Kumaresan even made fun of her: ‘In Tholur, no one knew when you went into the toilet and when you stepped out. Here, once you go into the bush, it takes you an hour to get out!’ She didn’t know how else to respond to that but with a laugh. She had often thought that thorns and bushes were far better than human beings. And here she was proven correct. She sat huddled there, like a baby bird waiting for her mother to return with food.

He stomach tightened, and she started crying despite herself. Utter darkness surrounded her, and her eyes did not have the power to pierce through it. But her ears were sharper than ever before. She discerned even the faintest rustle of leaves with utmost clarity. The voices that she had heard closer to the bush a little while ago now seemed to come from near the rock. From there, they sounded like the meaningless chatter of the crows.

She expected to hear Kumaresan’s bicycle along the path close to the bush where she was hiding. She would recognize that sound anywhere. After every two turns of the wheel the bicycle emitted a screech. And the whirr of the rotating chain was very much like the buzz of insects. She could tell those sounds apart even in her sleep. Everything would be all right if she heard them now. Everything would change for the better. But it was only the noises from the rock that grew louder. Suddenly she heard people walking near the bush.

One of them squatted, spat on the ground, and said, ‘Where could she have gone?’

‘Didn’t that akka say that she saw her when she was tying the goats? How far could she have gone then?’

‘She must have run into the fields? She couldn’t have gone too far.’

‘But two people have gone to look near the bus stop, just in case. There are no buses at this time. We will find her.’

‘Maybe she is destined to live long.’

The voices receded and went towards the rock. She realized that a crowd had assembled at the rock. Of all days, Kumaresan had told her today that he might not return home tonight. Her mother-in-law must have heard him, and made these arrangements. Or perhaps those men had just returned after finding out information from this person they called Bhai Anna.

She did not know what they planned to do to her. Would they club her down? Or would she be hacked to death with sickles? Was she destined to live long, as one of the voices had complained? People lived around here in all directions. There was nowhere she could seek help. At least they wouldn’t look for her here for a while. Until the night ended, she had to stay hunched here somehow. She would be safe once Kumaresan returned. He would not let anyone harm her. He was her only refuge.