CHAPTER 2
Ding…Ding…Ding
The hill Pon Uthiyur also has another name Uthiyur. This hill is very different from others. To tell the fact all hills are always unique.. There are many subtle differences between plains and hills. Particularly the way in which rays from other planets that touch the plain and hill are very different. The way it falls and spreads on a hill is also different. A hill is something that has risen above the plains and spread across almost touching the clouds. The way sunrays fall and spread on a plain and the way sunrays fall and spread on a hill is differentiated by considering the height. That is why the heat of the sun in the plains and the heat of the sun in the hill varies. Anyone can easily feel this difference. There are also so many other differences which we cannot feel directly in a hill! To consider one among them is the radiation which decides how the human mind and its behavior works in a plain and in a hill. In land man happily roam around with it. But if a man could realize it in a hill he would be able to control his mind and can do miracles.!
When Raju heard the sound of the bells made by the fortune teller, some sort of restlessness spread its wings on his mind as they were ringing rhythmically… ding …ding …ding…
“Raji… the fortune teller has come. What we are going to do now?” he asked.
“What we are going to do…?It is his business and he is doing it.. why you are so much bothered about it?.”
“What I wanted to say is…”
“Enough… don’t say something again and postpone our decision. If you are afraid to die, then you don’t take this poison. But leave me and my daughter alone. We are fed up with this life.”
Raji was a little furious. She lifted Rajitha who was sleeping and made her lie down on her lap. She removed the lock of hair that had fallen on her face.Rajitha’s face was as bright as a full moon. Raji could see dried blood drops in the corner of her lips.
“Dear… dear…” – she woke her up. Rajitha with half-opened eyes looked at her mom..
“My dear… look at your mom, wake up.”
“Mommm…..”
A strong murmur from Rajitha… “Dear please take the medicinet and then sleep…”
“Medicine…?”
“Yes, dear… this is the last medicine. Hereafter I will not give you any more medicines.”
“I don’t want mom… it is bitter.”
“This one is very sweet dear… wake up dear…”
It seemed like Raji wanted to finish everything very fast. Raju could not simply tolerate it. He looked up at the clock. Time was 4.10. The speed at which Raji was doing everything by 4.30 there will be three dead bodies in that home. His mind started to adjust with the truth that it is going to happen very soon.
Raji acted swiftly.
She took the bowl in which the elixir was there and started mixing it once again with her fingers. She took a handful first and put it in her mouth. Then she gave a portion to Raju. He also ate it with a little hesitation. His mouth was filled with the poisonous elixir. It had a mixed taste of sweet and bitterness together. Lastly she stretched her hand towards the the half-sleeping Rajitha and forcefully opened her mouth and fed her with the elixir. “I don’t want mom…please mom” hesitantly she swallowed it in one gulp. What was remaining in the bowl Raji thought not to waste it and just ate and finished the entire left over. Then she looked at her dear husband… a vacant look.
“That’s all dear… now everything is over. We have started our travel back from this planet. Now we need not face or struggle with any problems of disease, debt, love or relationships… oh, just wait a minute dear, I forgot about that letter… Let me write that ‘nobody is responsible for our death and that god alone is to be blamed for this’ ”. She got up to write it on a paper, at the same time the fortune teller just arrived at their doorstep with the ding … ding … ding sound.
“Good time is ahead. Good time is ahead… from today good time is starting for the head of this family. It is going to give him a lift up in his life … All the troubles in this family are going to disappear.”
Raju could not control his laughter when he heard this. He felt like going out to give a good slap to that fortune teller.
Raji finished writing her letter and came back. She also heard the voice of the fortune teller. But the elixir they ate mixed with cyanide did not work as they expected instead, Rajitha widely opened her eyes and looked at them. There was not even a single sign of drowsiness or tiredness in her eyes.
“Rajitha…”
“Mom…”
“Why did you wake up so early dear… are you not feeling sleepy?”
“No mom… I am feeling very fresh today…” Rajitha answered with bouncing energy. Both Raju and Raji were surprised to notice it. It has been almost five minutes since they had taken the elixir.
Actually, Cyanide will kill a person within seconds. But what is happening here…?
“What is this Raji…? We should have been dead and gone by now.”
“That is what I am also wondering.”
“Did you mix the poison or…”
“What do you say… In front of your eyes only I mixed the cyanide that you brought.”
“Then how?” – he was still in a shock while Rajitha sat up and asked “Dad… shall we play chess now?
“What? Chess? In these early hours?”
“Is this early morning… I thought it was afternoon.”
“Okay, dear. How are you feeling now?”
“I don’t know what happened to me, dad but I feel very energetic now… ”
“What are you saying dear… you were not even able to lift your hands and legs earlier…”
“I don’t feel so now dad…now I am feeling perfectly fine. She stood up from the bed in front of them lifted her hands up, stretched her legs and showed them how energetic she is…
Both of them were shockingly surprised.
Nothing happened to them except a very positive change. Raji who had a minor breathing problem earlier felt now very relaxed.
“Raji… I think you mixed something else thinking it to be cyanide.”
“No… wait, let me bring that left overs in that pack of cyanide you brought.”
-She went inside. She came back with the packet of cyanide with a caution symbol on it.
“What is this magic Raji… nothing bad happened to us. Maybe you mixed it in some other elixir?”
“We have only one elixir here which was given by that Siddha. If it was not there, I was thinking of making some other sweets to mix with it.”
“They say even if you smell a cyanide you will die instantly but nothing happened to us! How?”
“I don’t know either…”
When he was saying this, again they heard the voice of a fortune teller. He was saying it for the second time.
“Good fortune is coming to this house, all hardships are going to vanish… Good time is waiting for you. Maa Kali has blessed this family. My words are true,Jai Jakkamma.”
The tone of his voice indicted confidence in them.
“What is this miracle? Did that Siddha’s elixir changed this cyanide in to a medicine…?”
“Most certainly.”
As they were speaking, Rajitha had already gone to get her skipping rope and started playing with it.
A new hope flashed in their eyes!
