At the head of the hall, framed by the flickering shadows of the inner sanctum, stood the priest.
He was mountain of a man, tall and broad-shouldered, with a wild, silvered beard that seemed to flow into the tangled mane of hair framing his weathered face. Deep, old wrinkles carved paths around his eyes.
A wide, knowing smile played upon his lips as he raised a hand, gesturing the remaining children to draw closer.
There was an air of sudden, electric gravity about him. Something that made his demeanor seems mysterious and His eyes held a stillness that spoke of a wisdom far beyond a common man's belief. He stood firmly, his presence commanding the space.
"Gather around everyone," he urged the kids to gather around him before he starts announcing something important.
"So kids how are you all, i hope you are all well and healthy atleast looking right now this is not really about any important announcement about any festival or any upcoming ritual to be held but tonight on this special occasion of shani amasya itself i decided to share you some of the very interesting stories, folklore and legends from the myths about this temple." Pandit-ji announced, his voice echoing against the ancient stones, "I wish to tell you something not found in the common scrolls. I will also tell you the truth of the very earth beneath your feet. Follow me to the hall; the revelation would begins there."
Curiosity spread like wildfire amongst the kids. The children shuffled forward, their whispers dying into a tense ripple of excitement. They leaned in, eyes reflecting the golden glow of the oil lamps as they followed the priest into the shadows of the temple.
But not all kids were excited to hear the pandit ji announcement, specially not the two kids standing at the very back. instead they looked annoyed AFF.
"Tell me Pandit Ji isn't about to drop another Bronze Age 'classic' on us," Arjun asked Gopi, cradling his head as if protecting his brain from incoming blunt force trauma.
"Hard to tell," Gopi muttered. "It's a miracle his skull hasn't yet collapsed under the weight of all that dusty, medieval nonsense he keeps stored in there."
How old do you think he is.
Well i guess more than 80.
"I wonder how these old fools somehow manages to lives for a very long time."
Arjun asks gopi "imagine spending all your lives for such a long time to be only blabbering such nonsense."
Well i guess this is the exact reason why they lives so long because they lives in delusion their whole life and keeps talking about it nonstop with a blind faith and ironically these delusion actually keeps people happy. That's why women lives longer than man.
Both of them burst out laughing hearing Gopi's logic.
that's a great explanation Gopi
As they were talking standing there, a boy suddenly lunged between them, his shoulders slamming into both of theirs as he forced his way through the narrow gap.
Even after slamming into them He didn't stop to apologize. Instead, he skidded to a halt a few paces ahead, turns around with a mocking knowing grin full of arrogance.
"Walk faster, you slow-footed pathetic slugs, don't you heard pandit ji calling everyone in the hall. Would you like to come late again? even here for hearing a tale? Did scrubbing the temple gods drain the last bit of life from your miserable legs?" He jeered at them, and turned his back walking towards the hall.
Gopi stopped dead in his tracks, his fists bunching and clutching at his sides.
"This bastard son of a pig Chochi..., am gonna smash his head" Gopi hissed, the words vibrating with a murderous rage.
"Cool down, Gopi" Arjun murmured, his tone eerily calm against the backdrop of the boy's retreating laughter. "You know we can't beat him directly cause he is apparently the nephew of the school principal. we could get in big trouble and he knows it perfectly and use this unfair advantage to bully everyone."
Gopi questions arjun about his silence. "So what do you want arjun? just bear his nonsense silently, cause he is apparently the nephew of the school principal.
"Don't waste your energy here in mindless rage" Arjun whispered, his grip tightening just enough to signal an unspoken pact. "Just wait patiently for a perfect opportunity. We'll settle the debt with a more humiliating way. He wouldn't be able to forget it."
"Do you have any plan?" gopi asked.
"Yeah I have, as like always" arjun winks at him with a grim smile on his face.
"Awesome" gopi reacts with excitement, he knews what length arjun could go in order to take his revenge. Instantly calming his roaring anger in his heart at that moment.
"But right now," Arjun said, "we have to get to the temple hall, Move."