After Life: Embracing the Depth of Darkness

Better leave before she breaks your nose

Soon, a black Scorpio pulled up in front of us, and Dev was already in the driver's seat. We circled the car, and I opened the back door. As KK and I stood there, contemplating who should take the front seat, Dev posed the question, "Is anyone coming to the front?" 

I glanced at KK, and he made his way to the front seat. With that settled, I settled into the back seat, and Dev started the engine, driving us towards the village. I began to feel hungry and couldn't resist expressing my craving. 

"Can we make a stop at a nearby hotel? I'm getting hungry," I suggested. 

 Dev acknowledged my request, saying, "Sure, we're almost near the village. We'll grab a meal once we arrive." Eventually, Dev pulled over at a hotel, and we got out of the car. As we stood outside the hotel, a sense of familiarity washed over me. 

"Are we in Thirukanji? It seems familiar. I think I've been here before," I remarked. 

 KK, curious about my statement, asked, "Thirukanji? Have you visited this place before?" I nodded in response, sharing my past experiences. 

"Yes, I used to come here every year with my father to offer tithi," I explained. 

Without further delay, Dev suggested, "Let's go inside and grab something to eat." 

We entered the hotel, ready to satisfy our hunger. There were only six dining sets available at the restaurant. After washing our hands, we took our seats. We chose the last set on the left side. I sat facing Dev, with KK beside me. On the adjacent table to our right, a family was already seated. A little girl, around three or four years old, sat beside her mother, while a man faced the other direction, making it difficult for me to see his face clearly. The mother wore a saree, and the little girl looked adorable in her pink dress. The husband donned an off-white polo shirt paired with black pants. We ordered a regular meal for ourselves, and Dev also ordered his own. He wasted no time and began to eat.

 Curious, I asked him, "Are you able to eat?"

 He nodded and replied, "Yes, I'm hungry too." 

"But you don't have the same bodily needs," I insisted. 

 Dev interrupted me, signaling for me to stop. "While I'm in this world, I function like a regular human. My body operates in a similar way to yours," he explained.

 Curious, I pushed further, asking, "What if I were to stab you? Would you bleed?" He let out a sigh, declining to answer my question. Instead, he focused on finishing his meal without any further discussion. The server came by, offering us rice with sambhar, curry, rasam, lentil side dish, vegetable side dish, and pickles.

 The food was delicious, and I quickly finished my plate. Afterward, I washed my hands, feeling satisfied with the meal. Three men entered the hotel and began looking around. One wore a red shirt, another a green shirt, and the third man wore a white shirt with a lungi (a traditional garment). They appeared to be agitated or out of the ordinary. Their attention was directed towards the family seated nearby. The woman seemed anxious, and her daughter was visibly frightened. 

Unfortunately, I couldn't see the husband's face clearly. Suddenly, one of the men raised his voice and exclaimed, "When will you give us the money?" 

The little girl started to cry in distress. Without saying a word, Dev promptly stood up and excused himself, heading towards the washroom. 

 The woman's husband responded, "We already told you that we will pay you once we receive our share."

 Another man, dressed in a blue shirt, angrily retorted, "How long do you think you can keep lying to us? Do you take us for fools?" 

 Dev returned from the washroom and calmly resumed his seat. "If you persist in causing a disturbance, I will be forced to involve the authorities," the woman's husband warned sternly.