TWENTY
CHALLACOMBE MOOR, 2023 AND 1790 AD
Jake ended the call on his mobile with a big grin on his face.
“At last! Today’s the day,” he told Alice, with such enthusiasm that she sat up in bed, rubbed her sleep-filled eyes and asked, “What’s so important about today?”
“It’s the day we rid Exmoor of the Beast. We must invoke the aid of a Hindu goddess.” He reached for his notebook on the bedside cabinet, turning several pages until he found what he sought.
“Listen to this. I copied it from the sacred texts of the Vishnu Purana:
Sri, loyal to Vishnu, is the mother of the world. Vishnu is the meaning; Sri is the speech. She is the conduct, he the behaviour. Vishnu is knowledge, she the insight. He is dharma, she the virtuous action. She is the earth, he earth’s upholder. She is contentme
