Chapter 2
The next morning it was Raj's turn to watch Adam, if not in perplexity, then in wonder. He found Adam outside, stripped to the waist, performing a series of complicated katas with a gleaming sword, which he wielded as if it was an extension of himself. The cold did not seem to bother him, and Raj could see he was almost in a trance, flowing through the movements with the ease of long practice. His sinewy muscles had not an ounce of fat on them, and his pale skin gleamed with sweat even in the cold winter dawn. As Raj watched, some of the boys noticed the display and when Adam finally brought the sword to the resting position and became aware of his surroundings, he had an appreciative audience applauding him.
Adam smiled shyly and seemed for a moment at a loss about what to do with the sword. Then he left it standing upright in the ground and brought his hands up to greet them. "Namaste."
Raj looked at his excited students. "Good morning Mr. Pierson," he said. "Now none of them will be interested in learning a language anymore."
Adam could see that was true, because already they were brimming over with questions about his sword and the katas he had been doing. "I can teach this too," he said, shrugging. "Whatever you want, Mr. Aryan." He bent down to retrieve his shirt and sword and started walking back to the house, leaving Raj and the boys looking a bit bewildered after him.
"Go get your breakfast," Raj told the boys and followed Adam, wondering about his strange behaviour.
"What happened, Adam?" he asked when he came inside, spotting Adam standing at the window looking out. "That was amazing, what you were doing. I don't mind it at all."
Adam sighed. "Nothing happened, Raj. I'm sorry, I..." He sat down abruptly. "I was just reminded of something that I wanted to forget. It won't happen again."
Raj studied him for a moment. It did not take psychic abilities to see that Adam was suffering from some strong emotion, and it was not joy. "Tell me?"
Adam gave him a startled look. "Tell you what? I came here for a change of scene, but my memories followed me. I'll get over it eventually, don't worry."
"Al right," Raj sighed. "But if you want to talk ..."
"Thank you." Adam shook off his depression with a visible effort. "So, you say you don't mind the sword practice?"
"No, indeed. Where did you learn to do that? And why?" Raj could not help being enthusiastic. There is something about seeing a master at work that inspired him, and Adam was clearly a master.
"It's a long story," Adam said with a strange smile. "I've been practicing martial arts of various kinds all my life. Sword practice like this is marvellous exercise, and it disciplines the mind and the body. If your students are interested, I won't mind them joining me. You're welcome too."
"You'll be working very hard, Adam, teaching several languages and these sword katas too," Raj said.
"That's what I came to do," Adam said, rising. "Keep me busy, Raj. Keep me busy every moment of the day." He swallowed hard. "That way I won't have time to remember."
He stalked out, leaving Raj's heart aching in compassion. "Megha," he whispered. "Will we find happiness for this man too?"
Over the next few weeks, it became clear that Adam meant what he had said. He learned all the students' names in the first five days, and had started individual and group classes in seven different languages. Every morning he trained with his sword, demonstrating each kata patiently to the boys who joined him.
One thing was certain; he was an excellent teacher who very soon had the respect and admiration of the students. Within a few days he had become part of their lives to such an extent that they would have been surprised to think that he was a foreigner. He had a perfect talent for blending in.
Raj watched him work himself to exhaustion every day, unable to think of a way to help him without knowing what troubled him. If Adam did not want to remember, how could Raj ever find out? It pained him to see someone so unhappy in his domain, but it seemed to him that Adam actually avoided speaking to him, so he never really got the chance to probe further into the mysteries that the man presented.
Narayan Shankar could not help either. He had met Adam only once before, more than a year ago, and told Raj that Adam had seemed perfectly happy then. Apart from the usual pleasantries, Adam also did not speak much with Shankar. He seemed to pour himself into teaching the students everything he knew, as if something was driving him.
Things continued in this vein through the winter.
One afternoon when the sun threw slanted golden rays over the snow-covered garden, Raj took his violin out to the pavilion, where the sun and the wind conspired to create patterns of shadow and light on the snow. Sitting down on the steps, he began to play, just for himself - himself and Megha. It was something he seldom did anymore, firstly because he was busier with the responsibilities of being principal and secondly because he found so much happiness and love around him that he seldom felt the need to play.
But on this winter afternoon, he performed for Megha, who was listening on the edge of his vision, slipping through the sun's rays, playing chupp-a-chuppi (hide-and-seek) in the shadows. He played all the love in his heart, his happiness, his pride in his students, and his love for her father. When he had finished, and the last notes died away, he was shocked to find tears running down his face. And even more shocked, when he stood up, to find Adam standing next to the pavilion, sobbing as if someone had broken his heart.
Raj debated for a moment with himself. Adam needed help, he knew that, but he also did not want to intrude on the man's grief. But his compassion and need to help Adam won, so he pulled him into a loose embrace. "Everything will be al right," he told Adam. "Come inside, my friend. Come inside."
Adam let himself be led meekly to the house, looking with a kind of wonder in his eyes at Raj. As they got to the door, he turned back abruptly. "Where did she go?" he asked, looking around. "Raj, who was she?"
Raj could not believe his ears. He knew Narayan Shankar could see Megha but no one else could. How could they, she was not part of their lives. So how could Adam have seen her?
He pulled Adam into the house and made him sit down. "What did you see?" he asked, almost brusquely, because he could not believe it.
"There was a girl, out there," Adam said. "Listening. She watched you with such love, Raj. But she didn't come closer, I think she was scared of me, I'm sorry."
"Why should she be scared of you?"
"Because of what I am, of course," Adam answered without thinking. "I think she's afraid of what I could do to you." He held his head in his hands. "Because I go through life destroying people."
Raj shook his head, bewildered. "I don't understand, Adam. What are you, that Megha should fear you?"
Adam raised his head. "Megha, is that her name? She is lovely, Raj. You must miss her terribly." He looked at Raj for a long moment. "I have my own ghosts, Raj. Perhaps that's why I can see yours. But you are fortunate, she loves you and watches over you. My ghosts clamour for vengeance, for the rest I deprived them of." He stood up and started pacing back and forth. "Countless thousands, never giving me a moment's peace. Sometimes I think they are trying to drive me mad. Sometimes I think they are succeeding."
"What are you talking about?" Raj asked, completely lost. Surely, Adam could not have thousands of people on his conscience.
Adam groaned. "I am Death, Raj. Wherever I go, people die." He watched the shock grow in Raj's eyes. "It would be better if I left." He turned to the door but stopped abruptly when Raj grabbed his arm. "Let me go, Raj."
"No," Raj said firmly. "Not before I find out exactly what you're talking about. Sit down." To his surprise, Adam did sit down, but Raj could see the grief in Adam's eyes was being replaced by a cold unfeeling mask. He would have to talk quickly, before Adam cut himself off completely.
"Megha doesn't fear you, Adam," he started. "All she wants is to help you, just as I do. Now please tell me what you did, because I can't believe you carry thousands on your conscience."
Adam stared at him for a long time before he sighed. "Do you know who Adam and Eve were?" When Raj nodded, he continued. "Sometimes I feel as old as that Adam. But I can't tell you, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said so much."
Suddenly shouts and the sound of falling planks shattered the afternoon. Raj experienced a moment where his heart froze, as he realized what must have happened. The students were decorating the hall for a dance on the weekend, and they had put up scaffolding to fix the strings of lights to the high walls. Something must have come loose. Before he could move, Adam had jumped up and was running towards the hall. Raj followed as quickly as possible.
When he got to the hall, it was to a scene that confirmed his worst fears. Amidst a pile of rubble lay Vikram, strings of light bulbs still clutched in his hand. Around him stood a circle of boys, too shocked to even panic. Adam, in the process of checking Vikram's pulse, looked up when Raj pushed through the boys. "Call an ambulance, now."
Raj sent one of the boys on the errand, and watched in growing amazement as Adam professionally started to stabilize the injured boy. Ripping up his own shirt, he bound up a nasty gash on Vikram's arm, and then he commandeered Raj's jersey and used it as a temporary splint for the boy's neck. Then, very carefully, Adam picked him up, carried him from under the still threatening scaffolding and laid him down out of further danger, constantly monitoring the boy's pulse and breathing until the ambulance arrived some minutes later and the paramedics took over.
When the ambulance had left, and things had settled down a bit, Raj noticed for the first time that Adam was not to be found anywhere. He hurried back to check Adam's rooms, and sure enough, his things were gone. On the bed lay a note that read, "One less on my conscience."
Raj sat down on the bed, defeated.
Tell me all your sorrows, my friend
And we will find them one by one
Heal them and forget them
Bring laughter in their place
Tell me all your sorrows, my friend
And we will write them down
And use the pages to feed the flames
To warm us in this cold
Tell me all your sorrows, my friend
And in the light of the morning sun
They will evaporate forever
Never to return
Tell me all your sorrows, my friend
And I will tell you mine
And we will learn to deal with them
Together, you and I
The next morning it was Raj's turn to watch Adam, if not in perplexity, then in wonder. He found Adam outside, stripped to the waist, performing a series of complicated katas with a gleaming sword, which he wielded as if it was an extension of himself. The cold did not seem to bother him, and Raj could see he was almost in a trance, flowing through the movements with the ease of long practice. His sinewy muscles had not an ounce of fat on them, and his pale skin gleamed with sweat even in the cold winter dawn. As Raj watched, some of the boys noticed the display and when Adam finally brought the sword to the resting position and became aware of his surroundings, he had an appreciative audience applauding him.
Adam smiled shyly and seemed for a moment at a loss about what to do with the sword. Then he left it standing upright in the ground and brought his hands up to greet them. "Namaste."
Raj looked at his excited students. "Good morning Mr. Pierson," he said. "Now none of them will be interested in learning a language anymore."
Adam could see that was true, because already they were brimming over with questions about his sword and the katas he had been doing. "I can teach this too," he said, shrugging. "Whatever you want, Mr. Aryan." He bent down to retrieve his shirt and sword and started walking back to the house, leaving Raj and the boys looking a bit bewildered after him.
"Go get your breakfast," Raj told the boys and followed Adam, wondering about his strange behaviour.
"What happened, Adam?" he asked when he came inside, spotting Adam standing at the window looking out. "That was amazing, what you were doing. I don't mind it at all."
Adam sighed. "Nothing happened, Raj. I'm sorry, I..." He sat down abruptly. "I was just reminded of something that I wanted to forget. It won't happen again."
Raj studied him for a moment. It did not take psychic abilities to see that Adam was suffering from some strong emotion, and it was not joy. "Tell me?"
Adam gave him a startled look. "Tell you what? I came here for a change of scene, but my memories followed me. I'll get over it eventually, don't worry."
"Al right," Raj sighed. "But if you want to talk ..."
"Thank you." Adam shook off his depression with a visible effort. "So, you say you don't mind the sword practice?"
"No, indeed. Where did you learn to do that? And why?" Raj could not help being enthusiastic. There is something about seeing a master at work that inspired him, and Adam was clearly a master.
"It's a long story," Adam said with a strange smile. "I've been practicing martial arts of various kinds all my life. Sword practice like this is marvellous exercise, and it disciplines the mind and the body. If your students are interested, I won't mind them joining me. You're welcome too."
"You'll be working very hard, Adam, teaching several languages and these sword katas too," Raj said.
"That's what I came to do," Adam said, rising. "Keep me busy, Raj. Keep me busy every moment of the day." He swallowed hard. "That way I won't have time to remember."
He stalked out, leaving Raj's heart aching in compassion. "Megha," he whispered. "Will we find happiness for this man too?"
Over the next few weeks, it became clear that Adam meant what he had said. He learned all the students' names in the first five days, and had started individual and group classes in seven different languages. Every morning he trained with his sword, demonstrating each kata patiently to the boys who joined him.
One thing was certain; he was an excellent teacher who very soon had the respect and admiration of the students. Within a few days he had become part of their lives to such an extent that they would have been surprised to think that he was a foreigner. He had a perfect talent for blending in.
Raj watched him work himself to exhaustion every day, unable to think of a way to help him without knowing what troubled him. If Adam did not want to remember, how could Raj ever find out? It pained him to see someone so unhappy in his domain, but it seemed to him that Adam actually avoided speaking to him, so he never really got the chance to probe further into the mysteries that the man presented.
Narayan Shankar could not help either. He had met Adam only once before, more than a year ago, and told Raj that Adam had seemed perfectly happy then. Apart from the usual pleasantries, Adam also did not speak much with Shankar. He seemed to pour himself into teaching the students everything he knew, as if something was driving him.
Things continued in this vein through the winter.
One afternoon when the sun threw slanted golden rays over the snow-covered garden, Raj took his violin out to the pavilion, where the sun and the wind conspired to create patterns of shadow and light on the snow. Sitting down on the steps, he began to play, just for himself - himself and Megha. It was something he seldom did anymore, firstly because he was busier with the responsibilities of being principal and secondly because he found so much happiness and love around him that he seldom felt the need to play.
But on this winter afternoon, he performed for Megha, who was listening on the edge of his vision, slipping through the sun's rays, playing chupp-a-chuppi (hide-and-seek) in the shadows. He played all the love in his heart, his happiness, his pride in his students, and his love for her father. When he had finished, and the last notes died away, he was shocked to find tears running down his face. And even more shocked, when he stood up, to find Adam standing next to the pavilion, sobbing as if someone had broken his heart.
Raj debated for a moment with himself. Adam needed help, he knew that, but he also did not want to intrude on the man's grief. But his compassion and need to help Adam won, so he pulled him into a loose embrace. "Everything will be al right," he told Adam. "Come inside, my friend. Come inside."
Adam let himself be led meekly to the house, looking with a kind of wonder in his eyes at Raj. As they got to the door, he turned back abruptly. "Where did she go?" he asked, looking around. "Raj, who was she?"
Raj could not believe his ears. He knew Narayan Shankar could see Megha but no one else could. How could they, she was not part of their lives. So how could Adam have seen her?
He pulled Adam into the house and made him sit down. "What did you see?" he asked, almost brusquely, because he could not believe it.
"There was a girl, out there," Adam said. "Listening. She watched you with such love, Raj. But she didn't come closer, I think she was scared of me, I'm sorry."
"Why should she be scared of you?"
"Because of what I am, of course," Adam answered without thinking. "I think she's afraid of what I could do to you." He held his head in his hands. "Because I go through life destroying people."
Raj shook his head, bewildered. "I don't understand, Adam. What are you, that Megha should fear you?"
Adam raised his head. "Megha, is that her name? She is lovely, Raj. You must miss her terribly." He looked at Raj for a long moment. "I have my own ghosts, Raj. Perhaps that's why I can see yours. But you are fortunate, she loves you and watches over you. My ghosts clamour for vengeance, for the rest I deprived them of." He stood up and started pacing back and forth. "Countless thousands, never giving me a moment's peace. Sometimes I think they are trying to drive me mad. Sometimes I think they are succeeding."
"What are you talking about?" Raj asked, completely lost. Surely, Adam could not have thousands of people on his conscience.
Adam groaned. "I am Death, Raj. Wherever I go, people die." He watched the shock grow in Raj's eyes. "It would be better if I left." He turned to the door but stopped abruptly when Raj grabbed his arm. "Let me go, Raj."
"No," Raj said firmly. "Not before I find out exactly what you're talking about. Sit down." To his surprise, Adam did sit down, but Raj could see the grief in Adam's eyes was being replaced by a cold unfeeling mask. He would have to talk quickly, before Adam cut himself off completely.
"Megha doesn't fear you, Adam," he started. "All she wants is to help you, just as I do. Now please tell me what you did, because I can't believe you carry thousands on your conscience."
Adam stared at him for a long time before he sighed. "Do you know who Adam and Eve were?" When Raj nodded, he continued. "Sometimes I feel as old as that Adam. But I can't tell you, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said so much."
Suddenly shouts and the sound of falling planks shattered the afternoon. Raj experienced a moment where his heart froze, as he realized what must have happened. The students were decorating the hall for a dance on the weekend, and they had put up scaffolding to fix the strings of lights to the high walls. Something must have come loose. Before he could move, Adam had jumped up and was running towards the hall. Raj followed as quickly as possible.
When he got to the hall, it was to a scene that confirmed his worst fears. Amidst a pile of rubble lay Vikram, strings of light bulbs still clutched in his hand. Around him stood a circle of boys, too shocked to even panic. Adam, in the process of checking Vikram's pulse, looked up when Raj pushed through the boys. "Call an ambulance, now."
Raj sent one of the boys on the errand, and watched in growing amazement as Adam professionally started to stabilize the injured boy. Ripping up his own shirt, he bound up a nasty gash on Vikram's arm, and then he commandeered Raj's jersey and used it as a temporary splint for the boy's neck. Then, very carefully, Adam picked him up, carried him from under the still threatening scaffolding and laid him down out of further danger, constantly monitoring the boy's pulse and breathing until the ambulance arrived some minutes later and the paramedics took over.
When the ambulance had left, and things had settled down a bit, Raj noticed for the first time that Adam was not to be found anywhere. He hurried back to check Adam's rooms, and sure enough, his things were gone. On the bed lay a note that read, "One less on my conscience."
Raj sat down on the bed, defeated.
Tell me all your sorrows, my friend
And we will find them one by one
Heal them and forget them
Bring laughter in their place
Tell me all your sorrows, my friend
And we will write them down
And use the pages to feed the flames
To warm us in this cold
Tell me all your sorrows, my friend
And in the light of the morning sun
They will evaporate forever
Never to return
Tell me all your sorrows, my friend
And I will tell you mine
And we will learn to deal with them
Together, you and I