Shreya’s Story: Part One

According to The Vampire Encyclopedia by Matthew Bunson, a rakhas (or, more formally, rakshasa) is tinkling-bell-clad, blue-throated, blood-stained creature with matted hair and five feet. One of the powerful vampires of India.

I can tell you from experience that this is an exaggeration. 

It’s like playing that game—Chinese Whispers, is it?—where information becomes more muddled as it passes from one person to another. Person one says, “Sleek feline with dark fur”; person two hears blo...