When we feel the fear in us, we feel the need to educate ourselves about the dangers of a polluted and frightened world around, and it was then that we are pushed down into our primitive brains - the part of us that evolved to deal with immediate danger requiring violent and impulsive solutions. That's where quick-wittedness comes in handy.

Bondita was still standing infront of Satya, along with Anirudh and Batuk a little away, and Satya closed his eyes to plot the entire escape plan in his mind like a bioscope climax.

"Anirudh Da, go through the back exit of this hotel, they have two, use the south gate," his eyes were still closed, calculating, "get a phaeton from the rikshaw stand, that should take us to Babu Ghat in less than ten minutes, and we'll get into Rashik majhi's boat from there."
Anirudh nodded at once and turned to Batuk, holding his shoulders.
"You think you can manage the girls?"

"More than you think I can." Batuk smiled proudly.

Anirudh patted him on the cheek and rushed out along the corridor of the hotel lobby.
"Bondita... See you outside, fast." He spared a glance at her, before vanishing down the stairs towards the instructed direction.

"Raimoti is dressing inside, should be out in a minute." Bondita turned restlessly, looking at the closed door.
"I'll go check on Mira once before leaving."

She was about to step away as a sharp scream drew their attention, and upon looking infront they both saw an English lady yelling at the receptionist for asking about her identity.

"You bloody manager, how dare you ask for my ID?" She yelled on top of her voice and the frightened man shook in terror standing behind the reception desk.

"Mrs. Governor General." Batuk mouthed the words to the man and turned towards the lady.
"Candice... Madam... This way..." Batuk had quickly rushed towards her, pulling her by her shoulders, and both Bondita and Satya saw with gaped expression as how the woman calmed down immediately, following Batuk, with a smile on her deep scarlet lips.
She wore a large round hat, covering most of her face, but from whatever was visible Bondita thought her to be extremely beautiful.

"It that the governor's wife?" She hushed and Satya nodded silently.

"Guess so."

The woman was approaching them, her hand wrapped around Batuk's arm, and he escorted her with great care.

Bondita gaped at the sight, but only for a moment, as Raimoti came out of the room and called her out.
"See you outside." She pressed Satya's arms and hurried accross the corridor along with Raimoti.

"Which one's her? Bondita?"
Candice asked Batuk, her eyes still following the trail of the two women leaving.

"The one in yellow."

Candice just breathed a little louder in reply, pulling out the scarf from her neck, and Satya narrowed his eyes at the sight of fresh red blotches tainted on her pale fair skin.

"Batuk, this is dangerous... " He lowered his voice, speaking in vernacular, "bringing her here wasn't a good move... What if she..."

His concern was legitimate, and with experience he had always known how British women had forever favoured their kin over the native Indians. Although this woman looked a little different, a little much under Batuk's influence, but Batuk too has appeared to be a bit different that morning!
He hadn't replied to Satya's concern directly, instead he had kept his hand on Satya's shoulder, with a bit of haughtiness perhaps, as he smirked at him mysteriously.

"Trust me Satya Da... I know a thing or two about women, she won't bite."

He winked, and Satya gasped at his words, eyeing the fidgeting foreigner once again, and his eyes widened in disbelief.

"You did not...?!!!"

Batuk folded his arms to his chest, looking proudly at him, and the way he shrugged his shoulders made Satya sigh again.
"See you soon brother, take care."

Satya had left, he had no time to reason with the young boy basking in the new found glory of masculinity, for there were far greater things that awaited him, far grave responsibilities, and at that moment, he prayed for the boy infront so that the almighty might invoke senses in him, sheathing him from an unnecessary heartbreak.

"She isn't that pretty... The other one is prettier." Candice suddenly spoke out, making Batuk turn towards her.

He shrugged at her too.

"Listen, Candy, we'll wait at the hotel, and we'll avert if anyone comes enquiring about my brother, alright?"

"Alright."

"And then I'll drop you home..." He held her outstretched hands and pulled her towards him.
"You dare not drive again, we're almost killed."
He licked the wound at the corner of his lips as they both shared a soft laughter.

"I saved us." Candice rolled her eyes and Batuk nodded in agreement.

"You sure did... You brave woman."

He wrapped his arm around her waist and guided her towards the room where he had slept last night, now vacant.
"We'll wait here." He smiled.

"Why can't you come with me Batuk?" She stood at the threshold and looked at him longingly.

"I... I can't because there is something I need to attend too... Well, someone actually... Two of them."

"What?" Candice asked plainly, her hands had now cupped Batuk's face, running her fingers on the slight stubble on his jawline.

"There are two girls, my brother's acquaintances, I'll have to drop them home."

"Where?"

"To Tulsipur... But I'll call you from there Candy... And I'll miss you."

But Candice was in no mood for another separation.
"No you won't... You won't go Batuk." She held his hand firmly and pulled him inside the room, and Batuk smiled at her, closing the door behind.

"It would just be a few days... And I'll be back before you know." He pulled out her hat and caressed her cheeks with his knuckles, and Candice shook her head violently.

"No... No... You won't... I know you won't... Roy had said these exact words... I'll be back before you know... And guess what, he never did."
Candice grabbed his shirt and pulled him closer, and Batuk gripped her waist at once for the support.
"I'm not letting you leave."

"But... "

Her lips were on his already, taking him by surprise, and her tongue was already demanding an entry inside his mouth.

"Cand...ummff..."
Batuk tried to speak, but his mild protests were muffled by the forceful ministration of her lips, pressed firmly against his, as if drawing her own life force from that kiss, desparately trying to seal their togetherness forever.

They both panted, their heart pounding, and their breathing unsteady, as they parted from each other, briefly.

"Oh Candy... You're..." Batuk was grinning at her, and she bit her lower lip in an invitation.

"But we'll have to keep an eye outside for...aaahhh..."
Batuk couldn't complete and Candice inched forward and pulled him promptly at her, almost making him fall.

"You aren't leaving me anywhere." She hushed into his ear, before biting his earlobe and making him jump.

"Yeah but..."

"Why do you argue so much?" Her voice was suddenly loud, almost a prelude to a scream, and Batuk pecked a kiss on her lips promptly.

"Candy... My dear Candy... I won't go anywhere... Let's sit down."
He let out a sigh and showed her the couch, and her eyes were roaming all around the room, haulting at the sight of the messy bed and the creased bedsheet.

"Who stayed here last night?" She narrowed her eyes, and Batuk checked his wrist watch once, replying plainly.

"Dada."

"Who?"

Batuk looked up, realising the futility of his vernacular response to her.
"Oh sorry..." He smiled.
"I meant my brother."

"And Bondita?" Her face suddenly looking paler, her voice a little distant, and Batuk nodded in response, the slit of his eyes narrowing further with a frown at the sight of her sitting at the edge of the bed carefully, running her fingers across the crumpled bedsheet.
"This was meant to be me."
She gulped, and Batuk felt a blow in his chest.

"What? What did you say?"
He inched forward and sat infront of her, on his knees, on the carpet, his hands placed on her knees.

"I could have been this Batuk!" She grabbed the bedsheet and pulled it up, holding it to her nose.
"This smell could have been mine."

"Candy... " Batuk gulped, "We spoke of this last night... Not my brother, it's me... And you now... Let my brother be, we'll make memories together."

"But the smell..." Candice had leaned down, sniffing the sheet, and her eyes looked blank again, her words child-like.
"I want this smell to be mine... Please..."

Fresh jets of tears began to pour down her eyes, and she hid her face in her palms, her shoulders shaking silent in the agony that her heart felt.

"Arey... Why are you crying?"
Batuk checked his wristwatch again, and sighed, trying to pull her wrist, pleading her to reveal her face to him.

"You know what..." He sighed, getting up from the floor, pulling Candice up by her arm.
"Let's make this bed smell like you... "

"How?"
Candice looked up, a confused expression painted her face in an innocent disbelief, and Batuk pushed her down on the bed, making her fall in it abruptly, a little roughy perhaps, as he too climbed up on her, his knees on either side of her thighs and his hands had pinned her wrists above her head, his teeth trying to tear down the hem of her dress, revealing her soft white globes, while his lips sucked on her hard nipples with a fierce aggression.

"Let's make out wildly here," he bore his eyes on hers, "till the sheet is wet with every drop of love and sweat that your body has."

Candice gulped nervously, and closed her eyes, her neck arching back expecting more of his touch, her heart pounding, and her breasts aching from his untamed passion.

"But remember Candy... It's not him..." His voice was hoarse, "It's me... Batuk...!"

"Batukk..!"
Candy gasped, closing her eyes, and she heard the sound of Batuk unbuckling his trousers with a newfound urgency.

............................................................

The Sunday morning streets were a little less crowded with lazy pedestrians strolling down the streets of Central Calcutta. Satyakirth had joined the others as planned, sheathing themselves carefully from the prying eyes of danger, the four of them reached Babu Ghat in not more than 10 minutes .
Rashik, the middle-aged ferryman, was ever ready as always a waiting satyas instruction and in no time the four of them boarded his small boat, the men sitting on the open deck while the women sat inside the thatched dome of the boat, she wing themselves from the morning sun.

"Cover your head Bondita." Anirudh asked politely, and Bondita promptly pulled up the loose end of her saree wrapping it around her head.

"You too Raimoti." Satya had asked too, and in return, he heard Raimoti murmuring her displeasure, as she sighed loudly and leaned her back against the frail wooden structure of the hull.
"I'm not your wife!" She groaned inaudibly, making Satya frown.

"What?" He asked, and Rai groaned again, the undulating motion of the boat was making her nauseous.

"Shut up, will you... Don't make me speak, or, I might throw up."

Bondita pressed her lips, concealing a teasing smile as her eyes met Satya's, his face a little red with this abrupt rejection. He was about to say something, but Bondita gestured him to stop with her eyes.

Anirudh was counting the currency notes that Satya had handed him, all of it,   protecting them from the river breeze, and Bondita placed a hand on Raimoti's arm, tenderly, a look of compassion in her eyes.

"What?" Raimoti muttered softly, her chin was now rested on her hurled up knees, and Bondita touched the base of the wooden planks on which they sat.

"You see this?" She showed Raimoti her fingers, smeared with dirt.
"This is clay and sand, and probably soot,  and these are falling from the roof of this hull," she paused to smile at her, "and hence Barrister Babu asked me to cover my head."

"Oh.." Rai sighed, and tried to pull her shawl up her wounded shoulder, and Bondita helped her readily.

"Are you feeling dizzy?" She asked, and Raimoti nodded slightly, closing her eyes once again.

"Would you like to lie down?"

"Where? It's so dirty in here!"

"Not here," Bondita smiled, "You can rest your head on my lap if you want."

Raimoti opened her eyes, and looked at her, the knot in her stomach was rising up to her throat now.
"I don't want to bother you."

"You aren't."
Without letting her protest Bondita pulled her closer, gently by her arm, making her lean against her own body, and without any further objection Raimoti lowered her head on her lap, resting her motion-sick body in the warmth of Bondita's motherly caressing.

"How long will it take?"
Raimoti murmured, and Bondita replied tenderly, her fingers brushing through Raimoti's hair, calming her considerably.

"I think half a day more."

"And, I think I won't survive this till then." Raimoti sighed, half opening her eyes, and she saw a soft smile of calmness radiating from Bondita's face.

"You are stronger than you know Raimoti, the strongest woman I've ever met."

"Really? You mean it?" Rai narrowed her gaze.

"I mean more."

Bondita touched her forehead tenderly, making Raimoti smile for the first time that morning, as she slowly turned her head around, burying her face in Bondita's cosy cotton saree, her head resting comfortably in her lap.

"I had misjudged you Bondita." She murmured softly, and in reply she felt Bondita's arms around her body, gripping her tighter to sheath her from the uncomfortable swaying of the boat.

"But I haven't, Rai... I had always wished for a sister, and the day I saw you, I knew it was you."

"Bondita!!"
Rai gasped.

"Call me Didi."
Bondita leaned down to kiss Raimoti's head, making a soft tear of happiness roll down the corner of her eyes.

"Didi...!" Rai murmured.

................................................