Page 96 - FATE & DESTINY

FATE & DESTINY

Way up the hill, the three brothers were resting on a rock. As always, the two brothers scrunched up
their faces.
“You shouldn’t drink water while climbing a mountain,” said the eldest. “It will exhaust you.”
I frowned at him. “How could I not drink when I am thirsty?”
The youngest pouted his lips. “Water will exhaust you.”
My heart burned with fury, as much as the sun burned my skin. “Stop badgering, would you?” I lay on
the ground until the cantankerous brothers left.
“Please don’t mind them, sir,” said Sangla. “They are only concerned about their tomorrow’s journey.
Come, let’s go. We got a long way.”
Atop the tallest mountain, the two brothers were sitting on a flat rock.
“I am hungry,” I said. “Should we have lunch?”
The two brothers pretended unheard, but Sangla replied, “We’re not hungry. You can have it.”
“Why not?” said the eldest brother. “It’s a long way, Sangla.”
Annoyed at his arrogance, I took out the lunch box from the backpack. “Please sit,” I said.
“Here, Uncle,” I said. “Take this, Sangla.”
I was not full, so I laid Parle-G biscuits on the tiffin. “Biscuits, please.”
The eldest got up. “I am full.”
“Sangla?” I said.
His teeth glittered in his open mouth as he said, “No, thanks.”
Going down was more difficult. My knees and ankles ached on the rough ground. The downward path
looked like stairs. I was cautious not to trip over the roots which had twisted along the path. At certain
places, sunrays darted through the leaves. Tree shadows fell across the short meadows. Up in the azure
sky, buzzards fluttered in the warm noon air. Except for the birds, not a soul could be seen around.
Have I gone deaf? I thought.
Trees swayed as if a giant creature hurtled towards us. Crack! My heart thumped under the chest.
“What was that?” I whispered. “Elephant?”
“I have no idea,” said Sangla. “Looks like a beast.”
As another sound cracked out, I held my chest and muttered, “Guru Rinpoche kheno!”
Further down, the path remained hidden under the overlapping bushes. Fresh dung was scattered all
around.
The eldest brother whispered, “Elephants roam around.”
“You mean we are in trouble?”
“Maybe.”
My legs trembled. We had not schlepped down far when I saw a black creature hurtle towards us.
“Bear!” I blurted, flinching back.
“Where?” said Sangla, glancing around.
I wheezed. “Over there!”
“Hold on, that’s an old man,” said the youngest.
I peered at it. Yeah, an old man was hobbling up with a black backpack on his back. At a glance, he
resembled a black bear scampering towards us.
I held my chest and sighed. “Oh, God! What’s happening?”
“Be alert, please,” said Sangla. “You might have a heart attack.”
Soon we arrived at a lugubrious hicksville, where subtropical trees were in abundance. The makeshifts
were clustered. A girl was sitting under a bamboo-thatched parasol with a few bottles of coke and beer.
“Which place is this, kid?” I asked.
“Khalatsho,” she replied with her timid face.
“Why is Khalatsho infested with elephants?” I asked, looking around. “Aren’t you scared of them?”
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