Tangle..

Stars shimmered in dark of moonless sky.. Ragbi peered out from under her veil.. it must be about quarter past midnight.. she thought.. a lamp burned bright far away in the wheat field, and numerous other tiny lights twinkling around village .. during the season of winter festival.. appeared as though teaming of stars on full moon of winter night sky.. putting an illusion of moon and stars bright in dark of horizon instead of blank moonless night, only a bit closer.. her veil lifted moving in a gust of wind, and zari border of her drape shone like a tail of a comet, she tugged at it pulling overheard.. then stepped down the porch and went to sit by neem tree in the front yard.. looking out to distant horizon .. her eyes searched for a sign of a horse advancing .. moved about pathway crossing directly across fields from village entrance and faraway to one of a street.. periodically.

 She was waiting for her husband moko, to return from jama's village where he had gone to give festival gifts and alms .. Jama was her sister-in-law, she was married in a nearby village Kholki, and rugbi there in Bedi.. both their marriage had been together, last year.. Ragbi married Jama's elder brother Moko and Jama to Ragbi's cousin Deva .. and so the two childhood friends became sisters, this year Ragbi had prepared festival gifts and alms with a set of silk sarees and precious jewellery set as first festival gift after their marriage to her beloved sister in-law that Moko had gone to gift and in return he will bring gift for her from her parents house and.. Jama also will send something .. she gnawed at her lips feeling curious.. and pulled at a loose end of cotstead string turning in to a twist.. then looked up to see again for a sign of Moko.. coming.. wheatgrass moved in soft wind and the field looked dark green under the lamp light coming from porch.. Moko had filled the whole field with planting almost up to near house boundary .. and the edges shone pastels green and grey divided in dark light of brown black and whitish yellow.. Ragbi stared at blankly in to the field.. the patches of marigolds and vegetables besides in the front yard.. everything came alive in the silence of festival night stretching .. a firecracker burst now and then reverberating silence and a slow humm of festive buzz drifted up to wind .. just a couple of days before the new year festival of lights ..

Ragbi and moko lived alone.. moko's parents died a couple of years before .. all of her husband's relatives and close family lived nearby. Gorima moko's aunt had come earlier in the evening to ask to dinner and stay overnight at their house if she was alone. She should have gone with her then but she kept waiting for moko and now it was too late. .. she looked at their house to the left of their own. . the house was alight with bright lighting all about .. but she hesitated.. she had skipped dinner delayed by mistake as she waited for her husband moko thinking he would come soon.. but now might have to go to aunt Gorima's house.. someone called.. and startled by the voice she looked back to a small gate in boundary adjoining field to the left besides house wall..

It was moko's cousin sister Hilu ..

 Hilu: Ragbi..moko hasn't come back yet.. please come with me to our house.. maa sent me to bring you.. 

Ragbi hesitated.. " but it's late.. i.. "..

Hilu: Moko will be back tomorrow, nobody will let him leave so late night.. please come with me.. tangle is with me.. and Bhima will spend night here to look after house.. just latch the door..

Ragbi: alright..

Tangle barked once and started off to back home followed by two women..