Suramya

Chapter 5- The Town.

Kavi couldn't move.

His legs were stuck to the ground, his mouth was agape, and his eyes were fixed on the scenery in front of him. He had never seen such a beautiful place in his life.

Well, on that matter, none of the five had seen such a beautiful place in their life. It wasn't decorated with diamonds or rubies, it wasn't furnished with gold or silver, but it was still the most breathtaking view they'd ever witnessed.

It was almost like a town, but the people didn't seem to be bitchy. Everything was made up of either wood or mud and dried grass, the entire area was surrounded by huge trees, and there was a faint noise of water splashing– probably a waterfall. Because of the darkness, there were multiple lamps lit throughout the entire place, illuminating a yellow haze everywhere.

Inara took a deep breath, and it only made it better as the smell of different flowers, tea, petrichor, and many more things that they couldn't even differentiate, rushed through their senses.

The bunch had just entered the place. And they already wanted to stay there forever.

Evara wondered if it was black magic. Probably? Definitely. But whatever, she wasn't complaining. She'd stay there for as long as she could.

Samukta tore his eyes away from the place. He wasn't going to let the beauty hypnotise him. He was supposed to leave this place in a week. And he will.

Raina didn't really get mesmerised by anything. But there are firsts for everything right? Because she couldn't deny the fact and the place was indeed illuminating the light of heaven.

The old man noticed their reactions from the corner of his eyes and the corner of his mouth turned up ever so slightly. "You can stay here for as long as you want."

"And what's the charge?" Samukta raised his eyebrows. He was sure it would cost at least a lakh for a week.

The old man smiled at him, looking straight into Samukta's soul which kinda shook the ground under his feet faintly for a second. "Just help out the others in the gurukul and try not to cause trouble for them."

With that said, he turned around and vanished into the town.

The five of them stood there, looking at each other, wondering about... nothing. They stood there just exchanging awkward looks with each other.

Raina did not care for the others and walked into the place. Her first priority was to find something to eat because god help her, she hadn't had anything since the morning and she could kill for a good dinner.

"Are y'all just gonna stand there?" A voice came from a man standing in front of them. Well, he was more like leaning onto one of the trees at the entrance. He looked as if he was in his twenties, wearing a simple orange kurta, and chewing something in his mouth, looking questioningly at the four.

"Just so you know, what they say about those wild animals. It's true." He popped a grape into his mouth.

Samukta stopped dead in his tracks. I mean, it wasn't like he was walking but he froze anyway. "What wild animals?"

"There are many wild animals loose in the forest at night," Kavi explained.

"And those are some dangerous things, I assure you." Said the man nodding slowly as an intimidation.

But that did not provide even a hint of reassurance to Samukta. Wild animals? No, the hell not. He was out of here. And he did not waste another second before walking right through the entrance, into the little town.

"Can I get a chai in there?" Evara asked boredly to the man.

"At this hour?" He raised his eyebrows.

"Yes...?"