CHAPTER 10

"Nandetta, we'll do one thing." Indira said, "We will open all rooms on the first floor and check."

"No way."

"Why?"

"Because it can be done only on Sundays, but then Uncle would be home. There are about 15 doors to open, all very heavy. The noise when you open each door would be like thunder. Then your father will come up and then you've had it."

"We can do one thing." Indira said. "We'll pour some oil at the hinges."

"Look, Vandana you need two liters of oil for that. These heavy doors don't have hinges. They swing on two cavities, one up and one down. These cavities are very large to accommodate the pivot on the door. Oiling these cavities is out of question. We'll see if we can find some other way."

"Why are these rooms kept closed?"

"That's because there were many families living in this huge mansion. They are descendants of the original tharawad or clan. Each split up to create their own family, but stayed on until they decided to move out collecting their share of property. When a family moves out the rooms occupied by them would be kept closed. Otherwise those rooms get dusty."

"When I think about it, it was so mysterious." Indira said. "That staircase through which I got down, I want to find out to which room it opens."

"No way, because there is no such staircase leading to any room. I and Kuttettan had from time to time inspected all rooms one by one. There is no staircase going up from any of the rooms, nor was there any locked door in any of the rooms. The only staircase available to go down from the attic is that rickety staircase we use to climb up."

"But then the staircase I had walked down?"

"We will never understand it. Don't you think about it and go nuts."

Friday night Kuttettan came. Aunty was getting ready to serve dinner for us. Indira was helping her in the kitchen and in the dining room. I was hungry and was waiting impatiently for food. It was then that I heard Kuttettan calling.

"Nandu."

"Aunty, Kuttettan has come." I called out to Aunty and ran to the porch. By that time Kuttettan came into the dining room.

"Mummy, Kuttettan has become fat." Indira said.

"Hostel food." Kuttettan said. "Mom, give me dinner. I am starving."

"Take bath and come."

"I'll take bath after having my dinner, mummy. That's what we do in the hostel."

Aunty relented because uncle was not there in the house.

As we lay the bed to sleep I had to give the report of three weeks' activity.

"I am really surprised." Kuttettan said. "This silly girl is having lot of guts? Even I used to feel scared on the attic some times."

"How can we find out what's happening on the attic?" I asked him.

The detective brain of Kuttettan started working.

"Yeah, there is some problem up there. How do we find out what it is?"

He was deeply in thoughts, only for a few moments, at the end of which he said.

"Look, there is a source. Father's grandma's younger sister is alive. Could be around 95 or 100, but the brain is still sharp. Whatever has happened since the beginning of universe is still fresh in her memory. She knows about this tharawad and the nalukettu. She was in fact staying here till she collected her share of property and moved out. She loves to talk. We'll meet her tomorrow. Howzat?"

"Good idea."

I was ready. I somehow want to get this riddle out of my system. Or the coming examination would also be a miserable failure. Since I lost the chess board I had almost abandoned the idea of searching for the treasure. Not only that, I had a feeling that it is beyond my ability. I have just left it as an act of madness by an eccentric ancestor. But the happenings at the attic cannot be brushed aside, especially after that incident when I went with Indira. The experience Indira had on that day was beyond any rationality.

Next morning Kuttettan was up and active early. I was surprised. I was under the impression that if you join a college you go to sleep late and wake up late. I told Kuttettan about it.

"That's true. But if you want to take a bath you have to get up early. Otherwise there'll be a big queue in front of the bathrooms. Sometimes we won't be able to take bath at all. So I get up early and that has become a habit with me. Now, let's go to the pond. It's long time since I took to swimming."

Kuttettan acted in the pond as if he has found a precious thing lost in the past. He was swimming and doing acrobatics and after an hour's time he got out of water, probably he was hungry. Even I was hungry.

We were heading to the house wearing wet towel, through the huge pile of hay. Uncle was on the porch ready for his morning walk. He had wrapped his head with a flannel to ward off early morning fog. When he saw Kuttettan he asked.

"What's your program today? Are you going out anywhere?"

"No, Dad. I haven't decided."

He never wanted uncle to know our plans to visit grandma's sister. If he knew it he would somehow block it citing some reason. It need not be a valid reason, but just because it was a plan made by us is enough for him to block it. He said.

"Then do one thing, go to Nani grandma's house. You haven't gone there for quite some time. She is pretty old. Come back by noon. I have asked Chandran to get some freshwater fish from the market."

"Okay, Dad."

When uncle turned to go, we looked at each meaningfully and smiled. We climbed up the stairs in a jiffy and dressed and ran down. While walking through the corridor Kuttettan asked:

"Who is pulling the cord?"

I said. "Ittiraman Menon."

"Though you are dull in studies, you're very intelligent."

"Thank you."

Although lunch and dinner are served sitting on the floor breakfast and evening tea and snacks are served on the table. It was a narrow table, slightly wider than a bench. Around it there are a few stools. Indira, who was sitting in a stool and having her breakfast pittu and Bengal gram curry, called out.

"Mummy, Kuttettan and Nandettan have come."

Aunty, who was instructing Bhargavi Amma something about cooking, came with two pieces of banana leaves. Behind her Bhargavi Amma came with a steaming vessel full of pittu and another vessel with curry.

"Kuttan has become fat."

"Don't you enchant my son, Bhargavi." Aunty said.

Aunty went to the kitchen and brought glasses for tea.

"Mom, father told us to visit Nani grandma. How come he has a sudden interest in Nani grandma?"

"He has started telling since yesterday to see Nani grandma. She is pretty old, you never know....."

"Even I am going with you to Nani grandma." Indira said.

"Oh, God, did I open my loud mouth?" Kuttettan said.

"Why can't I go to Nani grandma's house?"

"Take her also along. Nani grandma would love to see her." Aunty said.

"That girl also should be wishing to go around with her brothers, to show off." It was Bhargavi Amma.

Kuttettan thought for a while and said.

"Do one thing. After breakfast come to our office. We will discuss about it."

To go with us to such a distance she is willing to come not only to our office, but to any Satan’s castle.

Our office lay limited to the table and the two chairs and a stool put around it in our bedroom. We sat there, three of us, in that space with very precise boundaries for our office.

"Why do you insist on going with us?" Kuttettan started the dialogue.

"I want to go with you."

That was not a reply, but her wish only. Kuttettan said.

"We will take you along if you agree to two things. Okay."

"What are the two things you want me to agree?"

"Number one. You should not leak out our dialogue with the grandma. You will be tempted to show off your knowledge, but you should resist doing it. Two. We will start in two minutes. We won't wait for you for more than a minute. Girls take a lot of time to get ready. If you read through world history you will realize that the progress of mankind had slowed down periodically by women, and that too due to their slow pace. Understand?"

Indira got up and nodded. Taking advantage of the moment Kuttettan turned to me she frowned at him and showed faces.

"Such strong words! Kuttetta where did you collect all these?" I asked him when Indira left us.

"It's all in my text book. We should learn to use the words and sentences from the books we read and use them to our advantage in order to show off others. It need not carry any meaning. That's the first step to success."

We started getting ready. It could be about ten minutes and suddenly there was a thumbing sound on the stairs and Indira appeared at the door. We had just started to wear our dresses.

In this short span she has got her mother to do her hair and wore a rose. She has worn a silk blouse and a long skirt that reached her angles. She had a black spot put on her forehead.

This girl is bent upon disgracing us!