Two Sides Of A Coin, Scorpioman [beginner reading books for adults TXT] 📗

she failed to see the low hanging branch of a big tree and fell stunned to the ground.

She didn’t know how long she lay there. She vaguely remembered that the pursuing men may reach there any time. There didn’t seem to be much she could do about it anyway. And, there was no respite from the rain. She was soaked to the bone. Water flowed down from the top of her head, soaking her long hair which clung to her back in wet strands.

In the midst of the monotonous drumming of the falling rain, she though she heard a clinking of a bell. Was she imaging things, she wondered? What kind of bell would ring in this remote place and in such heavy rain? She strained her ears. Yes, there it was again. A tinkling of a bell, although slightly muffled by the noise of the incessant rain. In addition, there was a sound of someone pushing and shoving something. Were there people close by? Was the noise she heard from some animal she couldn’t make out?

” Hello” she shouted. “Is there anybody there?” not quite expecting to get an answer. Her voice was somewhat feeble as she was really tired. She had shouted out many times during the time she was lost. One part of her told her that there must be someone out there but another cautioned her. What if the sound came from another of those men? Were they encircling her? Could there have been more of them? She had seen three but there could well be more.

A little further down the hill, Muthuvel, came out of the cave on hearing a scream. Was someone calling out? Was there someone in trouble? He pushed aside the goats that pushed against each other to get back into the cave- the bells around their necks tinkling from time to time. He heard the voice again. It seemed to come from somewhere close by. It was the voice of a girl. He did not understand the language she spoke, but he did understand the language of fear.

Making up his mind, he climbed up the hill- his strong legs making short work of the steep slopes and rocky edges. There she was a ghost like figure in the distance. Her once bright blue top and faded jeans was plastered against her body due to the rain and mud. She was slumped on the ground. On reaching her, he was scared for a moment. Who was this and why was she not moving? She looked like one of those film stars whose posters he had seen in his village. Gingerly he touched her forehead. She moaned. She was alive and this encouraged him to attempt to lift her off the ground.

With a nearly superhuman strength she did not know she was capable of, Gowri flayed her hands in the air. She felt she must at least fight back to the maximum extent she could. She had no idea that the person holding her was not an assailant- but her rescuer. The flaying hands caught Muthuvel on the side of his head. He moved his face away and immediately let go of her. She promptly fell back on the ground. In his native tongue, he said in a soft voice: “I am here to help you. You are fortunate I was close by. Otherwise they might not have found you till tomorrow –if not later”.

Being dropped back to the ground, brought Gowri back to her senses. She realized that the boy who stood before her looking anxious and puzzled was trying to be of assistance. His face and low tones told her that he could not be one of those who had chased her. She allowed him to lift her again and carry her gently to his cave.

On seeing Muthuvel approach the goats pushed against him and their bells tinkled as they jostled each other. Gowri had heard that sound before. She opened her eyes and was relieved to find that she was out of danger. Being with a village yokel and some smelly goats may not have been her first choice for a holiday- but she was safe and this was bliss. Later that evening as the dusk fell, the rain gradually stopped. Muthuvel helped Gowri stumble along leaning on him. He knew all the short cuts and it seemed to be fairly soon that they reached his village. The headman said a policeman had come in the rain in the late afternoon, enquiring if anyone had seen a girl who was reported missing.

There was but one thought in Gowri’s mind. The rain had got her completely lost but the same rain had saved her from her pursuers - and a fate that she considered worse than death. The rain was, in a sense, two sides of a coin.

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Publication Date: 10-03-2009

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