Fallen for much longer,’ Aurcoe said.
‘How do I let you know when I have the blood?’
‘I’ll find you.’
‘You better have all the information ready by then.’
‘Calm down, my child. Composure, composure. After all, the owner of the pretty little necklace should be kept happy, isn’t it?’
‘You have me over a barrel, freak.’
‘Yes I do. What’s your move now?’
‘A Dyne got our scents. I think I’ll avoid witch territory completely and go around the longer way. Right now, we’re going to my place here in Patuli.’
‘Witches. Great, just great. Say hello to Victor for me when you get home.’
Adri grunted in reply.
‘You guys should settle your differences, seriously. Ah, all the pain,’ Aurcoe said.
‘You keep out of this one,’ Adri shot back.
‘I’m leaving then. Sen?’
‘Yes?’
‘Blink.’
Adri blinked his eyes. Aurcoe had disappeared.
The miracle he had wanted was hanging around his neck. Aurcoe had, despite all his fears and the evident lack of trust, given him the means to run. An extension to his death sentence, a very generous one. Relief washed over Adri in warm waves. The world momentarily felt normal again. He could think clearly now and plan his next move. He breathed deep, and it felt good.
God
, it felt good.
He turned back to find Gray hopping around a burning torch, photographing it from every possible angle. Maya was sitting under the torch and reading a book bound in brown paper. Adri lightly wondered if it was a sleazy novel. ‘Let’s go.’ He motioned to the two of them. ‘We need to get a move on.’
‘He left? Who was he?’ Maya asked, hurriedly stuffing the book into her backpack, further raising Adri’s suspicions.
‘An informant. Some general stuff, nothing important,’ Adri replied.
‘I’ve never seen a burning torch before. This looks incredible!’ Gray chimed. ‘Just look at this picture! I’m going to have a lot of photographing to do!’
Maya looked at the picture. Adri turned to Gray. ‘Conserve your camera batteries; you will probably see better things than old burning torches.’
Gray missed the sarcasm. ‘That’s cool, I’ll charge whenever—’
‘Old Kolkata does not have a central transformer. There is no electricity to be found here.’ Adri jerked a thumb at the torches as he moved towards the exit. ‘That’s magic burning.’
Gray’s eyes widened and he looked at the torches again, stunned. Even Maya cast an interested glance before they carried on. A dark set of stairs, lit by a distant torch, led them to a long, sinister hallway at the end of which there was yet another staircase, this one illuminated by first light. Stepping forth from the mouth of the subway, the siblings got their first glimpse of Old Kolkata as the young sun rose to greet them in the eastern skies.
A city that is old, a city that has been
To write for you is the toughest thing
You have resisted, kept away
You have hidden your secrets
from me, from those you have not trusted
How does one earn your trust?
So I am born of you
And I, here, with you
I bathe in your sunshine
I breathe in your rain
I pick up your earth once again, once again
Where is it that I can look for you?
I talk to you, I tell you things
I stand tall above your crumbled buildings
I stand deep beneath your darkest recesses
I am here where you are
In your stagnancy I smell life
In your arms I will feel death
In your embrace I will breathe my last
I will return to you, from whence I came
.
Only a few people were visible as the trio walked through the streets of Old Kolkata. These few mostly walked in groups, or were loners, and everyone kept their distance; there was an aura of discomfort in the air. Maya could feel eyes watching them from behind barred windows. She did not like it. Adri constantly kept glancing over his shoulder in a guarded manner. It didn’t help things. They walked in silence as a morning breeze blew, its gentle swoosh the only sound breaking
‘How do I let you know when I have the blood?’
‘I’ll find you.’
‘You better have all the information ready by then.’
‘Calm down, my child. Composure, composure. After all, the owner of the pretty little necklace should be kept happy, isn’t it?’
‘You have me over a barrel, freak.’
‘Yes I do. What’s your move now?’
‘A Dyne got our scents. I think I’ll avoid witch territory completely and go around the longer way. Right now, we’re going to my place here in Patuli.’
‘Witches. Great, just great. Say hello to Victor for me when you get home.’
Adri grunted in reply.
‘You guys should settle your differences, seriously. Ah, all the pain,’ Aurcoe said.
‘You keep out of this one,’ Adri shot back.
‘I’m leaving then. Sen?’
‘Yes?’
‘Blink.’
Adri blinked his eyes. Aurcoe had disappeared.
The miracle he had wanted was hanging around his neck. Aurcoe had, despite all his fears and the evident lack of trust, given him the means to run. An extension to his death sentence, a very generous one. Relief washed over Adri in warm waves. The world momentarily felt normal again. He could think clearly now and plan his next move. He breathed deep, and it felt good.
God
, it felt good.
He turned back to find Gray hopping around a burning torch, photographing it from every possible angle. Maya was sitting under the torch and reading a book bound in brown paper. Adri lightly wondered if it was a sleazy novel. ‘Let’s go.’ He motioned to the two of them. ‘We need to get a move on.’
‘He left? Who was he?’ Maya asked, hurriedly stuffing the book into her backpack, further raising Adri’s suspicions.
‘An informant. Some general stuff, nothing important,’ Adri replied.
‘I’ve never seen a burning torch before. This looks incredible!’ Gray chimed. ‘Just look at this picture! I’m going to have a lot of photographing to do!’
Maya looked at the picture. Adri turned to Gray. ‘Conserve your camera batteries; you will probably see better things than old burning torches.’
Gray missed the sarcasm. ‘That’s cool, I’ll charge whenever—’
‘Old Kolkata does not have a central transformer. There is no electricity to be found here.’ Adri jerked a thumb at the torches as he moved towards the exit. ‘That’s magic burning.’
Gray’s eyes widened and he looked at the torches again, stunned. Even Maya cast an interested glance before they carried on. A dark set of stairs, lit by a distant torch, led them to a long, sinister hallway at the end of which there was yet another staircase, this one illuminated by first light. Stepping forth from the mouth of the subway, the siblings got their first glimpse of Old Kolkata as the young sun rose to greet them in the eastern skies.
A city that is old, a city that has been
To write for you is the toughest thing
You have resisted, kept away
You have hidden your secrets
from me, from those you have not trusted
How does one earn your trust?
So I am born of you
And I, here, with you
I bathe in your sunshine
I breathe in your rain
I pick up your earth once again, once again
Where is it that I can look for you?
I talk to you, I tell you things
I stand tall above your crumbled buildings
I stand deep beneath your darkest recesses
I am here where you are
In your stagnancy I smell life
In your arms I will feel death
In your embrace I will breathe my last
I will return to you, from whence I came
.
Only a few people were visible as the trio walked through the streets of Old Kolkata. These few mostly walked in groups, or were loners, and everyone kept their distance; there was an aura of discomfort in the air. Maya could feel eyes watching them from behind barred windows. She did not like it. Adri constantly kept glancing over his shoulder in a guarded manner. It didn’t help things. They walked in silence as a morning breeze blew, its gentle swoosh the only sound breaking
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