A Man among Wolves

Chapter 21

They ate Upma.

It was fresh and warm and tastier than Selva had ever thought upma could be. So, he became oblivious to his predicament and focused on the breakfast. He ate an unusually large amount of it, so much so that he started feeling guilty about asking for more. His attention and taste buds were completely engrossed in the upma, the chutney and the sambar. The chutney wasn't the usual coconut one. This was made from peanuts. It was very tasty.

Selva only stopped eating because Balaji had finished before him. He didn't want to be keep eating after the host. Additionally, he felt guilty about making the kind servant Iniyan walk to the dining room and back many times. Iniyan didn't seem to mind. He was very cordial and warm in his manners. There was a devotion and grace to whatever he did, even the way he addressed Selva as his brother. Selva assumed that Iniyan probably thought of everyone as his brother, including Balaji. But probably, he forced himself to call him 'sir' only out of respect.

Iniyan brought them both water to wash their hands in their plates and cleaned up. He seemed to mutter something under his breath repeatedly. Selva caught a word or two occasionally and recognized it as a holy chant. He silently wondered if more of such religious, yet gentle, people existed in this world or if Iniyan was one of his kind...

The sun was bright now. The room looked cheerful and almost heavenly due to the white paint.

Ever since they had started eating, Balaji had been observing Selva. It wasn't a look of pity nor happiness nor warmth. In fact, there wasn't any word of positivity that could be associated with a look like that. Selva had seen that look on the face of officers at the bank sometimes. Right before they explained the interest rates. He didn't know what that look was called. But he knew, there was a plan behind those eyes. That much was clear to Selva. Whenever Balaji smiled, he could see that it was a mask. If you looked closely, you could see he didn't mean it.

Tea was brought. Iniyan didn't have a mask when he smiled though, Selva observed, as he handed him his tea. It was as natural as a flower blooming. When he smiled, his wrinkles widened as much as his lips did. A calming sight.

Balaji waved his tea off, intently watching Selva with the dying embers of a synthetic smirk still present on his face.

Selva took a sip of the tea and felt it gush down his throat. It had cardamom and ginger in it.

He took another sip. He didn't want to stop sipping the tea. Ever.

"You are stupid," Balaji proclaimed.

Selva looked up at him, surprised.

"You are a stupid man," Balaji repeated. "Stupid and weak."

Selva frowned. "What-?"

"What else would you call yourself?" Balaji scratched his cheek. He was smiling again; this one was of mockery. "You run among wolves but can't hunt to save yourself. What do you call someone like that? Either a person with a sinister strategy in mind or a coward or a stupid man. Nothing about you strikes me as a strategist. You are the latter!"

Selva placed his tea on the reading table beside the bed.

"Oh, don't let me spoil your cup of tea," Balaji waved his hand with an air of scornful regret. "Have it!"

Selva didn't touch the tea. "I think it is time for me to leave."

"Where are you planning to go?"

"Anywhere. Anywhere but here."

"You will be killed."

"I won't be!" Selva said that louder than he had intended. It made him feel weak. Like a child promising his parent he won't fail in the exams, though he knew better.

He tried to get up from his bed but Iniyan rushed forward to stop him and ease him back into the bed.

"Sit back down, Selva," Balaji said. "I'm sorry if my criticism was harsh. But I pray you take my advice when I tell you that your plan is futile."

Selva stared at him.

"Your plan is futile," Balaji repeated. "You will be killed wherever you go. I can vouch for that with my healthy leg."

"Why?" Selva heard the tremble in his own voice. "Why will I be killed if I run away?"

Balaji gazed at him with a shade of pity before replying. He spoke with the air of those movie doctors that reveal a cancer diagnosis to their patients.

"Because Gurumoorthy is hunting for you."

A corpse-like silence descended on the room.