CHAPTER 15

Trial by Fire

The little boy hurried through a dusty goat trail, trying to avoid the sharp stones, bundling
into his fur coat. The dense, wet forest encroached on the path menacingly. It was difficult to
see beyond the trees lining the narrow path. The boy was sure that there were terrible
monsters lurking in the dense foliage, waiting to pounce on him if he slowed down. His village
was but a few hours away. The sun was fast setting behind the mountains. Monsters love the
darkness — he had heard his mother and grandmother say repeatedly when he was being
difficult. He would have liked being accompanied by an elder, as monsters didn’t trouble the
elders.
His heart skipped a beat as he heard a strange heaving sound. He immediately drew out his
short sword, suspecting an attack from behind. His friends had heard many stories about the
monsters of the forests. The cowards never attackedfrom the front.
He stood still straining to determine the direction of the sound. It had a peculiar repetitive
rhythm and seemed vaguely familiar. He felt as though he had heard it before. The heaving was
now accompanied by a heavy grunting male voice. This was not a monster! The boy felt
excitement run through his body. He had heard his friends whisper in giggles about it, but never
seen the act himself. This was his chancel
He crept slowly into the foliage, his sword dangling by his side. He did not have to go too far
when he came upon the source of the sound. It came from a small clearing. He bid behind a
tree trunk and peeped.
It was a couple. They seemed to be in a hurry. They had not even disrobed completely. The
man was extraordinarily hairy — almost like a bear. The boy could see just his back from this

angle. He had a frontal view of the woman. She was astonishingly beautiful^1. Her wavy hair,
long and lustrous. The partly torn blouse revealed a firm breast, with deep red welts due to the
brutal intercourse. Her skirt had been ripped and revealed exquisite long legs. The boy was
excited beyond imagination. Wait till his best friend Bhadra heard of this!
As he enjoyed the show, his disquiet grew. Something seemed amiss. The man was in the
throes of passion while the woman lay passive — almost dead. Her hands lay lifeless by her
side. Her mouth was tightly shut. She was not whispering encouragements to her lover. Were
those tears of ecstasy rolling down her cheeks’? Or was she being forced? But how could that
be? The man’s knife lay within the woman’s reach. She could have picked up the blade and
stabbed him if she wanted.
The boy shook his head. He tried to silence his conscience. ‘Just shut up. Ijet me look.’
And then came the moment that would haunt him for the rest of his life. The woman’s eyes
suddenly fell upon him.
‘HELP!’ she cried out, ‘Please help!’