A Night of Ashadha : Part 1

"Why did the weather have to be so gloomy today?" he thought. "Especially at this hour, agh!" The night had already turned irritating; he should be under a blanket in his bed with the AC on at this very moment. If not for those words he heard a few years back: "You have done well, I will initiate you into the mantra sadhana." The memory carried the exact voice he had heard years ago.

"Look ahead, don't crash into something," he told himself. The national highway next to his house wasn't too crowded at 10:30 at night, but for a mind as aloof as his, riding a bike at this hour was always a gamble. His bag, with its long strap, sat behind him, pushing against his chest. That bag had been Alvis's only true companion over the last few years—ever-present, hanging on his shoulders, carrying whatever was necessary for the occasion. Even at his day job as a consultant, Alvis Rey was expected to bring a laptop to work, but the sadhaka in him carried weightier responsibilities. Tonight was no different. Inside were four different malas—one of which would certainly get the most attention tonight—a small glass bottle containing an offering, and a piece of newly crafted silver that matched the color of the evening moon.

The ride went on as humid air crashed into his face and hair. "Well, at least it's not raining." Rain would spoil the plans completely. He took a left turn, leaving the familiar highway behind for a street rarely visited at this hour. The bike was an old soul, too; it lacked the roar or glamour of what most guys his age rode, but bikes were never something Alvis complained about. Another left turn, and the headlight illuminated an ever-narrowing path. The houses grew sparse as he neared his destination.

A third left turn brought the rustle of a shrub. He didn't think it necessary to look back, but the sudden sound of something coursing behind him grabbed his attention. He dropped a gear to slow down without coming to a full stop, taking a quick glance back. More deserted than where I am headed, he thought. It wasn't the first time something might be trailing him on a night like this.

"Andhra, next to the mountain & the abandoned house..." Memories of a night years past surfaced spontaneously. He picked up the pace, moving faster as the chasing sound behind him gained speed by the second. "I don't have time to stop and check. We'll deal with it when we get there... and if it comes to that, 'Om Bhairavaya Namah.'" He smiled as a jolt of energy coursed through his veins, running from heart to toe. He rolled on the throttle, the high beam almost screaming his presence into the desolate street. The bike got the message as if it got a new infusion of fire, charging through the last few meters until Alvis arrived at the gate.

Those last fifteen seconds of speed had almost made him forget why he had accelerated in the first place. He got off the bike, locked the handlebars out of routine, and stood tall. A slight breeze touched his lips and hands. A false alarm, or maybe not. Perhaps we will find out, he thought, looking the other side towards the cheap paint job on the steel and concrete gate. This was not the sort of place the municipality spent its budget on.

He peeped in. Not much movement—just a lean fire in the distance. He pushed the gate open and stepped inside. His bike waited outside the entrance of Neelnagar Burning Ghat.