iniyamalar
6th April 2011, 10:08 AM
Part - 1
How quick could this nature change its facade? One moment it was lush green and an all glowing fantasy land and the next it turned out to be dark and gray with shadows hanging everywhere. The warmth had been replaced by the wet and chilly hands of the breeze which indicated the incoming storm or rain or probably both.
The mood of the weather replicated in their faces. All had turned dull and gray of fear and confusion.It was already getting dark when they met the kani men, and now with the storm clouds coming in, it looked much darker. Madhanan was worried about the girls. Will they take the harsh situation easily? He looked at them and was answered by Chemba’s look.
She had taken the girls under her wing and had already found an alcove near the foot of an ascending cliff to settle down. With a leg poised over a rock and her hands folded, she was looking at the sky thoughtfully for some time and then seemed to be sure of herself when she turned towards the girls.
“Buckle up girls! we need to be all ready for another rough hour.” She looked like a warrior princess just then to Madhanan.
He smiled to himself thinking ‘great selection dude’.
The kani people had run off as soon as they heard the thunder. They asked Madhanan to be careful and to take everyone outside the forest as soon as possible. They even asked them to join them to their kani kudiyiruppu (native colony). But Vikki and Vangs were totally against it. Since the kani had told that the storm might abide by in few hours, vikki said that they would take shelter in some place for the rest of the night and then continue on their trekking backwards –so he told the kanis just to pacify them.
Shekar and Vangs had checked the weather reports for that area using their satellite phone and was pretty sure that the coming storm will leave them alone in an hour or so.
It was getting cold. Everybody could feel that. Chemba was feeling something different. It was cold mixed with something else, fear? Anticipation? Confusion? Excitement? What the hell was it? She tried to pick out a reason. But she couldn’t stop her thumbing heart rate to slow down.
Madhanan came near her. “Hello princess.”
“What?”
“You are definitely a princess. At least that’s how you looked to Me.” he smiled at her.
“Oh please. I am not in that mood. Leave me alone ok?”
“What mood?”
“What?”
“You said something about mood..” she suddenly felt warmer, oh lord please don’t let my face turn pink now, she thought. He laughed.
“Pink too, looks great on you.”
“What do you want?”she asked impatiently.
“Wow..very straight forward.mm.. would I get what I want, if I just asked?” he grinned with twinkling eyes . Now she really turned pink and was speechless. His eyes bore straight to her heart and she could literally feel some kind of force pulling her towards him.
“Chemba” smitha called her from behind.
“Yes, smitha.” she turned too eagerly, happy to be interrupted.
“Look at that” smitha was pointing outside.
Chemba went to the entrance of that alcove. It was a pretty big cave kind of opening. Big enough for four or five to stretch and relax. Perfectly covered from the open wilderness, it was a cozy place to settle down for the evening.
It had started to rain. It was not drizzling. The rain was thrashing down the rocky surface harder. The entire view which was now behind a gray translucent screen of rain, looked magical and almost scary.
“Chemba will it be ok?” she asked in small voice.
“Hey, relax. We will be alright .Nothing to worry.” she patted her shoulder and Oviya went closer to them.
Suddenly she saw it. The pure white beam of light spark(l)ing from somewhere in the mountain very near to them and rose above them vertically into the clouded sky which in itself looked dangerously close as if it was coming down on them. so bright yet so silent.
Oviya screamed instinctively and smitha started shivering.
“Damn was that a lightening? It looked too close man. Did you click it? What the hell where you cleaning your nikkon for? It was so beautiful.” Vangs was all excited. Smitha was still shivering and was hugging oviya momentarily.
All but chemba was involved in some or other activity. She stood there like a statue. Looking at the place where they saw the light beam, totally transfixed.
“Chemba are you alright?” Madhanan asked in a soft voice.
“I…”only hushed voice came out. She cleared her throat “ I am alright thank you.” She said and turned towards the girls, concerned about their safety.
“So this was the white light the kani people were talking about?” shekar was mesmerized.” What could have that been?”
“It was a simple lightening man. In a place like this, it looks so real and close.”Vikki suggested while he stirred the tomato soup mix in a kettle kept on the battery hot plate. Everybody took out their flasks form their side pouches and Chemba brought a packet of bread sticks. A frugal, but a hot meal.
In a while the place became warm. Having taken warm soup and squeezing inside their warm sleeping bags beside a still burning camp fire, everyone felt safe. Even the rain looked like it had had enough and had taken off for the day. It was just drip drops now which sounded like a superb lullaby to the group.
How quick could this nature change its facade? One moment it was lush green and an all glowing fantasy land and the next it turned out to be dark and gray with shadows hanging everywhere. The warmth had been replaced by the wet and chilly hands of the breeze which indicated the incoming storm or rain or probably both.
The mood of the weather replicated in their faces. All had turned dull and gray of fear and confusion.It was already getting dark when they met the kani men, and now with the storm clouds coming in, it looked much darker. Madhanan was worried about the girls. Will they take the harsh situation easily? He looked at them and was answered by Chemba’s look.
She had taken the girls under her wing and had already found an alcove near the foot of an ascending cliff to settle down. With a leg poised over a rock and her hands folded, she was looking at the sky thoughtfully for some time and then seemed to be sure of herself when she turned towards the girls.
“Buckle up girls! we need to be all ready for another rough hour.” She looked like a warrior princess just then to Madhanan.
He smiled to himself thinking ‘great selection dude’.
The kani people had run off as soon as they heard the thunder. They asked Madhanan to be careful and to take everyone outside the forest as soon as possible. They even asked them to join them to their kani kudiyiruppu (native colony). But Vikki and Vangs were totally against it. Since the kani had told that the storm might abide by in few hours, vikki said that they would take shelter in some place for the rest of the night and then continue on their trekking backwards –so he told the kanis just to pacify them.
Shekar and Vangs had checked the weather reports for that area using their satellite phone and was pretty sure that the coming storm will leave them alone in an hour or so.
It was getting cold. Everybody could feel that. Chemba was feeling something different. It was cold mixed with something else, fear? Anticipation? Confusion? Excitement? What the hell was it? She tried to pick out a reason. But she couldn’t stop her thumbing heart rate to slow down.
Madhanan came near her. “Hello princess.”
“What?”
“You are definitely a princess. At least that’s how you looked to Me.” he smiled at her.
“Oh please. I am not in that mood. Leave me alone ok?”
“What mood?”
“What?”
“You said something about mood..” she suddenly felt warmer, oh lord please don’t let my face turn pink now, she thought. He laughed.
“Pink too, looks great on you.”
“What do you want?”she asked impatiently.
“Wow..very straight forward.mm.. would I get what I want, if I just asked?” he grinned with twinkling eyes . Now she really turned pink and was speechless. His eyes bore straight to her heart and she could literally feel some kind of force pulling her towards him.
“Chemba” smitha called her from behind.
“Yes, smitha.” she turned too eagerly, happy to be interrupted.
“Look at that” smitha was pointing outside.
Chemba went to the entrance of that alcove. It was a pretty big cave kind of opening. Big enough for four or five to stretch and relax. Perfectly covered from the open wilderness, it was a cozy place to settle down for the evening.
It had started to rain. It was not drizzling. The rain was thrashing down the rocky surface harder. The entire view which was now behind a gray translucent screen of rain, looked magical and almost scary.
“Chemba will it be ok?” she asked in small voice.
“Hey, relax. We will be alright .Nothing to worry.” she patted her shoulder and Oviya went closer to them.
Suddenly she saw it. The pure white beam of light spark(l)ing from somewhere in the mountain very near to them and rose above them vertically into the clouded sky which in itself looked dangerously close as if it was coming down on them. so bright yet so silent.
Oviya screamed instinctively and smitha started shivering.
“Damn was that a lightening? It looked too close man. Did you click it? What the hell where you cleaning your nikkon for? It was so beautiful.” Vangs was all excited. Smitha was still shivering and was hugging oviya momentarily.
All but chemba was involved in some or other activity. She stood there like a statue. Looking at the place where they saw the light beam, totally transfixed.
“Chemba are you alright?” Madhanan asked in a soft voice.
“I…”only hushed voice came out. She cleared her throat “ I am alright thank you.” She said and turned towards the girls, concerned about their safety.
“So this was the white light the kani people were talking about?” shekar was mesmerized.” What could have that been?”
“It was a simple lightening man. In a place like this, it looks so real and close.”Vikki suggested while he stirred the tomato soup mix in a kettle kept on the battery hot plate. Everybody took out their flasks form their side pouches and Chemba brought a packet of bread sticks. A frugal, but a hot meal.
In a while the place became warm. Having taken warm soup and squeezing inside their warm sleeping bags beside a still burning camp fire, everyone felt safe. Even the rain looked like it had had enough and had taken off for the day. It was just drip drops now which sounded like a superb lullaby to the group.