“Walk of Freedom” by Mimi Rana, Kathmandu, Nepal

topic: DREAMS medium: TEXT

photo submitted by Andrea Bertani

Blood was oozing out of Limbu dai’s bullet wound.  I realized that he was going to die. This thought gave me a sense of relief. A tiny part of me still shifted uneasily however, each time he wheezed and coughed; cold appeared to have got his lungs.  We were huddled up behind a huge rock that was at the edge of a very steep cliff, hiding from the army, who had attacked our camp.  In a distance I could hear their heavy boots, searching for us and our friends.  To my relief the
sound then faded away.  If I’d made a small sound, they’d have rescued me like my friends.  But I was reminded of a boy Limbu dai had told me about, who had gotten rescued, and after a month he was found stoned to death.  He was explaining; why I was better off with them.

I was only twelve when he abducted me from my school.  I was in art class, and ironically I was drawing a statue of Buddha, when they charged in with guns and took me and three other boys.  A silly boy I was, for I had been excited riding behind that stinky truck with pigs and goats that they had stolen from somewhere, wondering what adventures awaited me.  After my real father died, I’d prefer anything but going home to my step-father and their 5 year old brat.

When we reached the camp, Limbu dai handed a gun to me, “You’re going to learn, how to use this” he had said.  I hated guns.  It had killed my father.  Maoists had once barged inside our hut demanding food, and when they had claimed our grains too, father objected, and they’d shot him dead.  In the Maoist camp I was kept in a room without food or water until I agreed.

The coughing stopped, and then the wheezing. I slowly took my finger under his nose and almost fell off the cliff when he suddenly opened his eyes.  He saved me by grabbing my hand, and smirked “You‘re not free! I can see a rebellion in you…” and closed his eyes.  His head slowly dropped to the side.

I gingerly got up and started walking towards my freedom.  His last words were disturbing me, but it felt better once my steps took me further away from him.  A smile must’ve appeared on my face, because I did feel like it… after a long time. “Oy Harke!”  A voice from the bush called my name, and then his face peeped out. “This way!” he beckoned.  He was Ramu, who worked with Limbu dai.  He was supposed to be the next commander.  I had suffered their domination for four years! And with freedom smiling at me just inches away, I was not going to let him rob it off me!  I followed him and once we were inside, I shot him. Limbu Dai was right, I’ve become a rebellion.