Dusky Moonlight

Chapter- 15(1)

Everyone was walking in that crooked path to reach the temple. Today, it's the full moon day that everyone was afraid to meet.

The bright moonlight cleared the darkness surrounding them. Rathi carrying the oil lamp in her hand followed Aadhiyan's footsteps. No one's face is happy nor sad, no one uttered a word, and all their faces were grim and grief-stricken.

Today she's going to see her great grandfather's death in front of her eyes. Even if she doesn't want to she is pushed to stand in this situation.

Birth and death keep a balance in this world. In order to maintain that, Aadhiyan's ancestors follow this rule of premature burial. They will end their long life in their hundredth year. More than maintaining the balance they have a selfish intention too. Living a long life isn't easy in this Island, they can't get out of this place as easy as it sounds. It will bring you to the edge of deception that this place is a paradise when it's actually an evil's dwelling and loneliness is a big monster that will eat your brain. Dying peacefully is better that becoming insane by living alone. So this death brings them freedom and escape.

Their great granddad is walking silently before them dragging a black goat in his hand. He's going to sacrifice this lamb for their ancestors before buried alive and becoming one with them.

As they enter the temple, Rathi saw something strange standing before them. It's that dog she saw on the other day. But no one seems to feel its presence, then eventually she turns to see Aadhiyan and he too looks at it intently. As she guessed he could see it. But when she turns to take a look at it properly, it's gone from there.

She gulped the shock and Aadhiyan turned to see her.

Did you saw the figure? She thought looking at his eyes.

Yes, I told you right, it's the guardian of this place. His voice replied in her head. Rathi shuddered to hear that.

Rathi was slowly adapting to who he is. She sometimes converses with him like this and when he replies this way she will get goosebumps and shivers on her skin.

At starting his power made her vulnerable and his voice kept echoing on her head but now she can easily come out.

Aadhiyan told that he can hear people's thought but no one ever heard his voice and Rathi was the first one to hear it.

She wondered how this could be possible, but she failed to understand that it's her gift from the demon. Aadhiyan cynically hides the truth because -now she could only hear what he wants to say and she can get all her remarkable powers when she experiences the same pain that Aadhiyan did on this temple.

Every day he's afraid whether she will get it after giving birth. If she does then he will be caught, she will know everything about him and what he wants to do with her. Then there's no other way than letting the demon to kill her in his own hands and he will be watching it standing beside the evil. That's something he can't even imagine but if that circumstance comes he will be helpless and can't do anything.

Their great grandad opened the door of the temple. The place is dark. Aadhiyan using his power made all the lamps glow brighter inside. Rathi's heart throbbed in fear and anxiousness.

Her great grandfather walked to the King's statue and stood near the fire pit. He prayed, closing his eyes.

Das handed an intangible in his hand and he bought it murmuring something.

Rathi held Aadhiyan arms as she's too afraid to watch it. The final cry of the goat made her uncomfortable and reminded how they sacrificed that small infant in her dream.