He could see the sodium street light flickering near the street bend,bathing the sorroundings into golden yellow intermittently. There was series of houses and an alley towards the left that led to his house. The Arugus (kind of pavement infront of village homes) were usually filled with elderly people chitchatting during the evenings, but at this late hour they were erriely empty. As he approached the street end, suddenly his eyes fell on the Arugu. In the flickering golden light of the Sodium bulb, he could see her. Yetulamma. She was lying on the Arugu, with her head turned towards the road, resting on her elbow. What was she doing here in this dead of the night? He wondered. Clad a white saree, and overflown matted hair, she looked at him, sadness in her wrinkled face, a face that seemed to be longing for someone. Her eyes were charcoal red. 'Anyways she is mentally retarted' he thought and walked ahead still observing her. He followed him as well, with her eyes. He reached the alley and walked in as she disappeared out of the view. He tried opening the gate first. But it was locked. He knocked at the gate and shouted.. "This is me.. open the door!" He again knocked. After a few minutes, he could head the locked being turned.. "Push it open" His elderly fathers voice. He pushed the gate and went in. He could see his wife, Geeta at the inside doorway. "The train was late" He said to her. "Fine, dinner is ready, wash your feet and come" she said taking the bag from him. Meanwhile his father had closed the gate and came near the doorway. "How was the journey" He asked yawning. "Yeah it was OK" he said making for the Goluva (a traditional water storage made of stone). He pulled out water using the pitcher and washed his feet and face. Geeta brought a towel. He dried himself and handed it to his wife and went inside the house. Both his kids were fast asleep and he didnt want to disturb them. I will give them the presents tomorrow! he thought. He went inside the dining room. The room was at the backend of the house. His father's room was adjacent to it. His father and Geeta was both at the table. "You people didnt have your dinner?" He said. "No we had, just Mamagaru wants to give you company" She said, putting plate infront of him. She put in potato curry and rice mixed with dal. As he tasted, he understood it was reheated. "I want a little Gongura" He said. She put a spoonful of it in his plate. 'Hmm ...' he said tasting it 'No one can prepare it better than you!' She blushed.
Soon he started taking about various musing in bheemavaram between mouthfuls, and his father also followed suit talking his younger days at that town. Just before washing his hands in the plate he asked Geeta, "Hey, while coming I just saw Yetulamma lying on her Arugu. Seems she has completely lost her mind". why she sits there so late in dead night..!!!? His father suddenly got up from the chair. "What?!" he exclaimed. "Are you sure?" Geeta looked bewildered. "Yes. What is the matter?" Said Srini "She.. she....she ....died this morning due to Tuberculosis!" Blurted out Geeta. Srini was stunned. He looked instinctively at the doorway.. There.. he could see Yetullamma, clinged on the wall.. with blood shot eyes.. waving here palms at him.. He tried cleaning his down pouring sweat with his hands ... his hands were blood stained.. He tried seeing his father n wife who were with him till now.. He could see two figures.. ushhhhh.....!!!! they were not his father and wife.. A blurred image of a uniformed Cabin master and a middle aged lady clad in white saree were standing beside the table.. looking at him intently.. he could hardly swallow the mouth filled saliva in fear .. Beads of sweat started dripping from his forehead.
He looked at the table, and found flesh and bones scattered all over... He slowly looked at the sitting room, shivering, and could see his father sound asleep... what is all this.. His heart started beating faster.
He could hear Geeta's voice in the other room. He tried to scream but voice box was not cooperating. He wanted to run as fast as he could.. but his numb legs could hardly move.. and his ears were getting filled with barkings of dogs..
And...
THE LIGHTS WENT OUT...
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