Tiger's Curse

by Colleen Houck

  I nodded, fascinated by the story, and asked, “What happened to the brothers? Did they battle each other for the throne?”

  Shifting on the stool slightly, he continued, “King Rajaram, Dhiren’s father, arranged a marriage between Dhiren and the daughter of a ruler from a neighboring kingdom. The two kingdoms had lived in peace for many centuries but in recent years small skirmishes had broken out on the borders with increasing frequency. Dhiren was pleased with the alliance not only because the girl, whose name was Yesubai, was very beautiful, but also because he was wise enough to know that the union would bring peace to his land. They were formally engaged while Dhiren was away inspecting the troops in another part of the kingdom. During that absence, his brother began to spend time with Yesubai, and soon they fell in love with each other.”

  The tiger snorted loudly and thumped his tail against the wooden floor of his cage a few times.

  I glanced over at him, concerned, but he seemed fine. “Shh, Ren,” I admonished. “Let him tell the story.”

  He put his head on his paws and watched us.

  Mr. Kadam continued. “He betrayed Dhiren so he could have the woman he loved. He bartered with a prodigious and evil man who captured Dhiren on his journey home. As a political prisoner, Dhiren was dragged along behind a camel and paraded through the enemy’s town where the people threw stones, sticks, muck, and camel dung at him. He was tortured, his eyes were plucked out of their sockets, the hair was shaved off his head, and eventually his body was torn apart into pieces and thrown into the river.”

  I gasped. “How horrible!”

  Mesmerized by the story, I was bursting with questions, but I held back, wanting him to finish. Mr. Kadam focused his gaze on my face and continued gravely, “When his people learned what had happened, a great sorrow spread across the land. Some say that Dhiren’s people went down to the river and pulled out the torn pieces of his body to give him a proper funeral. Others say that his body was never found.

  “Hearing of their beloved son’s death, the king and his wife, heavy with misery, lapsed into a deep despair. Soon, both of them departed from this life. Dhiren’s brother ran away in shame. Yesubai took her own life. The Mujulaain Empire was thrown into dark shadows of morass and disarray. With the authoritative voice of the royal family gone, the military took over the kingdom. Eventually, the evil man who had killed Dhiren captured the throne but only after fifty years of terrible war and bloodshed.”

  As he finished his story, there was a tangible silence. Ren’s tail rustled in his cage, which snapped me out of my reverie.

  “Wow,” I responded. “So, did he love her?”

  “Of whom are you speaking?”

  “Did Dhiren love Yesubai?”

  He blinked. “I . . . don’t know. Many marriages were arranged in those days, and love often wasn’t a consideration then.”

  “That’s a very sad sequence of events. I feel sorry for everyone, except for the bad guy, of course. A great story, though a bit bloody. An Indian tragedy. It reminds me of Shakespeare. He would have written a great play based on that tale. So, Ren is named after that Indian prince?”

  Mr. Kadam raised his eyebrow and smiled. “It would appear so.”

  I looked over at the tiger and grinned. “See, Ren, you’re a hero! You’re one of the good guys!” Ren pricked his ears forward and blinked his eyes, watching me. “Thanks for sharing that story with me. I will definitely be writing about that in my journal.”

  I tried to pull him back to my original question, “But, it still doesn’t explain why your employer is interested in tigers.”

  He cleared his throat while looking at me obliquely, stalling for a moment. For someone so eloquent, he fumbled awkwardly through his next words. He answered, “My employer has a special connection with this white tiger. You see, he feels he is to blame for the tiger’s imprisonment—no, that is too harsh a word—for his capture. My employer allowed himself to be ensnared in a situation that led to the tiger being caged and sold. He has followed the tiger’s whereabouts for the last few years, and now he’s finally in a position to make amends.”

  “Huh. That’s very interesting. It was his fault that Ren was captured in the first place? It’s very kind of him to continue to be concerned about an animal’s welfare like that. Please thank him for what he’s doing for Ren.”

  He bowed his head toward me in acknowledgment, then, hesitating, fixed a somber gaze on me and queried, “Miss Kelsey, I hope it’s not too forward of me to ask, but I need someone to accompany the tiger on his journey to India. I will not be able to tend to his daily needs or even travel with him for the entire journey. I have already asked Mr. Davis if he could accompany Dhiren, but he must stay here with the circus.” He leaned forward on the stool and gestured slightly with his hands. “I would like to offer you that job. Would you be interested?”

  I stared at his hands for a moment, thinking that a man such as he should have long, tapered, manicured fingers, but his fingers were thick and calloused, like a man accustomed to hard labor.

  Mr. Kadam leaned forward. “The tiger is already used to you, and I can pay a good wage. Mr. Davis suggested you as a likely candidate and he mentioned that your temporary employment here is almost at an end. If you choose to accept the job, I can assure you that my employer would appreciate having someone who can care for the tiger better that I can. The entire trip should take about a week, but I have been instructed to pay for your entire summer. I know that doing this for me will take you away from your home and delay your search for a new position elsewhere, so you will be duly compensated.”

  “What exactly would I have to do? Wouldn’t I need a passport and other paperwork done?” I asked.

  He inclined his head toward me. “I can, of course, arrange all the preliminaries for the trip. The three of us would fly to Mumbai, what you might still call Bombay. Upon arrival, I must stay in town on business, and you would then continue to accompany the tiger on the drive to the reserve. I will hire drivers and loaders to assist you on the journey. Your primary responsibility will be to care for Ren, feed him, and see to his comfort.”

  “And then . . . ?”

  “The journey over land is about ten to twelve hours one way. After you arrive at the reserve, you would stay there for a few days to ensure he is acclimating well to his new environment and comparative freedoms. I would purchase a return plane ticket from Jaipur, so that you will be able to ride the Jaipur tour bus that goes from the reserve to the airport, then fly to Mumbai and home from there, making your return trip a little bit shorter.”

  “So it would be about a week altogether?” I asked.

  He replied, “You can choose to either fly back home immediately or, if you like, you may stay on vacation in India for a few days and enjoy touring before you go home. Rest assured, I would provide for all of your travel as well as any other necessary accommodations along the way.”

  I blinked and stammered, “That’s a very generous offer. Yes, my position here at the circus is almost at an end, and I would have to start looking for a new job very soon.”

  I bit my lip and started pacing, mumbling indecisively to myself as much as to him. “India’s very far away. I’ve never been out of the country before, so the idea of it is both exciting and scary at the same time. Can I think about it and let you know? When do you need for me to give you an answer?”

  “The sooner you say yes, the sooner I can make the necessary arrangements.”

  “Alright. Let me call my foster parents and talk with Mr. Davis to see what they think about all this, and then I’ll let you know for sure.”

  Mr. Kadam nodded and mentioned that Mr. Maurizio knew how to contact him when I was ready to inform him of my decision. He also said that he would be around the circus for the rest of the afternoon finalizing paperwork.

  With jumbled thoughts, I grabbed my things and walked back to the main building. India? I’ve never been to a foreign country before. What if I can’t communic
ate with anyone? What if something bad happens to Ren while he’s under my care?

  Despite all the what ifs that were rolling around my brain, a part of me was seriously contemplating Mr. Kadam’s offer. It was very tempting to spend a little more time with Ren, plus I’d always wanted to visit a foreign country. I could have a mini summer vacation and be paid too. Plus, Mr. Kadam didn’t strike me as one of those creepy men with bad intentions. In fact, he seemed trustworthy and grandfatherly.

  I decided to ask Mr. Davis’s opinion and found him teaching the dogs a new trick. He confirmed that Mr. Kadam had offered him the same job and that he’d been tempted to do it.

  “I think it would be a great experience for you. You’re terrific with animals, especially with Ren. If that’s something you think you’d like to focus on in a future career, then you should consider it. The job would look good on a résumé.”

  Thanking him, I decided to call Sarah and Mike, who wanted to meet Mr. Kadam, check his credentials, and find out what kinds of safety measures he planned to use. They suggested throwing an impromptu birthday party for me at the circus so they could celebrate with me and meet Mr. Kadam at the same time.

  After taking some time to think about the pros and cons, I felt my excitement for the trip melt away my nerves. I really would like to go to India and see Ren settled on the tiger reserve. It would be an opportunity to do something that I’d never get the chance to do again.

  I walked back to the tiger cage and found Mr. Kadam already there. He was alone and appeared to be talking quietly to the tiger again.

  I guess he likes talking to tigers as much as I do.

  Just inside the door, I paused. “Mr. Kadam? My foster parents would like to meet you and wanted me to invite you to my birthday celebration tonight. They are bringing cake and ice cream after the evening performance. Can you come?”

  His face lit up with a radiant, delighted smile. “Wonderful! I would love to come to your party!”

  “Don’t get too excited. They’re likely to bring soy ice cream and gluten-free, sugar-free cupcakes.” I laughed.

  After speaking to him, I called my family to finalize the plans.

  Sarah, Mike, and the kids came early to watch the show and were thoroughly impressed with Ren’s performance. They loved meeting everyone. Mr. Kadam was polite and charming and told them that it would be impossible to accomplish his task without my help.

  “I assure you that we will be in constant communication and Kelsey can call you at any time,” he said.

  Mr. Davis later added his two cents. “Kelsey is more than capable of doing the job as Mr. Kadam defines it. It’s essentially the same thing she’s been doing at the circus for the past two weeks. Plus it will be a great experience. I wish I could go myself.”

  We all had a great time, and it was fun having a circus party. Sarah even brought normal cupcakes and my favorite brand of ice cream. It might not have been a typical eighteenth birthday, but I was content to just be with my foster family, my new friends at the circus, and my carton of Tillamook Mudslide.

  After the festivities, Sarah and Mike pulled me aside and reminded me to touch base with them often during my trip to India. They could see on my face that I was determined to go, and they immediately felt as comfortable with Mr. Kadam as I did. I hugged them excitedly and went to share the good news.

  Mr. Kadam beamed a happy smile and said, “Now, Miss Kelsey, it will take me approximately one week to arrange the transportation. I will also need to obtain a copy of your birth certificate from your guardians and arrange traveling papers for both the tiger and yourself. My plan is to leave tomorrow morning and return as soon as I have the necessary documents.”

  Later, as he prepared to leave, Mr. Kadam walked over to shake my hand and held it for a minute, saying, “Thank you very much for your help. You have assuaged my fears and given hope to a disillusioned old man that has anticipated only calamity and disappointment.” He squeezed my hand, patted it, and stepped quickly out the door.

  With the day’s excitement behind us, I went to visit Ren. “Here. I snuck in a cupcake. Probably not on your tiger diet, but you might as well celebrate too, huh?”

  He gently took the cupcake from my outstretched hand, swallowed it in one gulp, and then started licking frosting off my fingers. I giggled and went to wash my hand.

  “I wonder what Mr. Kadam was talking about. Calamity? Assuaged fears? He’s a bit dramatic. Wouldn’t you agree?”

  I yawned and scratched him behind the ear, grinning as he leaned his head into my palm. “Well, I’m sleepy. I’m going to bed. We’ll have a fun trip together, won’t we?”

  Stifling another yawn, I made sure he had enough water, then turned off the lights, shut the door, and headed to bed.

  The next morning, I got up early to check on the tiger. I opened the doors and headed down to his cage, but found the door was open. He wasn’t there!

  “Ren? Where are you?”

  I heard a noise behind me and turned around to find him lying on a pile of hay outside his cage.

  “Ren! How on earth did you get out? Mr. Davis is going to kill me! I’m sure I locked your cage door last night!”

  The tiger got up and shook himself, getting most of the hay off his fur, and walked lazily over to me. It was then I realized I was alone in a barn with an uncaged tiger. I was scared out of my mind, but it was too late to head back out of the barn. Mr. Davis taught me never to look away from big cats, so I stuck out my chin, put my hands on my hips, and sternly ordered him back to his cage. The odd thing was that he seemed to understand what I wanted him to do. He walked past me, rubbed his side against my leg, and . . . obeyed! He padded slowly over to the ramp, flicked his tail back and forth while watching me, and was up and through the door in two great leaps.

  I hurried over to close the door and, when it finally shut, let out a long breath. After getting his water and food for the day, I set off in search of Mr. Davis to break the news.

  Mr. Davis took it pretty well considering that a tiger was loose. He was surprised that I was more concerned for Ren’s safety than my own. He assured me that I’d done the right thing and was even impressed by how I’d handled it calmly. I told him that I would be more careful and make sure that the cage was always latched properly. Still, I was certain that I hadn’t inadvertently left the cage unlocked.

  The next week sped by in a blur. Mr. Kadam didn’t reappear until the evening of Ren’s last performance. He approached and asked if he could meet with me after dinner.

  “Sure, I’ll meet you at one of the tables over dessert,” I replied.

  The mood was one of celebration. When I saw Mr. Kadam enter the building, I gathered up my paper, pencil, and two dishes of ice cream and then sat down across from him.

  He began by spreading out various forms and documents for me to sign.

  “We will be driving the tiger in a truck from here to the Portland airport. From there we will board a cargo plane, which will fly us to New York City, pass over the Atlantic Ocean, and continue on to Mumbai. When we arrive in Mumbai, I will be leaving Ren in your capable hands for a few days while I tend to some business in the city.

  “I have arranged for a truck to meet us at the Mumbai airport. You and I will supervise the workers who will be loading Ren from the airplane into the truck. A driver has been assigned to take both of you all the way to the reserve. Preparations have also been made for you to stay at the reserve for a few days. Then, you may return to Mumbai at your convenience in preparation for your trip home. I will be providing you traveling money, more than enough for any emergency.”

  I took notes in a frenzy, trying to copy down all of his instructions.

  “Mr. Davis will help prepare Ren and will also load him onto the truck tomorrow morning. I suggest that you pack a bag for yourself that includes any personal items that you might wish to bring along. I will be sleeping here tonight, so you may borrow my rental car and go home to gather your things, as long as you
return here by early morning. Do you have any immediate questions?”

  “Well, I have about a billion of them, but most of them can wait until tomorrow. I guess I’d better go home and get packed.”

  He smiled warmly and placed his car keys in my hand. “Thank you once again, Miss Kelsey. I look forward to our journey together. I will see you in the morning.”

  I smiled back and said goodnight. I went back to my tent to gather my things and visited briefly with Matt, Cathleen, Mr. Davis, and Mr. Maurizio. I had only spent a short amount of time at the circus, but I had already grown fond of them.

  After wishing them luck and saying good-bye, I stopped by Ren’s cage to say goodnight. He was sleeping already, so I left him alone and walked out to the parking lot.

  There was only one car parked—a beautiful silver convertible. I looked at the key fob and read “Bentley GTC Convertible.”

  Holy cow. You have got to be kidding me. This car must be worth a fortune! Mr. Kadam trusts me to drive this?

  I approached the car timidly and clicked the unlock button on the key chain. The car’s headlights blinked at me. I opened the door, slid into the soft, buttery leather seats, and ran my hand over the elegant, pronounced stitching. The dashboard looked ultramodern, with handsome instrument controls and displays in a silvery metallic color. It was the most luxurious car I’d ever seen.

  I started the engine and jumped as it roared to life. Even I, someone with no real knowledge of cars, could tell that this car was fast. I sighed in pleasure as I realized that it also included heated massage seats. I arrived home in just a few short minutes, groaning in disappointment that I lived so close to the fairgrounds.

  Mike insisted that a Bentley needed to be parked in the garage. He eagerly moved his old sedan out to the street and parked it next to the garbage cans. The poor reliable car was thrust out the door like an old house cat while the brand new kitten got a soft pillow on the bed.