saffron pyjamas and t-shirts on his bed. They made him look like a hippie, but he was grateful for the clean clothes. They met again with the others, and followed Sharma to a courtyard. There were several dozen people already there, and without consciously realizing it, Mayukh and the others with him moved closer together. Mayukh was holding Swati's hand with his right and Abhi's with his left. Hina was barely a step behind, and David, ever their sentinel, walked one step ahead of them, scanning the group. In a short few days, they had come to trust and depend on each other to a degree that they would never have believed possible when they had first been thrown together by fate. Now, being among so many strangers, it was almost as if they clung to each other.
David felt a bit out of place carrying his handgun tucked into his belt, since nobody else seemed to be armed, but he didn't want to take any chances, especially after the incident in the office. There was no sign of Walter, Mikhail or the other armed men they had met at the gate and when David asked Sharma where they were, he said they were standing guard at the walls.
'There are so many of them!'
Mayukh heard Swati whisper next to him, and he could but nod in agreement. Looking at the people milling around the courtyard, he saw entire families, foreign tourists, even a couple with a little dog. It felt like an eternity since he had last encountered such a large crowd of people, not counting Biters out to rip his throat out, of course. Many of those around turned to stare at the newcomers, but Mayukh saw no hostility, just vacant glances, and even a few wan smiles. As he walked through the crowd, most of them seemed to be totally engrossed in what the Swami was saying, as if hypnotized by him.
Swami Vinesh stood on a slightly raised platform facing the crowd, and Mayukh could now hear him clearly as they came closer.
'We-me, you, all of us, are like a candle burning in the darkness. A symbol that all hope is not lost. A sign that no matter the horrors that have threatened to take over our world, we can survive if we stick together. Is that not what religion is all about? Binding people together? I thank you all for helping maintain this oasis that we have created, and pray that God gives us all the strength and faith to persevere.'
'Damn, he has them eating out of the palm of his hand.'
Mayukh smiled at David's comment, but seeing the Swami in person for the first time, he realized why he had such a following. Whatever else he may have been, he certainly had tons of charisma. Abhi suddenly broke away from Mayukh's grasp and ran forward.
'Abhi!'
Mayukh got up to run after the boy, who was making a beeline for the Swami, who now faltered in his speech, wondering what was going on. For a moment, Abhi seemed to be heading straight for the Swami, who smiled broadly and held out his arms to embrace him. But then, Abhi ran right past him and behind the platform. The Swami got up, with an embarrassed look on his face, and some in the crowd tittered. Mayukh scampered past the platform to see Abhi pick up a toy car. He looked at Mayukh, his face beaming.
'I found McQueen!'
Mayukh wondered whose car it was and tried to take it away from Abhi.
'Abhi, that's not your car. Remember, we forgot it in the bookstore? This just looks like your car.'
However, Abhi was adamant and tears started streaming down his face.
'No! This is my McQueen.'
The Swami had now come up beside Mayukh, who looked at him apologetically. The Swami smiled.
'Please, you have nothing to apologize for. A child's innocence is one of the most beautiful things God has blessed us with. Little one, do you want this car?'
Abhi nodded vigorously, and when the Swami told him he could have it, he shouted in delight and ran back to where Swati was and began playing with it, oblivious to the disruption he had caused. A few minutes later, the Swami invited the newcomers to his villa, which to their surprise had been stripped of all the luxurious furnishings they had seen in their own villas, and instead had a simple mattress on the floor and a small writing table.
'For some simple living is a cliche, for me it is the best way to realize God.'
David whispered to Mayukh as soon as the Swami had said the words.
'Is this guy for real? Call me cynical but whenever anyone is so holier than thou, my bullshit alarm goes off.'
Mayukh tried not to laugh as the Swami asked them to sit on the floor near him. Swati had been worried that it was close to Abhi's bedtime, but the boy was so busy playing with the car that he barely noticed anything or anyone. David and Mayukh didn't know what the Swami wanted of them, and were a bit surprised when Hina took the lead in the discussion.
'Swami Vinesh, what happened here?'
The Swami reached for a glass of water next to his mattress and replied.
'I was teaching meditation here to about a hundred of my disciples when the problems began. When we began to understand the full extent of the trouble after the second night, we barricaded ourselves in. As you have seen, the walls and gate are quite formidable.'
Hina didn't seem satisfied.
'But not formidable enough to keep those fiends out. David has seen them tear apart armed and trained troops and we have all seen the havoc they unleashed in the cities. How did you keep them out, and where do Walter and his friends fit in?'
Mayukh thought he saw a flicker of irritation cross the Swami's face, but then it was quickly replaced by the beatific, calm expression that he seemed to favour.
'Walter can explain more about our defences. I am hardly a man of action. My biggest responsibility is to keep those in here-my original devotees and the dozens who came in from neighbouring villages and hotels-safe as long as I can.'
David had been studying the Swami, and now asked the question that was on his mind.
'Excuse me, Swami Vinesh, I'll ask Walter about your defences, but how long can you hold up in here? You seem pretty well organized, but sooner or later, food and fuel will run out.'
Mayukh once again got the impression that the Swami was not accustomed to being asked so many questions, but was much more comfortable preaching from the pulpit.
'Captain, every day we go to neighbouring towns and villages to stock up. Sharma, my assistant, tells me that we should be good for at least a couple of months, provided we don't take in any more such as you.'
David smiled. So the Swami had a bite after all. Whatever they felt about the Swami, the reality was that if Walter had not picked them up, they'd be on their own in the dark outside right now.
'Now, it's my turn to ask some questions. Where were you headed for?'
Mayukh responded.
'You have radios here. You must have heard about the Ladakh announcement. Why don't you go there? You're not that far. That's where we are going, and with Abhi…'
He never completed the sentence, as Swati gripped his hands so hard her nails dug into his skin.
'Yes, yes. Ladakh. We have talked about it, but we are waiting for more than just some anonymous announcements. In here, we are safe for now. Out there, we are a largely defenceless group of civilians. What if this Ladakh sanctuary, if it ever existed, has fallen?'
They retired for the night, and before they entered their respective villas, they exchanged what they made of their situation and the Swami so far. Hina was very clear on what she wanted.
'We need to leave tomorrow morning. I don't trust him or his armed friends.'
'He gives me the creeps, and Mayukh, what were you thinking? You were about to talk about Abhi!'
Mayukh apologized to Swati, realizing that revealing that Abhi had been bitten might well have caused them to be turned out. As they went into their villas, and Swati and Hina set upon the herculean task of getting Abhi to put aside his car and sleep, Mayukh and David took stock of their situation.
'Mayukh, we need to leave first thing tomorrow morning.'
'We don't have a car anymore.'
David knew that, and hated the fact that they had so few options. They decided to retire for the night, but Mayukh found it impossible to sleep. At midnight, he stepped out, feeling the chill in the air, and saw that Swati was sitting on the porch of the adjoining villa. He walked over.
'Couldn't sleep either?'
As he reached her, he sat down next to her, and she held him tight, somewhat to his surprise.
