Beware 3

[gavudham]

As he approached Asha with blood dripping from his mouth, she wondered if escape was even possible. The distance between them had shrunk to almost nothing. Just as he lunged, his arms swinging out to seize her, he suddenly collapsed like an uprooted tree.
Asha stood frozen in shock. Standing there was Ekambaram, clutching a wooden club. Its tip was stained with blood.
“Appa…” Asha moved toward him, tears welling in her eyes.
“Who is he?” he asked.
“I don’t know, Pa…” she whispered, her gaze fixed on the man lying there with lifeless, staring eyes.
“Appa…” Asha’s voice trembled.
“Tell me.”
“I think… he’s dead.”
Her tremors passed on to him. “What are you saying, Ma?” he asked frantically. He leant over the body, listening for the sound of breath.
Silence.
“Asha…”
“Yes, dad?”
“What do we do now?”
Asha looked at him for a long moment, her expression hardening with resolve. “We’ll dig a hole behind the house and bury him.”
***
While Vijay was at a friend's house, Varsha was in her room writing. Her mind kept drifting back to her mother.
Amma is hiding something… Varsha couldn’t understand what could be so serious that it had to be kept from her brother.
Wondering what her mother was up to, Varsha rose and crept out as silently as a cat. She saw Karthika sitting on the sofa, intently focused on something. Varsha peeked over her shoulder. It was Vijay’s horoscope notebook.
“Why are you sitting here looking at this now, Ma?” Varsha asked.
Startled for a second, Karthika turned and looked at her daughter with a piercing gaze. “Sit down, Varsha.”
Varsha sat.
“I have to tell you something. You must keep it to yourself—Vijay must not know.”
Varsha felt a mix of curiosity and rising anxiety. “Okay, Ma.”
“Last week, I went to Kanchipuram. After visiting the Kamakshi Amman temple, I went to see our astrologer, Viswanatha Iyer, to show him Vijay’s horoscope,” Karthika began to explain.
***
Viswanatha Iyer’s astrology center was located right near the sanctum of the Kamakshi Amman temple. Iyer didn't see clients every day; he only saw them on Fridays and Saturdays. Even though his son, Raghavan, had lovingly pleaded with him to stop after he turned seventy last month, Iyer had refused with a smile. To him, money wasn't the point. Doing this as a service brought him soul-deep satisfaction.
Iyer looked at Karthika, who sat eagerly before him, with a hint of concern. He began to speak slowly.
“According to this horoscope, there is a grave danger ahead for him.”
“Sir” Karthika gasped.
“He will either commit a murder and go to jail… or something terrible will happen to him personally. Do you understand what I’m saying?” he asked softly.
“He is such a peaceful boy,” she stammered.
“Even so, his stars say otherwise. Perhaps, if he marries a girl born under the Uttiratadhi star with a 'clean' horoscope, things might improve. However, there is also a time where his life may be at risk because of the woman who comes as his partner.”
Karthika was on the verge of tears.
“Don’t worry. I haven’t hidden anything, nor will I. Only a girl with the Uttiratadhi star can save him. And yet, it won’t be because of her…” he concluded cryptically.
“What are you saying, Sir?”
“You will see and understand what is to happen as it unfolds,” he said, rising. Karthika understood the session was over. She stood up, offered a respectful namaskaram, and walked out. Her heart felt like lead.
“Amma… is everything you said true?” Varsha asked.
“It’s the truth. I’ve been terrified since that day.”
“Oh Ma, what’s wrong with you? Don’t you know Brother? Even if someone picks a fight, he just walks away,” Varsha laughed. Though the laughter comforted Karthika, the astrologer’s words refused to let her be at peace.
***
Ekambaram recoiled in shock. “What are you saying, Ma?”
“Yes, Appa. We’ll dig a hole behind the house and bury him.”
“No, Ma… that is…” he hesitated.
“Just go, Appa. Fetch the spade.”
He brought it to her. Holding the spade, Asha went to the backyard. Finding a suitable spot, she swung the axe; the soil was soft from the rain. She dug feverishly and fast. After half an hour, she looked at the pit with satisfaction.
This is enough, she thought. she scanned the surroundings to see if anyone was watching. No one.
“Appa…”
“Hmm..”
“Hold him… the pit is ready.”
“Asha… what about the police?”
“No, Appa. If we go to the police now, they’ll take you away. Please, Appa… hold him.”
Ekambaram gripped the man’s head while Asha took the legs. Together, they carried him and dropped him heavily into the pit.
As Ekambaram’s eyes accidentally fell upon the man's forehead, his heart skipped a beat. Three black moles sat there, perfectly aligned in a straight line.
To be continued