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The Lotus Lake
The Lotus Lake

The Lotus Lake

Away from the river, hidden among the green fields, there was a lake. The Lotus Lake.

It was a beautiful sight. Large green lotus leaves floated over deep mossy green water. Thorny stalks raised their heads all over the lake, holding up their offering to the bright Autumn sun- the beautiful, scented lotus flower.

Around the lake, there was a small village. Not more than a hundred people lived there, eking out  an existence throughout the year by tilling the nearby fields.

In the Autumn, the villagers had one more occupation. The children swam into the Lotus Lake, collecting lotus flowers. The lotus flower was an indispensable part of Durga Puja, the greatest festival of the land which took place in Autumn. They were high in demand during this time and would fetch quite a good price in the market. So the children would pick them up and sell them in local market.

But the lotus had thorns, too.

Inside the  cluster of lotus plants, lurked Death.

The Lotus Lake was a home to one of the deadliest snakes on earth- the cobra. They lingered among the large leaves or coiled around the thorny stalks and bit those who ventured into their territory. But it was not often one encountered them. They were like the freak chances of fate which might or might not ever cross a human's path. So they did not deter the village children from swimming into the lake in search of lotuses.

Still, the Lotus Lake smelt of Death.

"How beautiful the flowers look!" The boy thought as he stood by the lake. The lotuses were in full bloom by then. Large green round leaves covered the face of the lake. Droplets of water sparkled on their glossy surface. Large pink flowers nestled happily on the stalks that raised their heads above the vast spread of green. "Too beautiful!" Again murmured the boy to himself.

But not more beautiful than her. The lotus-eyed girl, as people would call her.

One who would send his heart fluttering with a single utterance of her name; one who would make his blood rush to his temples, sending him into a sweet dizziness by just being around him.

She had asked him to pick some lotus flowers for her. In the playground she had stood facing him, talking in a subdued voice.

But he did not hear anything she had been saying. He only gazed at her face, lit up by the early morning sun, cradled by her flowing dark hair...

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"Like the lotus in full bloom surrounded by coiling black snakes!" He had thought with a shiver.

She had requested him to pick lotuses for her. That was why he came here now; standing at the abondoned pier in the afternoon sun; gazing at the lotuses in full bloom.

He could swim into the lake and pick as many flowers as he would want. He was a good swimmer. But what numbed him was the smell of death that would sting his nostrills anytime he looked at the lotuses in bloom. 

For, they would remind him of death. The death of his brother three years ago.

His brother would go picking lotuses with his friends. Like him, he was also a good swimmer who would naturally gather more flowers than the others.

But the day came when death found him. Coiling around the thorny stalk of lotus, death waited for him. As he reached out for the stalk, it struck him.

His companions brought him to the shore. He was still alive then. They rushed him to the nearest hospital which was not less than twenty miles away.

He had died on the way to the hospital.

For three years the boy had stayed away from the Lotus Lake. The smell of death was too much to bear for him.

But now he was here again.

The boy took off his shoes. He thought of taking off his clothes, but then decided to keep them on. They were already soiled enough from dirt and sweat.

Leaving his schoolbag on the pier he jumped into water and swam out towards the heart of the lake where a large cluster of flowers swayed in the wind.

The boy reached out to the flower nearest to him. As he plucked it, he felt a stinging pain in his hand.

He let the flower fall from his hand. At the head of his middle finger there were two distinct marks from which blood dripped. They were marks of snake bite.

The cobra that had bitten him was receding into the dark cluster of leaves. For a moment he stared at it. Then it was gone.

The boy did not feel any pain. His body became heavier and heavier. He started to float down into the dark green water.

Down. Deeper and deeper.

The boy had closed his eyes long ago. Inside his closed eyelids floated a face. A face lit up with Autumn sunlight. A beautiful lotus, around which coiled death.

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