British Raj

The scorching sun was emanating heat bright and clear. In the sun's clearing was an abandoned group of neem trees. Its leaves dried, and its branches withered. Dried twigs, parched grass, and gravel rock stones under the fallen leaves could refer to an almost barren land. Shovels, measuring tapes, and many more tools lay on the ground.

A big hole was dug, and inside the pit, a woman squatted on the ground, cleaning the surface with a trowel. Her loose shirt was rolled to the elbows, and her hair up done into a messy bun. She looked like a teenager, radiating a youthful look. Sweat dribbled down her forehead, yet her sole concentration was on the work.

A couple of women stood on the ground, shading their faces with their hands. "Her skin is glistening even in the scorching sun." A woman whispered. "A beauty with a brain. I want to become like Anjali madam in the future, Leela."

"Quit your fantasies, and write the report, Uma. The bald uncle will not be pleased if he finds a blank paper on his desk." Leela said, looking for a shiny head. At a far distance, she found a short man lying on the ground, munching on peanuts. A construction brick was under his head, acting like his pillow. They were fresh passed outs of college. They write the excavation reports and submit them to the bald uncle.

"Leela, get me a plastic spoon. It's in my bag." Anjali spoke up, her voice tender and sweet as melting honey.

"Right away, madam!" Leela fished out the bag and handed the plastic spoon. She doesn't know what could a plastic spoon bring to use for an archaeologist, but she believes in her madam.

"A spoon? You funny woman..Is this what you learned under my guidance? You are wasting my time and your time." The bald man said, walking towards Anjali, eating peanuts. "I am telling you from my ten years of experience. This is just an abandoned land, and you will find nothing valuable."

"Pretty sure I have spent about one-third of my life saying, what the fuck is wrong with a man like you, Ayush sir." Anjali scoffed. "I am telling you from my one year of experience. I will show you something valuable in another five minutes."

Uma and Leela giggled at Anjali's blatant remarks. It serves him right for messing with a sharp tongue.

"How dare you talk back to me!" Ayush pointed the finger at Anjali, scowling. "I will screw you." She joined a year back and dared to challenge a senior like him—the audacity of this woman.

"How will you screw me, Sir? With the peanut that stuck on your tooth?" Anjali pursed her lips as she saw Ayush immediately close his mouth.

"You! Get back to work." He spat and walked off, snatching Leela's water bottle.

"That's my favourite bottle!" Leela cried.

"Then forget it." Uma giggled. "It never comes back to you."

Meanwhile, Anjali's hand halted for a brief second as the sensation of something metal obstructed the trowel. She put aside the tool and excavated the soil with a plastic spoon. A small metal box entered her sight, covered in dust.

"A Gold metal box! It looks like centuries old," Uma and Leela exclaimed, seeing the cravings in a language they were not familiar. "You are a genius, mam. How did you know that something existed here?"

"That's for you to find and bring the report onto my table," Anjali smiled at the two. She conducted a resistivity survey with the help of a geomorphologist before the excavation. Through the results she got, she studied the data for a day and found noise here.

Just when Anjali put the metal box safely in the artefact bag, Ayush came out of nowhere and grabbed the bag. "Have you forgotten the protocol? Or do you want me to remind you? Juniors report their findings to the seniors. I must inspect if this is true and not someone deliberately planted."

"Is it?" Anjali questioned, seeing through his lies. "The director never told us?"

"It happened in the recent meeting. Juniors like you are not allowed," Ayush said, gently stroking the metal box covered in dust. "It's as my intelligent brain suspected. I am proud of my discoveries.

"Let's get going, team. The bus is waiting for us already." Ayush walked off, beaming in happiness. He found another treasured artefact. The director will be pleased by his discovery. A special promotion waiting ahead, Ayush thought.

"He is not only a thief but a liar also," Uma muttered, glaring at the fatty's back.

"Anjali mam...that was your discovery.." Leela whispered, feeling sad. He did nothing except eat peanuts. Anjali madam has worked hard for a week, yet he took all the credit.

"It's okay....Let's go." Anjali knows that the director is not a fool to listen to Ayush's ramblings. Getting into a fight with the bald man was the last thing she wanted.

As Anjali began untying her hair, she sensed someone or the presence of someone behind her. Ayush was sitting inside the bus. Uma and Leela were already heading towards the bus.

Her hair strands rose as she swiftly turned around. The dried leaves rustled. That's all she found. "Probably an insect?" She spoke to herself and left. As Anjali's figure trailed off, a dark shadow sprung from the dried leaves, filling its shape into the air.

Right after getting on the bus, Anjali closed her eyes, tired. She has been exhausted for no reason, and her food cravings are heating up. Not to mention her mood swings. "Damn, my periods! Come soon." Parth will go dandy and ground her to home if she tells about it.

After the bus reached the office, a servant brought Anjali to the director's office, saying he wanted to discuss an urgent matter. The burning jealousy of Ayush was a sight to watch.

Anjali walked into the room, knocking on the door. "Sir, you called."

"Oh, please, dear. Quit the formals." A man of average height but well-maintained in his sixties smiled. Creeks appeared around his face as he grinned. "Come, come." He motioned Anjali to sit on the chiar. "How are you feeling today?"

"All good. Physically and mentally." Anjali stated, taking a seat. "Our team found an artefact_"

"Anjali." The director stopped, cutting Anjali's words. "I know you would do a phenomenal job. What I called you for has a different purpose. We have a problem that concerns the Government."

"Which is?" Anjali questioned, wondering when the government problem had become her problem.

"Well...how do I start?" The director sighed. "You know that the British government has excavated several Indian artefacts during their colonial rule."

"Yes." Anjali nodded. The priceless Kohinoor diamond was one among them. "How does this concern our Government now?"

"There is a town in India that was untouched by British raj because they were scared of the paranormal activities around it."

Anjali caught the director's intention. "You want us to dig there?"

"Well, yes...but it's complicated." The director continued. "Since the elections are approaching, the existing Government wants to put themselves in the limelight in every field to poach the votes. I have given my word to the ministry of culture. You need to lead the team, Anjali. We need to find the reports secretly_"

"Wait! You mean discreetly?" Anjali was confused. How could they excavate the artefacts in secret? "What's the name of the town?"