UNANSWERABLE QUESTION

It was winter, a picnic season, our college had decided to take us to one of the picnic spots situated on the hill as they used to take in the past. Our team of four friends was too excited to go on picnic with newly acquainted classmates. We had been thinking of plans to make it more memorable since the notification as to picnic was circulated in different classrooms. All of us were really fun making, jocular and a bit negligent. So, we managed to hide bottles inside the bus. As it was my first visit to that place, I seemed to be a little quiet since I was busy to look at scenery through the window of a bus that we were going by.
I couldn't hold the time how fast we reached the picnic spot. I felt tired to get off the bus as I had been sitting on the chair for about two and half hours. No sooner had we reached than I willed to take some snapshots because I was captivated by the breathtaking surrounding. I had to help others carry our belongings to a particular place beforehand.
Time was passing by, after having eaten lunch; almost all of us were dispersed in search of different purposes except a small team of catering. Then we started strolling up a high mountain. It was not our habit to go trekking and take part in different tiring activities. We, really, were worn out within whiles we started walking. One of my friends pointed at a pub which was by the roadside. After making sure none of our acquaintances were around us, we rushed to the pub. It was daytime, so we hardly found a handful of customers sitting inside. Maybe, the pub owner recognized us as city dwellers on account of our accent and dress-up. Albeit I was non-drinker, I accompanied my bosom friends inasmuch as we were in the world of enjoyment. I didn't like to spoil their hilarious moments.
In college, I didn't long for consume alcoholic goods and tobacco and they didn't force me to use either. But the case was different on picnic, they pleaded me to involve with them for that moment only. I couldn't resist, I assented to their request. I had some sips of local wine. It was enough quantity to get drunk. I was not drinker, so scant amount of alcohol stormed my senses. In spite of this, I pretended to be all right. After our lunch, we had a lot of fun by singing, dancing, playing lottery game etc. It was late afternoon, my friends reminded me of the wine that we had concealed in the bus. Our guys took the wines secretly and we headed for a safe and solitary place. We were sitting under intricate roots of an old, tall tree. The sunlight was fading away--the sun was waving goodbye beyond the horizon. The place was densely crowded with gravestones.
Forgetting everything, we quenched our thirst and heated our body. It was really chill evening. I couldn't prevent my friends from drinking wildly. I wanted to take a short pee. I was leaning against a big tree; I spotted a teenage girl who was collecting driftwoods. Her hair was open, swinging-- she was wearing kurta salwar. I failed to suppress my passion to meet her. I approached her. "Hello, I am from Damak, could you tell me your name, please?" I asked. She hesitated to respond and she didn't interest to turn her head to me either. I again went in front of her. This time she was about to turn, I noticed her face. She carried her pannier filled up with firewood and moved up to her home. I followed her and trudged. I was staggering owing to intoxication. She strode so fast that she evanesced within a few minutes. Darkness had completely embraced the earth. I could hear noises made by small insects and see fireflies. While foliages fell off trees, I used to get out of breath, half-paralyzed and frozen. Gathering the courage, I proceeded to an abode to trace her which appeared nearly hundred meters away. I knocked at the door, no one replied. "Is anyone inside?" I shouted. After whiles, I entered into the house, I saw none. The framing photo hanged on the wall seemed to have moved. I closely looked at the photo hanged on the wall where I saw the girl who I was following. It beat me.
I came outside. A farmer was walking past that house said, "This home is haunted, and nobody lives here, so you had better clear out this home." It, really, threw me into a suspension. The sight of gravestones struck me. I was out of my wits. My heart was palpitating. But I had to believe in it. I gathered my wits and courage, and ran uncontrollably screaming to my friends. My voice easily echoed at night. I didn't know where my mind was leading. I felt someone poke me and move aside, I was scared. I turned--nobody appeared.
I thought I might have hallucinated under the influence of the intoxicant. It started to rain; I was sheltering under a tree. Drops of rain were pattering my head. I looked up; I couldn't believe my eyes because a friend of mine was swaying on the tree. Due to the bolt of lights, it was possible to identify him. I hardly climbed up the tree and threw his dead body down to the ground. As I climbed down, the corpse flew up to the same place. It continued. At length, I devised an idea. I clung to him and tied my body to his, so as to manage to jump down together. It was my responsibility to take his death body to his family. I gave him piggyback and was walking down the trail. I could hear nothing besides rain drops dripping on the leaves. All of a sudden someone whistled. I gave a shout, "Somebody is there?" No responded. I kept on striding. I was wheezing. After whiles, the corpse at the back chuckled and threatened me to release provided that I answered his question.I was numb. He said it was futile task to take him because nobody had been freed from his cuddle. My body was sweating.
He explained: Long time ago a family consisted of three members was heading somewhere. On theway, they saw a temple of Kaali goddess. The husband asked his wife and son to wait till he retured, and went to pray. But her husband inhibited. Then she sent the son to call his father. The son didn't return either. Eventually, she herself rushed to the temple. She had hardly reached the entrance of the temple when she shouted. She saw her husband and the son lay on the ground. The sight was ribroaring because their heads were cut off and there was bloodshed. She wailed and thought there was no existence of living without family. She picked up the trisul and was about to kill herself. A peculiar voice echoed without any figure but vortex. The voice assured her that she would get her dead son and husband provided that she worshipped Kaali goddess every Saturday. The voice ordered her to splice their heads to respective bodies.She was so delighted that she misplaced their heads, the head of husband was stuck to headless body of her husband. Now which of them did she call her husband?" asked the corpse.
It was his malicious nature. That's why he asked this question. I sank my hope to return home after listening to such unanswerable question. I loved my life. I wish I wouldn't die at youth. Suddenly, my mobile commenced vibrating with ring tone. I was woken up from the mouth of death. I found myself lying at the back of the bus. My college friends were dancing to a Hindi dancing song. I thanked who had called me at that time. Since that time I always set vibration on my cell phone. I was obsessed with that question. Since that dream, I have been seeking for the answer to that question. Does it have answer?

Submission by
Amar Limbu
Proession: Teaching
Chelsea Int'l Academy & GCE-A Level Campus
Cell-9803685286
E-mail. amarsherma@gmail.com
Address, Koteshwor, Kathmandu