The sun was slanting on the western horizon. The sky-scraping hills were raising their heads on the reddish sky where the darkening clouds were making the silhouette of fowlers' heads. On that spur of the moment; Miss Dolma was treading on the stony bridle path. Cicadas, the loudest jungle singer insects, made a rhyme for her each step. She likes the buzzing of Cicadas because it brings the memories of her childhood playmates. Sometimes, she quarreled with them while she played hopscotch. The spirit of the game makes them friends and foes. But, if it makes them foes, it never remains long time. They were always happy.

She reached at the top of the hill where there is a check post. A green colored notice board with white letters nailed on the tree. She noticed it. It reads: Get your baggage checked please. Nearby a small thatched hut, two wooden benches were kept in 'L' shape. An army officer sat on it and cocked his legs. He was holding a newspaper which hid his face almost all. A glass was placed on his right side in which some tea was left and a fly was flying around it.

Dolma looked at him and gave a choking sound to get his attention to check her bag. But, she was in vain because the officer was in a pensive mood as if he was in a trance. She turned her face and looked at the entrance where a wooden gate was open on the stile. A young combat dressed army man was standing near it. A 303' gun was hung over his back and he put his two hands in his pocket. He was eagerly waiting for her. When she reached at the gate, she pretended to open her bag. The army man, without talking anything to her, gave a coaxing smile and made a quick twisting with his lips and eyebrows meaning certainly she could go. She stepped on the stile and crossed the gate. The army man kept his eyes on her buttocks and her thighs until she vanished at the hairpin turning of that bridle path.

A squirrel was squatting in the middle of the path and gnawing something, seeing her it jumped with a squeak and dart away among the leafy branches. Dolma heard the bleating of a goat-kid and Babel of babies from a distance. Then her heart began to beat against her ribs due to the excitement of reaching home. She made her legs fast.

She reached at the edge of the village. She looked over it. She saw a group of chalets, the traditional Nepali houses, scattered here and there. The bounds along with puddles of waters made the paddy field many squares like chess-board. She minced on the bound and reached at the courtyard of Gauri's house.

A big corn stake at the courtyard looked like a bushman's hut. At the corner of the courtyard, there was a heap of ash where a dog curled up having a nap. Hearing her stumble on the stone, it startled and held its head and then vibrated its muzzle. It wagged its tail and again curled up.

Gauri, the wife of Madhav Ojha was washing utensils. A cigarette was burning on her lips. She was slightly tipsy. Taking the cigarette, she said, Who is this girl?

"Oh. Dolma! Dolma! You become damsel Long time no see.

"Are you fine?” Dolma asked.

Oh - What fine! She walked towards Dolma and gave a pinch on her chin. Dolma felt the smell of rice beer. So she turned her face. Gauri thought she wanted to show her earrings. Gauri held the ear lope of Dolma and asked: how much?

Where did you buy it? 'From New Road.' Dolma replied 'Oh, New Road'.

Gauri exclaimed! There it is available in cheap price.

Dolma smiled, 'Where can we get gold in cheap rate?' she told in her mind.

"Dolma, why are you standing here? Come and sit,' Gauri said. She bought a pallet and spread on the veranda. The veranda was polished with red soil. The old woman, who is the mother-in-law of Gauri, was sitting on the verge of the veranda and her left leg put down the courtyard. When she winks, she is getting more wrinkles around her eyes. Blinking at Dolma, the old woman asked, "Who is this girl?” she came from sky! Tsering's daughter. Gauri glared at the old woman and she replied.

The old woman stopped her further questions and viciously, she took a corn & threshed its cob into the winnowing fan. The daughter-in-law and mother-in-law.

were not in good terms. Sometimes both were out of law. Gauri brought a tailed bronze mug and showing to Dolma, ' Wash your face and drink’. Dolma took that mug, she washed her face and she quafled the water with a series of hiccup sound.

"Thank you Didi, after a sigh, she told. Then she asked, "Where are Sapana and Sweta?" Oh, they are there. Gauri pointed to the field where the children were playing. They lit a fire on a heap of dry corn sheaves and jumping over it.

Gauri made a loud calling over there. 'Sapana, Sweta! Come! Come! You come and see who has come here.' The children could see a girl in half pants and T shirt. In their eyes, she looked like an angel or a beauty queen. They rushed to her. When they reached near, they began to call Dolma," Dolma didi, When did you come? Dolma gave them a sweet smile then she replied. 'I came right now.

Sapana, she wore a skirt only and mucus coming from her nostrils it looked like walrus tusk. She inhaled it and rubbed it with her left hand. "What is inside this bag?" She inquired. Dolma: "Hey, I forgot to give this." She gave them some chocolates. While she opened the bag, the children noticed a toy which Dolma bought from Kathmandu '99' price market where many things are available and each thing bears the price level of Rs. 99.

Sweta took out that toy, she switch on it. It began to sing and talk. What a wonderful toy! They astonished! 'How much?' the children asked. "Only 99 Rupees," Dolma replied. "Can we get it?” They requested. 'Yes, you can.' Dolma nodded to them unwillingly because she was supposed to give that toy to her younger sister. Sweta and Sapana were happy. They played that toy again and again.

Where is Madhav Dai (elder brother)? Dolma asked to Gauri. A lightining of sorrow flashed through the Gauri's mind. She began to weep. The gleam of tears reached her check and fell on her chest. She explained everything in a whimpering voice. One day at the dawn, a squad of army personnel came and they saw a notice stuck by some body on our wall which reads: Hide in the bushes at dawn.

Come out from there at dusk. Spill in the blood. No mercy until we reach our goal. They asked some cross questions. In the end, they fired at him. Thus we lost our bread-winner. Prakash was not here. He was gone to "Nepalgunj" for army recruitment test. She began to weep. Dolma rubbed Gauri's tears and hugged her and tried to console her.

Gauri continued: Dolma we thought that was the end. But do you know what happened here three months before.A group of young people came here and called for Prakash. I thought they were his friends. They stamped him brutally and forcefully took him to the jungle.

Later we heard he was killed. Dolma stunned for a while and sighed wistfully. A vivid picture of their silent love fluttered its wings and whizzed through her mind. She remembered those days where they had a talk against caste system, brutal killings, terrorism and all other social evils.

Finally, they concluded the need for a civil society, where there will be no war. The people will beat their swords in to plow shares and their guns in to spades. They will not take up swords against themselves nor will they train for war any more.

There will be full of merriment and happiness.

The day before she left for Kathmandu, she met Prakash and they went to the valley turf and sat there. Prakash caught a whiff of perfume, as he leaned towards her. She felt Prakash was a wiry man. His each kiss gave her more kinky. His beard was tickling her while she twisted with trickle. She smelled his stink of sweat. She liked it. He asked her: Will you forget me when you reach Kathmandu? "No. Never, she promised to him. Then she asked: "What shall I bring from there? Nothing! I need nothing except you. He answered. "Shall I bring a T shirt with print of Ronaldo or David Beckham" she requested with coy smile. A sweet smile flashed on the face of Prakash. He looked at her lustrous eyes and called her "You are a luscious girl." They wanted to hug once more. But they heard the whistle of the school children who were going along the windy way winding around the hill Prakash hurriedly step down to the valley and bid her with the word of "See you again" Let's wait for our Nevada where mysterious wisdom is hidden. We will remove the snow-clad and find wisdom for our civil society.

Oh! Dolma Gauri nudged her. Dolma rose from her by gone days. Gauri continued: Nowa-days our valley is not virtuous but it becomes violent valley. Sometimes, army will come or a gang or armed people come. If the army will come, they check each and every place or a gang will come, they will ask food & money.

"Each sunset gives us a night mare and each day-break gives us a dismal day and can we meet next morning is somebody’s guess” Gauri concluded. No! a fine tomorrow will come one day. We must be optimistic. Dolma consoled her again.

Gauri asked to her, "Dolma, what is the meaning of govt. and political party?

Dolma was excited to tell the answer. She explained Govt.! Govt. is essential, for us. It brought man to civil society from his bellicosity, barbarism etc. Man becomes man due to the function of govt. If there is no govt., his wild nature will come out from his heart.

The govt, can be any form. Monarchical, democratic bureaucratic or any cratic. But it must consist of selflessness people who are capable to tackle any problems of society to bring peace and prosperity. The ultimate purpose of govt. is to provide maximum happiness to the people.

Similarly, political party must be belonged to the politically oriented people, who are free from fanatics and bloodshed step, are able to innovate political idea to solve problems of society to establish a welfare state... 

“What nice words” Gauri amazed!

Dolma replied. No, No, it is not my words. Our teacher D'souza taught us there. He may be a Christian. Gauri opinioned, 'yes he is' Dolma said: Then she again corrected it No, No, he always claim he is neither Christian nor Buddhist., Hindu or Muslim. His religion is humanity. Who is this D'sujja? Interrupting their talk Sweta asked. Dolma bent little before Sweta and told her, "He is our teacher!"

Sweta again asked Didi (elder sister). Man can be a ghost before his death? A smile came on Dolma's face; 'yes' he can be a ghost. He can be beast. No, no, you are smiling. Sweta cooed. 'Yes' smiling in our language means something is wrong. But, in English it is right.

Then, the small girl pointed over there. Didi, look at those bamboo bushes when wind blows it is murmuring like a mad woman. Our grandma once told us there is a ghost. It will come at night if we cry or shout at night. Is it true? Yes in our village or valley it is true. She smiled again.

"Dolma you are getting late." Gauri reminded her. The radiant of setting sun cast on bamboo bushes and made a shadow of ghost. Meanwhile, A Black Ibis, the bird, flew over their heads making loud nasal screaming, Gauri told oh, Ibis crying. What will happen tonight my God!

Dolma hurriedly picked up her bag. She bid them with the word of "See you tomorrow." Gauri and her children also said: see you tomorrow. Let's wait for a fine day for all. Dolma once more said and made her way for home.

When she reached her home, her father was not there. He went to Pokhara. Her mother, her sister and one of her nephews were there. Her mother asked when her school would re-open. She should not have come there because there were many political and law & order problems due to civil war waged by Maoist.

Moreover, she came alone. However, they were happy but she was not. Before she went to bed, she approached to her mother and begged; "Dear Mum! Was Prakash killed or not?" Tell me the truth. Who told this? Her mother scolded. His mother 'Gauri didi' she wept. "These people are yokel" her mother showed mendacity and continued, "There is only a rumor. Some people are telling Prakash is working in a school at Dolpa near Tibet boarder. No one knows the right things". After a sneeze, she took her rosary beads and began to pray 'Om mani pemme hue', the Buddhist prayer. The repetition of the same version of the prayer was gradually receding in to her sound snoring.

That night, they went to bed very late. The lizards were lurking around the lamp in her room, bounced over a winged insect and put out the light. Dolma lied on the bed by hearing the whisper and scurry of small creatures in the night. An owl was hooting spasmodically. The dark clouds were floating over the crescent moon. The darkness dragged her to a bad dream. She saw a will-o-the wisp on the field. A man wore a T shirt with a print of Ronaldo and David Beckham, was crossing the field and coming towards her. His body was full of blood stains and blood gushed scars. He wanted her to be a brave, broad minded and optimistic girl. He wanted to kiss her. When he wanted to do so, she made loud cry. Her mother, her Sister, her nephew and all they woke up. Dolma pointed her finger outside with a panting.

They heard loud pathetic cry, yelling and gun shot. They opened the sash window of their chalet. The smoke billowing out of the houses and juxtaposed against the darkening clouds. Her mother moaned. Oh, my God, the smoke is coming from Gauri's house. Dolma and her family could not sleep in that fearful night.

In the next day the sun rose as usual but the people in that village were not rise as usual. Dolma as an educated youth should be brave and broad-minded. She went there. She saw the house where she rested for a while and had chat with Gauri, Sweta, Sapana was charred. Her eyes entangled on a plastic toy that bought from Kathmandu ¹99¹ shop, was partially burnt and on it a charred child palm griped.

Dolma grieved of the grisly crime. Then her grief-stricken mind remembered her teacher D'souza's definition of govt, political party, and the concept of their civil society. She sobbed and cried again and again. She felt, "the peoples of every hills and dales are crying, the black bird, Ibis is crying, the ghost hiding among the bushes is crying, the army is crying, the young terrorist gangs are crying. Finally, all they are confessed and changed their minds for a civil society". And all they assured her. "A fine day will come." "Hope for Nevada!" 

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