Indrani - Gods, Demons and Timeless Legends

Tilotamma - VII

Evening:

With the storm brewing, Devadatta raced against the looming threat of rain that threatened to muddy everything in its path. He saw Tilotamma playing with a dog on the street as he hurried by. Devadatta had noticed Tilotamma outside their home yesterday. Nowadays her daughter returns from paathsala with Tilotamma. Tilotamma, who had only been among them for a week, had already become a constant subject of her daughter's lively discussions.

"Uncle, what's going on? Why are you in such a hurry?" Tilotamma called out.

"I need to get somewhere quickly. You should head home; it looks like a storm is coming," Devadatta yelled back, not slowing down. "By the way, have you seen Kabirajji around?"

Tilotamma shook her head. "No, Uncle, I haven't."

As Devadatta ran, something about the dog struck a chord in his memory. He paused for a moment, his thoughts racing. "Wait, isn't that Kubja's dog?" he wondered aloud, his heart skipping a beat.

But then he dismissed the thought as quickly as it came. "That can't be right; Kubja's dog is long dead. All the street dogs look the same," he told himself, pushing forward.

There was something unmistakably recognizable about Tilotamma to Devadatta, as though she had stepped out of a distant memory from his early years. "Am I going crazy?" he questioned internally. It was understandable, considering the unsettling reality he had just faced in his own home.

Just then, a loud clap of thunder roared, and the skies opened up, drenching everything in heavy rain as he continued his rush to Kabirajji's house.

Afternoon:

Devadatta was in high spirits. His day's work had been more lucrative than usual. He and his crew had stumbled upon a treasure trove—a ship heavy with rice, spices, and glittering with the gold of a newlywed couple and their family's jewels. Their attack was swift, leaving no room for screams or protests.

His joy, however, turned to dread as he returned home to find his wife unconscious near the cowshed. Rushing to her side, his concern deepened when he ventured into the cowshed. There, an eerie sight greeted him—a tree, out of place and time, stood where he usually fed the cows. Its roots sprawled across the ground, moving with a sinister, almost sentient, intention. It was as if the tree breathed, its roots pulsating, gripping the earth and the air with a life of their own.

Devadatta stood frozen, caught in the gaze of this unnatural entity. The tree, with its limitless roots, seemed to be at the center of a nightmare that had sprung to life, threatening to engulf everything in its path. The horror of the situation was raw, palpable, and entirely beyond comprehension, ensnaring Devadatta in a web of fear and disbelief.

The air felt thick and scary, with the tree's roots moving in a way that made creepy shadows on the walls. Devadatta couldn't move, staring at the weird tree. It was like something from a bad dream, with roots everywhere, looking like they could grab anything close. Devadatta was scared, not understanding how this could happen. Quickly, he picked up his unconscious wife and carried her back home. Then, he ran as fast as he could to get help.

Morning:

Kamini's life in the paathsala took an unexpected turn with Tilotamma's arrival. Tilotamma, with her ethereal beauty, became the center of everyone's attention, igniting Kamini's insecurities but also sparking an idea. If she could befriend Tilotamma, perhaps some of her secrets could help Kamini overcome her own perceived flaws. Kamini's strategy was simple yet hopeful: to make Tilotamma her confidante, hoping that Tilotamma's beauty secrets would be the solution she had been looking for.