"Do you think this is all real? I want this to be a nightmare." Kartik says with a dull face.

I take in the fresh air of the lush fields we walk through. Instead of answering him, I run a hand through the tall crops. I take Kartik's hand and give it a squeeze.

A week.

A week had gone by since...

I don't want to even think about it. I don't want my heart to be clenched miserably again and again.

I spot Kartik's mother in the fields and wave at her. She notices us in seconds. Her shift is over so we had come to get her.

"Ay, my boys, what y'all doing here?" Her supposedly 'merry' tone sounds like a parrot trying to mimic a human. She is more enthusiastic than she has ever been. Using her saree pallu, she wipes her forehead sweat and tucks the pallu near her hip.

"Appa asked us to get you. Said we would eat together." Kartik tells.

"Oh, so Onkar is also eating with us? Then we should hurry home so that I can cook something special for Onkar." She starts to walk, and that too very fast. I guess the whole family is accustomed to fast walking.

I've no energy to walk but try to catch up, only to deny myself any special treatment. "There's no need, Aunty."

"What no need? You've come after so long!"

I don't say anything more. I'm in no mood to.

Luckily, Kartik manages to convince his mother. "No need, Amma. We've already heated yesterday's leftovers. And we're not hungry either."

Kartik's mother does go on rambling on why we need to eat. But words just go above my head as we walk to Kartik's home, my mind anywhere but here.

Kartik's home is more or less a hut made out of mud and grass. Both Kartik's parents are wage earners whose income can only bring them food to their plate. At first, Kartik's education was neglected, and it was decided that he wouldn't go to school. He was destined to help his father and mother in the fields. But Appa convinced Kartik's father to send him to school and told him that Appa would pay Kartik's school fees. It was hard to persuade them–Appa had told me–and they always feel that they have debt they owe to Appa.

But it isn't like Appa has to pay for three children's education. He just has to pay for Kartik's. Mine and Deepti are on scholarship.

Don't ask me how and which scholarship– Appa's words, not mine.

I'd expected to see Appa at Kartik's house, chatting with Kartik's father. Because they can't pay the so-called debt through money, they try to repay it by calling us for dinners and lunches whenever they can.

To begin with, Kartik's family never owed us any debt. What Appa did was a mere act of friendship.

"Oh, finally they came. Let's sit for lunch then?" Kartik's father strains a grin that only comes off as phony.

Kartik's parents are more serious types–stoic stone faces and monotonous voices. Their smiling so much makes the whole situation weird. They don't have to fake happiness just to cheer us up.

We all sit down together and have some rice and fish curry–which doesn't feel leftover at all. The creamy curry of the fish is fragrant with curry leaves and coconut oil as it perks up your taste buds with its mild spice. My stomach grunts to have more as I had an empty stomach from morning.

"It's really tasty, Aunty." I couldn't resist saying it out loud.

"It is? It's good that it didn't get spoiled. If you would've told me earlier that you're coming then I would've–"

"It's okay. You already work a lot, Sujata. Don't overwork yourself just to serve us. Any which way, fish curry only tastes good on the second day after making it." Appa says, making Aunty purse her lips.

"That's nothing. I just want the boys to be happy." She smiles at us.

I can't even muster to fake a smile and go along with the conversation. I keep my head down and eat while the parents chatter. What happened the past few days keeps bouncing in my mind.

"How're Biju's parents doing?" I ask and the whole room goes silent. The smiles fade as they exchange looks.

Shit, don't tell me something bad happened...

"They're at their native place." Kartik's father informs.

"Oh."

"You both need to forget about the past, okay?" Aunty places a hand on Kartik's knee.

"So we should forget our friend?" Kartik asks bluntly.

"That's not what we're trying to say, dear," Appa says. "We know this is all so sudden. Even I'm confused with all of this that's happening... We just want you both to move on."

I frown. "What's happening?" Appa sighs but doesn't reply.

"Tell me. What happened besides Biju's death? I haven't read the newspapers these days."

"I just... I've had a lot of patients recently. And they show symptoms quite similar to what Biju showed earlier." Appa explains.

"What symptoms?" Katik questions.

"High fever, sudden seizures, low heartbeat, and vomiting and nausea." I list them down. It's impossible for me to not keep track of all this. That's the least I could do– which I should've done earlier.

Appa nods. "I think this is the start of some epidemic disease."

"My fish..." Kartik's mother facepalms with her left hand. "The crops are drying up in the fields, you know? Our master is ready to fire us all and only keep the useful and youthful ones who can work for long hours." She shoves a handful of rice in her mouth. "With this body, I don't know how long I'll be useful to him."

"Amma don't say such things..." Kartik rubs her back.

"It's the reality, Kartik. Today, we're going on an empty stomach every night. Tomorrow, maybe we won't have anything on our plates for the entire day."

Suddenly, Kartik's father gets up. "OK, let me not waste time. I'll go or else I'll be late." He leaves his unfinished food.

"But where?" Sujata Aunty calls out. "Eat something at least!"

"I got a new job."

"Where?"

"At the palace."

Appa looks at him skeptically. "Don't tell me you're going there to build freaking soldiers."

Kartik's father shakes his head, fixing his hair in the mirror and collecting his belongings. "I would never go for that. I got a job as a cook."

"You better not resort to that. Because it's horrendous." I would like to know what they are talking about but I feel my friend is more important than quenching my curiosity.

"Aunty, when did this all happen?" I ask and then glance at Kartik. "You're sleeping with an empty stomach at night? Why didn't you tell me?"

Kartik looks away. "It's not important."

I groan. Important, my fish!

"These days have been hard on us dear. We don't know what's in store for us. We just hope nothing bad happens..."

—

I feel helpless.

First Biju and now Kartik... It feels as if I can't do anything to improve the lives of my friends, of the people I love.

Sighing, I sit back against the tree trunk that had unripe mangoes hanging from its branches. A group of students are present with their teachers under the banyan tree. Some are giggling and chatting in high spirits. Others are dead scared to meditate underwater for the first time. Farmers bring their cows to the shore and let them drink Amrit's water as it's good for animals too. And then there are other villagers who come from different parts of Nivaan to visit the river Amrit and meditate there. The rejuvenation of the second soul that river Amrit provides is impossible to be found in its tributaries.

I wanted peace when I thought of coming to Amrit river. But how could I forget? There is never silence found at Amrit after six in the morning.

Suddenly, Kartik's hand comes on my knee, making me startle out from my thoughts. "Don't think too much. I'm fine."

"How're you fine? I can see your ribcage from here." I poke at his naked chest.

He laughs. "That's an exaggeration now. Don't forget I've more muscle than you."

I roll my eyes. "You could've told me. That's all I'm saying."

"For you to stress more on top of... everything that's happening? No thanks."

One of the teachers makes the children stand in two queues– one boys and the other one, girls. All are clad in their white tunics and dhotis, excitement gleaming on their faces. Looking at them, I reminisce about my first time. How excited I was. How sad I was when I couldn't unlock my second soul on the first try like some others. But when I'd finally unlocked it, I was smug and proud to show off my newbie skills to the entire town.

"I wish I could go back to being a kid. Living a little happier as I wouldn't know that I would lose the people I love so early..."

Kartik hit my head. "Put a halt on your thoughts. You were never the one to be pessimistic. And you don't have to be. Life's not ended here. We still have a lot of things to do."

"Like?"

"Like I've to graduate and become a soldier to support my parents. And didn't you want to become the best physician in this whole world? You forgot your dream?"

I chuckle. "I didn't forget. I just added another one."

"And that is?"

"To become the best physician in the world with the highest salary and support my best friend."

Kartik laughs. "Well, you don't need to. I can very well do it on my own."

I laugh along with him as I gaze at the kids who go below one by one and sink in. The Nivaanians are gifted to breathe underwater right from when they're born. Being inside water and then unraveling your powers slowly is the most enjoyable peace you can ever attain.

My gaze is pinned on the river surface as the teacher walks along the shore. I get lost in a trance and don't notice the bubbles surfacing the river until Kartik says something to wake me up from the trance.

"Hey is it Princess Arasi...?" His words fly off somewhere else as I stand up hurriedly, my eyes widening at the site of the bubbling river turning black.

"Kartik! Look..." I call him out and his face turns aghast as a look of familiarity sets in.

My heart rate speeds up when I see the surfaces that are above each child turn black. This... is what happened when Biju was underwater?

Oh shit.

Before I know it, I'm running towards the river and jumping in without a second thought.

***