There's a stranger living inside you.

****

The house of Aadi Babu was plunged into a mournful silence after the revelation. It took intense coercion and effort to make Aadi Babu consume some meagre amount, for the old man was adamant on giving up on life. It was Maya who promised him justice, and it was her convincing words that kept him alive. Despite being reluctant to leave him alone, Maya headed towards the slums straight after breakfast.

Her heart was still pumping furiously and her eyes burnt. She wanted to claw at Hrishav's skin and curse him for a hundred births. Her ears reddened and she squirmed at the thought of Hrishav being a crush. It was a sin that she committed unknowingly. And now, she had to repent.

"I am walking the same path as Catherine, at least until now."

What will happen next? I am not here to take a chance at his redemption. I am here to kill.

That was Catherine's last wish, and I will honour it.

She had made a call to her boss this morning and informed him that she would return within a week. Now, there was only one more task. On the way to the slums, she stopped by the post office. There were only a few workers there. She reached for her pockets and pulled out a letter, skimming through the contents one last time.

"To Maa and Baba

Hope you all are in the pink of health. I miss Calcutta a lot– say what you like, despite being busy and loud, it's the sound of my heart. I look forward to returning...

My stay in Devipuram is coming to an end. Wish me luck for the new venture. Bless me so that I succeed. Your daughter shall ace this deed in Devipuram.

Love,
Sona."

She wondered if her mother would sniff the underlying fear of the words. She had written as much as secrecy would allow and not deter from the path of honesty.

"I just hope this won't be the last letter..."

She yearned to hear her parents' voices, but she didn't have the guts to call them. She doubted she would break down and tell them everything. Writing a letter was better. She posted it and prayed to Kalika.

"If someone can save us all now, it's you, Mother. I will give it my all and you stay with me."

Please, stay with me? I don't want to die... I want him to die.

Now, it was destination Sahiba.

****

The slums looked a bit overpopulated this time. She saw men coming and going, shooting her judgemental looks and some smirking her way. She paid no attention and kept a rigid demeanour. A sudden tap on her shoulder made her turn back.

"Again here for Sahiba?" she asked.

"No, I dare not. By the way, my master told me that you know about th-the, umm, affair."

"I do. But why are you here? To give letters?"

Rahul showed his empty palms. "See, I have nothing. I saw you so I called you."

"Do you have anything to say? Because we aren't on friendly terms for which you can call me anytime," she hissed.

"Yes," Rahul scratched his scanty beard. "That probably the affair is not going to last, unless my master is a stubborn fool like Shiva."

Maya narrowed her eyes. "Why do you say so?"

"Sahiba has been acting weirdly for many days. She speaks about knowing the murderer, something about two women and some nonsensical vessel." Rahul shrugged. "The prostitutes heard her spine-chilling laughter echoing in the middle of the night. She gets these sudden fits and acts so strangely! One would get afraid of her. She's definitely possessed! Sahiba believes that too, well, when she's sane in mind."

"You saw her in that state?"

"I did! She was saying something about my master which I didn't get. I was so shocked. At first I thought she was pulling a prank, but she has never been of that kind. So I ran away and told Master everything. He is sad to be honest, and very concerned. He says he will take her to a doctor."

Maya put the points together. Something very magical and otherworldly was happening in Devipuram.

"Sahiba is a lost case now. She will not get any customers and die, unless Lalita and the rest agree to care for her. Or if the Master is stupid enough to send money to a lunatic. Poor girl couldn't take the death of her mother."

"I shall refrain from commenting. Thank you for sharing this information. It's going to be of great help."

"No worries. Everybody here can smell you are up to catching the murderer. That's a useless thing but still, just go on."

"Such positive words."

"You know right what happened to Catherine?"

"Yes, and double that pain awaits Hri–" She bit her tongue. "Rapist, I mean. He will surely die."

Rahul flinched. He glared at Maya from under his bushy brows. "Men are more powerful, miss. You all are not Kalika that you will end the criminal."

"Who knows, Kalika might be hiding amongst us."

"Don't think of yourself as that."

"Definitely not."

Twisting her lips, she trudged towards the innermost dwellings of the slums. Manoeuvring through the turns and coils, she reached Sahiba's poor abode. The door was open, and before Maya entered, a panting Lalita hopped out. Her face was pallid and her eyes enlarged as if she had seen a ghost. She stopped abruptly upon seeing Maya.

"You are here to meet Sahiba?" Lalita asked in a whisper.

"Yes–"

"Don't. Don't go. She is not in her senses. She is speaking gibberish!"

"What gibberish?"

"Something about Matrika and all. Sahiba says she will come. She rocks to and fro like a haunting doll. I am not staying near her at all!"

Lalita ran like a woman chased by a tiger, slamming her door shut.

"And they think they aren't peculiar themselves? We all have some strangeness."

She shuffled her feet and sighed. Reaching near the doorstep of Sahiba's home she looked up, only to find the girl staring right into her soul. A cold quiver sliced her spirit into two halves of fear and awe. Sahiba's dilated eyes smiled at Maya.

"I knew you would come."

The hair on Maya's neck stood. "I had promised to hear your call."

"Yes. Won't you come in?"

"I don't have much time left, Sahiba. Or should I say we don't?"

Sahiba's face darkened like the rain clouds. Her gaze looked past Maya at the horizon. "Yes, very little time. A few hours at the most."

"Does he know that he is too a Vessel of Kalika?"

"Unfortunately, no. Had he known he should have understood the conclusion of his path. He just knows he is sacrificing the vessels to Raktabeej." Sahiba held onto the latch on the door so firmly that her knuckles turned white.

"What do you want me to do?"

"If he has called you, go to the temple. Take the people with you, but know that only you will be able to enter."

"Why?"

"You will understand. He is very powerful– he has gained the strengths of spirits and beings of other realms. It allows him to overpower his victims."

"Then how will I–"

"Don't worry. Just go there. Don't lose hope, don't lose courage. Fight with all that you have." Sahiba closed the distance between the two, taking Maya's hands in her small palms. "God is within you. You will not fall."

"Is he coming for you?"

Sahiba looked down, blinking a few times. Her brows curved at the corner. Maya watched sweat beads forming on her forehead. Sahiba's pupils darted helplessly across the spectrum. Stepping back from Maya, Sahiba closed her eyes and fell to the ground.

"Sahiba!"

Maya scooped her up and placed her on the bed. She looked around frantically and finally found a glass of water. She sprinkled it on the girl's face and shook her. "Wake up, wake up!"

The skin near Sahiba's eyes wrinkled and she scrunched her nose. With a gasp she awoke, parting her mouth wide to take in air. Her lost eyes roved around the house, and then rested on Maya.

"When di-did you come?"

"Just now."

Maya helped her sit and wrapped an arm around her. Sahiba clutched her head. "It thrums. I-I don't remember. I don't know what is happening."

"It will be alright."

Maya caressed her head. Sahiba swallowed, rubbing her throat with sweaty hands. "I am going mad. They will abandon me, burn me. The village will"–she choked on her words, drinking the tears that spilled–"they will kill me. They will think I am a witch."

"Do you know any cure for this?"

Sahiba wiped her tears, clinging close to Maya. "Lalita says that she has talked to Shekhar. He told me he will come to take me tonight. He says the head priest knows how to cure me."

Maya controlled her urge to break into hysteria. Time was following its own path and she could do nothing. Maybe she should not interfere too, and let things go as they wished.

She had to trust Kalika.

"I know something strange is happening to me. It began some days after Maa died. Lalita says that I speak about blood and murder..."

"And about two women, one who shall reveal her secret on time."

You, Sahiba. You.

"Who are they?"

"Now, perhaps, you need to listen to me, Sahiba."

"Wha-what?"

"Do not fight back the sensations that travel in your veins. Do not stop your madness from unleashing. Let it scream. It is not a disease, it is something else."

Maybe a blessing?

Sahiba whimpered. "Do you know what that is?"

Maya smiled. "Not yet. But tonight maybe I will. We will."

Maya put in her shoes and looked back at the crying girl. "Don't worry. Everything will be alright. Just trust Shiva. He will never let you die, not so soon."

Perhaps he was here too, unaware of his own divinity.

****

The fateful night had arrived, sans the moon and the stars. It was as dark as the skin of Kalika and as intimidating as her red eyes, the colour of hibiscus.

It was 7 o'clock. Anandi and Nathu had been going around the village collecting people. They were to march with torches, sticks and weapons of every kind, ranging from household knives to the beads of rudraksha.

Maya sat in her room. In Catherine's room, holding the letter she had left.

"I will come with you."

Maya craned her head. "Aadi Babu, you are sick. Don't come."

"I will not listen to you."

His sullen cheeks and pale lips reminded Maya of death. She was worried he wouldn't survive this.

"I will win, Uncle Aadi. I will win, trust me."

"Kill him, Maya," he ordered, his whole body shaking. "Don't let your heart fool you."

"I will. I will sanctify the temple with his blood."

She walked towards him. Holding his hand in hers, she lifted it to her eyes and then placed a kiss on them. "You have been a wonderful man. A father in every respect. I don't know if I will ever meet someone like you again."

"I am a failure Maya," he croaked.

"You aren't. Sometimes, we do love the wrong people. But love in itself isn't a sin. It just, sometimes, ends up being a lesson rather than liberation."

"A lesson for me, you and Catherine."

"And perhaps tonight, if all goes well, we will see the beginning of a new love story."

"A new love story?"

"Yes. Of a girl who doesn't know who she is, and of a man who loves in secret."

"And what part do you play in this?"

"That of Kamadeva."

Aadi Babu couldn't help the smile from lighting up his face. "You are making me hope, Maya. Are you sure that is your intention?"

"In all my consciousness, it is. You have once seen your hopes being set ablaze, but this time it will not happen."

"Alright. So let me come with you. I-I also have something." He produced a small revolver from his pocket. "I haven't used this in a while. I think it will come in handy today."

Maya patted his back. "You are the perfect Father! You know how to give me adrenaline before a test."

"And I only want full marks."

"Absolutely, a hundred upon hundred written in the blood of Hrishav."