I was back in the Moon House again. Kesar watched me as I was lying on the bed staring at the ceiling. The yellow light shimmered dimly from the lanterns. They cast dancing shadows on the walls.
"Are you not well, my lady?" Kesar said and placed her hand on my forehead to feel my temperature.
"No, I'm not," I mumbled in a dry voice.
Then I tried to sit up again. Kesar helped put soft pillows behind my back. My throat felt raw. My body was burning up from all the shock I had gone through in the last two days.
"I think you might be sick," she said then turned to the other maidens. "Go bring the juice for the lady quickly."
I rubbed my throbbing temples. The images
Iwas back in the Moon House again. Kesar watched me as I was lying on the bed staring at the ceiling. The yellow light shimmered dimly from the lanterns. They cast dancing shadows on the walls."Are you not well, my lady?" Kesar said and placed her hand on my forehead to feel my temperature."No, I'm not," I mumbled in a dry voice.Then I tried to sit up again. Kesar helped put soft pillows behind my back. My throat felt raw. My body was burning up from all the shock I had gone through in the last two days."I think you might be sick," she said then turned to the other maidens. "Go bring the juice for the lady quickly."I rubbed my throbbing temples. The images
My eyes almost fell out of their sockets. I kept staring mutely at the green-faced Hora. The white sand flowed back onto his waiting palm, leaving not a single grain behind. The Oracle stood, and for a long stretching moment, no one spoke.The silence grew louder with the pounding of my own heart. I felt like I wasn't only stuck in this strange dimension, but also in an ancient madhouse full of creepy people. I had to get out of here before I went mad, too.At last, I recovered my ability to speak again."I don't know what you're talking about," I said and staggered back to my feet again. "You people are crazy! I just want to go home!"Kesar looked worried. Her eyes glittered nervously as she stared at me. The Brahmin
Kesar and three other handmaidens led me through the hallways towards the Main House. I was greeted by the same group of Brahmins afterward. This time they escorted me in silence.I had no clue what they were going to do to me. I just hoped that it didn't involve human sacrifice. But even if it did, I might as well let them get it over with. There was no way I could escape from this bizarre realm even if I tried.We reached the square, following the pebbled path that snaked towards the stairs. The Main House was located in the middle of the complex. It had a single spire tower with a carved gold-gilded face on top.When we reached the hall of the pavilion, a dozen women appeared by the entrance. They brought bronze bowls filled with flowers. The women spread petals of
Walking along a cruciform gallery that separated the courtyards, the Brahmin priests took me to a different house set aloof from the others. It had a portico overlooking a lovely garden and a pristine lotus pond.We stopped at an intricately carved door flanked by golden colonnettes. I stared at everything, from the wooden triangular of decorative pictures over an entrance to the gold-painted lintels and arches. The guards pushed the massive wooden doors open. The light of the oil lamps shone from the inside."We have prepared a special chamber for you.""Oh wow!" I breathed. "Are you sure I can stay here?""Yes, this is called'Damnak Chandra', the Moon Chamber," one of them told me.
After the shock wore off, and the untimely hunger made my stomach growl. I noticed there were golden platters of fruit set before the Lingam statue. I crawled towards the goodies and inhaled the sweet-scented lotuses. The fresh fragrance relaxed me a little, and I helped myself with the juicy fruit. I guess if I were going to die here, I might as well die with my stomach full.After my hunger subsided, I shoved some ripe bananas and other odd fruit that looked like apricots into my brown bag. My ears caught a faint sound of faraway footsteps. Some rushing movements and voices came from the base of the temple.I quickly got up and took a peek at the ground. From the main staircase leading up to the top, a troop of shirtless men climbed the steep stairs. They wore red silk cloths around their waists. Some of them wore golden collars and belts around their bodies. In their hands were long sharp spears and swords. I wiped my mouth of the juices and turned back with wide ey
The first thing I felt was the weightlessness of my body and then a sudden crash that knocked the air out of my lungs. A dry groan arose from my throat as the pain shot through me.I tried to force my heavy eyelids open and once I succeeded, the world spun around me in my blurry vision.After a while, a shadow brushed past my face, followed by cold silver light. I looked up to find the full moon, waxing and gradually casting its radiant glow again after the eclipse.As my eyes adjusted, I realized I was inside a stone structure. There was a huge rectangular hollow in the ceiling, big enough to show the view of the moonlit sky.For what seemed like a long time, I could do nothing but lay motionless on the cold ground. There wasn't an ounce of strength in my body as if I was paralyzed.An unfamiliar scent of burning incenses floated in the air. With a great effort, I was able to prop myself up. I rubbed my temple to clear the haze.Glancing ar