The Storyteller's Secret

Deepak consults the village Brahmins about Amisha’s fever-induced hallucinations and delusions. The Brahmins say that dark energy has possessed her and plan to perform a ceremony to rid her of the spirits. Ravi arranges to have the children stay with Deepak’s sister Janna so that they won’t interfere with the ceremony.

Ravi contemplates his beliefs surrounding death. Before, he considered death “a gift given to them because, once dead, they no longer had to fear life” (348). Amisha’s illness has changed this belief and makes Ravi dread the possibility of losing his friend.

The Brahmin ceremony tries to smoke the dark energy out with an excessive amount of incense. When Amisha starts to choke, Ravi wants to intervene, but Deepak holds him back. Amisha screams in agony and Ravi runs out of the house, unable to cope with her pain.

The Brahmins and Deepak decide on another course of treatment: beating Amisha with leather whips to force the dark energy out of her. Ravi is horrified and claims that this is not what Amisha deserves, but Deepak is frightened for Amisha’s life and knows no alternative. Deepak insists that Ravi beat Amisha when she is tied to the beech tree in the school’s garden.