Temple

July, 2009

David was a student in 9th grade. A diligent student who was among the top scorers in class. He was famous in not only his class but the whole school. He used to participate in events and stand out. He looked cheerful on the outside but the thing inside of his heart no on e but he could understand.

When he was in eighth grade, his friend, Nabin told him some things. He called David in secret and said,"Follow what I said, and I will predict your future accurately."

David knew it was a prank so he just laughed it off. He tried to walk away but Nabin stopped him and said,"I know you don't believe me. But trust me on this. I can't tell you much but you will realize this in future. In 2011, I will be famous. You will know then."

David stopped after hearing that. He knew it was a prank but he found that story interesting. He wanted to hear more. He just looked at Nabin and smiled.

Nabin said," You don't have to believe me. Just do what I say to you. Tonight, when you sleep, think constantly about three things: Your location, a ghost who is eating a man and a figure shrouded in light. You have to do this until you all asleep and tell me what you see in your dream." He went away after saying that.

David was still in place. He was confused. What kind of prank was this? Think of ghosts and angels? The figure shrouded in light was an angel right? He was starting to doubt if it really was a prank. He was a fan of movies since childhood and he had seen many movies where mc tried such things to awaken. So he was thinking," Am I going to get some power now?"

He was being silly but who doesn't think like that at that age? He decided to give it a try that night. It was break time in school so he had to eat lunch fast or he would miss it. So, he ran way toward the canteen.

"Ring Ring Ring"

Bell rang and school was over. David was still excited to try what Nabin told him. So, he directly went home without even talking to his friends.

He was constantly looking at his watch hoping night would fall soon and he could try that. Gradually, his wish came true. It was bed time. He was excited so he immediately went to bed and started thinking. But he started getting scared. There was no need to get scared but he was scared. He wanted to stop thinking and just sleep. He seriously wanted to back off but he persevered. He wanted to know what Nabin would say the other day. No matter how scared he got, he constantly thought of three things until he fell asleep.

When he came to, he was in an unknown place. He was standing before a cliff but not alone. There were many people around him and standing just beside him was a girl. She was his age and pretty. But the most disturbing thing or him was that she was holding his hand.

The cliff he was at was very high. And beyond that cliff was a land. a huge land which was in a circle like shape which was cut in one place like someone took a piece of it away. And that land was not connected to other places in any way. It stood there surrounded by cliffs from all sides.

Many people could be seen in that land too but David couldn't see any way to get there. This whole experience was very confusing to him. What the hell was happening to him now. Wait. Was it because o the things he was thinking before? Was it not just a prank?

He was too confused to think straight. He was still questioning himself when he heard a voice beside him," Baby, what happened? Is something troubling you?"

The girl who was holding his hand questioned him.

"Huh? Baby? " He was even more confused now. He never had a girlfriend. He never even had the thought of making a girlfriend but now a girl was sticking to him and calling him baby. Was it a dream. It must be a dream. He thought. He was confused if this was dream or reality. He came to this place when he was sleeping and a girl he had never known before was talking like his lover. His rationality told him that this was a dream but the things around him seemed to real. He could even feel the warmth coming from the girl's hand.

"Who are you?" He finally said to the girl. He tried to release his hand from her grip but to no avail. Damn, her grip was strong.

"Are you trying to leave me?" The girl asked. David finally noticed that the girl's voice was sweet and pleasing to the ears but something seemed to be wrong. Her grip was loosening and her eyes were getting blurry. She seemed to be crying.

"H-Hey. Why are you crying?" David was going crazy by all the events happening but even then he couldn't let a pretty girl cry infront of him right? "Please don't cry. I am sorry." He said even though he didn't know what he was sorry for. Nah, he didn't even know who that girl was.

"Then why are you talking to me like a stranger. You won't dump me here right, Amon?"The girl replied softly while getting closer to him and eventually hugging him.

But she made David even more confused now. Amon? Who is that? I sure as hell am not that person. He had many questions in his mind but who cares about all that mind numbing shit when a beautiful girl is hugging you? At least David didn't. A teenager who was just entering the world of romance, a child who was on the path to becoming a man, was so excited by the scene of him being hugged by a beautiful girl, decide to throw all the useless thoughts to the back of his mind and just enjoy the feeling. He crossed his arms across her waist and said,

"Of course not. Do you think I could ever dump you? Do you really believe that your Amon could leave without you? Don't cry. I love you, baby."

David replied without even thinking carefully. Who cared if this was a dream? Who cared who Amon was? If this was a dream, then it wouldn't matter and if it was real, then he would have time to think another time. So, he just put all the thoughts in the back of his mind and gently embraced the girl.

The girl sniffled a little in his embrace and then stopped to look beyond the cliff. She was not crying now. David was relieved to see that. He wanted to know her name but he was afraid she would cry if he asked her about that. So he stayed silent and looked beyond the cliff too.

A lot of people were gathering around. Some were bringing along carts of goods, buffaloes, goats, and different vegetables like Cucumber, Squash, and Sponge Guard. People were carrying thin bamboos in their hands. It seemed like a great festival was about to start.

Everyone was looking toward the land beyond the cliff. It looked like the festival would take place in that land but David was confused about how they would go to that land. After about ten minutes, A ray of light came from beyond the cliff. It was a ray of sunrise. David was thinking that it was probably not a dream otherwise he would definitely have woken up before sunrise. As he was thinking about that, something happened which was a miracle in his eyes.

The land beyond the cliff was expanding. It expanded until it connected to the lands all around it except at the part which looked like it was cut apart. Everyone was excited by that sight.

"It's starting. It's starting now. Goddess Kali is going to bestow good fortune upon us." Someone shouted. David squinted at the man. The man was speaking a different language. It seemed ancient. He didn't know what was happening but strangely he could understand it. It was confusing but nothing too grand considering all that was happening. He just looked ahead at the land that was expanding. A huge gate was appearing before them.

Seven huge bells that looked like heads of giants were hanged at the gate. That was a grand sight. That gate was terrifying. Everyone around him was worshiping and kneeling at the sight but David was scared. He didn't know why but he had the feeling of being infront of the very gates of hell. He wanted to run away.

"Run " That was the only thought in his mind. He tried to run away realised he was not aloe there. He still had the girl holding his hand. She had a strange look in her eyes when she saw the way David was acting. He was sweating. His back was cold with sweat.

" What happened, Amon? Are you ok? " She asked.

"Um- Can we return now?" David asked. He wanted to run away alone but he didn't want that girl to run go alone either. It was the first time he met her but strangely he wanted to be with her.

"Why? We came all the way here to watch the festival of the goddess. What happened?" She asked. She clearly wanted to stay.

David wasn't in the mood to think anything. He blurted," Goddess? You think this is something that leads to somewhere a goddess lives? Look at those heads. Can't you see the horror hidden here?" David shouted.

The girl looked stunned. She didn't reply anymore. She just looked strangely at him.

"Please. Let's just go. Please" David pleaded.

The girl shook her head and gently said,"We can no longer return."

David was processing what she said when the gates to the temple opened and people started moving inside. The people behind David shouted for him to move and not block the way but David stood still rooted to the place.

The girl got close to him and whispered," Whoever comes to the gates of Goddess Kali is not allowed to return without visiting her when the gates to the temple are open. "

She pulled him and went through the gate of the temple.