Sun Moon & Stars Volume II Call Of The Skull Men

CHAPTER 46

Ela woke up feeling cold and uneasy. Her eyes fell on the eerie blue of the dark night sky, visible through the tiny window, sending sudden shivers down her. If her calculations were right, as per the earlier reminders she had received from Madhumita, then it was a day away from amāvásyā.

Clutching the quilt tightly over her chest she turned. "Shomak?" she sat up looking around for him. Her clothes were lying on the ground but Shomak's garments were missing. She also noticed his phone hanging out from his luggage bag. Quickly wearing her clothes she wrapped a shawl across her upper torso and searched everywhere for her cell phone; picking up her folded clothes in the corner, checking under the mattresses and going through the bags but somehow she seemed to have dislocated the device. 

Shomak's phone vibrated lighting up the screen. It was inappropriate to check someone else's phone, boyfriend or not, and she wouldn't have done it, had it been some other circumstances.    However, pushing back the memory of their abrupt consummation about few hours ago Ela pulled out Shomak's phone from his bag and she saw a series of missed calls from Ragnik, Girish, Malini and even Mini. However, there was no message from Nishi. She tried to ring back but the calls didn't connect. 

She feared Shomak might have gone to search for Nishi alone. Keeping his phone back in his bag and wearing her slippers hurriedly she took a torch and went out. She first thought of taking Tuka's help but Khemi's family was fast asleep. She didn't think it was wise to disturb them. Hence brushing off all discouraging thoughts she started walking towards the forest.

She walked past the well, meeting spot of the panchayat, the last house of the village, a dilapidated teashop and went deeper and deeper. She briefly turned back and saw the village disappearing slowly behind her with large canopies of trees becoming denser. She halted, took a long breath, decided not to look back and kept walking.

After about walking for twenty minutes, she had counted, Ela reached a large field with withered hay straws. Moving closer Ela spotted a bunch of fireflies hovering around a large tree. Her feet shook for a moment but the light from those tiny flies encouraged her. She didn't have to lift up her torch to see that it was a huge Krishnachura tree. The fireflies had kept the area well illuminated. Dim but visible to the naked eye. 

She didn't hear it clearly but was sure she heard crickets, not the regular ones, thought it sounded different. Ignoring she walked towards the tree. "Oh!" she tripped a little missing a step as her feet fell on something hard. She lowered her torch and saw it was Nishi's cell phone; in switched off mode. She gulped, a known fear crept up her bones; she feared for the worst. "Nishi!" Ela shouted running towards the tree.

"Ni –"

Again that sound. She concentrated and heard it was coming in broken syllables, somewhat as toh-kkho - toh-kkho. There was no doubt it was close and definitely an insect. However, she had never heard such a sound before. She turned her torch and tried to inspect the surrounding.

Then like a sign of danger Ela heard a low groaning of a wild animal or worst, maybe a predator. Breathing heavily Ela turned and was about to shriek but pressing her hand on her mouth she controlled herself from making any sound.  An ugly looking baghrol was savouring on a large fish and she didn't want to disturb it. Though still on alarm, she could breathe normally. She had seen those fishing cats before. They might be harmful but she wasn't exactly afraid.

Ela moved back trying to walk away. However, the baghrol had suddenly left the fish and was now staring at her giving its undivided attention. At a slow pace, it started moving towards her and Ela felt the weight of her body suddenly reducing. Before she could take another step to run, it attacked her.