A year had passed since Vishnu had left Prayikkal village. Malathi got a job in the Public Works Department (PWD) and was posted in Idukki high range (Western Ghats) where she was supposed to supervise the building of a new road. Staying in the PWD guest house on a mountain was a new experience for her. Though she felt lonely in the guest house, the surroundings were beautiful. Large stretches of granite mountains and lush forests were all around her. Thin roads winded around rich mountains and there was a settlement uphill to the guest house near which the road was being built. One day, Lalu, the PWD driver, was dropping her at the guest house. On the porch was another jeep and leaning against it smoking a cigarette was; Vishnu. He hadn't even bothered to see who had come and was too lost in his thoughts. His appearance there was surprising and she had to pacify her thudding heart and then approach him.

"Vishnuetta, what are you doing here?" she asked him.

Hearing his name he turned around and was baffled to see Malathi. She was standing in front of him, wearing a beautiful saree, a handbag slung over her shoulder and a few files in her hand. She looked pretty and was taller than he could remember, her cheeks and bosom had filled out and she had the curves that he had to stop himself from admiring.

"Malathi, what are you doing here?" he asked.

"I work in the PWD now, there is road construction going on nearby. But why are you here?", she asked.

"I decided to take a break before resigning from the board. I wanted to roam around in the mountains here for a few days. Sorry, I smoke. I hope it is not bothering you", he said.

"I know you smoke, I have seen cigarette butts in your kitchen when I went there once. But why are you resigning" she asked.

"My family wants me to join the business", he replied.

"Come, let's go inside and talk, the caretaker Shivanandan chettan must have made tea", she said.

"Lead the way", he said stomping the cigarette out. He took the opportunity of walking behind her to admire her figure until Aniruddhan came around. He was looking at Vishnu with a curious though naughty expression, and that was when Vishnu realized how perverted his own behaviour was.

"You remember Aniruddhan chettan?" asked Vishnu.

"I only met him once, but I do remember", she said pleasantly.

"Oh you are the one who saved Vishnukunju", said Aniruddhan and he gave a warning look to Vishnu to not be disrespectful.

While they were having tea, they talked about her job and how everyone was at home. Kartikeyan had come to live with Appukuttan and Thanka since she got the job. He was going to her school and was doing well in his class. After talking Vishnu went to the room assigned to him, it was on the opposite side of the dining room from hers. He came out with a rifle.

"I am going hunting," he said to her.

"But isn't it dangerous to go into the forest at night?" she asked.

"I am used to it", he said and he and Aniruddhan left in the jeep. Malathi went to her room and had a shower and settled down to read. Close to dinner time, they came back with some wild rabbits. She could hear them working loudly in the kitchen with Shivanandan to prepare the rabbits and they were drinking alcohol. When they finished preparing, they made a bonfire in the front yard where they roasted the rabbits. She quietly had her dinner and went to her room as she did not want to ruin their vibe, but Vishnu's mind was with the girl who was in the room and he could not wait to see her again.

****

The shot rang like an explosion in the concrete building, Malathi jumped out of her bed wrapped in a shawl and ran out of the room. It was close to midnight, but Aniruddhan and Sivanandan were standing outside Vishnu's room.

"What happened?" asked Malathi in shock.

"Vishnukunju is upset and kind of drunk, and he sometimes does this, don't worry", said Aniruddhan.

"Does what?" asked Malathi in confusion.

"Shoot some bullets into the air", cleared Aniruddhan.

Suddenly the door opened and Vishnu stood steadying himself against the door frame.

"Sorry Malu, I was just pissed off, I won't repeat it", he said. It was the first time he called her Malu and she was rattled.

"What happened?" she asked him after collecting herself.

He looked at her intently for a few seconds and said, "Do you mind the smell of alcohol?"

"No" she replied.

He opened the door to his room wide and said, "Can we chat?"

Aniruddhan turned to her and whispered, "Don't be scared, he won't do anything, he just wants to talk. In any case I will be outside".

Malathi entered the room that reeked of alcohol but was otherwise neat and tidy. She sat down on the chair next to the bed and he sat on the bed facing her. He looked at her intensely and then on an impulse, pulled her chair close to himself, flustering her.

"I am not happy Malu, I don't even remember the last time I was happy", he said unbothered by the effect he had on her.

"What happened?" whispered Malathi.

"My grandfather called me, saying that he is going to fix my marriage, all I have to do is go home and see the girl", said Vishnu.

"That's how almost everyone gets married here, what is wrong with that? Do you have a girlfriend?" she asked.

He looked at her and smiled, "That's beside the point, Malu. Haven't you felt the urge to fall in love with someone as if they were your living breathing skin around you?"

Malathi merely looked intently into his eyes, her first and only love, the one who bloomed like Elanji (Spanish cherry, Maulsari) flowers in her heart since the day she had laid eyes on him.

"You have been lucky, Malu. You have no idea what it feels to want someone you could never have", said Vishnu. "I don't know how to get rid of those feelings".

"There is nothing in this world that you can't forget if you want to", she replied.

"Have you ever done it?" he asked.

Malathi got up from her chair and said, "Go to sleep, Vishnuetta". Vishnu looked at her receding figure as she walked away, but just as she was about to step out, he said, "I do remember the last time I was happy. I was looking at a sea, with the one I could not have", she looked at him in surprise but did not ask him who she was, because she was sure it was not her, but some pretty girl who studied with him, after all, he did his studies in Thiruvananthapuram and Bombay, two cities with coastlines.

Outside the room, Aniruddhan was smiling curiously at her, she smiled back at him and went to her room. The night passed uneventfully except for heavy rain. The next morning was cold and the ground and plants were wet. Lalu, the PWD driver had come with the jeep and was waiting for Malathi. Just as she came out of the door, Vishnu met her. He was in a jacket, jeans and boots and had slung a rifle on his shoulder.

"Malu, wait", he said to her.

"What is it Vishnuetta?" she asked him.

"I was a bit drunk yesterday and might have said some nonsense to you", he said to her, his cheeks pink with embarrassment.

Malathi smiled and said, "It's alright. Are you going to hunt again?"

"Yes, I am", he replied.

"This time, can I also get a bite of what you cook?" she asked him.

"I am so sorry. I did not think you would want anything to do with a bunch of drunk people, so I did not offer you yesterday", he smiled.

"I will be waiting. After all, you have tasted my cooking, but I have never tasted yours", she said as she walked out to the jeep.

That day was spent by Malathi supervising the roadwork while Vishnu spent time in the forest. In the evening Malathi came back and at almost the same time Vishnu came in his jeep.

"Kunje, we are going to the town below and will be back before dinner", said Aniruddhan. He and Shivanandan were outside.

"How are you going? Take this jeep" said Vishnu.

"No, we will go with Lalu and get another jeep back. Besides you might want that one" replied Aniruddhan.

"Madam, I have kept both your tea and evening snacks on the dinner table. Please have it, I will come as soon as possible", said Shivanandan as he got into the jeep with Lalu and Aniruddhan.

Malathi nodded to him.

"Come back before the heavy downpour starts", said Visnhu and they watched them leave as Vishnu got a pair of wild rabbits out of the jeep. He kept them in the kitchen and came and sat with her and had tea.

"I am going to make some rabbit curry", he said to her as he got up after finishing tea.

"Do you need help?" she asked.

"None at all", he said and went to the kitchen while she went back to her room to bathe and after that to read a book. All of a sudden a heavy thunderstorm started, scared she went into the kitchen. Vishnu had almost finished cooking the rabbit was surprised to see her. The fresh smell of jasmine soap and some shampoo from her hair was making him uncomfortable. She had opened her hair to dry it and it was looking enticing, he felt like touching her, but with all his determination he focused on the curry. Then they heard a loud noise and the power went out. Leaving the curry they went to the front door.

"What happened?" she asked him.

"I don't know, I will go and check", he said and left taking the jeep.

Malathi closed the front door and went back to the kitchen and switched off the stove. Then she lighted a candle and sat in fear in the foyer waiting for him to return. After almost an hour the jeep came back and she opened the door to a rather drenched Vishnu.

"There has been a landslide below, the locals told me there is no way anyone from the town could reach here and there is no power because of that" he replied.

"Oh, how long do you think it will take to clear the road?" she asked.

"Two to three days, depending on the weather", he replied.

"What? We are going to be alone here" she asked.

The situation dawned on Vishnu, it was going to be a very long couple of days and they both were worried for exactly the same reason.

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