My Best Friend

A Story by Hemraj

A friend in need is a friend indeed...

It was miles away, though we thought we could reach there in no time. Me and my friend, my best friend, with whom I had travelled almost every corner of the country, we hoped we could achieve the unconquered stage of happiness together. We just used to move on, be it any situation or circumstances. We hoped we together would create a different world altogether.

It was a mild, cloudy day when we started our journey, to the historically rich and spiritually holy place, Kailash. We came to the conclusion to visit this place due to our inner desires as well as curious attitudes. It was a couple of days travel up to the Chinese border from darchula and then a long way to reach the ecstatic world of love and mysticism, the home of the divine, Lord Shiva.

Really, these roads of our country are a pity to drive. There is not even a specific range of the road, topped road is a day dream. It became exhausting to travel so long to darchula and moreover to its northern border. After two days of continuous travel. We managed to reach the tinker pass. The separating geographical, man-made separation between two countries. Actually people cannot be divided any borders or lines. They are always linked by the thread of love.

An elderly man once said in my dreams, “You have to struggle a lot in life and have to go through immense pain to realize your destiny.” I saw hundreds of dreams thereafter, but those words became attached forever all over my senses. This time around I might be a step closer to my fate. We settled in a small restaurant to take over our exhaust. The tea we had, was full with a fragrance, a taste, an experience which could never be explained with any words. My friend, has a witty sense of humor, he asked to the shopkeeper” Dai, do you have something to drink that would give us more heat and energy!” The shopkeeper replied, “Well, if I give you a bottle of wine from my shop, I bet you would take off all the clothes you are wearing.” We both looked at each other, and laughed, the shopkeeper joined us too adding a flavor to our delight just like his tea. I think, a person reflects his identity in the work he performs.

We asked him whether we could stay there for the night, he readily agreed. I mean, who doesn’t if gets a printed elephant overnight? We had dinner and then went to bed. That sleep still resounds in my memory, I never slept so calmly for an eternity. But the shivering cold did the thing, I had to wake up just before the sun spread its bliss over the mountains just under which we were staying.

Searching the rest room didn’t seem to be a good idea at that time. So, I moved ahead from the rear door of the house. Suddenly, I heard a huge roar, I couldn’t figure it out what it was. Just as I was about reach the house, my eyes were struck on a huge avalanche moving rapidly towards us. I had no time to think so I sprinted out of the house in opposite direction of the avalanche. I was continuously turning back to see if my friend was there but I had no signs of him. I left him seeking my safety. That feeling was thousand times painful than failing to breathe. On the blink of an eye, I moved back to the house which was already covered with the immense river of snow. Almost everything was covered with a thick white blanket.

I tried to open the door of the house but I couldn’t. It is such situations I regret myself leaving the gym. Had I been doing regular workout, it would have been a child’s play. Nevertheless, I pushed the door with all my power. The door cracked and I lost my balance. The location of the house, at the edge of the mountain, which we were giving examples, made my heart pounding. Within the millionth of a second, I knew my end was near. All I needed was little tilt towards the cliff. I was moving my hands imitating a bird which was a foolish thing to do. But in these circumstances, the mind gives up and leaves us solely for our reflexes.

I was about to fall when a hand grabbed me and pulled back. I turned around in surprise, I saw my friend, made of snow now. I saw him, my friend, who would save me whenever I was in trouble. “Dude, I will not let you leave me so early.” I said, “The fact is, even if I had a chance, I never would.” We hugged each other for few minutes. I was so glad I had a friend, who would fight with all odds just because his friend asked to do so. It made me proud, a true companion was whom I had as my friend.

When I was about to utter a word of thanks, he said, “Thanks friend, you came back for me. I saw you running back for me. I was under the bed near the window. Somehow I was able to hold my breath and you broke the door which flew the snow away and I survived.” I stared at him for a while, then we both smiled. He knew what I was feeling at the moment. He needed no more explanations. True friends need not to say everything, sometimes it is understood well within the soul. It is when, a journey becomes easy, in spite of its severity, becomes short, regardless of its length, and becomes joyous even if it is painful. The long road of life is not much of a struggle, I can search my destiny, and probably achieve it with the support of my friend, my best friend!