The Unventured Passions

The Human Religion

The woodland floor was a million hues of brown, more than Bondita's eyes could detect, yet they were there. The differences were magnified by the moisture, variation on variation. Mingled in were some stones, adding their greys to the mosaic beneath her feet. The trees were khaki over the bark, kissed with moss; on their shaded sides grows lichen as if thrown there like powdered paint, so softly green as to be close to white.

Bondita let her tired eyes rest on the trees, their bark scarred by forest animals seeking insects. Each of them was soft brown, their injuries mahogany and deep even where the light reached them. Periodically there was a raised ring under the bark going right around the girth, regular and chaotic all at once.
Bondita tried to focus her mind on her natural surroundings, trying to distract herself, her throat dry and she swallowed hard.

"No water anywhere Bondita." Satyakirth had come and was standing infront, bent down forward, holding his knees for support, panting hard.
"I... I looked around... Just two huts, and nothing nearby."

It's been almost twelve hours that they had walked, relentlessly, hiding and running, without water... And, as they finally reached to the camoflaging safety of this unknown woodland, they finally rested, but only for a while, as Satya had gone out in search of a shelter, or atleast some water.

"Two huts you said?" Bondita strained her eyes to look up.
"Let's go and ask for some water there."

The walk wasn't long, but was different, as the two breathless souls held each other's hands firmly for support and staggered forward.
They had money, all of it, but there wasn't anything to be bought, and the basket of vegetables that Bondita had so generously bought from Ghontu's mother was left inside the police vehicle.

Even as the sunset was only a whisper to the stars, the straw roof of the hut glowed golden at the tips. Bondita and Satyakirth stood infront, and hesitating for a moment, she knocked. Once as first, and then two in a row.

"Who?" Came a voice, a trembling fearful female voice, and Bondita sighed softly at the possibility of some positivity.

"We are travellers, weary travellers. We seek some water, and refuge if that's alright." Her words were a request, yet confident, and Satya stood beside her, alert.

"Name?" The voice asked again.

"Bondita."

"Bondita what?" The voice hissed this time, and Bondita felt an eye staring back at her from the crack on the wall.

"Bondita Debi." She replied back, careful enough not to reveal any of her actual identify, lest it gets them into any complications.

The door opened a little, and a pair of sharp enraged eyes emerged from the dark.

"How dare you come here? That too begging for water?"
The woman hissed and spat, and Bondita narrowed her eyes in confusion.

"I... I... Don't understand Didi... Is there anything wrong?"
Bondita murmured, and the woman widened the door a little and came out only a little, revealing the large thick broomstick held in her hand.

"You vile Hindus!" The woman spat again.
"Have you no shame?"

Bondita frowned at once and stepped back, and the woman continued to spit fire.

"How dare you come at my doorstep. My husband will cut you into pieces if he comes here..." She glared at Bondita, as her eyes fell on Satyakirth.
"Go... Go from here... Go at once."
She walked back inside and was about to slam the door, as Satya quickly inched forward and held it open.

"Apa... Which village is this?" He asked politely, and the woman gasped in terror at this sudden display of his subtle strength, forcing the door open.