with sobs. She heard Lord Yama walk away. The sound of the bull’s hooves started up again. The chill in her heart overflowed and spread to the rest of her body.
Clop, clop, clop.
Silence.
Tara looked up, not daring to believe her ears. Lord Yama dismounted and came back to her. He knelt and stroked her hair.
“I can see that you are brave and loyal. Any other person would have run away, but you held your ground. You truly care about Ananth do you not?”
“He is my brother. I have already lost one. I’d rather die than lose another.”
“I will give you a chance to win his life back. But it is going to be very tough. Are you prepared?”
“Yes,” she said in a shaky voice. What did he have in store for her?
“There is a cave that leads deep down into the heart of the largest mountain in the Shivalik Hills: the Kailash Parbat. Your task is to bring back the Water of Life from a fountain in that cave. A few drops will restore Ananth to life. Tell me, Tara, will you do it?”
“Show me the way.”
“The path to the fountain is guarded by many dark and evil things that have never seen the light of day. They will kill anyone who tries to get past them. There is no guarantee you will come back. I may then have to collect another body: yours!”
“I am ready, Lord Yama. I want to be with my brother, in life or in death.”
“Such bravery in one so young! This deserves a fighting chance,” he said, stroking his chin, speaking to himself. “I have met so many cowards and unscrupulous people lately that your loyalty and courage have touched my heart.”
Tara stood still. Her heart was pounding so hard that the sound was deafeningly loud in her ears.
“Tara, listen to me carefully. I am going to give you some words of advice — three things that you must remember. You will have to decide how and when to use them. Remember them well, and perhaps they will save your life.”
Tara nodded.
“The first is: People are not as they appear on the surface. Trust your heart, not your eyes.”
Tara repeated it after him till she had memorized it.
“The second is: Sometimes the right way is the most difficult, while the wrong way, the most easy and tempting. Make your choice wisely.”
Lord Yama looked at Tara as she repeated the sentence, her face screwed up in concentration.
“The third is: Help a person in need. You may end up helping yourself.
“Do you remember everything?” he asked.
“Yes, Lord Yama, I do. Thank you for the chance to save my brother’s life.”
She walked toward the cave by his side as the sky in the distance started to lighten and the dawn chorus started. Lord Yama stopped and pointed to a deep, yawning hole in the mountainside.
“There’s the entrance. Be careful. May the blessings of Lord Vishnu, the Preserver, be with you. Oh, and one more thing: you have twenty-four hours to return with the Water of Life. Even a minute after will be too late.”
The Earth seemed to spin and a roaring filled Tara’s ears. Twenty-four hours ... unnamed dangers ... three bits of advice and she all alone. She took a deep breath and the world slowed its spinning.
“May I say goodbye to Ananth?” she asked.
Lord Yama nodded and stepped aside.
Tara walked up to Ananth’s body. In the soft light of dawn he looked so serene and peaceful. She leaned over and kissed his forehead.
“I’ll return, Ananth, or I’ll die trying. You gave your life to save me and now it’s my turn. Sleep for a while, my brother. I will be back to wake you.”
She turned back to the cave and started walking. Her body was icy cold. Panic had her heart in a firm grip.
“There is still time to say ‘no,’” Lord Yama called out to her. “Once you step into the cave, there is no turning back. You will not be able to get out unless you have the Water of Life with you, or I come to collect your body.”
Tara was unable to speak. She turned to look at Lord Yama one last time before she ran into the cave. The dark hole swallowed her up instantly, like black waters closing over the head of a drowning person.
CHAPTER 12 THE WATER OF LIFE
Tara’s eyes adjusted to the gloom as she walked deeper and deeper into the cave, which slanted down at a steep angle. A smell of decay came off the slimy walls. The air was thick and seemed to have life of its own as it swirled around her. And then there was the deafening silence.
“I will save Ananth ... I will be successful ... I will save Ananth ...,” she chanted to herself, not looking back at all. She knew she would run out if she glimpsed her freedom receding.
You can do this, you have to, she told herself. This is your chance to save Ananth. She remembered what her grandfather said to her often, especially at times when she was very scared:
“Tara, courage is not the absence, but the mastery of fear.”
The fear was there — lots of it. Only the mastery was lacking!
As she talked to herself, the band that constricted her heart gradually loosened. She drew in a deep breath and felt calmer, panic retreating to a corner of her mind.
“SSSSSTTTTT,” someone hissed in her ear. It echoed in the profound silence, and goose bumps rose on Tara’s hands.
She stopped and reached out into the endless void. The inky blackness had sharpened her sense of hearing. Panic jumped back to centre stage. She thought her heart would explode.
“Who is there?”
All that came out of her throat was a strangled yelp. She tried again.
“Who is that? Show yourself!”
A faint outline began to form. Within minutes, an Apsara — a beautiful goddess — stood in front of her. She had luminous skin as if lit from within. Her shiny black hair fell to her shoulders. She wore a bright red saree, embroidered with sparkling golden threads and a bejewelled tiara. On her forehead, just where the arch of her eyebrows met, was a red dot outlined in gold that seemed to light up her serene face. Tara noticed that she had six hands instead of two, each holding a different item. One held a sceptre, one a golden pot, the third held a little mouse that sat patiently on her palm. Her fourth hand held a lamp and the fifth, a round, steel plate full of sweets. Her sixth hand was empty. A mesmerizing halo shimmered around her.
“Welcome, Tara. I have been waiting for you,” she said in a melodious voice.
“Do you know me?”
“I
