1.
 |
| Coal dumped on roadside |
Seven years back, coal mine owners started
stockpiling their coal near the eastern bank of the stream which was near the
main road. During the rainy season, acidic water from the coal piles drained
into the stream and the pool, making the water acidic. The tadpoles, their
parents and other resident fellow creatures didn't like this water that burned
their eyes and ate into their skin. They slowly began to disappear from the
pool. Now, no living animal lived in the pool; the herbs and grasses too had
vanished. Only the trees and shrubs in the grove were resilient enough to
remain standing there – silent witnesses to a silent massacre.
2.
 |
| Lamchwa changing the Tyre for Mr. Kiang |
‘What
honour? What dignity?’ Kiang retorted. ‘How could I have insulted your honour
and dignity when you have none?’
Rocky
replied, ‘You think so? Is that dog Lamchwa worth more to you than me? I, who
have served you for much longer than him!’
Kiang
replied in a firm voice, ‘Yes, a faithful dog is worth more than a snake that
bites the hand that feeds it!’
Rocky
was incensed at Kiang’s words. He flared, ‘A snake, you call me! A snake?’ He
shook Kiang as he said this and continued, ‘Now, I will give you a taste of
this snake’s poison!’ He motioned to his cohorts and said, ‘Bind him!’
3.
 |
| Lamchwa and Pynhun during one of their field trips |
She
returned with a jug of drinking water and placed it on the bedside table next
to the glass. She looked at him and thought that he was already asleep. She
pulled the blanket over him and also put the extra blanket over it. She then
walked noiselessly to the door and switched off the light and was about to
leave the room when she paused a second and then walked back to the bed
silently. She planted a soft kiss on his forehead and then jumped back in
surprise when she heard him say, ‘Kiss me here too; just half an inch below the
nose, please!’
She
scolded him mockingly, ‘Tut! I thought you were already asleep! Go back to
sleep now. You need to rest and get up early tomorrow morning.’
‘Okay,
Madam.’ He said and wished her good night. She wished him back and left the
room shutting the door behind her.
Lamchwa
was still smiling as he re-arranged his pillow and straightened himself on the
bed. He replayed Pynhun’s parting words in his mind and it made him smile with
delight. She had said to him, ‘Good night my darling; sleep well. I shall come
to see you in your dreams!’
4.
 |
| One of the many waterfalls in Jaintia Hills of Meghalaya |
The
sun had disappeared from the horizon, but its golden rays lingered on, among
the clouds and around them with an orange hue. As Pynhun looked towards the
western sky, she saw the scattered clouds glowing from the sun’s last rays. The
cotton ball clouds had a golden lining, that shone very bright around their
uneven perimeters, and it made her wonder that whoever first said that every
cloud had a silver lining had probably never seen these clouds with their
bright golden lining. She hoped that the dark clouds, which hovered over their
minds and hearts, also had a golden lining to them.
She
rose from her seat and beckoned to Salan to walk back home, and as they walked
slowly along the village path, they wrapped their hands around their bosoms; it
was mid-September and the evenings were getting colder. Nature was preparing
her children with this prelude to winter.
5.
 |
| Pynhun and Lamchwa - deeply in love |
Lamchwa
was overwhelmed with ecstasy. He began to say, ‘Pynhun... I cannot tell you...
I do not have the words to express... I am so very happy that you said those
words to me. All my deficiencies vanish and are perfected by those three words!
Tell me I am not dreaming!’
Pynhun
did not answer him. Instead she moved closer to him and placed her hand on his
shoulder and rested her head on his chest. He held her with his eyes closed and
head leaning back, thinking that if this was a dream, he didn’t want to wake up
from it!
They
remained holding on to each other like that for a very long time – their hearts
connected and in silent communication. There was no longer need for words - the
courtship dance had ended and each had finally found its mate.
