A walk in the clouds

Chapter eleven /scared

It was so dark
So very very dark
standing all alone
against a tree bark
I am so scared
I know not of what

I was at a cross section
of my life with regret
Then I met you
and I don't know how
You became my life
My reason to live
My reason to smile  awow

When I close my eyes
and take a deep breath
My every feeling
my every action albeit
Leads me to you my love
If scared I was
a moment ago
I look around for you
and am scared no more.

Your love gives me flight
The strength to flee
My fears become little
No more do I freeze

I come to you my angel
against all odds
I come to you cause
you are my beacon from God
I was a nothing
A half filled pitcher
Your love made
my soul so much richer

I love you
from my soul
For you complete me
Make me whole
You are my propensity
You are my love
I truly am your forever and ever,
beyond death and above

Seeing the elderly couple leave without a second look, made me almost loose all hope. I wanted to run after them,yelling, telling them to stop. I just felt like yelling on top of my voice. Ahhhhh........... stop please! Stop. I am scared, if only I could let myself cry release all the pent up emotions. I felt so lonely at that moment. I did not know what to do. The rock I was hiding behind was not very big. It only hid me because the dacoits were at a distance in the dark. In the day light I would be clearly visible. Feeling the belt of money and then my jewellery which I had kept in a cotton pouch tied to my waist. I straightened my blanket. I knew they would not leave me, once they become aware of my presence. They will take all I have and I couldn't chance that. There was no way I was going to let them take my mother's jewellery away from me.
Maybe I should move from here, what if the dacoits came this way they would catch me. I need to stay well hidden till I was sure that the dacoits had indeed left. Looking for a better hiding place I spotted another rock some distance away. Crawling slowly I dragged myself to the rock. The rock was set on the edge of a ditch. It was a small shallow ditch. I slowly lowered myself down. The rock was flat and underneath it there was a tiny space, just enough for me to crawl into and hide. Hoping it would be enough, I looked up to check on the dacoits.
The dacoits were still standing there on the road. They were chatting between themselves in a low tone. Obviously they weren't too happy with the loot. They had hoped for a much richer reward. The small amount of money would not go very far. One of them wanted to wait for another passerby, while another wanted to go home. They were arguing amongst themselves. Finally they decided to wait for a while more.
I was hoping they would leave, but when they started moving towards my side of the road, I did not know what to do. Sure they would find me now. I moved back in a hurry, forgetting the slope of the ditch in the process. My foot which was already tender from the fall of the day before twisted on the uneven floor. The shooting pain almost undid me. I let out a yelp instinctively. Not able to bear the pain.
"Whose there?" Immediately the dacoits were on alert.
"I heard a voice, I think it was a female voice."
Another said
"I think it came from this side, let's look." I could hear a third voice.

Turning around I did not even give myself time to think, I just crawled back under the rock, dragging my injured foot along. My foot was hurting with an intensity now. But I had no time to see to it. I curled up in the small niche, holding my injured foot tightly to relieve some of the pain.
I could now hear foot steps rustling near me. One of the dacoits was standing on the rock, now. Praying that the rock did not give way, I made myself as small as possible. Tears were running down my cheeks freely. I was terrified, what was I suppose to do now. I had never envisioned all this happening to me when I had planned my escape, I was so petrified, I was shivering. Taking a corner of my dupatta I covered my mouth trying to muffle any sound that could come out of my mouth. The dacoits were so near that they would hear me for sure and this time I would have no time or place to seek shelter.
"Look around properly. I am sure it was a female voice, I heard. Someone saw us robbing the elderly couple. We have to catch her."
It was the leader of the group.
"It is too dark, where could she have gone. "
"Are you sure it was a female voice?"
"Yes!! You idiot. I am sure."
The leader was talking with one of the other dacoits.
Then the leader spoke" you Gajju, go to the right and look, you Ramu look to the left. Shera and I will go straight ahead."
"But sardar how will we look in the dark, let us wait for daylight, it should be bright in an hours time and who ever was there will not get far in this darkness. "
"Huh!! Shera is right. We cannot light mashaals, and we definitely cannot see anything as of now. Fine let us set up camp here. Shera you take the first watch."
"Yes ! Sardar".
So saying the leader moved away. They were obviously near where I was hiding because I could hear their movements. The wait was killing. Time was loosing it meaning, for I did not know how long I had bee there in that corner. What time it was. I just knew this was not what Daimaa and I had planned. I was missing her so much. If Abhi and I were together then it would not have been so bad. But all alone I felt myself weakening. Curled up in the small space in the dark, my body was starting to cramp from lying down in one position for so long. At least my foot had stoped paining. It must have been just a light twist but at that time it had really hurt. Trying to test my foot I moved it a little, it hurt but not that much. Lying there, I had come face to face with real fear, how it felt. But thinking of the last night with Abhi gave me strength, yes!! I was strong and I would fight for my love. Nothing was easy in life and who should know this better than me. I had gotten through all this tough times and now with Abhi's love there with me I will get through this.
Soon I could see the sky brightening. The sun would rise shortly and then...... visibility was poor still. I was safe for but a short while more. I was racking my brains trying to think of a way to escape. How..... this was a ditch and to go any where I had to first get out of Thi ditch. And with the dacoits waiting just steps away I will have no way of camouflaging myself, so that I could get away to a safe distance.  The waiting, it was killing me, not being able to come out and see what they were doing. No! I could not risk them discovering me. I had no knowledge where the night watch was sitting. He could be sitting here facing the rock, for all I knew. Oh!!! It was futile,.... since the dacoits were so near to where I was hiding. One of them could be on watch. I could not hope to get very far with an injured foot. They would catch me for sure.
I heard one of the men stirring awake. How long.... how long did I have.
"Sardar! Gajju!! Ramu!! wake up. It is time, the sun is rising. We need to find that woman."

I could clearly hear the men shuffling about. Then someone came and stood on top of the rock. Hoping he would move away, I kept as still as I could.
"It is all flat land, Sardar. There is nothing here. There is no place to hide here. We would have heard something again at night. Women are dumb! Fear rules them. She would have run away or made some movements."
Hoping the others would listen to him, I was afraid to take a breath even, in case they heard me.
"Sardar we need to go. Look!!! .... there....... in the distance. Riders!! It could be the guards from the palace."
"Yes!! They are coming this way. We don't have time. Run!! Run!! Get away !! Don't get caught!!!"
I could heard hooves of the running hoses even here and the dacoits scuffing away. There were even gun shots. Multiple!!
As suddenly as they had come in the dark of the night they left in the light of the day. I waited for a few moments to make sure that they had indeed left. Then slowly crawling out I looked around. The light was low but everything was crystal clear. I peeked over the rock to see what was happening. I could see the dacoits had crossed over to the other side of the road and were running at full speed across the desert. The guards coming in from the left, from the direction of Ujjangarh, had spotted them and were in pursuit. The dacoits were making for the trees in the near distance. After a short chase the guards suddenly gave up and turned back to the come onto the road. On reaching the road they turned right. Obviously they were more interested in finding me than in catching some lowly dacoits. The dacoits did not stop or turned to look back in case their luck run out.

I waited for a while, wanting to be sure that they had indeed left, and they were definitely not coming back. When I felt safe enough I slowly got up. I could feel my head pounding from all the stress of the previous night. Stretching my legs and hands I straightened my clothes. Taking the end of my veil I wiped my face and hands. It didn't help much except make me feel a little better.  Then turning to wards the road, I started moving making for the road.I took small steps to check my foot. It seemed to be holding up. Walking gingerly over the rough terrain I reached the road, climbing up I carefully, I turned right and started walking in the direction of Rajsamand, the road to my freedom. I would get to my destination come what may!!!!!

Adira must have been walking for about an hour or so, when the tinkling of bell stopped her. Looking about she could see nothing. Then !! There!! She heard it again. She was sure there were cattle somewhere nearby. Without stopping , she still kept looking about. Sure enough,  there off the road, to one side, under the shade of a tree. There was a cart, with one cattle already hooked on while the other was in the process of being hooked on. Moving carefully so as to not startle anyone who was there, she got off the road and slowly walked to hide behind a bush. Meagre in size but proving adequate coverage, she looked from the side to see who was there. After all the incidences of the previous night she did not want to take a chance. She no more knew whom to trust. She would not approach the cart till she was sure it was safe.
"Hurry up!! Old woman. We need to go and find the poor girl. She could be anywhere. She is our responsibility."
Well!! Then why did you leave her there! You old fart. "
Hearing the familiar bickering she got up in relief. It was kakasa  and Radha kakisa. Sensing my presence Lali came out from behind the cart wagging her tail she barked in greeting. Coming up to me she waited for me to pat her head.
"Adira!!!"
The old man let out in surprise.
""It really is you!!"
Utterly surprised now. Thanking God Mahadev, the supreme one for this great blessing. She was his responsibility till he handed her over to the right person. What would he have answered to her Daimaa.
He would have been shamed for his remaining life.
"Adira my dear child!! Thank Mahadev. You are safe.!! I was so worried. We did not know what to do.... how to let you know that ......."
Rambling on the elderly woman engulfed the waif into her ample bosom.
Relieved that the kind couple had only wanted to save her. She hugged the woman back.
"I am fine, Kakasa, Kakisa. As you can see. Just badly in need of a bath and change of clothes. " she replied bravely.
"We did not want the dacoits to know about your presence there. They would have despoiled you or worse. The only way we could protect you was by not letting them know you were there and for that we had to leave you there. I am sorry child!! You must have thought the worst. But...."
He was looking so ashamed. The kind man had meant well and actually his act had given her time to save herself. She had a lot to be thankful for.
"I can never thank you enough Kakasa. I am here safe because of you. Thank you. Please don't feel bad. You did the right thing."

"Come child, we need to hurry. The guards were here some time back. They could return. We need to make haste. Radha will give you some water to freshen up and something to eat. In the meantime I shall get the the cart ready to leave. There is a short path just a little ahead which will take us out of the way of the guards.

Sardar- leader / a form of address your group leader.