10. Charnel Ground Cemetery
Siddhatta sits meditating amongst the many piles of decaying bodies and skeletons.
A one-eyed woman's spirit rises from another pile. She holds a semi-visible, thick broom handle. With one leg longer than the other, she grunts as she lumbers toward Siddhatta.
He opens his eyes, sees her, closes his eyes.
SIDDHATTA
May she be at peace.
The woman-spirit grunts louder the closer she gets. Stopping inches from him, she utters a DEAFENING SHRIEK and lifts the broom handle high above Siddhatta's head.
She brings it down hard. Siddhatta's head jolts, his body lurches forward.
SIDDHATTA
No.
Dazed but not hurt, he sits upright.
SIDDHATTA
You have nothing to fear. And neither do I.
Confused, the woman-spirit's face softens. She lies down in front of Siddhatta, puts her hand on his knee. The man-spirit floats down, puts his hand on Siddhatta's shoulder.
A three-year-old boy's spirit rises from a pile. Blank-faced, he ambles over and curls up in Siddhatta's lap.
The spirits of a young woman, an old man and others float, walk or crawl out of the corpses to Siddhatta.
They seek to get very close. Those nearest touch his shoulders or legs.
The little boy in Siddhatta's lap looks up at Siddhatta's peaceful face. Tears flow down the boy's cheeks. He buries his head in Siddhatta's chest.