Part 32

Part 32

“Rini Didi...!” Dhatri held her breath. “I think... I... I... blundered....!” she said looking at her Rini Didi with fear. Dhatri was giving the full account of her expedition.

“What?” Rini too held her breath. “You gave away his identity?” she asked her with bated breath.

“I don't know. The guards seemed to know nothing....” she said and Rini sighed. “But that boy...” Dhatri looked lost, Dharini shook her head. She looked at the room door locked from inside.

“Do you think....they will report?” asked Dhatri. Rini looked at her.

“Dhaa... Ten years...I don't think they know...” Rini gave her hope. Dhaa looked relieved. She was with her Rini Didi after the expedition sharing her secret, telling her everything from the beginning of the expedition.

“You know that Shiv ji Cavern …. I knew the secret route and I took them to the other side of the Mountain..” she said.

“Look Dhaa... the same thing you should follow. Don't let out anything...” Dharini told her closing her eyes.

Dhatri was discharged from the hospital and had come home still very weak and fable. Dharini had taken charge of her care. A five year old Dhaa was very weak to talk to anyone. “Rini Didi...” she used to hold Rini's hand tightly still traumatized. Rini never left her alone, not even for school. Eight days after her discharge from the hospital, Police was at the door.

“We need to take her ….” Inspector opened the topic.

“But... she hasn't recovered yet...” Dr. Salil protested. “Can't help Sir, we have a doctor with us... We need her for identification... We have detained some suspects....” The inspector said and Rini ran towards Dhatri.

“Dhaa... listen... that inspector demon has come again to take you.... You are not telling him anything...” Rini had struck the solution. If Dhaa didn't give away any information to anyone, she would be left alone....! This was the best solution and Rini had brainwashed Dhaa …!

“Ok. Didi...” Dhaa smiled faintly. Rini got her ready and carried her outside. Dr. Salil picked her up gravely.

“Baby.... do you remember anything?” the inspector asked kindly and Dhatri held her father tightly shaking her head. “Don't call me baby...!” she retorted holding on to her father. Only her good boy had the right to call her baby. She glanced at her Rini Didi.

“If you see those bad guys... will you recognize them?” the inspector asked and Dhatri hid her face on her father's shoulder.

“Ok. Let us go!” Inspector took it positively. When they came back next day visiting various places and the police station in Chandrapur, the police had nothing. Dhatri failed to identify the persons and the places.

She was taken to several places in the jungles from Maharashtra Chandrapur up to Chaibasa in Jharkhand... where she was found, all strong holds of Naxals...! She failed to identify any of the places. She didn't identify any person. She was taken to the raided naxal camps every time the raid took place but she didn't recognise anything. She did not cooperate with the police. When she was asked to describe the persons who had taken her, she would only say... “They were black...with red eyes...” the description would fit to any tribal person from that area, even the photos, she didn't recognize any one of them...”

She was found almost dead with injuries and unconsciousness with other dead bodies in the encounter, Police or BSF had no clue what they did with her during those several months of her captivity. The tests didn't prove molestation but there was physical abuse with injuries all over her body. After her recovery, her Rini Didi had told her not to give away any information or to identify anyone. She had obeyed and not given away anything, refusing to identify any place or person. She would cry her heart out and scream for her Rini Didi. The child psychologists had also failed to probe deeper into her closed mind. Five years after the recovery, police had given up on her and had stopped taking her to the raided camps and tribal settlements into the jungles.

But this expedition was different. It had brought back all her memories and she had met him.... ! Dhaa smiled at the thought. She looked up at her Didi with bright face.

“Dhaa...!” Rini hugged her tightly. “It was awesome, Di... !” Dhatri whispered.

“Dharini...” Nilima was knocking the door.

“Dhaa, go to sleep. I will just finish the chores and come back ok?” Rini said getting up from the bed.

Dhatri pulled the duvet and went back to the expedition. They were in the last lap of their expedition. The team had collected over two thousand samples of leave, roots, stems, seeds, dried fruits and flowers neatly documented, packed and dispatched. Dhatri had her treasure, though she gave away some of her finds.  She had numerous deer horns, a piece of spotted deer skin, an intact-complete snake shed skin, peacock feathers, colorful feathers of birds, beak of horn-bill killed in a hunt, a bone she couldn't identify the animal, a broken tooth of some feline animal, dried red leaves, hoof of bison, and numerous stones of different shapes and sizes.  She even had picked up a natural wood sculpture, but had to give it away for its sheer size.  She had a bag full of her finds.  Smile appeared on her face as she closed her eyes to go to sleep per the orders of her Rini Didi.  Her thoughts still lingered in the Jungle with the group.

Dhatri blinked open her eyes. There was a strange distant drumming in the wee hours of night. She sat up and looked around. She still heard the percussion. “Huh...!” she held her breath, picked up her bag, took out the torch, pulled up her socks, wore the shoes, tied her torch to the shoe lace, held her thick long stick tightly and came out in the open. She could see dim lights down in the valley. Mesmerized, she started descending amidst long spooky whining of the crickets hidden somewhere.

“Shit...Man..! “ Ravi gaped at her vanishing figure and dashed in to collect his bag and shoes.

Maria heard rustle and opened her eyes to find flattened sleeping bag. She looked at the open bathroom door and sat up in the bed.

“Where is she?” Maria came out to see Ravi hurriedly going somewhere.

“Ray...?!” she called out. He stopped and turned, startled. “Dhatri...!” he pointed in some direction. She came out too and saw a faint torch light descending into the valley.

“Wait!” she ordered and dashed in. Soon they both followed the descending torch light, without a word. Ravi looked at his watch. It was four in the morning.

“I am sure she is up to something dangerous, this time...!” he muttered. “Hope she is not doing anything dangerous..!” Murmured  Maria at the same time! They both looked at each other and moved to catch up with the moving torch light.

Part 31

Part 31

“Sonny..?” Sayajirao peeped in to find Ravi engrossed reading something holding his laptop. The movie X-men running on the screen with full volume.

“Dad..” Ravi looked up. His Dad gave him a puzzled look. Sayajirao turned.

Dad!” Ravi called out. His dad looked back. “Do you know anything about mutants?” he asked.

“What?” Dad looked confused. “What is it sonny? Mutant?” he was surprised.

“Yes Dad!” Ravi got up. Sayajirao came into the room. “You mean Marval Comics?” he had a smile on his face.

“No Dad! Real mutants..!” he said and Sayajirao looked at the movie running...!

“Sonny.. come out of Cartoons and fictions...!” he ruffled his hair. Ravi jerked away.

“I am serious, Dad! I want to know more about Mutants!” he said looking at his dad. Sayajirao gazed piercingly. Ravi looked at his dad.

“I think I saw a mutant, Dad!” he said looking aghast. “Mutants are cartoon characters...!” Sayajirao looked at his 21 year old boy. He still was a boy, though his body was full grown, he still had a kid's mind in his big body. He didn't know what to talk to his big boy. He simply gaped. Since his return from India, Ravi looked lost and very serious. He hardly talked to his father and locked himself up in his room. Sayajirao tried to talk to him in vain. “Dad, please...! I am busy...” he would say.

“Must be some animal...!” he murmured. “No dad! It wasn't an animal...A human being..!” he said looking up from his laptop. “I must find out...!”

“Humm... I don't know, sonny! But ...” his father said sighing. “Are you talking about subnormal abilities?” he asked his son. “Super natural, Dad!” Ravi got up.

“We have a book...” Sayajirao couldn't complete. Ravi flaunted the book and said “Yeah I read it but what I saw and experienced was ….I don't know where to classify … I mean I had read about it.... but Dad... I actually experienced it...!” Ravi was delirious. “Ho..Ho.. !” Sayajirao grinned. But Ravi was serious.

“Dad! I swear... I saw a Mutant...” he said holding his father's hand. “Its alright, sonny! If you want to read about supernatural powers, read on buddhists monks... with their supernatural powers...!” he said seriously. We have some books on Buddhism in our library..” Ravi dashed to the library and Sayajirao came out switching off the LCD display. Next few days, Ravi burried himself in the library reading about Mutants....!

He still looked confused and lost. “What was that he had seen and experienced..?” He couldn't tell. He didn't want to talk about it. He just wanted to know more....

********* ***********

“So its going to be a break of three days from our trekk to catch up with the work ..!” they had reached Kanker and stationed themselves in heritage hotel. Ravi had withdrawn. He was busy with documentation working with Dr. Ghosh. Others were busy having a tour of the town. Dhatri had never left Dr. Nixon. She had helped in whatever way she could. Soumya had mellowed down and subdued. She remained to herself and busied herself with sampling and documenting. They were to dispatch the packets to the headquarters, i.e. Vidhsha. The three days passed in a jiffy and they were again ready for their trekk.

“We are not moving on the tourists paths to Gadiya mountain.. we will be taking the jungle route from down south...” said one of the forest ranger. “Please be careful and stick to your group...” he warned and everyone nodded. The crag and the valley played their role in horrifying the group.

“One can find some natural and some Buddhist caves in this granite rich mountains...” one of them assumed the duty of a tour guide.

“Do you want to visit the natural Fort?” he asked and all except Ravi and Dhatri nodded in excitement.

“I have visited.... “ Dhatri had no interest in visiting the ruins. Ravi too was not interested and said “No!” without assigning any reason.

“There is a cave down there...” Dhatri said and next moment Ravi and Dhatri changed their route descending into the valley to reach upto the cave. One of the guards followed them hurriedly.

Ravi gaped at the horrifying looks of the cave. The stalactites and stalagmites made it look like a fierce jaw....

They both climbed the crag to reach trying to outrun each other. The guard followed huffing and panting. Ravi had reached and was trying to enter the cave.

“No.. no stop...!” yelled the guard when Dhatri too reached and was making her way inside between the sharp stalactites and stalagmites formed by the dripping water. The guard caught up with them.

“Careful... don't shout in the cave the stalactites might slight you in two...!” he warned them. They both nodded making their way through sharp tooth like formation at the mouth of the cave. The water was still dripping making the cave cooler and damp and smelly. They both entered the cave and looked around, a few bats fluttered out. The insides were creepy, spooky, full of the stalactites and stalactites with clearing in between where the water deposits were making them slip and shiver. “humm calcium carbonate...” Ravi muttered, Dhatri had already picked up one sharp conical mineral. Ravi gazed at her.

“My find!” she hurriedly stuffed it into her bag before he could lay his hands on it. He smirked and showed her another smaller sharp cone crystallized completely. Her eyes widened. She had a stone cone and he had a crystal cone reflecting the light.

“Careful..” The guard warned from outside. He had no interest in getting into that dark damp cave. “The tank above overflows and the stream flows from the top and jumps into the valley during monsoon...!” he informed and Ravi came out of the cave. Dhatri still was inside searching for another crystallized cone.

“What is she doing inside...?” Ravi wondered and went inside after waiting for her for more than fifteen minutes.

Dhatri searched desperately for the crystal. He proved to be smarter than her. She moved weeding through the stalagmites and saving her head ducking. Something big struck her.

 “Baby... we got to spend the night here... those bad men are out everywhere....!” her good boy was telling her climbing the crag to reach the cave. She was crying... “Don't cry... We will go to shivji's mandir..” he said and entered the cave with the engulfing nightfall. She wailed in fright. He was holding her protectively. “Don't worry.. we are safe here...” he said laying her on his laps covering her with the worn out blanket. She shivered. “Look... “ he showed her the crystal Shivling shining and emitting the setting sun rays....!”

“This is Shiv ji!” he showed her the glowing smooth stone ...and she smiled. “He will save us?” she looked at good boy hopefully. He nodded.

“Tomorrow morning we will go out from the other side....” he said and she slept peacefully on his laps. Bright light had woken her up. He carried her into the darkness again moving to the other side.. “See? We are at the other side of the rock...” he had shown her.

Dhatri was wandering deep inside the cave forgetting that she was with the group.

“Hey! Where are you?” his voice reverberated and Dhatri stopped in her tracks. She realized where she was.

“In here!” she said and he echo located her in the darkness. “Let us go!” he looked at her silhouetted figure.

“We can go to the other side of the rock...!” she said in a hypnotic condition. He grew curious. “How?” he asked. She moved ahead, he followed. The darkness engulfed.

“Wait!” he whispered and lit the torch. She was moving into the darkness not bothering.

“Dhatri.. wait!” he called her little loudly and she turned. “Are you sure, this goes to the other side?” he asked skeptically. “Yes..!” she was confident, never wanting to stop for anything... she knew the secret route. She had known it since she was a child.

“Shit! Dhatri wait...!” Ravi held her hand to stop her. “What?” she turned. “That guard...” he said gripping her wrist.

“I will wait here... you go and get him...!” she said. “What? No way...” he argued. “Let us go together..” he pulled her with him. They again weeded back to find the guard panic and searching them frantically.

“Where were you two? We need to hurry back..!” he turned to go out.

“Hey .. wait...!” Ravi held his hand. “We can go to the other side through this cave...!” he said looking at Dhatri. She nodded vigorously.

“What?” the guard was shocked. “Yes...I know..!” Dhatri said. “No way...! I have visited this several times... there is no route to the other side...!” he said pulling them towards him.

“There is.... its like a tunnel...” She said wrenching herself free...

“Look! I have a powerful torch... let us explore...!” Ravi was excited. The guard calculated....!

Look.. only for half an hour. If we do not find the other end, we are turning back. We have to descend the crag before nightfall” he said warning them. Dhatri nodded.

The cave grew narrower. Dhatri had to move on their knees with the help of their hands. “Are you sure?” the guard asked whimpering. “Yes!” Dhatri whispered. 

“You have to crawl baby...!” she heard her good boy saying. She had mounted herself on his back and was riding him like her horse. 

Smile appeared on her face. She had seen the light. The cave became narrower. She flushed her body to the ground and crawled... The other two ensued. Soon they too saw the light and increased their speed.

“See?” she looked back victoriously coming out of that small hole and standing on the little clearing between the crag. They all saw the entrance of the Gadiya Fort.. !

“Let us go...!” the guard led the way through the crag and clearing....! Ravi thought of cease fire with Dhatri.

“Man …. she knows!” he looked at her with unsure admiration...! Dhatri was not looking at him. She was pointing at their group at the foothill of Gadiya mountain, looking up at the trio. 

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NOTE : Thank you for appreciating the pictures... Here are few more of the real caves with stalactite and stalagmites.... with jungle of Bastar and Kanker...!  Click on My page for the pics...

KF

 

Part 30

“Shit! Where is he?” Ravi sat up in the bed when he saw the place next to him, empty. He dashed to the bathroom and came out to see the drama unfolding.

Jim had hung his head before the firing squad. Soumya was crying hiding her face in her palms. Dhatri was nowhere to be seen. Indroneel was talking to Dr. Koite. Ravi came and stood behind looking amused at the enquiry. Dr. Koite seemed uninterested in the discussion.

“They both are of age...” he said and Indroneel turned again to Soumya. “Do you have any idea what you were doing, Soumya?” he gritted his teeth. Soumya had another bout of sobs and guilt.

“S..Sorry Sir!” she could only say.

“Dr. Ghosh...” Jim started of meekly. Indroneel completely ignored him.

“You are my responsibility, Soumya and I cannot tolerate this!” he said and Soumya knelt on her knees with guilt.

“Dr, Ghosh... Look, I am sorry..!” Jim opened his mouth again to be cut of by Indroneel again.

“Mr. Jim, this is not your US of A. to take liberties...” Indroneel flared up in rage.

“Have you ever thought about your parents, Soumya?” Indroneel shuddered so did Soumya with the thought of what would happen if her parents knew about this.

“Sorry Sir, please....!” she pleaded crying her heart out. Indroneel turned in frustration.

“Dr. Ghosh, well! It will be your decision finally, but ..” Dr. Koite looked at Indroneel's furious face and stopped. Dhatri's figured appeared from somewhere distracting Indroneel. He looked at her hopelessly. She was not bothered what was happening there. She knew, she was staying for sure. She again vanished somewhere searching for something else around the Forest Camp. Indroneel dropped his shoulders.

“Dr. Ghosh! I apologize...!” Said Jim with a guilt laden face. “And I promise...!” he looked at miserable Soumya.

“Please, Dr. Ghosh, don't send them back...!” he looked at Maria for support. She shook her head hopelessly.

“We came here for a research work, Mr. Jim..!” Dr. Indroneel was still furious.

“Yes Dr. Ghosh and I promise, I will stick to the research work...!” Jim said with determination. Dr. Koite placed his hand on Indroneel's shoulder. Soumya was staring down. Indroneel turned.

“Time for breakfast!” he put aside all the discussion. Jim looked relieved so was Soumya. Dr. Maria came forward. “Go get ready!” she said pushing Soumya a bit. Dhatri stood there with gaping mouth holding a big stick of an inch diameter and around six feet in length. Ravi was thoroughly disappointed and went after Jim into the room.

“God!...” Jim ran his fingers through his hair in relief. Ravi looked at him disappeared. The girls would continue....! “Bad news!” He gathered his things and moved out for breakfast.

The breakfast was served but Jim had vanished. The gulped down the bread slices with tea. Jim appeared with a bunch of wild flowers. Dr. Maria smiled inwardly looking at his flushed face. He gave everyone a bunch saying sorry for what he did. He gave one to Soumya too which horrified her to the core. She looked up at Indroneel frightened to the core but he ignored her completely. She accepted the flowers with shaky hands. Ravi looked at this drama, frustrated.

Jim came to Dhatri and extending a red hibiscus. Reflexively she backed away. But he stood there with that red flower, which he had picked from the back yard of the camp. She looked up at her sir. He nodded. She grinned and put her hand in her bag. Jim extended the flower and said “Sorry!” She took the flower with her right hand and took out something from behind. She gave him the written gift and Soumya shrieked frightened. Jim gazed at his palm dumfounded, stunned! A centipede made its way up from his cupped palm to his elbow. He shirked jumping backwards and Dr. Koite roared in laughter. Dhatri giggled.

“It is harmless...!” she said looking at his aghast face. He grinned looking at everyone's smiling face. Soumya too had a smile on her face. Dhatri took out a Bird feather and gave it to Jim. “Thank you!” Finally Jim smiled broadly moving the feather on his stubble. Dhatri turned away picking up her stick. Ravi looked on. They saw the rangers approaching with long sticks in their hands. They gave them one each.

“There are more snakes around here for the dampness.... we are moving into evergreen foliage and we need to be careful. One of them said and Dr. Maria looked at Dhatri in admiration. Indeed she knew the jungle inside out!

Dhatri walked past Ravi and he muttered scornfully, “Rhesus Macaque...!” Dhatri turned her eyes boring into his and turned her gaze on his shoulder.

“Millepede.,,. “ his eyes challenged her and she pointed out at his jacket... “On your jacket!” she turned her back and thudding her stick on the ground led the way.

Next ffew minutes, Ravi was shirking his jacket and turning it inside out to find the non existent millepede... !! 

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NOTE : to see centipede and millipede... please click on "My Page" in the top menu bar!!

 

Part 29

“Yes! Both are out! Finally! Time to celebrate!!” Ravi grinned ear to ear.  “I think, I should prepare a farewell speech..” he walked into the room to see Dhatri standing before Indroneel locking her fingers in front but gazing at him defiantly. 

“I can’t! Dhatri, I am sending her back and can’t continue with you alone! Your father sent you because another girl was joining...” Indroneel had locked his fist at the back. Ravi stood behind gazing at Dhatri.  He saw a fire in her eyes when she looked at him.  She turned and left the room.  Indroneel sighed.

“You can ask for two more students from your Institute to join us.  May be two boys?” Ravi suggested innocently.  Indroneel didn’t respond but he was pondering on the suggestion.  He had to send the girls back in the morning.  Ravi came out and saw Dhatri gazing at a distance in darkness. 

“Goodbye!” he whispered and went away.  Dhatri clutched her find, the calcite blue stone with mounting rage.  She went inside.

“Phone..!” she demanded.  Indroneel looked at her.  “I want to talk to Papa and Rini Didi..” She said with a shade of threat. 

“Don’t blackmail me…!” Indroneel refused to give her his phone.  “And there is no network…!” he said looking relieved glancing at his cell phone.  Dhatri glared at him.

“Dhaa… try and understand.  We have entered the Naxal stronghold… !” he tried to explain.  Dhatri still glared at him.  He sighed hopelessly. 

“I have done five treks after that in this area… and the Police took me several times to identify…” Dhatri said defiantly.  Indroneel dropped his shoulders. 

“I can manage alone!” she said turning to move.

“Dhaa.. please… listen to me! Don’t be upset… but I have to send her back…!” Indroneel held her hand.  She wrenched it free looking at him angrily.  Next moment she pouted her lower lip, contorted her face, pressed her eyes shut and Indroneel winced.

“Stop… stop the drama, Dhaa… your crying works with Salil, not with me!” he smacked on her head and curled up his lips in a smile.  Dhatri stared at his expression and hugged him with a silly grin.

“Dramebaz!” he ruffled her curly, spring like hair fondly. 

“I stay?” she asked with grin.  “hum!” he gave a curt nod.  “Thank you, uncle!” she jumped in joy.

“That’s because, Salil is my friend…!” he said sighing.  Dhatri ran out. 

“Dhatri, come back here!” He shouted and Dhatri turned back apprehensively. 

“Dhaa… promise me! You will be careful…. You are my responsibility, Dhaa… !” he pleaded.  She nodded accepting all his conditions.  He pulled her closer and patting on her back, said, “Now go and sleep…. Goodnight!”

“Yes Sir! Good night, Sir!” she saluted like a cadet and left the room.  He  folded his arms on his chest staring in the darkness, unfocused shuddering with some unknown fear. 

He would't keep Soumya in the team after the evening incident and Couldn’t keep Dhatri alone in the team.  He had to find a way out. 

Dr. Ghosh!” Dr. Maria Nixon entered the room.  Indroneel turned. 

“I need to talk to you…!” she said apprehensively.  He gestured at the lone folding chair in good condition.  She sat on the chair and he stood by the door!

“Its about Dhatri!” she said and Indroneel’s posture stiffened. 

“I searched last night… I have a fair idea…!” she opened the topic and he gazed in anticipation.  They talked into the night about the girl called Dhatri! 

********  ******

“Hey Jim… help me!” Ravi barged in grinning broadly.  Jim looked grim.

“Oh! Come on! That’s ok! “ Ravi pressed his shoulders.

“Now, suggest me something special… for a farewell gift!” Ravi rubbed his palms.

“Farewell? Are you leaving?” Jim got up shocked.  Ravi shook his head.

“Not me! The girls!” he grinned.  “What?” Jim was on his feet pacing restlessly.  Ravi watched contemptuously.   He hated girls in his team.  “Girls are for fun… not for serious work!” he opined when they discussed girls.  “They are only for toying their Bs and Bs…!” he always used prove his point and then explain, “Boobs and bottoms…” when they came across a bimbo. 

“No! I can’t let this happen… I think I should apologize!” Jim dashed out and Ravi ran after him.  They found Dr. Koite alone outside gazing at the extinguishing fire. 

“Dr. Koite…!” Jim stood before him.  He placed his heavy hand on Jim’s shoulder sympathetically.  “It was not your day, boy!” he said with a faint smile. 

“Is it..? I mean..are the girls...” Jim stammered.

“Let us discuss it tomorrow morning…” he said dismissing the boys.  Ravi looked at him apprehensively, his grin fading away.  “Oh No! Are they keeping the girls?” he thought the worst.  Jim hung his head and returned to his room.  He must do something to apologize.

“Damn! Man…~! I messed up..!” he banged his fist in frustration.  Ravi looked at him seriously.  Next day was the judgment day!!  Dhatri had already acquitted herself shrewdly and sleeping peacefully with steady breath inside her sleeping bag.

**********   ********

Late in the night, Dr. Maria Nixon came into the room and looked at Soumya who had curled up with wet cheeks crying!  She sat down and placed her hand on the sleeping bag…

“Dhatri…!” she sighed and patted the sleeping bag fondly.  “You are a darling…!” she smiled and rubbed insect repellent cream on her skin, preparing herself to go to bed!!

Part 28

Part 28

“Man…. She is my angel… !” Jim said dreamily and Ravi looked at him shocked.

“What were you doing down there?” Finally Ravi asked Jim when they settled for the day in a make shift camp of Department of Forests.   Jim still looked lost and shaken.

“What was I doing? I don’t know!” he had partial amnesia.  Ravi gaped…

“I mean… I saw those magnificent blue orchids down there…..!” Jim blurted and Ravi sat up straight.

“Orchids? Down there? On that Rock?.... Man…Are you nuts?” Ravi asked bewildered and Jim closed his eyes.

“I mean… I don’t know what it was…. That shocking pink flower….. “ Jim had lost his color sense too.

“Pink? You just said blue….” Ravi looked at his crazy partner. 

“I mean…. I was hypnotized… like I saw a ghost…! ” Jim blurted deliriously.   Appearance of Dhatri from nowhere behind Jim under that cliff flashed and Ravi winced.  

“Jim… Jim…” Soorie girl barged in and Ravi rolled his eyes…!

“Oh! My God! I was so scared….!” She sat on the matress and hugged Jim.  Ravi got up.  Jim patted on her back.

“What happened?” She asked still holding him tightly.

“What happened? He went down there to gift you the flowers…!” Ravi had his share of revenge. 

“Oh, Jim..!” Soumya flung herself at Jim again bringing him down on the matress and Ravi winked at him.  His lips played mischief  and Jim looked up at him from Roumya’s shoulder.  “Carry on!” Ravi smiled contemptuously arching his eyebrow gesturing at the bed and went out closing the door behind him.  Soumya’s translucent night dress said it all.

Ravi came out rubbing his palms smirking.  “Aahaa! He saw the team gathered around Dr. Koite who was explaining how thoughtless the reforestation plans were executed, warming himself around camp fire!  Ravi approached.

“Hey… how is he now! Hope he recovers from the trauma soon…!” Ravi wore seriousness.

“Yeah… hope so!” he gazed at Dhatri who was busy plucking the dried grass from the ground and throwing it into the fire. 

“Dhatri… don’t you ever do that again.  There are forest guards with us to rescue… Samajhee tum?” Indroneel shuddered even now.  She looked up.

“What if something had happened…” he gripped her shoulder wincing with the thought.

  “Nothing happened…!” Dhatri resumed throwing hay into the fire. 

“Promise me… you will not do such things… else I will send you back, Dhatri!” Indroneel said sternly and Dr. Maria nodded. 

“Yeah… That was a narrow escape….My heart stopped beating for some time…!” She too wrapped Dhatri’s shoulder.  Dhatri got up embarrassed. 

“I can do that… I know rappelling!” Dhatri muttered with a glint.

“Without ropes?” Ravi too joined the gang and Dhatri moved away.  Her Rini Didi had advised her to stay away from the boys. 

“What if he had slipped? You had tied yourself with him… with that… that….!” Indroneel, shaken to the core, shuddered again. 

“Hu..hu..hi..hi…!” Dhatri tossed her head back giggling, closing her eyes and Ravi looked at her glowing face in the orange flames of the camp fire.  

“That gave him confidence to follow me.  We are taught in trekking camps. It was not that dangerous… We had this much of a space under our feet…” Dhatri showed the width stretching her hands laughing and moving away. 

“Man…. She is so pretty….I just want to be with her all the time….!” Jim’s voice echoed in his ears, Ravi got up with a jerk.

“I think we should go and see Jim…!” he looked worried and everyone got up to go to Jim’s room.  Ravi smirked.  Dhatri had no interest in paying the visit.  She remained behind.  Ravi stood behind her desperately wanting Dhatri to enter the room first.  She was busy looking at her new find.  She had taken it out and was looking at its glitter in the darkness.

“What is that?” Ravi asked and Dhatri closed her fist immediately. 

“I found it!” she said moving away.

“What?” Indroneel asked stopping and turning.  So did everyone else.  “She has something…. Interesting..!” Ravi grabbed the opportunity and Dhatri had to show it to everyone.  Indroneel took the stone from her and Dr. Koite peeped in.  They brought it to the camp fire to have a closer look forgetting Jim. 

“Humm… looks to be Cavansite Blossom…!” Koite said something in alien language to Dhatri.  She stretched her hand to take it from him before Ravi could lay his hands on. 

“This seems to be Chalcopyriote… known as peacock Ore.. a bright blue calcite stone …” Indroneel opined.  They soon were busy discussing the Minerals and lime stones.  Dhatri tried her best to take the stone from Dr. Koite’s hand but Ravi was faster.

“Let me see!” he took it from Koite and glanced at Dhatri with a glint.  “It is mine! I found it!” Dhatri said in a fighting spirit.  Ravi refused to give it back.  He gazed at the bright blue jagged, a big pebble size stone in amazement.  Dr. Maria had reached.

“Oh! Beautiful…” she took it from Ravi.  He couldn’t say no!  Dhatri sighed relief. 

“I found it!” Dhatri took it back. 

“Oh! Where?” asked Maria.  “When we were coming through the rock…. I saw it in the rock and gnawed it …!” Dhatri said casually.  Rendering Dr. Maria  speechless…! Dhatri moved towards the room and Ravi dashed close behind.  Indroneel had already reached and was pushing the door talking to Dr. Koite looking behind. 

“Jim.. Are you ok?” he opened the door and froze into that dimly lit room.   Next moment he came back to his good senses and yelled.

“Soumya…!” they both broke apart from a very compromising condition.  Dr. Indroneel burned with anger.

“Out…! Right now!” he roared when Soumya got up struggling.  Koite and Maria had already entered and Ravi pushed Dhatri inside.  But Indroneel had saved them somehow.  Soumya dashed out and Dhatri looked at her with puzzled expressions. “Ab Isse Kya hua?”

  Indroneel too came out infuriated.  Maria looked at Jim and shrugging, came out.  Koite ignored everyone seeing the food being served in the plates near the camp fire. 

“I am sending her back…!” Indroneel muttered angrily.

“Who?” asked Dhatri running behind and he lost his temper.

“”You too! I am sending both of you back!” Dhatri stopped dead in her tracks.  Ravi grinned wickedly. 

Part 27

Part 27

That night Dr. Nixon was up searching for archives on naxals and news.  At dawn she hit the bed sighing gravely.  “Hope everything goes well!” she prayed.

*********   *********   ********

“Hey … somebody... help!” they heard the screams and everyone turned to look in the direction.  They couldn't locate.  “Help....!” came another scream... “Mayday...Mayday..!” Dr. Indroneel Ghosh looked at Dhatri suspiciously but she too looked confused searching around.  They saw the back pack!

“Jim....?” Ray Dev (Ravi) was first to recognize and they called back frantically.

“Jim? Is that you?” he called out loudly.  There came a scream in response.  “Help.....!” And Dhatri dashed to the edge.

“Look....!” she yelled and Ray was next to her. 

“Jim?” he called out.  Jim was on the ground some 50-60 feet down clutching his bums and screaming frantically.   Ravi gauged the cliff. 

The Rangers too were shocked to see Jim down there.  The cliff was steep and there was nothing to hang on. 

They had reached the mountain ridge and the vegetation was minimal.  The black basalt columnar structure made it horrifying.  Ravi lied down on the ground to look down over the cliff.  

“Help!” Jim was panic.  The rangers looked around.  One single uprooted dead tree perched precariously over the edge... one single little push and it would land on Jim's head. 

“Hey... we will do something..!” Ravi shouted back optimistically.  The rangers rummaged in their bags taking out nails and hooks .... All were useless for Jim.  They had a situation.

“Are you hurt?” shouted Ravi and Jim turned exposing his torn jeans and bruised bums, blood oozing out.  He was clearly in pain.  Fortunately his hip bones were strong enough to endure the dangerous slide. 

The team up the ridge was struggling and Jim was panic losing his hopes.  “You got to climb up...!” Maria too was flat on the ground surveying the situation.  There was no way Jim could climb up. 

“Rope....!” Dhatri yelled and everyone looked at each other.  They had forgotten...!!

“Wait...!” she said and moved away from them.  Everyone turned to Jim giving him some hope.  The Rangers trying their best to shout instructions to encourage Jim to climb up.  He was totally shaken with wobbling knees and was unable to do anything they shouted at. 

And they all saw the small figure inching closer to Jim.  Maria gasped.  “How did she?” she did not know.  Dhatri had reached Jim down sixty feet.  She made her way next to him in that tiny available space where Jim had somehow propped himself precariously.  The ridge cutting through further down several hundred meters into nothingness...!! The valley looked like a black hole.  Jim had only a few feet clearance to steady himself.

Dhatri had reached him from behind while he was howling frantically for help. 

She held his hand and everyone up above held their breaths.  Maria had gone blue holding her breath.   She exhaled in panic.  “Dhatri!” and looked at ghost like Indroneel.  He had lost his senses on the verge of passing out in panicky. 

Jim turned in fright and seeing Dhatri, clutched on to her for his life.  He hugged her in fright and she patted on his back. 

“How did she reach there?” Ravi saw a ghost in her.  He looked up at Dr. Koite who too had pressed himself on the ground and was looking down clutching his spectacles. 

“How did she reach there?” he asked bewildered looking little relieved.  The rangers too were shocked at her agility.  Jim had not left her.  She tried to pull apart his hands wrapped around her. 

“Stop...Steady...!” she said pulling his hands away from her body.  “Breathe....!” she told him to steady his breath.  “How did you come here?” he turned her to look at her back.  She showed sideways.  There was narrow layer of ridge which connected it to bigger clearance and the slope which would take them up again. 

“You came in through that?” he couldn't believe her and pulled her again in embrace.  She hit him on his back with all her might.  “Stop...!” she ordered pulling herself away.

“Jim... Jim.... Soorie had never stopped yelling in panic.  “Stop shouting...!” Dhatri looked up angrily cupping her mouth and bellowing back at her.  Pin drop silence prevailed.  They could hear a faint whistle of the eagle gliding and hovering far above and panic screeches of monkeys watching the duo. 

“Come..!” she turned to leave the same way she had come.  “No way!” Jim pulled her back.  “You are not going that way again...!” he hugged her to stop her.  She tried wriggling.  He was panic.

“We will wait for someone to airlift us!” 

“Send SOS message... get help!”  he shouted looking up at the hopeless people.

“I am your help!” she said and turned.

“No!” he momentarily had vertigo ...looking down into the deep valley.  Dizziness crept in.

“Rope?” Dhatri shouted a question looking up.  Everyone looked at each other.

“Ok.  M'am... I have a nylon rope in my bag front pocket” Dhatri yelled and Maria got up to retrieve Dhatri's bag.  She took out a bundle of bright florescent green thin rope used to hang washed clothes and showed it to Dhatri.

“Yeah... Tie a stone to it and throw it down.  “ Dhatri knew the forceful wind would sway the rope away.   Ranger did the needful and Dhatri caught hold of the hope. 

“I will tie you up with me and we will go!” she said somehow swaying with the whirlwind coming up from the valley.

“We got to hurry!” she said looking at the darkened valley below.  She looked at the short three meter rope and coiled one end around his waist and held the other end in her hand. 

“Chalo...!” she ordered and he disobeyed.

“No..! I don't want to die..!” he sat down with swollen buttocks and whimpered.  She turned to leave.

“You are not leaving me to die here, are you?” he asked miserably.  She looked up at him.  Her eyes were unfocused... her fingers twitches... her throat went dry... she spoke in a ghostly voice....

“You are unwell....You are not well....” she could sense his discomfort, his pain...! Next moment she was at his back... running her fingers on his sore bottom.  He felt a surge of warmth entering his body.  She closed her eyes and the body temperature soared up... “You will be alright... “ she mumbled and surprisingly his pain subsided.  The warmth entered his body running through his veins giving him soothing sensation... soon his pain vanished and he felt nothing on his bottoms.... he stood like a statue with his eyes closed, calmness filling his heart.  Dhatri broke apart losing her balance with rising temperature...

“Water … water...” She mumbled in despair.  She was suffering.... she was enduring his pain.  They both were helpless.  She had passed out of her senses and he had ran out of water.

“Water... Water...” he shouted desperately and Soorie ran to get the water bottle.  Dhatri had hit the ridge column and sat down helplessly wanting water to revive herself.  Jim had regained his senses desperately wanting to do something to fetch water for Dhatri. 

“Jim... here... catch it...!” Yellled Ravi snatching the bottle from Soumya.  That was their last chance to revive Dhatri.  Jim had to do it and he did like an expert. 

“Pour...Pour...” she mumbled clutching her head with throbbing pain and he poured the water on her head.  Soon she regained her senses and opened her eyes with efforts.

“Thank you...!” she said gratefully and Jim gaped.

“What was that...?” he asked aghast.

“Nothing..I felt dizzy...” she avoided his searching gaze.  He clutched his bottoms...Nothing!! the swelling and Pain had gone, the bleeding had stopped... only the dried, healed bruise  on his bums itched...!! He looked ghostly.

“Are you alright?” he asked her concerned.  “Yes... Let us go!” she said getting up still feeling weak in the knees. 

“No... we will wait here!” he pulled her down again.  But she got up with determination.  She took the other end of the nylon rope and coiled it around her waist.

“Let us go... I will take you up there...~!” and Jim obeyed like a faithful pet…

The moved sideways to their right, Dhatri, followed by Jim with smaller steps pressing their bodies to the solid black columns of stone breathing lightly.

, in the middle of the breathtaking deep cliff.   Dhatri moved twitching her fingers for the grip in the slippery stone columnar walls and Jim followed her footsteps without a word..  The group above closed their eyes praying hard for their safety.  Dhatri was confident and Jim now, had full faith in her. 

“Om Namah Shivaya…. Om Namah Shivaya….” Indroneel kept praying…

“Inhale…. Hold your breath… Move!” Dhatri instructed in a bare whisper and Jim ensued.  They were dangerously parched against the stone with barely a foot of width under their feet. 

“Only few steps… few steps….” Dhatri encouraged herself and Jim.  She held on to the tiny gaps and holes in the mountainous steeps. 

Ninety five feet sideways like a spider sticking to the wall and they were back to a little wider clearing. 

“Stop!... Breathe…” she instructed Jim panting herself, clutching a stich in her sides.  Jim had no courage to look around.  He sat losing all his strength. 

“We got to climb up there…” she showed the steep slope with drying out grass plopping with the wind.  He looked up.  The group had disappeared behind the ridge.

“Ok!” he said panting.  The rope coiled around had tied them together.  She tried to untie the rope around her waist, now that they were out of the narrow ridge. 

“No! Please!” he pleaded stopping her.  She smiled, untying the rope around her.

“Chalo….” She said grinning.  “Chaalo…” he mimicked grinning back at her.

“Jay bolo Mahadev ji ki…” she howled and started crawling up the slope like an animal on four legs, using her hands and knees…. Jim ensued making sure they didn’t slide down again.  The fiftysix minutes drama ended when her head appeared above the ground and Ravi dashed to pull her up.

She had already climbed up and was on her feet bending down to pull up Jim.  He clung on to her and Ravi pulled him up.  Maria couldn’t stop herself and pulled Dhatri into a tight embrace.

“Don’t you ever do that again…. Risking your life!” She warned her tightening her embrace.  Dhatri smiled shyly.  Jim came forward to hug her again but she already had picked up her back pack and moved on.

“Monkey… “ Ravi grinned.

“Langur….” Dhatri retorted turning and thrusting her hands on her hips, sending waves of laughter and sighs. 

“Dhaa…!” Indroneel caught up with her.  She grinned.  He looked grave….

“You….!” He couldn’t complete.

“No!” Dhatri had cut him off and moved ahead with the Rangers. 

Jim kept clutching his buttocks trying to comprehend what he had experienced.  “She is an angel… ! My angel….” Jim had fallen for Dhatri, ready to do anything to win her…..!