traveling with elephants by sarah payton indian review short sto

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of 7 Apr 08, 2014 01:29:15AM MDT

Traveling with Elephants by Sarah Payton : Indian Review : Short Story indianreview.in

Deep, deep green beamed from the canopy of branches as the last remnant of morning fog dancedthrough them. The rich smell of wet earth filled the air, soaked my clothes, my hair, everything with itsfragrance. I looked through the trees at the rising sun. It seemed irreverent to think how the same sunrose over the iron fire escape of my little apartment across the world and how it must ever cast its gaze onsomething so unnatural when it can see all of the beauties of this world every day. This was anotherworld, separate from the hustle the city I called home. It’s unreal to comprehend that I am here. My family,my friends, even my boss kept saying how unwise it is for a woman to travel alone, especially to this ruralvillage in Nepal. But I’m a reporter, a travelling story teller; I must go to be able to capture the story. Whenthe opportunity came to travel here, I volunteered without even asking what I would be covering. I justwanted to escape from the city, from the routine that had trapped me.

When I arrived, the regional correspondent, Mr. Whitaker, was waiting for me. As he carried my bags hebriefed me about the assignment. “You’re going to a small village near the Chitwan National Park in theTerai region of southern Nepal,” he began, his British accent making it seem much more dramatic. “Thisvillage has two community elephants. Both have been affected by a mysterious ailment, or so the villagerssay, probably some superstitious rubbish.” He tossed my bag into the back seat. “Anyhow, the village issending a group to walk to elephants to animal doctor. You are supposed to travel with the group throughthe jungle.” He raised his eyebrows, taking me in, weighing my ability or perhaps my fortitude. Finally heasked, “Why did you come?” “I’m a reporter,” I answered. “I report” “I don’t buy it. That’s the answer yougive when you’re going to get a hard hitting story. But you aren’t. This is a simple human interest story. Ican’t believe they sent a woman. This isn’t just a stroll through the park. You’re going to be walkingthrough the jungle with men and the guns and two elephants. Now tell me, why did you come?” I thoughtfor a moment, before speaking. I wondered how to say what I was feeling, what had driven me to comehere. As I thought, he parked and turned off the engine. I knew he wouldn’t let me go without an answer. “Ihad to get away. I had to escape the city,” I said before pulling the handle to open the door. Suddenly, justas one foot hit the dirt road, he grabbed my arm and pulled me back. “No one comes here running awayfrom something,” he said, staring into my eyes. “They only come when they are looking for something. Doyou really know what you’re doing, missy?” He let go before I answered and stepped out of the door. Hepointed out the family I would travel with to the village. I climbed into the back of the jeep and he handedme my khaki bag. I assured him again that I was fine. But as the jeep pulled away and I watched him leanagain a tree, shaking his head and smoking cigarette, I wondered if the decision to come here was theright one. He watched me from the shade until I couldn’t see him any longer. Then I was surrounded byjungle. All I could here was the crunching of tires on the makeshift road. It drowned out all other noise.The sound and the trees became a blur, until it was finally replaced by silence and the sight of a littlevillage full of busy people. When I climbed down, I was greeted with stares. Stares and whispers. Thewords seemed to speak with quiet urgency like the rasp of katydids until a man came up yelling at themen who surrounded me. When he finished, the whole assembly fell silent as he just stared at me, a deepstare which felt like it could consume me whole, like he was looking at me from the inside out. I shuttered.He turned to an older man leaning on a cane that was taller than he was. The first man yelled again, butthis time sounding calmer. He directed his argument to the elder speaking with more and more conviction;then he pointed directly at me. The older man shook his head. This deliberate, slow motion drew theattention of the crowd as he began to speak. His voice was quiet and aged. After he finished a young mancame out of the group and walked up to me. “I am Pravesh. I will speak for you. This man,” he pointed to



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the man who had yelled, “is Abhik. He will be in the group to walk to elephants. He doesn’t want you to go,because you are a woman. But Swastik say you must go, and that I will speak for you.” The crowd beganto disperse, but the people still shot glances toward me. Abhik stormed away, a small group of menfollowed him. I tried to watch where he went, but Pravesh nudged me and offered to take me to the placewhere I would stay until we left. He led me to a small shelter near the center of the village, explaining thatthe family who had lived here had left for Pokhara. After he left I lied down on the little grass cot in thecenter of the dwelling. I looked around at hut. There were only three walls and part of the roof wasmissing. I fell asleep looking at the stars through the hole above my head. I couldn’t see the stars from myplace in the city. I hadn’t seen them for years. * * * We stayed in the village for two more days as the menprepared for the long journey. Pravesh introduced me to the elephants the group would be taking throughthe jungle. One was an old female called Rajvi. She was the grandmother of the younger female, Shanti.“A spiritual man said there was something wrong,” Pravesh explained. “It is not something we see. Thereis no wound, no sickness on the outside. It is something deep inside. There is the sickness he saw. Sonow we must walk them to be healed.” “Why do they have to be walked? Can’t you load them on a truckand drive them?” I questioned. “We have no truck in this village. Abhik is proud to ask for one from others.Even Swastik agrees. But he say that it is good for elephants not to take on a truck. They were made towalk he say.” Made to walk was a profound thought to me. I wondered if I was made for anything. Was Icreated so I could come here? My thoughts became hazy in the heat. Pravesh continued talking, but Ididn’t pay attention. Then he was nudging me. “Miss… miss…” “Oh um, yes?” “We are ready to go,” hesaid smiling wide. “The men, they want to know, what is your good name?” “Oh, my name is Elizabeth.But you all can call me Liz.” “Okay, I will call you Lij.” As we gathered our things and set out, I tried to helphim pronounce my name but it didn’t change. Soon he began to tell me about life in the village. Apparentlyit used to be much larger, but over time more and more families were moving to the cities. Parents wouldsend their children away for an education. Then after when the young men and women graduated, theywould bring their parents to live with them, some even immigrating to other countries. Those who stayedwere mainly those who refuse or couldn’t afford to send their children away. “My parents would have sentme, but they died of fever,” Pravesh shared. “My grandmother didn’t want me to leave forever, but shesent me for English so I can go when she dies.” “Your English is very good,” I told him. “Not so much.There are others in the village who speak better. They are those who come back from the school. Pawan,”he pointed to one of the other men, “knows English good and French. He was in Canada for three years.He will go back again. Yashwant and Bhumi don’t know any English. They have only visited in cities.” Hetold me about these men. I could see that they were all strong men. Pawan was taller and had a thickneck. He told me Yashwant and Bhumi were cousins. They looked similar, both narrow frames butmuscular. All of them had serious expressions; eyes squinted staring between the trees. Abhik led at thevery front of the group. The elephants walked in the middle of the group. Bhumi and Pawan were in frontof them, herding them forward. Shanti was smaller. When she would hit Bhumi in the back with her trunk,he would step back to walk beside her and pet her forehead. When he talked to her, his voice soundedlike a quiet song. Beside Shanti, Rajvi walked with her head hanging low. Something about her expressionmade me sympathetic. Her eyes were almost empty of feeling. I wondered what kept her walking. Whenwe camped that night, the five men spoke made us a small fire. As they cooked lentils, I could see themrelax. All except Abhik, his brow remained furrowed as the other laughed and talked. As we ate his gazedmoved between me and the jungle switching every minute. I was relieved when the fire began to die outand the men started preparing to sleep. I started to place my blanket, but Abhik stopped me and took itfrom my hands. He placed nearer to the fire, just inside the circle from his blanket. As I lay trying to sleep Icould see him staring at me through the darkness. I turned over and closed my eyes. In the morning, wewoke before the sunrise. Pravesh told me it was Abhik’s custom to leave just after the sun rose. So we



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packed everything and stood staring toward the east, waiting for a glint of light. Bhumi roused theelephants and prepared them to continue walking, whispering to them in Nepali. Then we stood in silencefacing the sunrise until Abhik moved. The men seemed more relaxed today. Pravesh talk almostconstantly as we walked. He shared his dream to move to the United States someday and study biology.He talked for an hour straight before Pawan came and spoke to him in Nepali. “I will walk beside Rajvinow,” Pravesh explained. “Pawan will walk with you.” As Pravesh walked away, Pawan took stride next tome. “How do you like the walk so far?” he asked. “I think it very interesting. I like the elephants a lot andwatching you all interact.” “And the jungle? What do you think of the jungle?” “It’s beautiful. I prefer this tothe city I come from. It’s so quiet and peaceful.” “I don’t mean to be rude,” Pawan began, staring at mewith something like pity. “But you are very wrong. You think you can get a picture of life here in only a fewdays. That is wrong. This place is the past. There is no future here. How stupid is it to walk elephantsthrough a jungle?” “You don’t want to be here, right?” “No, I don’t. My home is in Canada now. I’m justtrapped here,” he said. His expression was bitter now. “But that isn’t what I mean to tell you. The thing is, Iknow what the world is like over there. The papers there can take this story as a quant journey ofbackwards people. But we aren’t uncivilized. American’s will read whatever you write as if it were a littleglimpse of an exotic world like travelling back in time. But we all have phones just like they do. We’ve allwatched television and movies, driven cars. I wanted to remind you of this, so when you write , itabout usisn’t a fiction.” I began to speak but he walked away to speak with Abhik. Then I was alone. I listened tothe air empty of words. It was full of the sounds of animals. Birds were singing. Insects were buzzing. Icould hear branches snapping as we walked. The heat filled my head and I lost track of time. I walkedlistlessly beside Rajvi. I imagined I had the same expression as she. That there must be some feeling lostbehind my eyes. I could feel the emptiness expanding. I think this must be the reason I came here, thatthe emptiness of the city would not follow me. It was getting dark when I was once again conscious of mysurroundings. I looked around but the jungle looked the same. The men brought the elephants to a stop,but not to make camp. Abhik ran to my side, looking frantically through the trees. Then I heard why theymust have stopped: footsteps coming quickly through the jungle. Abhik muttered something quickly to themen, then grabbed my arm and pulled me crouching behind a group of trees. “What the…” but he put hishand firmly over my mouth. “Be quiet,” he said. “You need to listen to me. Someone is coming here. Itcan’t be good. Whoever it is cannot know that you are American. Cover your head with this and don’tspeak no matter what. We have to protect the elephants; they are the greatest asset of our village.”Shocked, I did as he said wrapping my head with the cloth he gave me. He pulled me out by the wrist andstood in front of me. I saw that all five men were holding guns now. I was suddenly sick with fear. Theneight men entered the clearing where we stood, all holding guns. They began speaking and Abhik spokeback. Then one man began to speak in English. “English is the language of business these days. And wehave a proposition,” he said. “We want money. Simple enough. You have elephants. We will let you keepthem and your lives if you get us money… now.” Abhik looked at his men; then he looked at me.Something which had been there before was now gone. I think it was his fierceness and certainty. Now,as he stared deeply into my eyes, I saw fear. A tear rolled down my cheek. I felt ashamed that I couldn’thold it back; that I had let it fall while he was watching. He dropped his gaze for a moment. I didn’t knowwhat to think. Suddenly he grabbed my hand and looked at me. His jaw was set, his teeth were clinched,and he looked at his men with a new resolve. “I want to negotiate with you, but we have no money. Nothere anyway,” Abhik began. The man looked overtaken with rage. He clinched his fist to control it, butwalked over and hit Yashwant with the butt of his rifle. I nearly screamed at the initial impact. I wasn’texpecting him to strike. Then I wondered why he chose Yashwant. Why the quietest man of our group? Ididn’t understand what he accomplished by doing this. Yet Yashwant lay on the ground, holding hisshoulder and shaking in pain. The man kneeled down and pulled Yashwant up, whispering in his ear. The


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whisper was so quiet no one but Yashwant could hear. When he had finished, he dropped Yashwant backto the ground. “Send this one to get the money,” the man said. “The rest of you will stay here as…security.” Abhik looked slightly confused by what had just happened, but said, “Thank you” to the manbefore going to pick up Yashwant. As he went he pulled me with him. The other men from the villagehuddled around Yashwant as well; they spoke in a blur of hushed Nepali. Pravesh began to move to cometranslate, but Abhik stopped him and pulled me closer as we knelt. “Listen closely,” he whispered, hisnose brushing against the shawl that was wrapped around my head and face. “I don’t know what ishappening. It seems very strange. Normally this type of men don’t target villagers like us. They know wedon’t have much. They must have received some information from someone about this journey. I’m surethat they think there is something of great value, or they wouldn’t waste their time. I’m afraid what we haveto offer them will not make them happy. But if they find out that you’re American, they may see this as amore profitable venture. I’m afraid of what they will do to you. If they find out you are a reporter, theconsequences may be worse. They wouldn’t want you to go free because you’ll expose them.” My kneesgave way and I fell into him. His arms surrounded me as he guided me to sit on the ground. He leaned into continue whispering. “Try to be calm. Nothing should happen. Just stay quiet and don’t look in theireyes. As long as they think you are simply a villager like us, you’ll be okay,” he said. “Stay close to me atall times.” His hand was still on my waist, as he went back to talking with the other men. My head was in ahaze. I leaned it back to rest on Abhik’s shoulder. I stared upward through the canopy of trees to the bluesky above. My thoughts wandered to places I’d blocked off for years. I focused for the first time on thehome I had left. The house I’d grown up in. The horrible day that ruined that dream of perfection. The daymy brother came home from leading his first big safari in Nigeria. The ivory tusk he laid on the mantel asmy parents and their friends applauded was supposedly taken from carcass of a dead bull elephant. Theyhad tried to sedate and move the elephant after it rampaged through one of the resorts, but the “beast”, ashe told the story, was too savage to be put under and they were force to kill him. “That’s my boy,” myfather exclaimed. “A real explorer,” my mom announced. My brother and his friends schmoozed with thewell-to-do guests. Everyone taking in high-end cocktails and hors d’oeuvre, the ingredients specialordered for the occasion. My dress was much too reveling for my liking as I roamed without speakingthrough the people. When the time to move to the dining room had come, my father spoke from a far endin the enclave of windows. “The time for dinner has come. My son has returned successful from journeyabroad and I, being the dutiful father, have slaughtered the proverbial fatted calf. I ask that our specialguests, the senator and his wife, lead us into the dining room.” I had hoped to sneak away at this point,but my mother gripped my elbow painfully and pushed me along in front of her. The dinner was liketorture. By the second course I contemplated pretending to choke in order to escape. By the forth course,I thought it would be better to really choke. When the main course arrived, my father forced me into theconversation at last. “Elizabeth, I know you enjoy your silent contemplation, but please give some wordsof welcome about Edward’s return.” “Of course,” I started, taking a long drink to prolong the time before Ihad to speak. “I miss Edward so much when he’s gone. But how could anyone think to hold him back,when it’s so clear that he is meant to travel the world.” The guests all nodded in agreement to my lie. Icouldn’t care less where or what my brother did, but I had a duty to save my father’s pride in front of hisguests. I thought my obligation was finished but my father pressed on. “What about this journey? Do youlike the prized tusk he brought back?” “It’s an impressive feat indeed. Especially that he was able to getaway with killing it.” This was the wrong thing to say, I could see it on my family’s faces. Everyone elsewas laughing, thinking nothing about my comment. “She’s just starting her education, you know,” he saidto the senator, trying to make excuses. “I couldn’t get her in to our alma mater. Her marks were too low.You’ll never believe the horrendous subject she’s studying: journalism of all things. She’ll never reach theamount of success Edward has, even if she really tried.” My brother wasn’t trying to make any excuse. He



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just glared at me and his friends whispered to each other. After dessert, he grabbed my arm violently andpulled me into a quiet room away from the guests. As I began to speak, he struck me hard across theface. I began to fall into a chair, but he grabbed both my arms and pulled me upright in front of him. “Youwhore,” he hissed. “Try to keep your mouth shut and don’t put ideas into anyone’s head. What I do isn’tyour business!” He squeezed my forearms tightly and pushed me against some bookshelves. Keeping agrip on one arm, he punched me in the face again. When I fell, he twisted my arm behind my back andkicked my ribs. “Stop squealing, bitch. You should be glad it’s just me. My friends are mad too. Only theywouldn’t stop at beating you. So if you don’t stay quiet, I’ll let them come rape you instead.” Tears came tomy eyes. I had forgotten how much he hated me while he was away. I felt my forearm break as hesqueezed and pushed and beat me. My ribs and cheeks were fractured. He grabbed a book to hit myhead just as my father walked in. They stared at each other for a moment. “Make it quick, son. Guests arewaiting.” * * * I woke suddenly in the night. The fire was still burning and the men from the village weregathered only two feet from me. I sat up and joined them. Abhik looked quietly to the edge of the clearing,where our captures sat watching us and holding their guns. “Yashwant has gone to get money,” Praveshtold me. “He will be back before sunrise, much faster to travel alone.” Abhik handed me a metal plate withlentils and rice. Bhumi stood to go to the elephants while Pawan came and sat by me. “Are you ok?” hewhispered. “You were moving and sighing in your sleep. I have some herbs here which will help you sleepsoundly once you have eaten.” I slept dreamlessly that night, until angry voices and bright yellow lightwoke me. I felt Abhik’s hands on my shoulders as he pulled me up. “Yashwant is back,” Pravesh said. “Hedidn’t bring enough money.” “What happens now?” I asked him. Abhik, Pawan, and Bhumi all stared to theground. Only Pravesh looked into my eyes, there was a small tear at the corner which never fell. “Ms. Lij,”he began, sighing deeply. “I do not think I will ever leave my village.” His words were full of peace, asthough he had resigned himself to the fate which they all felt was inevitable. I was reminded of the plansthey had, to go out and make something better for them and their family. I thought of the destruction thathad filled my own family. There was more happiness in these men than I had ever known before. Pawantook my hand and led me forward. Yashwant stood with the armed men. Their leader pushed us betweenthem and the elephants. Bhumi stood with Shanti and Rajvi, whose head drooped toward the ground. Themen began to talk but I moved to stand with the aging elephant. I nervously touched her trunk. When shedidn’t resist and stood beside her, looking into her great dark eyes. Why had I come here? The words ofMr. Whitaker came to me. People only come here when they are looking for something. He was right. Iwasn’t trying to run away. I’d already run away. But what was I looking for? “Ahh!” someone shouted. Iturned to see what was happening. Abhik was on the ground and the leader of these bandits had a gun tohis hit. The man who shouted had been Yashwant. He was pulling on the arms of the man. I movedforward toward Pravesh, but Bhumi tried to stop me. I pushed his hand away despite the look he wasgiving me. “Pravesh, what happened?” I asked, surprised to hear that my voice is breaking. “It’sYashwant,” he answered, tears rolling down his cheeks. “He betrayed us. He told the man about thejourney. He suggested to hold the elephants for money. The man promised to help him leaving the village.But this man thought to get more, now he is angry. Because of Yashwant, we will all die.” The man kickedAbhik in the face as his comrades pulled Yashwant off. “To hell with you all,” the man yelled, pushing thegun against Abhik’s forehead. “I will not have wasted my time here. Either you will give me something ofvalue or I will take the elephants and leave all of you dead here on the jungle floor.” “I have nothing. Wehave nothing.” He turned and I was able to see his face. A bruise was blooming on his cheek, his hair andear were covered in dirt, and blood was trickling from his lip. Yet his eyes, seemed to sparkle withsomething. At first I thought it was tears, but when I looked closer I could see it was not. For the first time,I allowed myself to take in his features. He was striking. I lost my breath. Finally I realized what the sparklein his eyes must have been. I hadn’t seen it because I didn’t have it myself. The gunman full of anger must



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not have seen it or he would have known he couldn’t win. It was what I had been looking for and now Ihad found it. I hadn’t felt courage surging through me since the night I ran away. “I think I’ll kill you first,”the man hissed. “Pull him to his feet.” “I can stand on my own.” When he had stood, the man lifted the gunand said, “You arrogant son of…” “Wait!” The sound of my own voice sounded strange, echoing amongthe trees. I ran forward and stood between the gun and Abhik. I felt his hands on my shoulders, trying topush me away. “What do you want,” the man asked, “to die first perhaps?” He slapped me hard across thecheek and the shawl fell from across my face. “I have something of value, to spare these men,” I began.“If we had wanted to rape you, we would have already,” he teased, coming close and squeezing my facein one hand. “I need something more than momentary value. Although, if you really want it, my men won’tdeny you.” “That’s not what I mean. I am American.” Abhik tried to push me even harder while he talkedover me. “Listen!” I shouted, and then all was quiet. As I continued, I took off the shawl that was stillwrapped around my hair, “I am from a very rich and powerful family. If you let these men and theelephants go, I will ensure that you receive any amount of money you ask for. I’m far more valuable thanthey are.” “Excellent,” the man said. “Let the men and animals go.” The armed men began pushing thevillage men, ordering them to start walking. Their leader took me by the arm and pulled me towards thedirection they had come from the previous day. “Give a moment with her,” Abhik said to the man, who letme go put continued to watch me as he prepared his men to leave. When the man was out of earshot,Abhik grabbed my shoulders forcefully, and whispered angrily, “What have you done? I can’t protect younow. I failed. Do you know what they’ll do to you? They’ll never let you go. If they get the money, they onlykeep you to get more.” As he spoke he pulled me toward him. My face was so close to his that I could seeflecks of green in his dark brown eyes. I prepared to reply, but the man with the gun pulled me away andordered Abhik to join the elephants. The village men left the clearing, herding Rajvi and Shanti along. Themen looked over their shoulders at me until the trees blocked them from view. My hands were bound as Iknelt to the ground. Thirty minutes passed and I didn’t move, only stared through the trees and listened tothe sound of animals. I could no longer hear the elephants’ feet thumping the ground. Finally satisfied thatmy friends had escaped, I stood to join my captors. “We will leave soon,” the man said, sitting by the fireat my feet. I could see his men at the edge of the clearing, washing their faces and plates in a little stream.I fiddled with the ropes on my wrists. They were too big to be properly secured; most likely they wereintended for the elephants. I could feel one hand was free, but didn’t move. The man at my feet was focuson the mirror in his hand as he picked his teach with a knife. The embers in the fire were still glowing withlife. He screamed as I kicked them in his face. Then I ran, hard and fast, away from the clearing in theopposite direction as the elephants. I could hear the men yelling in Nepali behind me, but I did not stop,dodging through trees. Gunshots echoed in the jungle, but I did not stop. My heart was racing, poundingagainst my ribs, keeping the pace for my feet. I leapt over fallen debris. One step was wrong, and I felt myleg bend in the middle of my shin, but I did not stop. I heard the noise of the men coming after me, so I didnot stop. The light was changing, and when I could hazard a look through the canopy a few stars hadbegun to come out. Finally my body gave out. I lay on the jungle floor staring up at the sky. My lungs wereburning. My vision was going black. I could see the stars moving. As I watched, the dark figure of a manstood above me. I knew this must be the end. Then all was blackness. * * * Bright light burned my eyes asI awoke. I was surrounded by white. For a second, I thought it must be heaven. Then the pain of my bodyreached my head, pulling me violently into consciousness. I blinked, trying to focus in spite of the intenselight. There was a man standing above my bed. “I told you not to go in the jungle,” said a British man. “Mr.Whitaker, what happened?” “You almost died.” “But how did you get me from the bandits?” “I didn’t. Abhikbrought you. He said that after getting the travelling party to safety, he came back for you. He just arrivedwhen you were running out of the clearing. He says the bandits’ leader was too injured to make chase, butthe men followed you. They were trying to shoot you. I caught one man and knocked him out with his own



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gun. Then Abhik two of the others in the leg and took their guns. Eventually he stopped them all; then heran after you. He said he barely made it to you in time.” “Abhik? Is he here now?” “No, he left days ago.They took the elephants back to the village. The men were shaken and wanted to return home. But theywaited to make sure you would make it.” “So how am I now? When can I leave?” “The doctor said you canprobably go as soon as you come to. He just needs to come see you first.” “Well, I’m ready.” He left to seeif the doctor was free. The white sterile room felt like it was closing in on me. I wanted to escape it. As thedoctor looked me over, he remarked at the damage I had taken: scrapes and cuts on my arms, tendonstrains on my wrists, bruises all over my body, a leg broken in two places, a sprained ankle, and burns onmy foot. He shook his head and clicked his tongue. “Am I free to go?” “Well, I can’t see any reason tokeep you. But I think you should take some rest before trying any more adventures.” When he releasedme, Mr. Whitaker put my bag and crutches in the back of his jeep after loading me in the passenger seat.He drove in silence finally stopping at the airport. “I’ve booked you ticket. You’ll be home soon.” I didn’tmove. Staring out the window at the plane landing, I made up my mind. “I’m not going back.” “What doyou mean?” he voice jumped to a louder level. “I mean what I said. I’m not going. Take me to the road thatleads to the village.” He argued with me for fifteen minutes, but eventually gave up. When we reached, Iclambered to the back of the jeep and pulled out my belongings. Resting on the crutches, I stared downthe long road that led to the one place on earth I wanted to be. “At least let me call someone to drive you!Perhaps if you wait, another family will go back within a few days.” His voice was pleading me toreconsider, but I couldn’t be swayed. I could feel a spark in my eyes. Some warmth had filled theemptiness I had felt for so long. Nothing could deter me now. “Don’t be a fool. It’s mad to go there by foot.”As I turned and began walking down the road into the sea of green, I replied, “Mr. Whitaker, perhaps I ammade to walk.”

—- End —-

Indian Review Profile : is a senior undergraduate student at Southeast Missouri StateSarah PeytonUniversity with majors in English writing, German, and Anthropology.Author: Sarah Peyton Genre: Short Story Country: America


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