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.