THE OLD TRAVELER

Godsend

It was odd to find Oni alone here. She was from Leh. How could she be here, that too alone, Gampo wondered. Anyway, Gampo caught up with her, and realising that he was the one who is in greater trouble, narrated his ordeal to Oni. She said she knew of a place a few kms north-east from there where he could find fuel for his bike, but he would have to take a detour from the main road. Gampo, by now, had known her long enough to not be surprised by her street-smartness. What does she not know, Gampo thought to himself, amazed.
"I would have to go with you. You won't be able to find the place yourself", Oni's firm voice broke his thoughts. Gampo, thinking that it was sensible not to leave the little girl alone here in no man's land, agreed. And thus both of them, along with his bike which had to be pushed on foot, headed out for the "promised land", the land of fuel.
"It will be my own Edwin Drake moment", Gampo humoured himself a bit not so nonchalantly, as a light cold breeze brushed across his face, drying up his sweat.
He was still confused with questions about Oni, which he had always meant to ask, but were all the more pertinent now. Where did she actually live? Wasn't her house in Leh ? What was she doing here, that too alone ? And most importantly, how did she get here before him? She didn't have any horse or motor vehicle with her.
But these questions were for a calmer time. As they walked more and more into the mountains away from the arterial road, the conditions got windier and windier, and the sky got gloomier and gloomier. At one point, the winds were so strong that Gampo was having to press his weight down on his bike in order to prevent it from being blown away. He turned back to check on Oni. She had a hand on the rear of his bike, and was walking unperturbed. It was as if she was impervious to terrible turn the weather was taking.
Gampo was now starting to get worried. He had lost enough daylight by now. His friends must be in Tangtse waiting for him. He could still join them before nightfall just, but only if he hurried. By now the entourage should have been at Pangong. This detour mustn't be long, Gampo reminded himself.
"How far?", he asked.
There was no answer from Oni. The gale had by now turned into a full scale storm. A massive dust cloud had formed and visibility was near zero under the dark sky. It seemed that they were climbing their way up something, may be a small hillock. Gampo could only guess as he felt the stress on his knees. There was no way to visually ascertain his hypothesis that they were climbing up as he couldn't open his eyes amidst the combative winds blowing straight into his face in this unfamiliar soulless terrain. He had lost all sense of perception of the elevation or direction.
Gampo firmly asked again, his voice now raised, but quivery, almost demanding an answer from Oni, "Where are you taking me?"
"Home".