The Curse Of The Goddess

  Chapter 8: The Promise

  Nil got perturbed as he remembered his promise to goddess Kali in his dream that he would not get mixed up with this divine girl. But it would not be an easy task. Behavior of Doma so far indicated that she had lost all patience and her desire for Nil had been intensifying day by day. Apparently his wise talks on the need of abstinence was convincing to Doma but Nil knew well that all his theoretical convictions would be swept away if the tornado of repressed passions broke through the barriers of taboos.

  This was true for both Nil and Doma. Both were repressing their innate desires for each other. He apprehended their proximity would soon shatter all their vows and this meant spoiling the mission. She had been strongly drawn to him from the very moment of rescuing him from the snow storm. Nil too had felt uncontrollable desire for her even before he had seen her. Now he felt honestly that contrary to all his wistful tall talks to Doma he at heart desired her strongly and his desire was intensifying day by day by Doma's insinuating behavior. The repressed passion was simmering within and at any weak moment it may shatter all his resistance.

  They could however, restrain themselves with strong will power till completion of the mission, but thereafter he would have to keep his promise to Doma. She restrained herself now being assured by the promise and it would be disastrous for her if he went back on the promise after completion of the mission. Nil’s head got jumbled and he could not think any more over the tricky matter. They returned to the caves at midnight and he was relieved to find her hilarious. All the way back, she had no longer made any insinuating gestures and looked like a sacred goddess. The promise must have done it. Nil decided to concentrate on the immediate task alone and not to dwell any more upon the promise till completion of the mission.

  On the second day, they started at the same time as the day before and now they cut out the track in the leftward direction to keep at the center of the spot right beneath the plateau. Doma was completely different now, jolly and in a dancing mood. It was the effect of the promise, Nil thought and this made him guilt conscious thinking of the uncertain future of the promise. In this part the tops of the trees were closer permitting lesser moon light and the semi dark ambience appeared spooky. The atmosphere reverberated with monotonous sharp noise made by the crickets. It appeared as though some one was relentlessly ringing a temple bell. Nil was possessed with an eerie sensation of invisible eyes keeping constant watch on them. Rodents scurried off and insects and nocturnal birds fluttered away as they started cutting off the bushes mercilessly.

  Suddenly Nil noticed some leeches on the bare arm of Doma. He immediately brushed them off by the salted cotton on his stick. Blood was oozing out of the place of attack. Doma started giggling and collecting an herb from the bushes she administered the paste of the leaves on the injury and bleeding stopped immediately. ‘Oh, they had been feeding on my blood for such a long time and I could not feel it.’ She said and once again burst out giggling. Nil explained to her that the leeches pour out an anesthetic before attacking the body of an animal and because of the numbness caused by the liquid the victim cannot feel the attack.

  After some time they discovered a water course. The bottom was about ten feet wide and free from bushes and shrubs. It was dry now and could be used as a track. They followed the course of the channel which had gone upwards in the leftward direction first and then taken a circular turn to the right. At last it ended up in a large pit. This was much helpful for them as they could finish their targeted task earlier. While resting at the last point of their path Doma started humming a joyous song, the language of which was alien to Nil, but the tune was charming. It was perfectly in harmony with the murmur of the leaves of the trees above. At Nil’s request she raised her voice and the ambience was saturated with the melody. Thereafter they gossiped for some time and on the way back Nil inadvertently stepped on a boulder inside the water course and got a bruise at his left ankle. It was not very serious but Nil had a limp during the rest of the return. Returning to the caves, Doma rubbed his ankle with herbal oil and asked him to take rest the next day. But next morning there was no trace of the sprain and Nil decided to continue work as he was perfectly fit.