Where I Once Stood

Chapter One - Into a Myth

Sabal walked Ajay through the entrance of the small town known as Banapur. Ajay knew nothing that was going on. He had been taken away by a man named Pagan shortly after their bus had gotten shot up. Now, he was with Sabal-a man who claimed to be a part of some organization known as the Golden Path.

"How did you know to find me?" Ajay asked Sabal, who was leading him closer to the town.

"We saw Pagan's chopper nearby. He's never down this far south and I wanted to know why. Lucky for you we were in the area when we got Darpan's text."

Ajay remembered Darpan. He had risked his life to send a message to the Golden Path that Ajay was with him. The last Ajay saw of him was when he was being electrocuted in an interrogation shortly before they left.

"Well..." Sabal continued, "We're here. Welcome to Banapur, home of the Golden Path."

Ajay looked at the small village. Most of the houses were made of either clay or stone. People glanced at him as a native woman with brown hair tied in a braid called to Sabal.

"Who is this?" she asked motioning towards Ajay, she sounded distressed and angry, "Where's Darpan?"

"He didn't make it," Sabal answered, "This is Ajay Ghale... Mohan's son."

The woman glanced at Ajay then back to Sabal, "Let me understand, Darpan's dead? And you brought me this?"

"I'm not involved in... whatever this is. I'm just looking for Lakshmana." Ajay said. He didn't know what Lakshmana was or where it was, but he knew that he had to find it. His mother, Ishwari, had told him that is where she wishes to be. Ajay felt the weight of his mother's ashes bearing on him.

Ignoring Ajay, the woman turned to Sabal, "We're in the middle of a fucking war. We don't have time for tourists." She turned and left while Sabal called back to her.

"What was I supposed to do? Just leave him there?" he watched her leave, then turned to Ajay again, "I'm sorry brother, Amita's a little touchy. I'll talk to her. As for Lakshmana, it sounds like it could be a temple or shrine. But if that's the case, it's in the north. The north is enemy territory and we can't get you there, not yet." he looked back towards the village, "Go and clear your head. Come and find me when you're ready." Sabal walked down the steps to the village and disappeared behind a building.

- - - - -

"She wore a red mask and carried a bow and arrow. I swear, I saw her." a man told the guy next to Ajay, "She battled off a whole pack of wolves, right in front of me!"

"Ah, that's just myth. She doesn't' exist. Get over yourself." The other replied.

"I'm telling you, she's out there. Soon the whole town will be worshiping her. Besides, you know what they say about her."

"She's not the reincarnation of Kalinag. She's not even real. Anyone who says they have seen her were either drunk or just plain delusional."

"I wasn't drunk. It happened before my two very eyes!"

Ajay walked farther into the small town. Everyone seemed to look at him as he passed. Their appearance seemed friendly, but paranoid. What they said about Lakshmana, the north? What was north? Sabal said enemy territory, but what else?

Ajay sat at a bench in front of the shop. Inside he could hear people bartering. Everything seemed so normal, yet so unusual.