Pavi

"HEY!" I shouted with all the force I could muster up. I punched the dirt wall with my fist and groaned. "Fucking idiot," I scolded myself as I punched the dirt wall which surrounded me on all four sides again. As if it would fall and let me out. But it won't fall off. Because it's a fucking grave.

I ran straight into his trap. I should've known he would've set something up when he didn't even bother to chase me when I took off. I sat down with my back against the wall of dirt. I literally fell into my own grave. I sank my head in my hand and wailed for a bit.

"Are you testing me, Ram?" I asked him as if he could hear me. If Ram was here he would've told me to stay strong, to not give up hope, and to not fucking die by doing something stupid. Veera was right, I should stay alive till Ram arrives. Ram will come for me, and he will put a bullet in his head.

"I love you," I whispered under my breath. I'm pretty sure he can sense when I am thinking about him.

"Buck..buck..buck," I heard the most fakest chicken cluttering.

I swiftly wiped up my tears and looked up. Veera's head popped up, upside down. I would've spat at him if there wasn't a thing called gravity.

He was chewing on something as he gave me a toothy smile. "Guess the chicken fell into its coop," He asked as he laughed at his terrible joke.

"Fuck you!" I shooter at him and looked away.

"Hmmm," He looked at me with a smile twitching at the end of his mouth.

"Thambi, move," A woman said. Veera obliged. The woman, from the lake, lowered a plate of food to me with a rope. (Thambi - brother)

"You must be hungry, eat," Veera said.

"I'm not hungry," I lied. I was hungry. Very much. I could eat a whole elephant if served. But no. I won't eat out of this piece of shit's hands.

"Hey! The fact that we are feeding you is us being generous. We should let you starve and rot for the things your husband did you ungratef---" She started cursing but stopped when Veera rose his hand.

"If you want, eat, if you don't want it then starve and die, I'm not going to stop you," Veera said as he got up and left. The woman got up and followed him.

I looked at the plate of food, well not really a plate, a banana leaf neatly folded into a parcel. I let out a sigh. It's very hard to ignore food when it is right in front of you, it's like mocking me.

I pushed the parcel aside, and the rope dangled alone in the air. I looked up and down at the rope. I tugged on the rope with my hands, the rope didn't budge, it was the happiest feeling in the world, it was like the gods heard my prayers.

I tugged on it one more time to see if it was secure and yes. It was tied around something very securely.

"Hello?" I called out to see if anyone was there. I got hit back with my own echo. "Okay," I whispered as I got up. I put one foot on a rock and twirled the rope around my palm. The rock scratched my foot, and I lost my balance and slid down. The best of all, I stubbed my freaking toe.

"Ouch," I let out a groan. I shook it off and tried again. But this time, I scratched my arm this time but I still held on to the rope. After grunting and sweating for several minutes I could see the edge of the pit. I almost bit off a part of my lip trying to garner the energy to push my left up. Then, I did it. I rolled onto the surface and lay there for a few minutes catching my breath. My heart was beating, it felt like it almost tore out of my chest. My sweat trickled down my forehead and blinded my eyes. I couldn't even wipe it off. I felt that fatigued.

I'm pretty sure if I twisted my clothes, the water squeezed out would be enough to fill the gangas. I was that sweaty. After I gained some energy, I got up. For a few steps, my legs felt like noodles. It was so wobbly that I had to lean on a tree every step. But it passed and I was able to walk properly. I knew where I was going to go and what I wanted.

Water. The one thing I needed now was water. I was so parched. I considered drinking my sweat for god sake. I pushed myself a few hundred meters gulping down my saliva. I was getting dizzy, So much hit me at one single time it was overwhelming. The sand got moist. I got hopeful. Damp sand means a water body is nearby.

I knew watching Bear Grylls would help me someday.

Then I heard water flowing. The only thing standing between me and the river was a bush cluster. I walked through it like a zombie and belly-flopped into the water.

I sighed in relief as the water massaged my body. I got on my butt and scooped up some water on my palms and drank it like an animal. I drank about five palms of water before my quench died down. I looked at my hands and cleaned my fingernails, they were covered in dirt and it started to irritate me.

"Guess the chicken has come to quench its thirst," His voice traveled through the sound of water.

I jerked up, My heart got up to my throat and was threatening to come out. I was going to vomit my heart out.

I looked around to see where the voice had come from and it didn't take me long.

There was this big statue of the god Vishnu sleeping, poking out of the water. Veera was there sitting in front of it, meditating. He looked calmer.

Something sharp scratched against my leg lightly. I looked down to find a rusty iron rod. Looked like it was some part of a building once. It was oddly shaped like a spear. I picked the cold rod up and held it in my hands. It has this grainy texture. I slowly moved towards him hoping to...I don't know. Kill him? I can't kill a soul, even if it's as bad and cruel as him. I hoped to injure him so it could buy me some time to escape.

I walked forward slowly, the water sploshed against my feet, it was a bit difficult to walk since I was walking opposite to the stream and my legs were already really tired. But nevertheless, I reached him. He was still meditating. His black vest was soaking wet it just stuck on him.

I raised my hand and attacked him with all my might. But he easily dodged me with his eyes closed. I fell into the water as he moved away.

"You're also tired, I'm also tired. Do you really want to do this?" He said as he got up. I got up immediately.

"Let me go!" I screamed as I tried to stab him again, he brushed against my hair as he dodged once again. He was behind me. I turned around furiously, but this time my attack made contact.

The blade scratched his face before he could dodge away. He was looking down now. He touched the wound and looked at the blood.

"Buck buck buck," He laughed maniacally. I tried to stab him in the chest but he kicked the rod out of my hand. I turned around to pick it up but my face met his hands I stopped myself before hitting his hands.

He was an inch away from touching me. Everything went silent. He was behind me and I'm trapped between him and his hands like mice stuck in a cage.

I could feel his struggled breath on my neck. I was shit scared. It was so intimidating. He was hungry. He was filled with anger. He wanted a sacrifice. He wanted blood.

Don't touch me. Don't touch me.

His hands snaked around my body, but refused to touch me. One of his hands stayed at my face while the other slowly went down to my chest. We were so close. Yet so far. The hair on my neck stood up and my whole body went through intense goosebumps. His hands moved further down slowly and gracefully, I closed my eyes, dreading the moment that he would touch me. But it never came. Seconds became minutes. Nothing happened.

I opened my eyes. His hands were not in front of my face anymore. I looked around down to find my 'spear' but it was gone. The bushes near the bank rustled and two heads popped out. Mano and Lakshmi. They looked behind me.

I turned around. He was leaning against the statue playing with the spear.

Mano and Lakshmi approached me. I tried to run but there was nowhere to go. They approached me faster as they saw me running. The woman threw me over her shoulder, I kicked and screamed but they shut my mouth with a gag and blindfolded me.