Chasing Death

Chapter 27

"There's a delicate balance between the truth and a lie. But sometimes in life, we don't realise when a lie starts to become the truth of our life, or the truth feels like a lie you've been told forever."

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"So, you guys broke me out of prison?" Surprise and shock must have been evident on my face because both the males started laughing.

"No, we just walked into your cell in broad daylight and dragged you out," Mrithun laughed.

"And then paraded you in front of everyone like a trophy we won," Mani added, clutching his belly.

"Okay, stupid question. I get it." I held up my hands in a gesture of peace. "But what next?"

The smile vanished from the face of both the guys. They looked uncomfortable.

"Wait, a second. What all did you risk to steal me out of the prison?" I asked, suddenly anxious for the two of them.

They wouldn't do anything foolish, would they?

"I just risked my neck." Mani fidgeted with his hands.

He was standing on a little rock some distance away. I realised we were in some kind of natural cavern. It was cold, and the water was trickling along the sides of the cave, getting lost in the darkness on both sides. There was no telling as to where the exit was and the tunnel seemed to go on endlessly.

Stalactites hung from the ceiling like beautiful crystal ornaments. Stalagmites rose from the ground, some still too far, some just kissing the top and the others had already formed stalagmite pillars that gleamed with an unknown light shining from somewhere.

"And he risked everything to bring you here," Mani said after a long pause, pointing at Mrithun.

"What did you do?" I whipped around quickly, my voice faltering.

"Nothing much. If they know you're missing, they'll know I'm gone too and they might put two and two together." He shrugged in his typical, nonchalant way.

"But then they'll come after you," I exclaimed, "And you too." I turned to Mani.

"I was hidden. They wouldn't know I was there at all. Mrithun insisted it to be that way." There was a pain in Mani's eyes, raw unbearable anguish. It felt strange seeing the two guys who loved me bond over this little escapade, and somehow it didn't feel wrong. They were like a team. "I will go back in a while and pretend as if nothing happened."

"Well, we need someone to keep us informed of things in the Fates' office, right? And Mani is our best choice after Lachesis." Mrithun got up too, pacing on the rock and stood in front of a gleaming pool of mineral water that shone like liquid mercury on the ground.

My jaws must have dropped open. "She is involved too?" I squeaked.

Mrithun turned his face towards me and gave a slow smirk.

"But then you could've stayed back, too. I would have gone to..." I stopped midway, realising for the first time that I didn't know where I was going to go next. I left my home to search for Death and now I had him, but I didn't have a single clue as to what next.

"Gone to?" A small smile was playing on Mrithun's lips.

"You could've left me in the human world. No one would have known," I said finally. I could feel the bitterness in my voice.

"Do you want to go home?" Mrithun took a step closer, his luminous eyes boring into me again. There was a fear and a sense of grief playing in the cove of those scary eyes.

"I had relinquished my world for Pataal Lok," I breathed, taking a step closer too. We were now standing face to face and I could feel the aura of Death around me. I could feel his cold breath hit my face, caressing my lips, inviting them into the soft embrace of his rough ones.

"Well, if you want to go back home, I could take you..."

"This is my home now, Mrithun," I cut him off. I placed my hands on his shoulders and felt them shivering. "My home is where you are." I turned to Mani. "Where you all are."

"But this is not right. How can a mortal choose death as her home? This is so wrong," Mrithun protested.

"Who gets to dictate what's right and what's wrong, Mrithun?" My voice rose an octave.

"She's right." Mani shook his head from the sidelines. He had his hands folded on his chest, silently watching the drama unravel before his eyes.

"But you are a mortal..."

"O for heaven's sake just stop whining you wimp!" Mani barked now, irritated with all the dilly dally. "Her name is not there on the list. She could as well be an immortal unless her name is added. We never know what she really is, if she is even human. How do you set that as a criterion for..." he faltered for a bit, "for whatever that you feel for her."

"I...what?" It was my turn to get baffled.

"Yes, Tora." Mani's eyes found mine, locking gazes. "Did you ever think that you missing from the list might not have been a glitch or an accident, but a way of the universe? Maybe a hint from the Creator to let you know that you are a force beyond what a mortal body can handle. We just don't know yet, what that power is. You might not be as fragile as Mrithun thinks you are."

"It's scary," I whispered.

My whole life felt like a lie at that moment. If I wasn't a human, what was I? And if I was an immortal, why was I living among the humans? Hundreds and thousands of questions started popping up in my head like the ripples created by the drops on the pool. My reflection was being washed and reformed every time a new drop fell into the pool, and it felt surreal. My identity seemed to change just like that mere reflection.

Who was I?

I didn't know anymore.

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