‘Did you feel this water?’ she asked, grinning. ‘I could live in this forever. I can have my babies here.’ Her carefree smile worried him a little. He could lose sight of his objective.

‘Hand over your ear ornament,’ he growled, abruptly. ‘If you try to scream, I’ll drown you!’

She stood dumbstruck for a moment, unable to raise a peep or move. The water in her palms stayed there, dribbling through her fingers, almost begging for his mercy.

Her unblinking stare and terror hastened him. His heart beat fast. He wanted it done in a hurry. Fearing that someone might walk by, he pushed her face deep into the water.

She raised a soft scream, calling out to either her mother or god.

Water rushed in through her nose and open mouth. He pressed her deeper down with his foot, pried her earrings out and tucked them into his waist.

It was exactly at this moment that two unexpected things happened.

One, while he pressed her face down into the water, she took a firm hold of the big toe of his right foot in her teeth.

Second, a bullock cart pulled up near the stream.

3

THE DRIVER SAT MAJESTICALLY IN his bullock cart. It was coming rapidly down the Mangamma Lane towards the water hole.

Krishnappa Nayakkar, the driver, held the reins tight and sent his cart into the stream.

As the bullocks drank greedily, he held the reins loosely to his chest and looked at the man curiously. The driver’s bare chest had thick hair, peeking upward. His broad nose showed that he was quick-tempered. Just beneath his neat moustache were his lips, stained dark with betel juice. His hands were calloused from hard labour. On his arms and back were muscles, taut and heavy. His legs dangled on either side of the iron seat; his feet were large.

As the axle in the wheels had loosened with the heat, he had brought the cart deep into the stream to cool and tighten it. Once the bulls were done drinking, he tried to turn the cart around to splash water on the axles. But the wheels were stuck in the slush underneath. He tried his best to move it, but failed. So, he called out to the man, standing still, waist deep in the water, for help.

The man watched dumbly, wondering how to get out of the water. If he tried to move his foot, the woman’s tightly clenched mouth on his toe would come along too.

Krishnappa Nayakkar had to use all his strength to turn the cart. Once he did, he turned back to the man who stood stock still, watching.

Nayakkar splashed the wheels and axle with water using his hands, occasionally sparing the man a look.

Unexpectedly, the man spoke. ‘I’m unable to bear the heat. That’s why I’m standing in the water.’

Nayakkar didn’t reply. He merely listened and continued to splash. The amount of water that was gathered in his cupped palms was enough to drench the wheels and scatter some around as well. It spattered on the spokes noisily. Remember, people say as loud as a ghost gasps? Well, it was that loud.