Lot Like Love: A Bengal Romance ✔

Chapter 9

Rattling sound fills the previously silent air and my unconscious body gains conscious as I sit straight on the mattress. My eyes fall to the rattlesnake and my surroundings vanish from my mind. In that moment there is no past or future. Every capacity of my brain is focused on the reptile before me.

The snake's gaze is fixed on me, a dark tongue flitting into the air every few seconds, tasting the fear, the cologne, the sweat. In that head the size of a hand like thin fangs, ready to inject a fatal amount of venom deep into my muscles.

The snake surges and...

"Aditya!" it calls my name.

I snap open my eyes and it isn't a snake but Amit, shaking my body furiously and I sit up, my heart beats in my ears.

"What happened?" I say a bit breathless as if air being sucked out of my lungs.

"Hurry up. I can't control it anymore."

I cast him a quizzical brow, "What?"

"It's urgent! No. 2." he says chewing on his lip like it's a bubblegum and pressing his legs as if...it's really urgent.

I look around and a frown appears as there is no snakes. Everyone is sleeping peacefully including Agni, and Amit stands over me in a dire need of go to the bathroom.

"Let's go." I nod and stand up.

As we come out, I remember our cottage's keys are with Mr. Ghatak's watchman and we have no clue where is he.

"Hurry up!" Amit's voice sounds hoarse and with each passing seconds seems like he is loosing his patience and control.

It is a relief we find him behind Bratati's house talking to a uncle and Mr. Ghatak.

"We need the keys," I say which grabs their attention and soon their serious faces replace with big grins that makes their faces cut in half.

"Arey, Aditya! Did you sleep well?" Mr. Ghatak asks.

"Yes. Of course, sir." Although the blankets were small, I can't tell that in his face out of modesty.

"Who is he, Ghatak Moshai*?" The unfamiliar face asks and I feel a pinch on my back.

I nod at Amit over my shoulder.

"Arey, he is a cousin of my son in law. Very successful businessman in Mumbai and he is quite young," Bratati's father answers while the short man nods and looks at me with a smile.

I smile at them however the situation is very tense and then the Shahnai music starts, informing everyone as it's time to finish rest of the rituals of Basi-Biye*.

"Err... Mr. Ghatak, we need the keys of our cottage," I tell them again while he nods and resumes their conversation and the Shahnai song changes to 'Jaane do na, Chhoro Janne do na. Na na zid na karo...'¹ (Let me go, Leave me and let me go, no, no, don't be stubborn)

I look behind me at Amit's face which has turned red and sweat covers his forehead. He's taking deep breaths and I ask the watchman with a commanding voice, "Give us the keys."

It grabs both of the men's attention and gaps form on their mouths while I inform with a gentle voice, "It's a bit urgent. I'll be right back."

We dash for the cottage after taking the keys and finally reach the door front door.

However, the key ring the watchman has given us, has five different keys and we don't know which one of it belongs the cottage's.

"Arey yaar, hurry and open the door!" Amit shouts behind me and his voice pleads as if he will start crying any moment. As quickly as possible I put the first key and it doesn't unlock. I put the next one and hope that it will unlock the door if the guests don't want to encounter with some bad smell. With a click, the door opens as we sigh in relief.