Rudraksh

45 - Kiss Me Please ( Edited POV )

The force on my knife stopped.

"What did you just say ?"

"My husband is dying and I need your help... Please... I'm not here to take away your home I'm simply here to save mine. Please understand me."

"Why would we help you when no one had helped us ? Why would we let you save your home when ours were destroyed ?"

"Because you were good people. Because you are not monsters the world labels you to be. Because you know what it feels like to know everyone you love will die one by one and you won't be able to save them. You know what helplessness feels like. You know it kills you inch by inch. I beg you... Please." With tears rolling down my cheeks, dusty clothes, dishevelled hair and bloodshot eyes... I might have looked like a ghost myself.

Silence.

"I'll.... I'll.... Have your homes rebuilt and I'll give them to the women in need. I'll destroy those industrial plants and I'll bring your village back. I promise you. For the sake of Mahadev, please trust me." I tried.

"You would do that ?"

"Yes. I will even host rituals for your spirits to rest in peace if you want. I'm not a bad person."

"No ! We don't want to go. This is our home. We'll remain here for as long as the lord wishes." One raged and I flinched away.

"Okay... Okay I won't do that. I promise."

"You would really bring our village back ?"

"I will. I'll even fight and take down the goddamned government if I have to. Just please let me save my husband and my home."

"Thank you." A sob echoed through the Cave. The ghost that looked like me disappeared, followed by all the others.

"Walk." A voice echoed and I did.

I kept walking through the tunnels and soon statues of women in various Bharatnatyam poses were in my sight. They were made of pure stone and with such detail, it looked like the women were real. In awe, I proceeded to touch one. "Follow the statues, Keep walking." The voice echoed before I could touch it. I got the hint and resumed walking.

The temple in sight was small but the room was not.

And certainly not the snakes crawling every corner of it.

I almost fell when a yellow python of about twenty feet fell in front of her with a hiss.

The place was crawling with every size and kind of snake. Thousands of them. I sucked in a breath when they slithered over my feet and took cautious steps to keep myself from pissing them off. There were utensils and clothes littered around, remnants of gold jewellery scattered like the dirt.

"Just keep walking, Rudraksh Rani."

The statutes were endless and at the far end stood a platform so aesthetically built, I couldn't believe my eyes. I had never seen such architecture in my entire life of travelling through the world. It was hands down the most artistic thing I ever laid eyes on. Built with dark wood and stone with the entire life story of Shiva carved onto the four pillars that supported the mandap. They were so detailed, they looked real. Unlike the caves, there wasn't a spec of dirt anywhere near the temple. And something that topped it all was the gold Shiva statue that sat majestically in the middle of the platform. It seemed to have darkened over time and had no shine like the metal was notorious for.

Shiva sat in a meditating pose with his eyes closed. His trishul standing right beside him and a small gold Nandi, his bull, right in front. The statue was made with great detail as well with rudraksh malas around the god's neck, arms, wrists and legs. A crescent sat atop his matted hair tied into a half bun and there was a third eye on his forehead. The snake around his neck was indeed facing the opposite side.