Wounded for Life

 

They walked and walked, with not a word or sound, as directed by the spades pointing towards them. They reached space with huge stone walls, having an open roof. There were three small stone elevations on the ground, that were fenced on three sides with blocks of stones. The floral decorations done at the elevated stones indicated that these were worshipped.  

       Saira was positioned right at a stone slab that was a few feet ahead of one of the worship spots. Aditya was in a similar position at the other worship spot. The third one was at a triangular position to that of Saira and Aditya. A heavily ornate man walked in and took a position at this triangular spot, and took a full gaze of Saira and Aditya. The other five men stood in attention to this man. A seventh man entered with a huge broad sword-like thing in his hand. 

       Saira spoke for the first time since the trap had fallen on them. She began a continuous loud rattle saying "That was an animal trap. You see we are not animals. What is the point in having us captive? Just let us go. We will go back to the place we came from. Why did you even bring us here..." Aditya knew that this was the most stupid thing that she could have done at this time. It was evident that they spoke a different language and would have got nothing of what she spoke. They would react and retaliate he knew. The crowd shifted uncomfortably. Two men ran out and quickly came back. One of them stuffed leaves into Saira's mouth and the other in Aditya's. 

       Aditya stood straight and let the leaves be stuffed. Saira shook herself and moved her face in all possible directions to resist. As the confusion persisted, she laid her hand on a sharp metal pen-like object attached to the waistband of the man stuffing the leaves in her mouth. She had taken notice of it when they walked through the jungle. Just as the man was done and moved back, she tightened her grip and she found herself in exactly the position she visualized. The man was two feet away and the sharp object was in her hand. In the one second that the man took to stop moving back and come back to her, she punched her palm and aimed it at Aditya, who was a few feet away. 

       The object stuck an inch deep into Aditya's arm and he fell on his knees. Her palm dripped with blood. The men now grasped the scene and sprang to action. 

       An hour later, Saira and Aditya were sitting on a slab, with their backs to a wooden pole. They were tied back-to-back. Their hands and feet were also tied. The leaves remained stuffed in their mouths. Their wounds were bandaged. 

       "Aditya, listen to me." Came Saira's voice in a strange tone. Aditya's attention alerted to her voice and for a moment he forgot his pain. He began blowing out from his mouth to get the leaves off. He wanted to speak. "You cannot blow it off," said Saira in the same strange tone. "Just chew and swallow them. Just a little, so that you can move that thing to one side and talk. Don't throw it out or swallow entirely. You need to look like you have it still stuffed in." she said. 

   Aditya quickly chewed up a bit and spoke in a similar strange tone "How... did you think of ii?" "Never mind. You know they will keep us until our wounds heal. We need to escape before that. I have a plan" said Saira.