Life of Silibirs 39

 Silibiris had no idea what actually had happened.
Vije had beaten Kanthi up mercilessly that night accusing her of secretly meeting up with Silibiris behind his back.
“Not true” she had yelled back , only to be hit on the head with piece of timber which was normally used across the door as a door jam. It functioned as a weapon in Vije s hands more often than a door jam. Blood trickled down Kanthi s face.
Vije had smiled like a jackal seeing her blood smeared face as if he enjoyed his woman looking like that. He forced himself on to her, as usual.
Satisfied, Vije had eventually fallen sleep amidst his drunken stupor.
Kanthi waited , biding her time until way past midnight. She covered her face and head with a sarong. She wore a wraparound cloth over her gown, making sure she will not be easily recognised. She packed a few clothes into a bag and tip toed past Vije lying on the floor, snoring like a freight train.
She quietly opened the door, peered around to see if the neighbours were still outside. Thankfully, the lane was deserted.
She stepped into the shadows and slowly walked up the lane moving slowly, stealthily from shadow to shadow, leaving Kolonnawe Pelihouse behind into an unknown future.
Where would she go?
Who would she seek help from?
She had absolutely no idea. All she wanted to do was to get away from that animal, Kolonnawe Vije.
She slowly crept along the Pelihouse lane heading towards the main road, past Kolonnawe Temple.
Temple gates were open. She could hear the rustling of Bo leaves in the cool breeze. She noticed the Buddha statue partially lit by the oil lamps as if focusing on her ..watching her .with full of compassion. Kanthi stopped for a moment, transfixed, by that compassionate expression.
She had worshipped this statue countless times before but never noticed that expression.
Kanthi felt drawn towards the statue. She looked around. Made sure there was no one around and slowly approached the statue watching the face .not focusing ..just seeing. She began to realize the face of the statue was changing – morphing -lips moving - the solid face taking a soft form- coming to life. Kanthi in a trance like state kept seeing the face morphing into a collage of faces of a human being through various stages of life. A smiling baby….a handsome young man ..suddenly changing to a drawn sickly looking bony face of a starving person…..then again a face with so much compassion radiating …..mature face full of wisdom ..an old man ..then back to a baby face.
Kanthi was mesmerised. She had momentarily forgotten her predicament. She just wanted to keep seeing this wonderful scene.
From nowhere a thought came into her head . Repeating.
Buddham saranam gachchami ..Dhamman saranam gachchami .
Buddham saranam gachchami ..Dhamman saranam gachchami .
Buddham saranam gachchami ..Dhamman saranam gachchami .
A dog barked, circling her growling at her.
Kanthi jolted back to reality.
She heard the temple back door opening. That must be the temple abiththiya for sure. Kanthi hurried out of the temple running to the top of the road and kept walking along Kolonnawa Road in which direction she did not know.
She reached end of Kolonnawa road. She impulsively turned left…then right again at another junction , left into a lane, right at another road.
She kept walking turning left right, left right…....
Whichever the way her head turned; she walked in that direction.