Dark tan diary
Indrajit
The sky was ablaze with crimson fire, as the sun was about to set. With trembling hands,
Shataneek slowly lifted his battered body to rest against the nearest boulder. A labored
glance at his wrist watch told him it was indeed the dusk he is watching. But he has
already lost count of days. Is it the ninety third day? Or was it eighty two? Flicking his
tongue on the parched lips, he drew his coat over his neck; the fever is rising again. Will
it be his last day in the treacherous Australian Outback? He looked around to find his
empty bottle lying a few feet away. He remembered Wanamutta, his native guide telling
him what are eatable and what to avoid. This was before Wanamutta perished in front
of him, trying to save him from a pack of Dingo’s. “Bahba, if you see a pack of Dingo at
night, you don’t look back, you don’t run, simply look for the nearest tree and climb”
And to help Shataneek climb the tree, he slipped, and all that he could say was –
“Kungadgee Bahba”.
Wanamutta asked again and again if he is
sure. It’s not easy to take on the desert of
Australian outback, relying on just the
direction given in the diary of a dead
adventurer. He found the diary in an old book
shop, a dark tan leather?bound cover with
golden embossing. He was surprised when he flipped through the pages. He saw three
different set of hand writing. It was a single note book having entries by three different
people. He just had to buy it. Few cups of caffeine and several hours deep into the night,
Shataneek was finally gone through the pages. The diary started with account of Capt.
Standish when he embarked in his journey in August of 1876, with his troop to scout for
the missing idol of Tlaloc. The idol of goggle eyed deity of Aztec god of rain and thunder
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