The Other Side: Dare To Visit Alone?

by Faraaz Kazi

“It is almost 5.00 AM. It would have been light but for the clouds,” Sanath said, glancing at the luminous dial of his watch. “I think this rain cannot last for too long.”

  Both of them were fully awake now. There was nothing to do except wait for the rain to abate. Gradually the storm subsided but it continued to rain incessantly. The dark of the night was replaced by a dull grey morning light.

  “I have never seen so much rain,” said Shalini as they opened the flap of the tent to look outside. The level of the mountain spring had risen alarmingly and the gushing waters were threatening to touch their little abode of refuge.

  “We'll have to move away from the tent if the water level rises any further,” Sanath decided.

  Suddenly there was an ominous roar like the galloping of several horses. It made them shiver in their skins.

  “What was that?” Shalini asked.

  Before Sanath could respond a solid wall of water hit the little tent, ripped it from the ground and carried it along. Sanath and Shalini found themselves drowning in a raging deluge of water as it pushed them in.

  “Flash flood!” screamed Sanath as he struggled to stay afloat in the swirling waters. “Grab my shoulders.”

  Shalini just about managed to cling to him as he struggled to stay afloat. He was a competent swimmer but swimming in pools was a far cry from treading the turbulent waters with a dead weight clinging to his back. It was exhausting backbreaking work and he was ready to give up in a few minutes. He saw a large tree floating past and made a grab for it.

  “Let go of me and hold the tree. It will help us stay afloat!” He shouted at Shalini.

  The floodwaters gushed down the ravine carrying them along at furious pace. Shalini coughed and sputtered a few times. Her arms hurt. She felt the strength draining out of her rapidly. It was just a matter of time before the flood would crush their dreams. Years of hope would be washed away in murky waters, two young lives drowning in the middle of nowhere. Sanath could almost imagine the headline of the article in a metro newspaper two days after their imminent death.

  “Oh God! We are going to die. Please save us,” she prayed.

  “Hang on Shalini! Don't quit,” Sanath screamed, pushing himself towards the tree trunk.

  Abruptly a big ugly head reared out of the water ahead of them. One moment nothing was there and the other, it seemed like a nightmare come true. The first thing that came to Shalini's mind as she screamed was the fact that it resembled the same bear-like shadow she had seen from the tent last night. The hairy-bear like creature stood at least six feet tall even as half its body lay submerged underwater. Its body was cloaked with grey hair and the shriveled skin beneath had numerous cuts and bruises. However its face was almost manly or rather bear-like with a whitish, deathly pale skin gleaming under the droplets, a short nose and big large black eyes that seemed indifferent to the fury of nature around.

  Massive arms caught hold of the tree trunk and it started pushing the tree to the side with powerful strokes. Sanath watched in fascination while the creature managed to steer the heavy tree toward one side of the violent torrent. He felt his feet touch ground. The creature pulled itself up and a sight that questioned all his beliefs confronted Sanath. The creature was massive, almost twelve feet in height. It walked on two feet with a slight bend to his hunched shoulders but looked like nothing he had seen or imagined before. He had seen the world, studied all kinds of flora and fauna but this… this creature straight out of the mythology books stumped him.

  It was very unlike the Werewolves and Yetis he had seen in American movies as a teenager. 'It is the half man-half bear the guide was talking about! The beast! We are in big trouble,' he thought, suddenly feeling a new kind of fear rise in his mind.

  The beast surprised him. It grabbed both of them in massive arms, holding them across their chest and pulled them out of the death waters. Tucking them under his, it walked towards the shore without any apparent effort. He walked out of the swiftly flowing torrent and dragged them unceremoniously through the mud. Sanath caught a whiff of a foul pungent smell emanating from the creature. He braced himself for an attack from the beast. But it surprised him again. Having rescued them, it threw them among the rocks, and let out a satisfactory gurgle that echoed across the valley. It walked away towards the jungle, loping with a peculiar two-legged gait and not a backward glance. Sanath's head hit a rock and he passed out.

  When he finally came to after what seemed like ages, Sanath wondered how did he end up passing out on the marshy ground? Then the scheme of events hit his mind with a blinding flash. They had been caught in the flash flood and subsequently rescued by a strange creature. He wondered what the creature was. Yeti? The Abominable snowman? The half bear- half man of the legends he had been hearing? Why did it save them from certain death? And it did not even attack or attempt to harm them. Oh yes, he was thankful for that. Then he remembered Shalini. He turned around hysterical and saw that she was lying in the mud, her body very still. He crawled over to her and checked her pulse. She was alive. He sent a silent prayer of thanks heavenwards again. He pumped out water that she might have swallowed and stroked her head. He picked her up and carried her further away from the waters. He noticed with surprise that the rain had stopped. He wondered what he should do now. He checked Shalini's pulse again. It was fast but otherwise steady.

  He tried to shake her awake. She did not respond. He realised that even he was exhausted by the ordeal and sat down next to Shalini and tried to regain his breath. The sun came out with startling suddenness as the clouds disappeared. Shalini stirred and opened her eyes.

  “What happened? Where are we?”

  Then she remembered. “Sanath, the rain, the flood! Ah, and that horrible creature! Did it actually save our lives? What is happening?”

  Sanath was relieved to see his wife regain consciousness. He held her hands and pulled her up. They embraced passionately, happy to be alive and unharmed. Sanath tried to get his bearings and decide the further course of action.

  “We must have been washed a mile downstream. If we walk upstream we will eventually hit the trail that leads to the Chopta guesthouse. I guess we should be there in a couple of hours,” Sanath calculated.

  “What if that creature comes back?” Shalini asked fearfully. “It may attack us now.”

  “Well, it saved us from certain death. And if it wanted to make a meal of us, it had ample opportunity in the morning. I think I have had enough of adventure! Let's find our way back to civilization,” Sanath sighed.

  They trudged into Chopta two and a half hours later; wounded, bedraggled, fatigued but otherwise unharmed. They were greeted by an ecstatic pair of guides.

  “Thank God that you are still alive. We went looking for you in the morning and found that the tent had been washed away in the flood. We had given up the hope of seeing you again,” Ramesh said, the moment they came near.

  “Oh, we would have surely drowned if that creature had not rescued us!” Shalini exclaimed, relief dripping from her tired voice. “Creature! What creature?” Brijesh asked.

  “I don't know. We were about to drown, when this huge hairy creature came from nowhere, dragged us out of the water, and dumped us on the shore. Then he vanished into the trees,” Sanath said.

  Both Ramesh and Brijesh paled visibly. “The beast! You have been touched by the beast? You are tainted! Both of you are doomed for life.” They both backed up hastily and started running away.

  “Hey wait! Don't run away. Hold it!” Sanath shouted after them but the two were not even in the range to hear his voice.

  “That's strange! The guy's really high-tailed it! And I haven't even paid the jerks!” Sanath muttered.

  “Sanath, let them be! I am tired. I need a bath and a change of clothes and food,” Shalini said, her body tilting towards his shoulders.

  “So do I! Half our stuff was washed away in the flood. I just hope we find the rest of the stuff here,” Sanath said, still looking towards the direction whe
re the guides ran away.

  He met the caretaker and had everything organized in minutes. They spent the day and night recuperating, trying to overcome the shock from their adventure. They decided to abandon the trip and go to Rishikesh for the rest of their honeymoon.

  “From now on we go to only cities and resorts where conditions are more under control,” Sanath said as he stretched his limbs.

  They asked the caretaker to arrange for fresh porters and set off. The return trek was mostly downhill. They made good time and reached Sari by evening. They checked into the same rooms. They were sitting in the verandah enjoying the mild breeze when Shalini brought up the question that had been vexing her.

  “What is this curse about the beast? Why did the guides run away? Why did they say we are tainted and doomed?”

  “I don't know what that was all about. Do you think I should ask the caretaker about it?”

  He made his way to where the old man was smoking a hookah in the verandah.

  “Can you tell me something about the curse of the beast?”

  “Sshh! There are certain things that shouldn't be discussed in the dark of the night. I'll tell you in the morning,” the old man murmured, peering over his shoulder almost as if expecting something to rush at him from the bushes.

  Sanath was back to pestering the oldman again the next morning.

  “Tell me everything about the curse of the beast,” he prompted.

  “The beast, Sahib, is a cursed creature. Sometimes the Himalayan bear carries off a young comely woman and cohabits with her. The half man- half bear born of their union is the beast. It lives in the jungles and the mountains. Very few people have seen it but many have seen its footprints. To be touched by one brings a lifetime of bad luck, a fate worse than death,” the old man said, emphasizing on each word slowly.

  “Come on, old man! Don't give me that crap,” Sanath said, suddenly feeling apprehensive for an unknown reason.

  “Sahib! You are young and have not seen much of the world. Believe me, I am telling you the truth. These old eyes have seen much more. There are things out there that can't be explained. The curse is among them,” the old man whispered.

  “Can you give me a shred of evidence in support of these preposterous claims? Ridiculous!” Sanath said, trying to rubbish off what he had heard again.

  The caretaker took offense. “Sir, there are things you city dwellers neither know of nor do you understand. Say what you may but the beast roams these jungles. I know people who have seen it. Why, that old woman who lives outside the village was touched by the beast and was consequently cursed for life! She is ostracized by the entire village.”

  “Well, I would like to see for myself. I will talk to her first thing after breakfast tomorrow,” Sanath decided.

  “No, Sahib. Please don't do that. If you touch that woman the curse may rub on to you,” the old man advised.

  Sanath made his way back to the room without further comment as he thought it was better not to tell him about their experiences in the jungle.

  “Ludicrous story!” He later confided in Shalini. “These jerks are really superstitious. That beast is nothing but an undiscovered species of bear.”

  Next morning they were up early and trekked to the lonely hut far from the village, deciding to find it on their own than ask the uneducated village folks. They peeked into the pathetic structure only to find it was unoccupied.

  They poked around but found nothing except a few provisions and tattered clothes.

  “Who are you and what are you doing in my hut?” A voice screeched making them jump.

  An old hag dressed in rags stood at the door. She seemed abandoned and bent with age. Her face, wrinkled and tanned, seemed infuriated with their presence.

  “Get out! Don't you know that I carry the curse of the beast? Go away or you too will be tainted,” she squeaked.

  The Other Side

  191

  “I am not afraid of any curse. I am here to ask you a few questions. And in any case we were saved from certain death by a huge hairy creature in the jungle,” replied Sanath.

  “You have been touched by the beast?” whispered the old hag. “You are tainted. It is a fate worse than death. You'll soon wish that you had died in the jungle on that fateful day.”

  “What is this curse everyone is talking about? We are totally confused. Please tell us,” Shalini looked at the old lady with tears in her eyes.

  “So young and beautiful!” the old woman said. “And you have been cursed. Very sad!”

  Sanath grabbed the old crone by the shoulders and shook her. “That is enough bullshit. I can't take any more. Just tell me what this entire nonsense is all about?”

  The woman's eyes were full of pity as she surveyed them for a moment. “Children, I am sorry for you…the beast visits those in the jungle whose life is about to end. Even death is scared of the beast and flees on sensing its presence, leaving its victims alive. But they are cursed. Cursed to a life worse than death. And they have no option but to suffer in silence till death gathers enough courage to visit them again and free them from this accursed life.”

  “I don't believe her! She is probably insane. Let's get out of here, Shalini,” Sanath interjected.

  “You may run but you cannot escape. The curse of the beast is on you. All those who are touched by the beast have this mark on their chest. You don't believe me. Look!” And the hag dramatically flung her filthy shawl away. She was wearing nothing under it and her shriveled hanging breasts made a pathetic sight. Shalini gasped in horror as the hag pointed to a scar on the left side of her torso above her breast. It was a bizarre mark, like a footprint of an animal, maybe a bear. “Behold the mark of the beast. It appears on the chest of people who have been tainted by the abominable creature. And it is a portent that a fate worse than death awaits the one sporting the mark.”

  “That settles it,” Sanath stated. “I have no such mark, and nor do you. We know because we saw each other just this morning. I have enough of this nonsense. Let's get out of here and leave this place for good.”

  By evening they had checked into Ananda, a spa at Narendranagar, near Rishikesh.

  “Enough is enough. I have had enough of adventure. We are going to get some five star comforts now and spend the rest of our honeymoon in peace,” Sanath said. “…and I need to catch up with what's happening at work. I believe they have Wi-Fi. Just pass me my laptop.”

  Sanath surfed through his e-mail inbox. Ten minutes later, he looked at the screen in horror, his face agape.

  “What happened? Are you all right?” Shalini asked concerned on seeing her husband staring at the screen in shock.

  “Shalini,” he said softly. “I have lost my job. The entire division of the company I worked for closed down and everybody has been laid off because of the recession,” he said, tears forming in his eyes.

  “Oh, my dear! But never mind. It's all right. I am sure you will find something better. After all, you have so many qualifications

  The Other Side

  193 and great experience,” Shalini tried to console him and placed an arm over his shaking shoulder.

  “There is worse to come. There is another e-mail from the US Home office. Your Visa has been declined on technical grounds,” Sanath said, looking away from her.

  Shalini reeled as if from a mighty blow. Her American dream seemed to shatter in her eyes making the tears surface in her eyes. “It is the curse of the beast. It has started working already.”

  “What nonsense! Don't believe in that superstitious bullshit. I will find a better job and file an appeal for your Visa. I'll have everything fixed within a month of going back to America,” Sanath promised.

  “But I won't be able to go with you.” Shalini wailed.

  “Don't be sad, my darling. After all, this is our honeymoon. I am sure everything will work out eventually. I am off to take a shower and then we'll hit the swimming pool,” he said, entering the bathroom.

  'Sana
th, my boy! Don't fret or quit so easily. Remember, you are the same person who cracked IIT in the first go against all odds got MS in MIT with full scholarship,' he tried to motivate himself.

  'You have done it many times before and you will do it again. You will find a better job and fix this Visa problem. There is no curse. Don't even start believing in superstitions,' he said to himself as he slipped out of his clothes, thinking of the best way to tackle his current lot of problems. For a moment, he froze on seeing his reflection in the life size mirror just as he was about to step into the shower. There stood the mark on his chest, just like the one he had seen on the hag's body. He looked down to confirm its presence and tried to wash it away with soap. He used the loofah, soaking it with the body wash and scrubbed away like mad. The scar remained in its place, the pugmark-like stamp staring back at him as if mocking his attempts on trying to get rid of it. He was petrified and rushed out of the bathroom naked, shouting for Shalini.

  “Shalini, look what happened!” he sobbed, pointing to the scar. Their eyes met and he could see the same fears well up in her eyes. She nodded unable to say anything. Very gently, he undid the buttons of her shirt and pushed it off her shoulders. Her flawless skin was marred by a similar scar present on the left side of her body just above her firm breast, exactly at the same spot.

  Eight months later.

  Sanath paced the corridor of the nursing home nervously like any other expectant father. His customary calm and confident demeanor had deserted him long back. He felt nervous, holding himself with both hands. As he waited for the operation to end, his mind went over the events over the last few months. He remembered how anxious they both had been when the strange mark had appeared on their bodies simultaneously on the very day he had lost his job. Rejection of Shalini's visa had further strengthened their belief that they had been cursed. But no other cataclysmic event had occurred after that. In fact, whatever had happened was for the better. He had been offered the job of the CEO of an upcoming Indian software firm. The fact that he would be able to stay with his newly wedded wife in India had been an additional inducement and he had taken up the offer. The cup of their happiness had overflowed when they had discovered about