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Alan Stemworth Technical Engineering

58 Constitution St

Wallingford, CT 6492-3825

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Time is a funny thing. It never seems to be on your side. 

Especially at stupid o'clock in the morning when you're in the middle of a dark forest running from psychopaths with silent helicopters. And it's just that much worse when, added to a midnight helicopter chase, you have to be at a secret meeting by three am. 

My life was that much more interesting, thanks to it all.

There was no time to think, just run and run and run. But I needed to make sure that if I wasn't going to get there early or on time I didn't go at all, because if I didn't make it I'd be marked DEAD in the logbook, but if I got there late, I really would be dead - shot in the neck with a poison arrow before I could say ?ouch?. 

The big problem with that was that I couldn't tell what time it was. I'd only brought my analog watch, which would be fine in the daytime when the sun was out and I could see the clock face, but in the dead of night, it was useless. The moon and stars were shining brilliantly, but in order to see by their light I'd have to step out of the cover of the trees and that would mean getting caught - seen by the helicopters and shot at until I was dead. 

I couldn't call for backup because I had no means of communication with anyone. Well, I had an earpiece that was connected to one of the helicopters' radio systems (it had taken me months to get ahold of it, and I was very proud of myself), but it was no use talking to them. Besides, I wasn't even sure how to talk to them - I only knew how to listen for the words Golden-crowned kinglet (we found them!) and snowdrops (search is up, we didn't find them).

Snowdrops seemed like they were never coming. 

So I ran and ran and ran, avoiding clearings, never stopping, never looking back. The helicopters weren't like planes; they could land in any clearing they wanted to, no landing strip required. And they were fast. Way fast. But I could be fast, too, especially if it was absolutely necessary to get away as fast as possible. My shoes had a few handy tricks up their sleeves. 

But for now, it was just me running as fast as I possibly could. I'd been trained to run like the wind for a while, but not two hours. My lungs and legs were burning, and I was getting dehydrated, and although it was a cool night, I was sweating a river. I was getting tired. 

Finally, I had to stop. There was no way I could keep going for a second longer. I stopped under a very large tree. It had a nice, thick canopy that would be perfect for hiding. I couldn't keep moving, but I needed to. My body was cooling down dangerously fast. I didn't have any foil, but even if I did, I wouldn't've dared bring it out. It was way too noisy. I whimpered once, a small sound that I covered with my hand. It would be no good to me to get captured now, even if they might have foil and a comfortable bed. They had some treacherous torture devices that I was not about to face. 

After two minutes, I noticed it. The whir of chopper blades getting closer and closer. 

Uh-oh.

Somehow, it had been obvious that I was still moving when I was running. But now that I was staying in one place?

I cursed and looked around. By the sound of it, they'd drop down in only one minute, and I couldn't let them know that I was on the run once more. The nearest clearing was about a two minutes' run (or, at least, for them it probably would be), so that gave me four minutes to get the heck away. 

Fine. Lord, if that's how you wanna play it, then fine. I slipped off my shoes and stuffed them in my back pockets before starting to tiptoe through the trees. 

I didn't make a sound.

I didn't disturb anything except the very grass underneath my feet. 

I didn't stop, or go faster, or anything, even though I had to pee like I had to breathe. 

Finally, I found what I wanted: a big, sturdy tree with a full canopy and enough branches down low that I could manage to climb it. I did so slowly and carefully and quietly as humanly possible. In ten minutes, I was at a good enough place. I grabbed my shoes from my bag and put them on in case I needed a quick escape. 

Hiding in the top of the tree, with my knees tucked to my chest and my eyes searching for movement and my ears listening intently, I was calm. The world was peaceful. And I'd spent oh so much energy, running and climbing and moving for hours. I was tired. My body needed rest. And so, within minutes, I fell asleep.

I woke with a start to the sound of a branch cracking. I sat up straighter than a stick and swiveled my head from right to left. The sun was just starting to rise, and I could hear voices down below. 

?Oh, come on, Jim, not again!?

?You'll wake her up with all that yelling, Lou!? a male voice, presumably Jim, hissed back. 

?Well, you'll wake her up with all that racket with your branch-breaking!? Lou responded, speaking lower this time. 

Footsteps. The sound of a gun being readied. ?Who is it?? Jim demanded.

?Just me! Clarissa!? piped a small voice. Jim and Lou let out a breath.

?Come on, you're light, maybe you can get up without falling,? Lou sighed. 

?Hey!? 

Clarissa began to climb, and I prayed and prayed that she was just as awful at climbing trees. I could hear her getting closer and closer, and so I prayed some more. She was awfully close, but on the other side of the tree, when I heard it. Footsteps. So soft I could barely make them out, but definitely footsteps. And then, the whoosh of an arrow and the thump-thump-thump of Clarissa's body falling from the tree, knocking against the branches. 

?Clariss-? but Jim's voice was cut off when an arrow lodged into his throat, too, and then Lou's. So fast, it could only be one person shooting. 

?Amber?? I called out softly, beginning to make my way down the tree. 

A sigh. ?I don't know how you manage to get yourself into these situations.?

I grinned, scrambling down as fast as I could. ?Well, it usually starts out when your sister's messages get intercepted and I get chased by the stupid Choppers.?

Amber laughed as I jumped from the last branch and turned to face her. ?That's true. It usually is Emerald's fault. I knew something was up when you didn't show up to the meeting last night, so I went looking for you afterward. Did you know you still have a tracking device on you??

I swore to myself, feeling in my hair for the blue clip. Amber laughed again as I dropped it on the ground and stomped on it with my foot to break the hard shell. 

?So that's how they knew where I was!? I exclaimed, picking the chip up from the ground and examining it. ?Man, I thought I must've been super loud or something, but I was just stupid enough to leave this thing in!?

?We all make mistakes. Now, come on, let's go back. Now that the meeting's over, I can guarantee we won't get shot.?

The sky was dark. The only sound was the rain hitting the cold wet metal roof top. It made rough rhythmical sounds. Some sounded like soft dings, while others were loud short bangs. And occasionally a loose branch would grow weak and fall, hitting the metal with a loud crack and thud before it slid off. It might have scared someone, but I was the only one around to hear it for miles. There were no other log cabins around, just mine. It was hidden in the thick forest, surrounded by mighty firs, and strong pines that stood tall. All the trees seemed to close in all the sound and muffle it. So even if there was another soul out in the woods, they wouldn't hear me, and me them. But that was one of the things I liked about being out here. there was no one else around. I truly got to see what it was like to be alone with nature.  

It wasn't strange for me to be sitting outside in the rain in the middle of night time, despite how weird it may sound. But it was how I got my best thinking done, which was important for my job. I was an author, and a good one at that. And whenever I had writer's block I found being outside helped clear the mind. no matter what the weather. In fact sometimes the storms helped me to think. I would take in all the extra sensory, and throw it into a story. Like one of my best selling books, "Through the Heart", had one of it's best scenes written due to me being outside in a thunderstorm. How else to describe the fear a woman lost in the woods during a hurricane, then to throw yourself into a lightning storm surrounded by tall trees? Some may think the method madness, but it worked for me and I stuck by it. 

Tonight I didn't sit in the rain over a book though. I sat in my fraying wicker chair for peace. I had been trying to fall asleep, but my mind kept racing back to that phone call I got right before bed. And I was in no mood to answer the question that had been asked. But I also didn't want to think about it. So after what felt like several hours, I got up put on my rain coat, and stepped outside. 

   It must have been 1 O clock in the morning, but I didn't care. The moggy air of early July mixed with the cool rain helped take the edge off of me. I closed my eyes, and breathed steadily as I let the rain run down my cheeks. I had the hood of the coat down, and my black hair was plastered down my neck by the rain. I could feel water that escaped the coat running idly down my back, giving me goosebumps on , and off. I knew by the time I was back inside I would be soaked, and would need to take a warm shower, and put on dry warm clothes before going to bed. But that didn't matter now. 

   Even as wet as I was I could feel the fat droplets hit me, with a small bead of coldness before they joined the river going down my skin. I could taste the slight sweetness of a summer rain on my wet lips, when I licked them. Between the pounding of rain on my roof I could her the shuffle of wet leaves being hit, and broken branches falling in the far away distance. When I opened my eyes slightly I could see beads of rain on my lashes, and they felt heavy and weighed down until I blinked them off. And even though it was dark, and the heavy rain blurred everything I could still see rays of moonlight escaping the blanket of dark clouds. And the lights from my house offered a warm orange glow, that seemed to shimmer in the rain. And slowly I could feel my water logged clothes getting heavier, and my bedroom slippers getting squishy...it probably wasn't the best idea to wear those outside. 

    Slowly I could feel myself coming to ease, and eventually I stood up and made way for indoors. Knowing I would come back as a walking puddle I had left a fresh clean towel folded by the front door. I place the wet raincoat on the front door's doorknob outside, so it could drip dry on the porch. Then i picked up the towel wrapping it as tightly as I could around myself, and wet clothes. I took my dripping slippers off, and went to my laundry room. Once there I placed the slippers, and my wet clothes in the washer, and tightly wound the towel around my hair on top of my head. I honestly cared not if my Orange tabby cat, Boris, would be offended by my nudity. So walking into my bathroom I took a quick hot shower, put on a tank top and shorts, and climbed into bed. Shortly after I closed my eyes I was asleep, and didn't think a wink about that call. 

----------------------------------------------

    When I was a little kid I had so many memories with my Dad in them. And as far as I can remember they were all good. Playing in the yard with my two older siblings, while he did yard work, and he would stop so often to join us. Even if it meant messing up his work, or delaying the process. Jumping in leave piles with us, that he took hour gathering. Spraying us with the hose in the summer, as he washed his car. Climbing the trees with us, even though he was suppose to be pruning the branches. Picking blackberries off the bushes, and eating them with us, instead of mowing. He said the work could always wait, because the time with his three favorite girls was worth putting off the work.

     And there were far many more memories of him, that it was hard to summarize the best ones, or even the most important ones. Because the truth was, they all were great, and they each had a special place in my heart.

     So when I was twelve, and someone at the front office at school told me that my mom was here to pick me up in the middle of the school day I knew something was up. Mom never randomly just took us out of school. Not even for a doctors appointment. She would always try and schedule those late, so we barely missed any class, if any. So when I saw my Mom all puffy eyed and quiet when I walked up to her, and my two older twin sisters stood next to her with the same worried and confused expression I wore, I got scared. I tried to ask mom what was going on, but she just shook her head and ushered us all out. My sisters, and I kept eyes each other trying to speak through our minds. We all were asking the same question: What was going on? And why was mom being quiet? She never was this quiet.

    It wasn't until we got into the SUV that she turned around in her seat, and finally really looked at us. I remember her eyes staring at us, but they didn't seem focused. And it made me scared. I remember my sister, Kathie, taking a hold of my hand. And then mom said words that seemed to just echo in my head for hours. "Girls this is very important, and it is very hard for mommy to say, so listen close. Cause I don't think I will be brave enough to say it again. Something awful happend today. Your father...he was driving to work this morning...like every other day...and there was a terrible accident. Something with a semi trunk..I don't know. All I know is...it was very bad....and they couldn't save him. Babies...daddy is gone." And she said it with a weak voice, but it was steady and clear. And then she started crying. I don't remember if I said anything, but I did remember the confusion, and then the pain. And then I was shaking and crying. We all were. And we held each other, and we sat in the SUV like that for a long time. For the rest of the school year I couldn't look at that parking spot without thinking of that day. 

    The first year was a little rough, and took some adapting. But after some time we were all able to get back to some kind of form of normal. And as the years went by we moved along, and my mom remarried a man named Tim. Tim was a great guy, and loved my sisters and I. And we loved him. He was able to fill the role of our father fairly well. Sure it was never the same kind of love a little girl could have for her real father. And no one could truly replace my dad, and his smile. But it was something. Father's days got better, the father figure that liked to scare first dates with crazy questions in high school was played off well, and he even walked my sister, Kathy, down the aisle at her wedding. Everything went on, and i din't forget my father, but I learned how to live without him. Life was normal again.

     But now as a thirty year old me, that was a successful author, that visited her family several times a year, had my world shaken, and torn apart. It all started with that phone call around 8:30 p.m.. 

     I had been watching TV when I got a phone call from my mother. It wasn't uncommon for her to call at night on a weekend, so I answered the same cheery way i always did, "Hi Momma, how are you? You just catch me watching your favorite show, The Golden Girls. What's up?"

     Her end of the line was quiet for some time, and I began to wonder if she butt dialed. Right before I was about to ask her, she spoke in a quiet and paused voice. "Jenny, darling...I have some news. It's big...and unbelievable..honestly it is hard to say over the phone. i still don't quite believe it myself...it's a lot to take in. It feels like a dream." Her voice was so slow, and careful i thought maybe she was sleep talking.

     I turned the TV off, and softly laughed, "Ok mom, you are acting weird. What is it? Is it good news? Are you sure you aren't sleeping right now?"

     I heard her lightly blow out a breath on her line, and there was a long pause again "No...I'm wide awake. Believe me...this news is huge. And it is good..unbelievable...unrealistic...I still can't comprehend how"

      I furrowed my eye brows, and held the phone closer to me, "Ok Mom, spit it out already. If it's as good as you say it is, then I'm a little surprised you aren't singing it to me."

     Normally this is where she would laugh, but her voice got soft...almost caring. Like I was a little girl she was trying not to spook. "Ok right...now are you sitting down? You might want to sit down for this." 

      I looked at my phones screen confused, as if she could see my face. "Yes mom, I am sitting. Now spill. You are making the suspense last too long, and I should know. After all, I am an author."

      "Right," she said then cleared her throat, "Jenny baby, your father...he is alive." 

      I don't know why, but I busted out laughing. It took me a little while to get myself together. My mom had to say my name three times, before I was composed enough to speak. I was smiling big now, "Oh dang mom, that was a good one! I was definitely not expecting that. Did Tim put you up to this? You have gotten way better at your acting. You really sounded like you had some crazy news. Let me talk to Tim. I have to congratulate him on his good work teaching you." 

      But mom wasn't laughing. There was a short take in of breath, and I swore she rolled her eyes. But what she said next told me otherwise, "Jen, I'm not joking. I know it is hard to believe...and I'm sure you have questions. I know I did...here. Maybe you will believe me if you talk to him." 

       I sat there with a smile on my face, waiting for Tim to come on. After I heard a shuffle of the phone being passed over I spoke, "Hey Tim! You must really be the master of jokes, because mom has never been this good! You will have to teach me sometime. Maybe you can help me write a comedy."

       There was a long pause, and I was waiting for Tim's loud laugh to interrupt the peace, but it didn't. Instead another voice came on. A voice that transported me back to a time when I was a little girl eating ice cream, while sitting on her daddy's lap. "Hey Jenny-bug, it's so good to hear your voice. And you became a writer like you always dreamed. I hope I can read one of your books one day." 

        I was quite, as my phone dropped from my hand, and my mouth opened, but no sound came out. Jenny-bug...only my father ever called me that. And that voice...even over the phone, and years of not hearing it I knew it was his. And he use to always say he couldn't wait to read my books. My heart started to pound. And I could hear the voice still, he was asking if I was there. I picked the phone off the couch, and held it in a death grip. I wanted to say Dad, or Daddio, like I use to call him. But I hadn't called anyone that in years...it felt like another language. Instead I barely whispered, "I'm here..."

        His voice was just as I remembered. It didn't even sound aged. His voice was gentle, and i could hardly hear him through the buzzing sound that formed in my ears. "I know it is hard to understand...maybe even believe, but I'm alive. A lot happend in those eighteen years, and I am so sorry. I wish I could have seen you girls all grow up, but I had to take care of something important, and I wasn't allowed to tell anyone the truth. I know you must have a lot of questions, and i would be more than happy to answer them. If we could meet in person I would love that. I would understand, if you needed time to think though. This is a lot to throw at you." his voice grew stronger the more he talked. But for me the buzzing sound kept growing, 

       The little girl in me that missed her father, and his hugs wanted to run to him right now, and ask him a million questions. But the women that learned to make it through her grief, and moved on past her father's death was hesitant. Did I even know this man? he said he was my father, and sounded like him. But what man would put his family through this. I wanted to be angry, I wanted to be happy, but mostly I wanted to cry. Eventually I worked up the nerve to speak, "I don't think I can talk right now...this is all too much. I just need to think. Can I please talk to mom again?" I shoved the little girl inside of me that wanted to rant on about everything thing to her dad. 

      I could hear a hint of disappointment on his voice, but he replied, "Alright Jenny-bug, I can respect that. Just know I love you." 

      Hearing those last three words hammered at the dam that held all my emotions of the loss of my father, and threatened to crack open. I had to squeeze my eyes shut to prevent tears. After another shuffled sound mom was back on the line. I could tell she was trying to sooth me now. "Hey baby, I know. I felt the same way. It's a lot." 

      I nodded even though she couldn't see me, "Yea..." then I blew out a breath I didn't realize I had been holding. "I don't even...how? It doesn't matter. I think I need time to think...alone." 

      Her soothing voice continued, "I know. I did too. I guess I'll call your sisters now. But call me when you figured it all out. You father would love to see you. And I would too. I think we all should get together." 

      I knew she was right, but right now I wanted to hid and act like this never happened. How could something I had been day dreaming about everyday as a kid now be scaring me so badly as an adult? "Ok. I'll let you know my answer when I fully know it myself. "I wanted to ask her how she was, but suddenly felt to emotionally drained to ask.

       "Alright, take care baby. I love you." She said

       It was easy to say, I love you too, back to her. And then I let the call drop, and that's when all the thoughts started racing. And it was then that I found myself outside.

That was when I realized even though it was dark outside, there was a new brightness starting inside me. The darkest part of my childhood now was being brought to light. There was hope.

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It was a day where people and children were freely walking around the street without any fear of soldiers of the harsh rule of the galactic order. He wandered around and children flocked to him to hear his story. He was a good story teller about his childhood and his adventures of a soldier that fights for freedom. As the children came near, he began to tell his tale?.

It was at one fateful night that he woke up. He was unclear of his memory and why he was sitting on a treetop. He tried to recall his memory and remembered the horrifying events that happened. His name was Jason. His father was a general that opposed the galactic order. His mother was a supplier that supplies resources to an organization called freedom fighters. He recalled that they were on the run, moving from planet to planet, then their ship called the stronghold was ambushed by the capital ships of the galactic order They crash landed on a planet forest like with a lot of vegetation, but they didn't have the time to admire the nature because soldiers were closing in on them. As his father and mother traded blaster fire with the soldiers, they told him to run and hide far away from the ship so that he would not be caught. And now, there he was, in the dense forest and far away from the ship. He now wanted to go to the stronghold to see what had happened to his father and mother. He started by climbing down the tree and walked toward the direction the stronghold was.

He did not know how his legs carried him far away from the stronghold, maybe it was because the threat of getting captured or did he had this strength in him? It took several days to reach it. He rested sometimes during his journey while he ate some wild berries which In luck did no harm to him. It tasted sweet at first but sour in his throat. He saw no sign of soldiers too. He at last reached the stronghold. His mother was dead and his father badly wounded. It was there that his father spoke his last words: ?In the ship, there is a secret compartment that has a secret holopod?.

He found himself a blaster with some energy cells, useful to defend himself from the soldiers. He did found the hidden compartment that was hidden to look like the floor of the ship. It contained a holopod that was a message of a gathering of those who oppose the galactic order. They were recruiting as many people as they can to fight against the galactic order. It will be held on a moon called tantive II. Now he knows where to go. He just needs a transport.

The ship's scanner shows a galactic order base not too far from the ship. It was a good thing that the scanner still works. It is where the transport problem will be solved. Will he be able to fly the fighter ships? He could only hope there will be any other ship or the fighter ships with controls similar to the stronghold. He needs to sneak in quietly to steal one of its ships. If he accidentally put up a fight, then he will not be able to hold back all those soldiers because of the sheer number of them and the price will be costly. He might never be able to get out of the planet for the rest of his life.

He has his blaster drawn and changed for the soldiers patrolling the base. He just needed to get to the fighters hangar bay. He avoided attention and reached one of the fighter ships. That was when suddenly a patrol of soldiers spotted him and started firing at him. He started firing against the soldier but that set off an alarm. More soldier flooded in the hangar bay. He quickly went in the ship while firing against the soldiers. He found out that the fighter ship's control were the same with the stronghold. He flew the ship out of the hangar and into space but other soldiers quickly flew the other ships left in the hangar bay . They were hot on his trail and started firing missiles at his ship . He tried maneuvering his ship to avoid their missiles when suddenly, a large capital ship appeared out of a warp portal with more fighter ships launching from it. Its turrets also started firing at him. He must get out fast before the capital ship's tractor beam trap him, making him unable to jump to hyperspace. He quickly entered the coordinates he got from the holopod into the ships computer and a warp portal appeared in front of him and he was in a tunnel with a color of light yellow. The computer said it will take several hours before they reached the coordinates.

The ship finally reached the coordinates and before him, appeared the moon with both green and blue colors but it was under attack by the galactic order. There were many galactic order capital ships. Their turrets and turbolaser cannons firing against freedom ships. There were explosions as torpedoes hit one of the capital ships. S-wings were chasing over H-wings while firing lasers. Shields were absorbing damage, preventing harm from the ships. His radio frequency was overwhelm with many sounds, sounds of joy, panic, orders, anger, pain and sadness of loss. He chose to join the fight and help the freedom fighters. He got a missile lock on one of the capital ship's turbolaser cannon and fired. The cannon was down but that alarmed several H-wings and they started firing at him. He managed to activate his shields at the back of the ship before the lasers get to him. The shield took the hit absorbed the damage. He launched a missile at the capital ship's shield generators. It was a direct hit and the shields were down. It was now on full alert since now they were exposed for firing. Bombers started bombing the ship causing the engines to take massive damage and started overheating. The engine finally exploded causing the capital ship to be pull by the moon gravity and started to descend to the moons atmosphere and without any protection, the ship started to catch on fire and burned like a meteor. 

There also bomber ships that has enough bombs to destroy a capital ship's core. They were surrounded by s-wings to protect them from other things like H-wings,turbolaser cannons turrets and torpedoes. They will reach the core then take some time to unload their bombs, it is crucial that the s-wings protect them at this moment so that they do not self explode and affect the others when fired by missiles, turbolasers or torpedoes. Once the bombs are out, it will explode the entire ship and the core. T-wings are also so agile and strong enough to overwhelm the defenses that lets them to get the job done.

The battle ended with freedom fighters ride as the winner and the galactic order sustained heavy losses. He identified himself over the comn and was allowed to enter the moon's atmosphere. He landed at the rendezvous he was told to land at.

He was allowed to join them. His identification is now verified and now training to be T-wing pilot. He tested his abilities through stimulations and get some military training on s-wings, their controls, strategies to use them and how to fly them. He managed to join a real fight and took down a super capital ship in an T-wing. He doesn't know what will he face at the end or whether they will win or lose against the galactic order. He only knew that he must have hope for the fate of the galaxy

Madhu pointed his finger to the sky, full of stars and a full moon following the two brothers into the woods. Madhu spoke in a barely audible voice, "Look, It is a full moon night. You won't find him, let's go back home. Grandpa must be worried about us." 

Gopal had nothing to reply as his brother had spoken the truth except he replied- " Shut up, Madhu."

The brothers had sneaked out of their house to enter the forbidden forest at midnight to find a mythical creature- KHYA. 

During the day, when Gopal had returned home from school, he had asked his grandfather, "Grandpa, What is khya? Today, at school, my friends were talking about it. I was the only one who had no idea."

Grandpa had replied," It is a monstrous creature who lives in the dark and is always hungry."

Gopal asked, " Is it even real? Have you ever saw it?"

Grandpa answered," I haven't seen it although my grandfather was the member of 'Khya hunters' "

Gopal looked curious. " What are Khya hunters?"

His grandfather narrated the history of the village to his grandsons-

"When my grandfather was in his 30s, a person named Sher Bahadur was able to kill the first-ever khya which was living under the stairs of his house in the darkness. Sher Bahadur was a brave man who burned the khya with fire and killed it. Then, he formed a group of men of the village to hunt khyas from everyone's house. Later they were called 'khya hunters'They were able to kill many khyas. And, only a few khyas were able to escape into the forest. Villagers abandoned the forest and, it was called 'Forbidden Forest.' No one is allowed to enter the forest till now."

Gopal asked, " Do you think there are still khyas living in that forest?"

Grandpa replied, "Yes, there are. Sometimes during the moonless night, they come to the village and take the children with them."

Madhu, who was listening to their conversation from the very start, got scared when he heard that Khyas are obsessed with children because they are afraid of adults.  

Gopal paused to think and said, " I want to meet a khya."

"Don't say those things. Khyas might come to take you." Grandpa replied.

Gopal ignored grandpa's reply and asked another question, "Grandpa, why don't they come out during the daytime?" 

Grandpa replied, " I don't know. Maybe they are afraid of the light."

"What they look like?" Gopal had a bunch of questions prepared and was throwing them at his grandpa consecutively.

" My father told me they look very creepy and disgusting. Their body is hairy and, they are unattractively ugly."

Gopal asked, " Why are they ugly?"

Grandpa was annoyed by his endless questions. He replied, " Because they are ugly. Their face is ugly."

Gopal seemed more curious after every answer. He asked again," Why do you think they are ugly?"

Grandpa was tired and strived to think for an answer. He stammered- " Because... because... they are different."

Gopal didn't even take a second for another question, " Does being different means being ugly?"

"Noooo..... It means their face isn't similar to ours." Grandpa was exasperated. 

Gopal replied, " Your face isn't similar to mine and brother. Your face has lots of wrinkles. Does that makes you ugly?" 

Madhu was listening to everything with a curious expression on his innocent face. 

Grandpa retorted, " I can't answer you, ask your parents when they return from the town." Gopal was quiet for a minute, then he threw another question in an upset tone, " Do you think the reason they don't come out of the light is that they feel they are ugly and people might see them?"

Grandpa saw Gopal being upset and replied, "Maybe."

He swiveled his head to his brother and made a bold statement, " I will meet Khya and tell him he isn't ugly." 

" What?" Grandpa astounded. 

"Yes." Gopal grinned. 

Grandpa spoke, " Listen, both of you, don't do something silly before your parents return. I am old so, I can't handle you two. So promise me you won't do any uproar."

Gopal dithered but nodded. 

When the moon arose, everyone in the village fell asleep. Gopal woke up his brother and sneaked out of the house. Madhu was scared and was muttering the same thing over and over again, "It's a bad idea. We will die."

Each brother had carried a wooden torch to guide their road into the forest. As they walked in the forbidden forest for a very long time by maintaining silence as they were afraid to produce any sound, they reached the center of the forest and discovered a big lake they have never heard of before.

From the bank of the lake, Under the moonlight, they could easily see the head of the watchtower which, was vacant for ages. No one had dared to accept the role of the 'watchman' of the place. When Gopal raised his head to the sky, he saw the clouds covering the bright moon. The whole surrounding became darker without the moonlight.

They were walking on the bank of the lake when they heard a strange noise behind. Madhu stood still on his shivering legs. He was too scared to look around. But, Gopal turned around the second he heard the noise. He saw something hurriedly coming towards them. He jumped forward and swung his wooden torch to attack the dark figure coming towards them. 

The figure halted before him. Madhu turned around and saw the two times bigger figure than his brother. He screamed, " Run! Gopal"

Madhu started running in the opposite direction and slipped and fell on the bank of the river. His wooden torch extinguished on the wet surface. 

Gopal lifted his wooden torch high to see the human figure's face. The human face smiled and spoke, " Hey kid, why are you here? "

Gopal gathered his courage and asked, " Who are you ?"

The person replied, "I am the watchman."

" Don't lie. There is no watchman here for ages." Gopal retorted.

"There was no watchman before. There is now." The person tended to correct Gopal.  

Gopal muddled. The person added, " I have been sent by headquarter to my duty."

Gopal had still grasped his wooden torch towards the person. He asked, "What headquarter? You have a quarter head?" 

The person's mind scribbled. He realized the kid lacks a lot of knowledge. 

 "I was sent by the king." He replied, "King is the called the headquarter."

Gopal asked again, " Do you know the king?"

The person had no time to debate with the kid. He replied, " Yes. I am one of his favorite people."

Gopal paused and asked again, " Why would King send his people to a place like this where they will die? And, Why is King called Quarter-head?"

"Headquarter." The person corrected Gopal," Why would I die here?"

Gopal replied as if he was trying to scare the person, "Because there are khyas all over this forest."

The person chuckled.

Madhu was shivering when he walked near Gopal. He looked at the person and stammered while asking, " Are you sure you are a watchman? Not a khya?"

The person laughed out loud. Gopal spoke, "Why are you laughing? khyas are real. They kidnap children. And, they live in this forest."

Where are they? I can't see them here." The person mocked Gopal.

Gopal glared at the person. 

The person continued, " Listen, kids, there is no such thing as khyas. This place is the habitat of cheetahs which hunt the children from the village to omit their hunger. The headquar-, the king inspected this place and found about the cheetahs. They send me here to observe them while the other team will be arriving here soon."

Gopal retorted, " No. You are wrong. You are new to this place. You don't know about the history of this place."

The man replied, " I was born in this village, kid. I have heard all the rumors and myths about the khyas. I went to the capital to study furthermore about all the creatures. And, from all the examinations, I can tell you that they are nothing except cheetahs,"

Gopal didn't want to accept the fact because it would show him as a loser and crush his goal.

Gopal furiously replied, "You are the watchman, right? Go and make watches and sell. We will find a khya and talk to him."

The man was startled and thought that how wrong can a kid be. The kid told him to go and make a watch. He had no energy to correct the kid.

He asked, "What do you want to talk to the cheet-, khyas?"

Gopal retorted, "None of your business."

He held his brother's hand, " Let's go, Madhu."

After half an hour of walking, Gopal turned around and shouted, " Stop following us."

The man replied, " I can't. I am doing my job. I have to protect you two and take you back home safely."

Madhu felt relief when he heard that the man was there to protect them. Gopal was annoyed. 

Gopal noticed his wooden torch was about to blow out. He started walking faster. 

The man shouted, " Hey kids! Let's go home."

Gopal shouted back, " We can go home on our own. We aren't kids."

Madhu wanted to say, 'we should stay with him, we will be safe,' but couldn't say it as he saw the furious mode of his brother.

 "Then what are you? Adults?" the man mocked.

Gopal shouted, "We are BRAVE kids"

Madhu nodded at his brother's statement while walking behind him, struggling to catch the same speed as his brother. 

After another half an hour, Gopal looked at the sky and saw the moon escaping from the black clouds and bestowing its light on the earth's surface. 

The man was exhausted. He shouted from behind, " Okay, stop. I will take you to the khyas." The two brothers turned around, startled.

Gopal attempted to confirm, "Are you sure?"

The person sighed, "Yes."

Gopal filled with excitement but, Madhu terrorized.

They both followed the man. 

Gopal asked, "By the way, What's your name?"

" I am Dhaplan." The man replied. 

As they were walking, they heard some strange noise from behind. Gopal was exasperated, "What is it now?". He swiveled around to see a cheetah glaring at him. Gopal was startled and was unable to move his body. Madhu screeched and started bawling. The man stepped forward with a rod in his hand. Cheetah jumped on the man when he saw the weapon in the human's hand. The man swung his rod and hit the cheetah. The cheetah flew two meters away. The man turned to the frozen kids and shouted, " Run and enter the hollow trunk of the tree." 

The man pointed to a dead tree lying on the ground but embedded on the earth from one side. The scared kids couldn't hear him. They were staring at him with fear on the face.

The cheetah sprung on the man and bit the man's right leg with its sharp teeth. The man fell and started hitting the cheetah clung to his body. He looked at the kids and bawled, "GOOOO." Gopal threw his wooden torch.

He held his brother's hand and ran to the lying tree. He let his brother jump first inside the hollow trunk, then he followed his brother. 

They both glided inside the trunk for ten seconds. The hole took them inside the earth's surface. The two brothers landed inside a cave. 

Madhu had passed out when they crashed on the ground. Gopal woke him up, "Hey Madhu, wake up! We have to escape from here. Let's get out." 

Madhu stood up, still not aware of the surrounding, followed his brother. They looked for the exit of the cave in the dark. The surrounding was barely visible to the brothers. As far as Gopal was able to see around, he saw some skeletons of a four-footed animal. He guessed, 'probably it's a cheetah.' As they walked warily in the dark, they saw a beam of light entering from an opening inside the cave. Gopal hollered with rapture on his face, " It's THE EXIT."

They both ran towards the opening with a face lit up with glee. Suddenly, something grabbed Madhu's legs and dragged him to the opposite side of the exit. Gopal halted and jumped to save his little brother. Madhu screamed when he saw a monstrous figure with a hairy face and long sharp tusks. He yelled, "IT IS A KHYA." 

Madhu shivered then he passed out. Gopal was in astoundment. He whispered, " It is real." He froze and couldn't move his body. He analyzed khya from top to bottom. It was completely different from his imagination. He took notice of its long tusk, hairy face, wide-body, and sharp claws. It seemed like it had lost its one leg because it was hardly balancing to stand with the only leg. 

Gopal thought, "It is his last day." But, a sudden movement of a cheetah jumping over khya from nowhere broke his freeze mode. Gopal came back to life when he saw a cheetah growling at the khya. The khya got distracted and got engaged in combat with the cheetah. 

'It is the last hope.' Gopal realized. He carried his brother on his back and scampered towards the exit. 

He said to his unconscious brother, "Madhu, look, there is moonlight outside the cave. If we exited from the cave, we would be able to escape from the khya." 

He heard the cheetah bellowing in pain from behind. He turned around and saw the dead cheetah lying on the ground. The khya was furiously rushing towards him. Gopal desperately speeded up to exit from the cave. 

He finally came out of the cave only to realize it was worthless The black clouds had enveloped the moon along with its non-luminous light He lay flat on the grass, waiting for the khya to kill him. 

He suddenly realized his motive to come there. He remembered the last thing he wants to do. He stood up. He saw the monstrous creature was in a furious gallop at the entrance point. He took a deep breath and then yelled, " YOU'RE NOT UGLY."

The khya suddenly halted and looked at Gopal with its evil eyes. There was no any sort of movement around the surrounding. Gopal felt like the time froze. Suddenly, the khya stepped backward and swiveled to the entrance. The khya was gone leaving Gopal in amazement. He couldn't decide what happened. 

Madhu woke up feeling terrorized. He asked colossal questions in reply to which Gopal said nothing. He was silent 

They walked in the direction of the village. 

They met Grandpa with a bunch of villagers looking for them inside the forest. Madhu ran and hugged Grandpa and sobbed, " I won't leave you ever again."

Gopal spoke to the villagers, "There is a watchman who saved our lives from a cheetah. He must be lying here somewhere. We need to find him."

One of the villagers replied, " watchman? There is no watchman here, Gopal. Who are you talking about?"

"There is a watchman sent by the king to protect us. A cheetah jumped at him and his leg-" 

Gopal stopped speaking when he remembered something. He remembered the cheetah had bit the watchman's right leg. Also, the khya he encountered had lost its right leg. He couldn't conclude anything at first. But he confirmed his theory when he recalled the watchman's name, " Dhaplan."

He remembered his friends discussing khyas at school. And, one of them had shared a fact about khyas. Khyas were primarily called 'Dhaplan khyas' by the ancient people before it shortened to 'khya'.

He looked at the horizon and saw the sun rising. 

He recalled all the events that happened the night. He acknowledged how smartly the person lured them inside the dark cave because khyas don't hunt under the light.  

When he stopped talking, the villager asked him again, "Gopal, Who is that person? Where is he?" 

Gopal replied, " The sun has risen. He is gone."