Thanks everyone for your kind words!! Appreciate your comments!! :) here is one for today: *************************************** It was a two storied house with a Hulas Jasta pata as its roof. It rained heavily that night and sleeping under the roof was almost impossible for Aakash. He just listened to the snore of his guide on the other side of bed all night long. The home owner of house they have stayed was one of victims of politics, and was in run for his life. He was appointed as a village chairman of Jarayotar by Maoists without his consent. He had no other options than leaving the village to reject the post which he couldn’t do and no other options to go hide when armies come on their monthly patrol. Aakash’s guide had made arrangements to stay at that home in hope that they could meet some Maoists leader from contact of the home owner. They had had brief conversation and he had promised to try his best to help them. Next morning the home owner came to them. “Pyauli ma chhan re area commander; Maile khabar pathaayeko chhu!! Tapain haaru aahile jaanu bho bhane bhet hola ki!!” He informed them next afternoon. And they rushed without their lunch toward their destination. It was a straight climb from there. They had some wai wai on the way when they get too much hungry and could not move anymore and rushed again. It was almost dark when they reached the vicinity of Pyauli and they were stopped by numbers of Maoists cadres in camouflages and 303s and SLRs. “Comrade kata!” One of them asked them in hoarse voice. “Hamilai Comrade Bishal bhetnu thyo; Pyauli samma jana lageko tesaile!” his guide answered. “Kina??” “Uhaan ko buwa ko bare bujhna, aasti nai Comrade Bishal ko interview lina aaunu bhayeko thyo!!”His guide was doing conversation. “Yeh tehi patrakar!” the words hit the nerves of Aakash, but there was nothing he could do and he just kept his anger down his throats. “la la janu!” They cleared them to move forward. They reached Pyauli just before 8. And they searched for some place to stay. They had to wait till the dawn before they could meet the man. Aakash couldn’t sleep well due to anxiety and look pale as ever from sleepless nights. They were to meet at an office of local NGO at 12 noon. Comrade Bishal arrived an hour later in his camouflaged dress and with a revolver in his holster. He looked stern bearded man with medium built body and a cap with a star as emblem making him look somewhat like Che Guevara: idol for revolutionaries. “Lal Salaam” He greeted. “Namaste!” Aakash greeted back as he felt uncomfortable with the red salute. “Tapain nai ho Sushilji ko chhora!” Comrade Bishal came to the point even before Aakash. “Hajur.” He answered. “K bujhna chahanu hunchha ta??” Comrade Bishal inquired. “We don’t know where he is and who have taken him!” Aakash asked in most gentle manner possible. “We haven’t! Why would we??” Comrade Bishal cleared. “Then who would? We have been running to each office in Kathmandu since last month and nobody accepts it.” Aakash wanted an answer. “So you are suspecting us??” The commander fired back. “No, I just want to find my dad!” Aakash said. “Then I don’t have answer!” Comrade Bishal stood up to walk away. Aakash stood up to catch him just near the door leading outside. “You can’t just walk away!” He saw him draw his revolver out as soon as he said the words. He stood there dumbfounded to see they have been surrounded by a group of armies. And before he knew, the bullets had begun to fire from all directions possible. Something has hit him and he felt a sweating pain just beside his chest and another one in his leg. His vision began to fade into black just beneath the dropped body of Comrade Bishal. He could see the pool of his blood mixing with the blood of Comrade Bishal just when he went into unconscious journey of his life. He gained his consciousness after 9 long months on a bed of an elite hospital in Kathmandu and lots of things had changed in between the time. He had vague memories of some dialogues he heard in his coma and all felt like a long nightmare for him when he woke up after his sleep. He was later told, he was identified by the teacher he had given lift on way to Bhojpur as non-maoist and army had airlifted him to Kathmandu to save his life. His thoughts came back to present. The man whom he just missed was the man who saved his life and he had not been able to thank all these time and he missed him once again. Anita just came beside her and asked “Kina daudeko?” He looked at confused face of Anita and replied “To thank someone because of him I am here right now with you!!” and smiled. And Anita smiled back making her look wonderful than ever. ***************************************