House of snakes

It was a house down the valley. One could see the top of the grass thatched roof from above. The roof was almost covered with climbers like pumpkin and bitter gourd. No one was allowed to go there.

Sitting on top of the hill children sat under the old mango tree and woven stories about the house. The people in that house know black magic. They have snakes in the house who obey their commands.

A beautiful girl from that house studied in the school along with other children. She never talked to anybody. She never answered any questions. Teachers pretended that she is there for a visit. They did not trouble her with homework or impositions. She sat on the back bench wearing a faded blue blouse and green half skirt. Shabby strap of a pink petticoat was seen from the withered stitches of the blouse.

What did she smell like? Nobody knew. As girls, everybody was familiar of each other’s smells. They bore the flavors of cardamom, pepper, tapioca, coconut oil, roses, jasmine, guava, orange, sambar, and once or twice in a year the smell of a new pair of skirt and blouse.

This girl never had the smell of a new dress. Her dresses were probably hand outs from her elder sister ( the other girls thought ). They failed to get a peep into her aluminum lunch box. She was not a regular student. So the other girls did not notice her absence for two or three days.

Soon it was the village temple festival. Children were so much excited about the festival. On the way back from the temple people who came from the upper side of the hills took a steep hillside footpath to reach their homes. The house of the snakes and black magic was on the way.

What happened to the girl?. She is absent for a long time. The mother who was a teacher of the small village school said while passing in front of the house. We will go and see. She said and removed the thin wood log placed across the gate and went inside.

The courtyard was silent and the wind was still. The house stood like a dark island in the sunny hillock.

Leela, oh Leela, teacher called out.

Nobody came. Nobody was there.

They went inside. The thatched roof was falling apart. Cowdung pasted walls and floor was dark and bare.

Hearing the sounds of footsteps, a thin black cat sprang up from the corner of the house. It made a sharp hiss and bolted out.

Come, teacher hurried out and her daughter followed.

They climbed the steep foot path hurrying to reach home.

Mother, Leela is crying, the daughter said.

The mother looked at her daughter. The daughter hung her head and whispered. I think I heard someone crying.

Don’t imagine things, okay. You will be scared in the night.