"Tomorrow he will be released of all his pain,"Mata said calmly handing back fistful of rice.
Woman started crying as if a dam had been opened. Mata's disciples helped the woman to gate and asked her to be strong. On returning back Mata asked her disciple to stop further requests that she was tired. They put a sign on the main door and Mata went to her resting bed. There was an unusual silence, a choking environment that concealed a new day. Mata asked her disciple to not disturb her whole day and then she hid well in the darkness as if she didn't exist.
Night engulfed the village and moon shone bright above the mountains. Children were running around village as people were gathered at the center of village. A huge stage was set up and a local drama was going on. Festive colors decorated every person. Sati and parvati were sitting together in the crowd watching the drama. Only two days left their belly looked like they were about to be burst. Shiva and laxman were around them making sure everything was fine and well.
A thirteen year old girl wearing saree came on to the stage on a fake lion with a trident in her right hand. A big guy with a mask which had big wide eyes and teeth coming out was dancing and laughing loudly. The girl got off fake lion with poise and lifted her right leg and raised her trident hand and threw at the Asura. And the big guy fell on ground to which everyone in crowd erupted clapping. Parvati started crying and seeing her cry shiva asked,"Are you fine?"
"I want my baby to be like her. She is so serene." And she kept on crying. Shiva with a nervous laugh looked at people around and at Laxman and then hugged her.
Parvati started crying loudly, this time it was not out of compassion but pain. She kept shouting with her hand on her belly. "What is happening? Are you alright?" Shiva all panicked kept asking her. He kept wiping sweats from her forehead. The drama got stopped and everyone formed a circle. A woman in her late fifties wearing a dark blue saree came in from crowd who handled pregnant women and delivered their babies in the village.
"Ama, what is happening?" Shiva asked with his eyes full of tear.
Her elongated eyes looked at him and then kept looking at parvati. She signalled people around to spread out and the sound of Parvati's cry filled up the silent night.
"She needs to be delivered right now,"Ama said in a calm voice.
"Are you sure?" Shiva asked with a worried face.
She got up and started walking away. "Where are you going?" Shiva asked.
"I don't dwell in the doubtful alley," She said under her voice and kept walking.
"No. I am not doubting. It is just that Mata had said baby will be born in nine days. And it is just the seventh day." Shiva knelt down and started crying.
The crowd went silent and a spine chilling silence followed. Faces were all afraid and saddened, seeing their protector crying. And hear that their Mata's prophecy is becoming wrong, slowly panick started to transfer among the crowd. A loud thunder roared in the sky, shivering everyone's heart.
"She must be informed," Ama said.
Shiva got up and said,"I will go and inform her but you need to attend her."
"I will come along with you," Laxman said stooping towards Shiva.
Sati went and sat beside Parvati clenching her hand reassuring her. Shiva and Laxman ran toward the Mata's place. Ama signalled two woman in crowd and they came forward. They took Parvati on stage and closed the curtains so no one could see. Women started running off stages and coming back with a big pot full of hot water. And the sound of parvati crying kept getting louder and louder, while the sky kept roaring thunder and downpour started. Everyone scattered and took shelter nearby and Parvati's cry got mixed in rain, and it felt Nature was crying with her.
There was no sign of stress on Ama's forehead, she looked calm like a Buddha. Every minute felt heavy and infinite. Every person in crowd had started to pray their deity. Time kept passing by and the suspense kept building up with rain. After an hour rain stopped, everyone opened their eyes stopping their prayer. Every eyes fixated on the drape and hoping everything is going good behind it. Green band of light spread across the sky illuminating surrounding and a new cry echoed in the environment. The high pitched cry made everyone's eyes wet and they inhaled a deep breathe as the drapes were opened. There was Ama with the crying baby in her hand and Parvati was lying on floor with women around attending her. Parvati's eyes were closed and Ama wrapped baby with a new towel.
"It is a girl!" She exclaimed. And everyone cheered and hugged each other.
Shiva and Laxman came back running. Laxman was breathing very heavily and he just sat down taking rest. Shiva ran on to the stage and Ama handed him the baby. He tried holding her but for his arms she was very tiny. She looked like a wrapped hot dog in his hand and tear started flowing from his eyes.
"What did Mata say?" Ama asked softly.
He handed the baby to Ama and got down of the stage. People started to come around and surrounded him. Laxman nodded at Shiva and he kept looking at floor and breaking the silence he murmured,"she is dead." Crowd couldn't hear and kept looking at him.
"Shiva," Laxman called.
Shiva looked up and said,"Mata is dead." A thunder hit the tree on side lighting it on fire. Everyone in disbelief, with their widened eyes stood in there for a minute. Women started crying in unison symbolizing death.
"It has started," Ama said with her lips shivering as she spoke.
"This is the end," someone said from the crowd. And one after another people repeating similar things and panicked.
"Please!" Shiva shouted.
"Please. Remain calm," he continued.
"It is the time,"Ama said. And everyone kept staring at the newly born baby.
"No." Shiva said taking his step back.
"You are the protector of this village," a guy from the crowd said.
"Your family duty is to protect us from the mountain," another woman said.
"Mata is dead. Your daughter got born before nine days. Sati is still to be delivered. This is a clear sign." One after another sentence kept coming out from the panic crowd.
"There is no other way than to sacrifice," Ama said with a cold unwavered voice.
"Then I will do it," Shiva said. "I will sacrifice myself."
"That will not suffice," Ama said.
"There must be other way," Laxman said.
"You know better than all of us," Ama looked at Laxman.
Shiva slowly crept upto the stage and stood beside the Ama. He glanced at Parvati who was still sleeping from all the stress. "I am sorry," he said under his breathe.
"There should not be any more sacrifice," Shiva shouted on top of his lungs. He stood tall on stage,an intimidating figure whose eyes shone bright like fire.
"I will go up there and meet him. And if I have to will battle him. If I don't manage to return three years from now then you can do whatever you want." He said and started looking at the crowd.
Everyone started looking at each other eventually focusing their eyes at Ama's.
She handed the baby to another woman and came forward at the edge.
"I think that's fair. Without our Mata we already are in worse condition. So if you don't come back in three years on this day then we wouldn't have any other choice."
Shiva nodded. He ran down to meet Laxman and asked him to take care of his wife and daughter. Laxman assured him of doing so and immediately after Shiva with a stick started his journey to mountain. Downpour started again and he was lost in the darkness. Everyone prayed to the deity again but this time for the protection of their protector, their Shiva. And then there was another cry from one of the woman,"Parvati is dead."