“That settles it,” Sanath stated. “I have no such mark, and nor do you. We know because we saw each other just this morning. I have enough of this nonsense. Let's get out of here and leave this place for good.”
By evening they had checked into Ananda, a spa at Narendranagar, near Rishikesh. “Enough is enough. I have had enough of adventure. We are going to get some five star comforts now and spend the rest of our honeymoon in peace,” Sanath said. “…and I need to catch up with what's happening at work. I believe they have Wi-Fi. Just pass me my laptop.”
Sanath surfed through his e-mail inbox. Ten minutes later, he looked at the screen in horror, his face agape. “What happened? Are you all right?” Shalini asked concerned on seeing her husband staring at the screen in shock.
“Shalini,” he said softly. “I have lost my job. The entire division of the company I worked for closed down and everybody has been laid off because of the recession,” he said, tears forming in his eyes.
“Oh, my dear! But never mind. It's all right. I am sure you will find something better. After all, you have so many qualifications
The Other Side
193 and great experience,” Shalini tried to console him and placed an arm over his shaking shoulder. “There is worse to come. There is another e-mail from the US Home office. Your Visa has been declined on technical grounds,” Sanath said, looking away from her.
Shalini reeled as if from a mighty blow. Her American dream seemed to shatter in her eyes making the tears surface in her eyes. “It is the curse of the beast. It has started working already.”
“What nonsense! Don't believe in that superstitious bullshit. I will find a better job and file an appeal for your Visa. I'll have everything fixed within a month of going back to America,” Sanath promised.
“But I won't be able to go with you.” Shalini wailed. “Don't be sad, my darling. After all, this is our honeymoon. I am sure everything will work out eventually. I am off to take a shower and then we'll hit the swimming pool,” he said, entering the bathroom.
'Sanath, my boy! Don't fret or quit so easily. Remember, you are the same person who cracked IIT in the first go against all odds got MS in MIT with full scholarship,' he tried to motivate himself.
'You have done it many times before and you will do it again. You will find a better job and fix this Visa problem. There is no curse. Don't even start believing in superstitions,' he said to himself as he slipped out of his clothes, thinking of the best way to tackle his current lot of problems. For a moment, he froze on seeing his reflection in the life size mirror just as he was about to step into the shower. There stood the mark on his chest, just like the one he had seen on the hag's body. He looked down to confirm its presence and tried to wash it away with soap. He used the loofah, soaking it with the body wash and scrubbed away like mad. The scar remained in its place, the pugmark-like stamp staring back at him as if mocking his attempts on trying to get rid of it. He was petrified and rushed out of the bathroom naked, shouting for Shalini.
“Shalini, look what happened!” he sobbed, pointing to the scar. Their eyes met and he could see the same fears well up in her eyes. She nodded unable to say anything. Very gently, he undid the buttons of her shirt and pushed it off her shoulders. Her flawless skin was marred by a similar scar present on the left side of her body just above her firm breast, exactly at the same spot.
Eight months later. Sanath paced the corridor of the nursing home nervously like any other expectant father. His customary calm and confident demeanor had deserted him long back. He felt nervous, holding himself with both hands. As he waited for the operation to end, his mind went over the events over the last few months. He remembered how anxious they both had been when the strange mark had appeared on their bodies simultaneously on the very day he had lost his job. Rejection of Shalini's visa had further strengthened their belief that they had been cursed. But no other cataclysmic event had occurred after that. In fact, whatever had happened was for the better. He had been offered the job of the CEO of an upcoming Indian software firm. The fact that he would be able to stay with his newly wedded wife in India had been an additional inducement and he had taken up the offer. The cup of their happiness had overflowed when they had discovered about
The Other Side
195 Shalini's pregnancy a month later. The firm had made rapid progress under his able stewardship and had grown at almost the same rate as Shalini's belly. Gradually, they had forgotten about the bizarre happenings in the jungle and thoughts about the curse had faded from their minds, dismissing the events as unnecessary fear caused by some village folklore and an encounter with a peculiar species. They had not uttered about the incident to anyone back home, fearing ridicule. The only anxious moment in the pregnancy had been when Shalini had gone into premature labour that morning.