As soon as he drove the bullock cart into the cave, I noticed a massive door standing at the entrance.
The moment the cart entered, the door shut automatically behind us.
When I looked around inside the cave, it felt as though I were moving toward a palace from a dream.
I asked, "Father, is this Uncle's house?"
"Yes," he replied. "This is your uncle's house. Sit here. I will go inside."
"Do not go anywhere. Stay right here. I will bring your uncle's children. They are playing outside."
"But Father, there are wild animals outside," I said.
"Son, your uncle's children have grown up among these animals. The wild animals play with them and do not harm them."
"I will go and check. You must not come outside because you are new here. The animals do not know you."
"And listen carefully — do not get down from the bullock cart. Wild animals come here as well."
"Alright, Father. I will not get down from the cart."
"Good. I will check inside the house to see if anyone is there."
"Okay, Father, but come back quickly. I cannot stay alone here for long."
"Don't worry. I will return soon."
After saying this, the Pradhan left me alone and went inside the palace-like structure within the cave.
Inside, he began speaking with a demon.
The demon shouted angrily, "Tomorrow night is very important for me! I told you clearly — I want the boy who has a fish-shaped mark on his body. Only that boy will do."
"Yes," the Pradhan replied. "I have brought the exact boy you asked for. I saw the fish-shaped mark on his body during a swimming event in my village."
"I never realized that the very boy I was searching for in the entire village was working in my own house."
"There will be no problem. He has no family."
The demon said, "Fine. But where are the others? One boy alone is not enough. I will not gain full power from only one."
"Tomorrow night, I must complete the ritual properly. Only then will I gain full strength."
"Right now, I see only one."
"Do not worry," the Pradhan assured him. "He has become very weak. I have been slowly poisoning his food."
"Otherwise, he had the strength of ten lions within him."
"The others meant for the ritual will arrive by night. Just as I tricked this foolish boy into coming here, the rest will also come."
"Now tell me, what should I say to him? I told him I brought him to meet his uncle."
"I will go and speak to him. Once I talk to him properly, he will obey me easily."
After finishing his conversation, the Pradhan returned to me and said, "Son, there is no one inside the palace right now. You stay here."
"If you are hungry, eat something. You have food and water with you, right? If not, I will bring some water. But do not move from here."
"Alright, Father."
After saying this, the Pradhan went outside again.
As soon as he left, strange sounds began echoing inside the cave.
"Haaaaaa… haaaaa…"
"Kuuuuuu… kuuuuu…"
Among all these noises, another voice whispered,
"Come down from the bullock cart… Won't you drink some water?"
The voice was extremely terrifying.
I was very frightened, yet I did not step down from the cart.
I kept wondering where Father had gone.
Then again, I heard his voice, "Son, I have brought water. Come and drink."
I slowly leaned forward and slightly moved my face outside the cart, but Father was nowhere to be seen.
Instead, I saw a terrifying girl standing there. She looked human, yet something about her felt unnatural — as if she were possessed by an evil force.
Her face appeared partially burned. I was so scared that I could not even move. My voice got stuck in my throat.
A long time passed, but the Pradhan still did not return.
I felt extremely thirsty. It seemed as though I could not survive another moment without water. Finally, I gathered the courage and stepped down from the bullock cart.
Suddenly, someone struck me hard on the head from behind.
Everything went black.
---
When I regained consciousness, I found myself tied up along with three other girls. Our hands and feet were tightly bound.
I felt hungry and thirsty, but there was no way to escape.
I was the only one who had regained consciousness; the other three girls were still unconscious.
After some time, I sensed someone approaching. I quickly closed my eyes again, pretending to be unconscious.
The same terrifying girl I had seen earlier entered the cave.
She kicked each of us lightly to check whether we were awake.
Soon after, the three girls were dragged away. I also heard the Pradhan's laughter echoing nearby.
"Look at him scream… look at him," he said mockingly.
After some time, I too was dragged forward. All four of us were forced into a large circular stone structure where our heads were locked into carved openings, and our bodies were restrained tightly.
Then a massive demon entered the cave. His presence alone filled the air with fear.
One by one, the girls were taken away as part of a dark ritual. Their cries echoed through the cave, and then silence followed.
Watching this, I screamed loudly.
"Ahhhhh! Who are you? Father, save me!"
But instead of helping me, I heard the Pradhan laughing.
"Look at him… listen to him scream," he said cruelly.
The demon slowly moved toward me.
"Please let me go! What have I done to you? Let me go!" I cried desperately.
The demon grabbed me and dragged me toward a shrine dedicated to a dark goddess inside the cave.
There, as part of a terrible ritual, I was sacrificed before the idol.
Everything went black.
After some time, I felt something strange.
I no longer felt pain.
It seemed as though I was no longer inside the cave.
It felt like I had entered another realm.
A cold wind brushed against me.
For a moment, I wondered—
Had I reached Yamlok?