Occult

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Sulabha was discharged the following day. Satish had come to drive her home, much to the chargin of Vinay.

'Satish, why are you troubling yourself? We all are here.' Vinay had tried to sound polite.

'OK. I won't come if you don't want to treat me with a cup of tea. I won't come.' Satish said mocking anger.

'Nothing like that. Satish you are a family. Come along.' Sulabha said. Vinay wondered since when Satish had become a family. Couple of days ago he didn't even know that Satish existed and today suddenly he was a family. Yet, considering Sulabha's condition, he decided not to stretch the matter any further.

Once home, Sulabha first went to her kitchen garden. She gently touched every leaf, observed every flower. Her face blossomed on seeing the flower on the pumpkin tree had turned into a fruit.

'Di you need rest. Why are you straining yourself?' Nisha asked.

'Na re Nishu, every pore of my body relaxes when I am here. Bring me a chair, I would like to sit here for some time.'

'Ok but you will not sit here for more than ten minutes. You will retire to your room immediately thereafter.'

'What Dr. Nisha is saying is right. Sulabha you need ample rest. This is garden is not going anywhere. Take rest and work in your garden with new vigour.'

'Thank you Satish.' Sulabha said.

After ten minutes Nisha made Sulabha eat some gruel, gave her medicines and almost forcibly took her inside her room. Satish left after some time. He said he would come the following day to keep a check on Sulabha's health. Satish took his car reverse and then turned it to the left. Within those fraction of seconds Vinay spotted something.

'She was in the car.' Vinay said.

'Who?' Nisha asked.

'The mystery woman.'

'But... I didn't see her. Satish drove past us.'

'Yes, she wasn't there at that time. But the moment he took a reverse turn and then revved the engine, she was there sitting next to him. All this is connected Nisha, but … I don't know how.'

'Vinay, don't strain yourself. Di has just got out of the hospital. I can't tackle two patients at a time. So please get into the house and relax.'

Vinay agreed. The last few days were very tiring for him. He went to the bedroom, but thought that his arrival might disturb Sulabha from his sleep. So he walked towards the guest room and slept there. He got up somewhere around four with sleep still hanging on his eyes. He sauntered in the hallway, when he saw a woman dressed in orange robes sitting cross legged in the drawing room. There was a thick candle burning in front of her and she was chanting something which Vinay couldn't comprehend. Vinay have had enough of it. Today, he was no longer afraid of the woman. He wanted to confront the woman even if it would cost him his life.

Clutching the railing and holding his breath, Vinay slowly climbed down the stair case. His heart thumping so rigourously that for a moment he thought it would jump out of his chest. His mouth went dry and his lips parched. He ran tongue across his dry lips as sweat drenched from his neck up to his back. As he landed the last step, he chanted a small prayer. His breath had turned shallower. Slowly he dragged his feet towards the woman.

The candle flickered with every chant the woman mouthed. Her voice coarse and harsh. Her body swayed rhythmically with the chant. The occult practice which she had undertaken was soon to yield results. The ancient texts held great secrets. If properly deciphered, they could bring the universe under your control. This was the case of merely taming a ghost. Once, the ghost was under her control, she would bound it under a spell and then it would be her loyal servant. She would command and he would obey.

The very thought of being the master and having the ghost at her disposal excited her. A strange tinge of ecstasy coursed through her spine, and in that joyful state, she missed a word in the chant and it made all the difference. The secret practice which she had undertaken for the past twenty-nine days was to yield results today. But a single mistake on her part and everything was gone. Now she had to wait for the next no moon day to start the practice anew. She was agitated. She left across her hair loose and let out a loud cry as she kneeled on the floor and cried. The sight was terrifying. Vinay quickly couched behind the pillar and watched her activities clandestinely. 
To be continued...
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