Altitude

Base Camp

The base camp was always jampacked with climbers even before Mia and her little family got there every year. Her childish wish was to be the first person to enter the camp and to touch the summit before people settled down. The disappointment scorched her every time.

"How do they get here so fast?" she used to mumble, displaying distaste with her crunching eyebrows.

That year, packing started at home at the end of February which was supposed to be at mid-march. Forcing her father and brother to cancel all their plans, she made it perfect by departing early from home. Both Mia and Mithran were at college then.

"Don't tell me you are skipping your tennis games again..." Her mother spoke in a calm tone, knitting a sweater sitting on a swing.

Chandhrika was nowhere near to give up on her dream son-in-law, thereby forcing Mia to join the tennis club soon after she started college.

"I suck at it anyway. You can replace me if you wish to." Mia winked.

When her mother asked her about the exams, she pretended not to hear it but later explained to her father that she would write it with arrear papers. For that matter, she also became Mithran's voice. He was grumbling all the way about being the evil twin how she had ruined his life.

Kathmandu to Lukla trekking was quite and pleasant as there were no intruders to play 20 question game with them. That was Dhruv's turn to whine about how calm and serene the track looked.

"Sorry for screwing your 'on the path' friendship. My bad!" The smirk on her face explained she didn't apologize rather teasing a cry baby.

Watching her irresistible high spirit, the father and the son shared her enthusiasm to reach the base camp before the traffic gorged. Her frivolous plays made the trek more blissful and they had reached their destination before their estimated time.

Scanning the valley, she knew she was a little late as somebody was already there to her greatest disappointment. Sherpas would be the first one to arrive she was certain but there was another group of climbers, fixing their camper tents.

"Woah! Never seen this place so lonely before..." Dhruv dropped his rucksack down and straightened his back, placing his hands on both the hips he made a warmup dance. His age began to show.

Mia must have eaten chilies, her face turned red and her look was too spicy for anyone to swallow. Eye signalling Mithran, Dhruv started in the opposite direction from Mia and so did her brother, softly whistling to themselves as if they didn't notice what was happening.

Walking around would calm her down, she believed and made an attempt on that. However, it didn't work out. Mumbling all the way, she suddenly stopped and stomped her foot in irritation only to slip in the melting snow and started to fall on her back. Fortunately, a man wielding his tent was very close that he looked up at the right time and extended his hands in the air. Too bad he folded it pretty fast that she fell on the hard floor, hurting her back. 

"Oops..." the man exclaimed, smiling, his dark eyes glowing along with his handsome face.

Mia frowned at him. Trying to stand was a little painful and she groaned slightly as she did so. As he straightened first, the tiny man became the tallest of all, obscuring the mountain range behind him. Stretching his hand, he gestured her to hold it. Disregarding him she moved and hopelessly mourned.

"I'm sorry I let you fall," he grinned.

"Oh thank God you noticed!" She glowered, sarcasm slashing him like a knife to meat.

Like a lit Christmas tree, he beamed. She rolled her big eyes while his small ones found it to be amusing.

"I know. You can't walk now. Just get on my back. I'll take you wherever you wanna go," he said.