Mr. Caterpillar

.4.

"Can you see the car?" Shruti asked, craning her head to get a better view of the car beyond the gate.

"No," Niti said.

"She is gone," Vicky said and looked around the enormous lawn. "Something seems different..."

A thick mist had now settled over the ground. The air had gone dry and cold.

Niti followed his gaze. "What?"

He shook his head. "Nothing. Let's go back."

They went across the lawn and through the foyer. Soon they were in the drawing room. Shruti slumped herself on the sofa and started fiddling with her cellphone. Niti walked over to the pedestal on which the samurai sword stood while Vicky went back to his business of gazing at Renaissance paintings.

"What the..." Shruti gasped and jumped out of the sofa.

Niti and Vicky both turned on their heels. "What?" they said in chorus.

"I'm not getting any network here," Shruti said, brandishing her phone.

They sighed. Niti pulled out her cellphone and gazed at it. Shruti was right.

"It's funny," Vicky said, "we are in the most developed area of city and yet we are not getting any network."

"Why don't you go outside and give it a try?" Niti told Shruti.

"Right," Shruti said feverishly and stomped toward the foyer.

They followed her onto the front lawn and fruitlessly raised their cellphones.

"I can't believe it," Shruti said, shaking her head. "Maybe we should go outside..." she muttered and started for the huge electronic gate.

She is going have one her tantrums, Niti thought nervously, hurrying after her.

Shruti went over to the gate and pushed the red button, just like the woman had done. She cocked her ears to listen the chugging of the engine and then rattling of wheels. But nothing happened. The gate didn't budge. She pressed the button again. Nothing. She started punching the button.

"Whoa, whoa," Vicky said, hurrying toward her. "Relax. Relax." He pulled her away from the button. She gazed at him and burst into helpless tears.

"She locked us in," Shruti sobbed, "that bitch locked us in."

He gave her a chaste embrace. "It's nothing to worry about. She must have done it to prevent us from stealing." He cast nervous looks at Niti, who was staring at the gate.

"I'm okay," Shruti said, tearing herself away from him. She pulled out a cigarette and pushed it between her trembling lips. Gazing darkly at the mansion, she dipped into her denim pocket and drew out her lighter. It took her some time to lit her cigarette because of her shaking hands. She took a drag, closed her eyes and again burst into fresh tears.

"We must take her in," Niti said.

Vicky nodded, placed his hand around Shruti's shoulder and helped her back into the drawing room.

Niti went into the kitchen and found a water bottle inside a drawer. She took it back to Shruti.

"Easy," Vicky told Shruti, pushing the top of the bottle to her lips. Shruti drank in small gulps. They lay her on the sofa.

Niti herself was filling parched. She unscrewed the top and was about to drink when the alarm went off.

"That must be him," Vicky said, looking up at the second-floor landing.

"You take care of her," Shruti said, "I'll go and see what he needs."

Holding the bottle in her left hand, Niti made her way to Mr. Mathews's room. The corridor looked more sinister now. Maybe because this time, she was alone. She started moving to the last room, her sneakers thudding dully on the carpeted floor. The whole time she felt that the little girl with long hair would jump before her. She thought about going back and asking Vicky to come along with her. But then she realized that it would make her look coward. She reached the end of the corridor safely. When she passed the locked door, she heard some kind of noises. She stopped and cocked her ears.

Footfalls. She heard footfalls.

There are people inside this room, Niti thought, taking a step back from the door. But that was ridiculous. She decided to go back and tell that to others right away. Then she remembered that Mr. Mathews wanted something and decided to first go and see what he wanted.

She pushed the door open and found Mr. Mathews looking up at the ceiling with a dreamy gaze.

"Sir," Niti said, not going near to his bed, "you... want something?"

"Yes," he said, not looking at her, "I want to see my little friends."

Friends, Niti thought. Then it came to her that he was talking about caterpillars.

"Okay, sir," she said.

"And after that I want you to sit by my bed and tell me about yourself," the man said and look at her, his eyes growing wide, "I hate water!" he barked. "Keep that thing away from me."

Niti hastily moved the bottle behind her back. "I'm very sorry, sir."

"It's okay," he said, calming down a bit, "Go and fetch my friends. You can tell me your story later."

Niti complied at once.