A Man among Wolves

Chapter 26

The rain was more hostile than Gurumoorthy was. Noisier and impetuous.

But it didn't add to his pain.

Thunder rumbled like a demon overheard as Selva stumbled out into the street. The rain drops slapping his contused face were making it really hard to notice where he was going. But it certainly wasn't towards the main road. Because he could only make out more trees, shrubs and grasses than he could vehicles. It was all for the best, he thought. That animal of a man might search for him in the main road. He might think Selva would try to board a bus or an auto to escape. He wouldn't search for him in a dark, undergrowth of an area, would he?

Owing to the violent rain and raunchy wind, Selva couldn't move fast. But it was highly surprising to him that he could move at all, in spite of all the aching body parts. His leg complained the loudest of them all. The agony was so severe that he was sure he would lose the ability to move in the next couple of seconds. Somehow, he didn't and he kept advancing.

There was something heavy in front of him.

That was all he could see with his limited vision in the darkness and the density of the downpour. Maybe it was a house. If he could break in, he would be able to spend the night there silently. Nobody would know. He could decide about his next plan of action in the morning.

When Selva moved closer, squinting his eyes. Even that simple movement of his eyes sent a sharp pain across his face.

It was the backside of an auto rickshaw. More specifically, a cross between an auto rickshaw and an omni van. The kind that they use as share-autos. Selva didn't understand why it was parked there for no reason, away from the main road. Maybe it wasn't in a working condition and it was abandoned. Because lightning briefly told him that there was nobody inside the vehicle or close nearby...

He could spend the night inside this.

He limped around to try to open the door.

WHAM!

Something heavy struck him on the back of his head and Selva gave a hideous yelp as he got knocked down to the grass below. His face struck the ground hard, damaging his nose further. His tears joined the streams of blood and rainwater down his face, as he turned around to see what hit him.

A small bag that lay a distance away that gave the answer. It looked like the one that was left behind at the wine shop. A couple of its contents lay strewn outside of it, having spilled in the impact.

Selva blinked.

A few meters away, Gurumoorthy was coming towards him.

His one hand still tugging at his eye uncomfortably.