(Book 4) Hayden Mackay and The Fest of Vrindahina

22.1 Gate 7- Neither Hide nor Hair

"Eww, not again!"

"It's the last dose, I promise!"

"Nazira, I swear I'll sleep in my next challenge tomorrow."

"I don't mind!"

"HEY, WE WILL BE FOREVER STUCK IN THIS WORLD!"

"How can you expect to win if you are not healthy enough to go for it?"

"I am off to bed, I am sleepy already."

"If you go without taking medicine, I will sit here and cry."

"Damn you Paramarashtrians, always drive a hard bargain."

"Yes, that is so us. Now think of this as Uilani and...what did you say that day? Yeah, bottom's up!"

And I shook my head in defeat.

Nazira wasn't just a sweet, innocent girl with a pretty face, but she was quite adamant about what she wanted and a stickler for the rules. That stupid paper with medical instructions included that I was supposed to take the horrid medicine at the certain time of the day. Nazira seemed to have read it by heart and was unfailingly ready with it a minute before I'd finish eating.

The bitter taste of the medicine was making me go nuts, at times it gave me urges to slit and throw my tongue away. However, its effects aftermath was actually coming in favour. Taking sound naps in the middle of every meal, helped me let my mind off the flavour lingering in my mouth for so long hours.

We have been living in this realm of Meena for more than a day. Nazira did go out quite a few times, but my pathetic condition wasn't allowing me to even stand for a few minutes, let alone to check out the environment. Moreover, just like the days after I had dealt with Vrischika, venom was slowly coming out of my body in the form of sweat. But today it felt slightly different. I was sweating profoundly, way worse than the last time. And according to Nazira, it was because of the change in the weather.

She kept praising too highly about the realm, her expressions and her voice reminding me of a two-year-old. Only if I could just keep both my eyes opened and have a normal functioning mind, I would have, by now, enjoyed the realm as much as her. Whenever I woke up from my deep slumber, I always found her sitting outside the hut with papers and paintbrushes in her hands. I knew she was bound to paint the whole realm before we moved on to the next one, and when I intended to check the realm at least on the paper, my droopy eyes perceived nothing but a few colourful dots.

Keeping everything else aside, there was something about Nazira worth noticing- a slight change in her behaviour. I was expecting her to complain about the challenges like always, but surprisingly she never once talked to me about it except occasionally asking me if I felt restored. Probably she has decided it was best to stay within limits after our impromptu quarrel at the realm of Kumbh. And for some reasons, I was immensely glad about it, not that she set her boundaries, but she was more outspoken now in a cheerful way. The way she was talking to me, I wondered when was the last time I missed my friends.

It could be Nazira's strict regime that I was back to being energetic right on the day of my challenge. I unintentionally woke up early in the morning to finally get out of the hut for a while. Rushing out of the bedroom, I felt contented finding Nazira already awaken, finishing her painting up. Perfect, I thought. This morning walk through realm was now going to get more beautiful.

Nazira stretched out her hand to touch the silky petals of the blossomed flowers- Dahlia, perhaps, not even she would know. They were in different colours-red, pink, white and blue, spread all over the knee length plants with dark green leaves. The grass beneath our feet was soft and dewy, and extremely short as if they were recently mowed. I turned to check on every direction. It took me no time to fathom that this whole realm was actually an exotic flower plantation.