Page 233 of The Circle of Exile
“Now, Janab…”
“Sir?”
Atharva glanced up. Captain Husain stood in uniform, at attention.
“I’ll call you back, Iram.”
“It’s ok. Do your work.”
He held back his smile and ended the call.
“Captain Husain,” Atharva rose to his feet, beginning to extend his hand for a shake. Captain Husain’s hand went to his forehead in a salute, foot thumping loud.
“That’s not me now,” Atharva chuckled, holding his hand out for a shake. Captain Husain took it. “It’s you, sir. I wasn’t even surprised when they radioed that we would find you on site.”
“They don’t make me wear bulletproof vests anymore, works better.”
“Atharva sir,” Vikram interrupted their conversation. “NDRF trucks are ten minutes away to evacuate everyone to Rampur. Samar sir is looking for you.”
Atharva stepped back — “Captain, will your team be returning now?”
“Adil sir asked me to take my orders from you.”
Atharva shook his head — “I cannot do that. Please contact Adil and brief him about the situation. It will be his call.”
Captain Husain held his gaze. Atharva nodded. “See you, Captain.”
He saluted again. “Sir.”
As Atharva walked out of the temple on bare feet, the people already running at double the speed in front of him to see trucks come for them, his footsteps slowed.
“Is there another way down from here?” He asked Vikram.
“There is one behind the temple. But it’s steep.”
Atharva stepped out of the door and into the courtyard in time for the trucks to splash through waist-high waters. Antenna trucks were painted with news agency logos, cameras out.
“Har har, Mahadev!” Somebody cried out. And more chanted behind them. They began to circle him with the intention to pick him up and Atharva pushed back, gesturing to Samar. Three of them still kept coming, Jagga leading the pack.
“Nahi, nahi,[64]” Atharva laughed, resisting their efforts to wedge their shoulders under his knees. He tugged them up and towards Samar. And easily they went, lifting him on their shoulders, throwing him up, celebrating.
As the trucks were parked down below and the NDRF and camera crew began to climb up the hill, Atharva took quiet steps back. He retreated until he was shadowed in the sanctum of the temple, reached down, searched for his shoes among the hoard littered there and hooked his fingers into them.
Loud applause welcomed the rescue, and cameras were higher than Samar’s head. Atharva pulled his backpack over his shoulder, turned and began to walk around the temple. He was not even on the other side of the hill yet when he heard the slapping of bare feet behind him. He glanced over his shoulder.
Vikram was coming, barefoot.
“What happened?”
He shook his head but kept coming. Atharva saw it in his face. He turned and kept going, climbing down the steep hillside, Vikram Rana behind him.
V: THE TANGENT
44. Exile is round in shape
Exile is round in shape, a circle, a ring.
Your feet go in circles, you cross land and it’s not your land.
