerfully at me and mouthed, "The Spring festival. Exciting, no?"
Tears started flowing down my cheeks. Was this what I had planned for? All I wanted was a fun holiday.
Where is grandfather? I have to let him know. Where? WHERE IS HE?!
To answer my question, the person in red robes spoke up.
"And tonight, on the eve of holy spring, I offer you the fresh offering. A soul who has just stepped to her spring, she will be our new vessel.
This spring, the old vessel leaves her youth and moves onto the new!
May we relish the delicacy of youth again".
That voice.. grandfather? My body started to lose sensations. Without the bounds, I would have collapsed there right then. New vessel.. grandfather was offering me? How could he-
I looked at my left. Mausi was laughing like a child. She was the last vessel all along! And now, her job was done!
"My dear brothers and sisters, let us waste no time and proceed to our sacred ritual. This night, we worship our new vessel".
With these words, my grandfather stepped to me, grabbed my hair and pulled me into a deep, thirsty smooch.
Kamli (30, 36-30-34)