It's been around 20 minutes we started walking from Pradheesh's house through main road and reached a deviation which Vishnu pointed out. It was a short rural kind of road. The moment we started walking into the road, the atmosphere started changing a bit. The road looked very much isolated & congested. Hardly a car will pass through the road. Due to less lamp posts, the road was really giving us a haunted effect. There were only a few houses around. We didn't make any sound and continued quietly as the time was really so late to roam around.
Me: Pradheesh, it's really great that you got the flashlights buddy, otherwise we would have already started heading back.
Vish: Hahahahaha, truly guys.
Sree: Guys, be quiet ok. People will be sleeping and we should not give them any bad impression.
Me: He is right, let's be quiet and focus on our mission.
I looked at Pradheesh, he was not in a mood to speak at all. He was really frightened. I started realizing, what kind of trouble we all are into.
Me: Vishnu, this is the road right.
Vish: yes yaar, I got the details from a local friend somewhere from here.
Prad: Good, because if not, we wasted our energy and effort today for nothing.
Me: Nothing like that guys, for me already this is becoming a great life experience. Have you guys ever done this before?
Sree: Never before and never want to do after this also.
Prad: I should have thought a little more seriously before saying yes to you guys.
After about half an hour walk, we all stopped at once.
A really scary moment was infront of us...
We were really stunned by what we saw infront of us. We were about to enter into a road which was covered entirely by large rubber trees on both sides. There was no lamp posts, just darkness everywhere. The oozing sound of wind through the trees made the atmosphere even more frightening. Everybody got so afraid that they started telling to call off and return. I was scared too but don't know why I felt to proceed. I didn't show my fear outside and encouraged everyone to continue.
Me: Guys, we came so far, how can we just return now. It's just night. Let's deal with it. We have lights with us. What to worry?
Everybody was silent, nobody wanted to respond.
Me: Fine, gimme the light. You guys go back, am going ahead.
I started walking.
Sree: Nipin, wait we are also coming yaar. We were just scared, that's all.
Everybody joined me and I felt so relaxing and calm inside as they had no idea how much I was getting afraid. We were slowly and cautiously proceeded.
It's been more than a hour since we crossed that haunted trees and suddenly, Vishnu stopped us.
Me: What happened Vishnu?
Vishnu looked at us and from his expression I can make out he was some kind of puzzled state.
Me: Any problem?
Vishnu pointed his finger to forward direction and said,
Vish: Guys, don't know which road to take from here..
Actually, we reached a small junction where the road was dividing into two.
Me: What you mean you don't know?
You said you clearly know.
Vish: My friend he never told me anything about this junction, he told me just to continue in this road and we will find the Grove in our way itself.
Me: Comeon yaar, this is not happening.
I was shocked and same time angry too.
Thambran and Pradheesh was dumbstruck don't know what to say.
Again friends came up with a suggestion of going back but I told them to give me a moment to think and soon I came up with an idea.
Me: Guys, we will do one thing. As per earlier information, we are very close to Grove. Let's divide into two groups- myself n Sreeresh will take the left road, you guys take the right, ok.
Sree: Then...
Me: We will set a time duration of 20mins, whatever happens we have to return back to this place in 20mins. If we find out the place, we will come back to this place first and then proceed, got it.
Everybody agreed without wasting time and we took our ways in groups...
On our way,
Sree: Nipin, are we taking the wrong road.
Me: Didn't hear what I just said. I looked at him lil impatient manner.
Sree: I got that but what if they meet the god.
Me: They got lucky, we didn't.
Thambran again went to quiet mode. I tried to make him comfort by saying that this is the right one.
Suddenly the darkness of the night was thrown away by a series of lights hanging on a coconut palm field on the left side of the road.
Me: Can you see anybody?
Sree: Nothing bro.
Me: Not even any houses around too and you see the right side of the road is full of trees and dark.
Sree: No houses anywhere near.
There was nobody around but that area was fully lightened.
Me: Looks like there may be few houses which we are not able to see.
Accidently, without thinking my tongue slipped and told Sreeresh
Me: Looks like may be are on the wrong route Thambran.
Sreeresh didn't say anything, just looked at me sadly.
Still we decided to take few more minutes for our time to search furthur. Once we cleared that field area again the darkness covered our tracks, as we moved little furthur, we saw a hut and an old women sitting outside. We decided to ask the old granny about the Grove.
On our approach to the hut, Sree whispered to me, "Nipin, how come she alone in this area."
Me: Let's find out.
We walked towards the grandma and just before reaching to her, heard a loud noise behind.
Sree: what was that?
Me: I have no idea, may be some dry coconut or something must have fallen down.
When we turned back to grandma, I noticed there was a lantern lit infront of the hut.
Me: Is the lantern was lit before?
Sree: May be, I don't remember, why?
Me: Leave it. Let's ask granny...
Grandma, could you please tell us where the Grove is...
The moment we asked, granny looked at both of us, gave a weird expression and said Granny: Do not waste your time here childrens, go back to others.
We looked each other thinking we made a wrong decision of asking her. We continued our journey ahead and soon we agreed to what granny told us. We reached near a big wall, there was no road ahead.
Me: Grandma was right Sreeresh, this is a dead end.
I looked at Thambran, he was so sadly looking at the wall. I consoled him and we started heading back to our start point. I too felt bad after taking so much effort, couldn't locate it.
Me: You know what, you were so negative about this road from the beginning, thats why it happened like this.
Sreeresh was very much disappointed. He didn't say anything.
Me: What is so sad about? It's just the other way, let's go there
Thambran just nodded.
When we reached our start point, our friends where already there waiting for us. The moment they saw us,
Vish: Did you guys saw the grove ?
Me and Sreeresh looked at each other. We realised they also didn't found the temple. They walked for 10mins, didn't found anything and they returned.
Our quest was a total failure...
©nn_nair