Eventually Jalani waved them over and they all sat in a circle around the pit as some of the tribal women lit a fire. They had killed a lamb recently and, in honor of their guests, were going to cook it with roots and potatoes. Eric sat next to Jalani and listened to the sing-songy language. It had beautiful upward inflections which gave a wholly different sound from any language he’d ever heard. “The elder says he’s seen your monster,” Jalani said. “What is it?” Thomas asked. “He couldn’t say exactly. But it was large.” “How did he see it?” “They’ve lost one of their tribe two days ago in the night. A man.” “Tell them we grieve with them and that we could use a tracker if they could spare someone.” Jalani asked and the elder shook his head and said something harsh. “What’s the matter?” Thomas asked. “They’re scared. They say this animal can’t be killed.” “Why not?” Jalani asked. “They say he is the devil.” “A devil?” Thomas said with a grin. “Well assure them it is only an animal and one that we intend to get rid of.” “One of the children claims that it spoke with them.”
Thomas laughed. “Nonsense. Tell them we’re willing to pay for the services of a good tracker and that I will not stop until this beast is dead. Tell him it’s in his interest to help us so no more of his tribe should suffer.”
Jalani translated and the man thought awhile, then said something and offered his hand. Jalani took it and they held each other for a moment. “He agrees,” Jalani said, “but not for money. He says only because you are serious and he does not wish any more of his tribe to die. He also invites us to stay the night.”
“Tell him that’s very gracious and that we accept.”
Eric found the people of the tribe friendly and welcoming. Anything they had, they shared. They ate fresh lamb which was greasy but had a slightly sweet taste that he found appealing. The villagers, mostly vegetarian, ate only the roots and potatoes. Afterward Thomas shared some beers with the elders and they sat around telling stories. Eric wandered off to the outskirts of the village, standing on the edge of the green shrubbery and golden fields. The wind rustled through the plains in a soft whisper, almost like it was speaking. It was enough to send a chill down his back. “Beautiful isn’t it?” William said as he walked up and stood next to him. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a sky so blue.” “I like these people. They’re innocent, like children.” “I doubt that, Eric. We all have the capacity for evil inside us. Even them.”
Eric picked a long strand of grass and twirled it in his fingers, squinting as he looked far out into the fields at the water buffalo grazing on the open plains. “Why’d you come here, Will?”
“Vacation.”
“You hunt man-eating animals for a vacation?”
William smiled. “No. My wife is friends with Thomas, I think they went to school together in London. He offered a once in a lifetime trip and she insisted we come. I don’t think she likes Boston very much. It can be really gray and cold.” William took out his cigars and handed one to Eric before lighting it and taking one for himself. “What are you gonna do after the animal’s dead?” “I don’t know. I can’t go home.” “Why?” Eric didn’t answer. “Oh,” William said. “What?”
“You don’t need to lie to me, Eric. I can see it in you. You miss your home but can’t go there.” He took a puff and decided to change the subject. “This tiger’s supposedly killed a lot of people.”
“Yeah. I guess you think we’re doing God’s work, huh?”
“God doesn’t ask anything of us. He doesn’t even ask us to be good, not really. He just shows us both sides and has us decide. But no, I don’t think animals can be evil. But hell, I don’t know, maybe they can and we’re just too arrogant to see it.” “Gentleman!” Thomas yelled out, “it’s very rude to be apart from the group during a feast.” William put his hand on Eric’s shoulder. “Do you have anything you want to tell me?” “No.” “Maybe some other time.” “Maybe.”
As they walked back to the group, Jalani handed them a large bowl filled with a rancid, fermented drink. William took a long drink and handed it to Eric as they proceeded to get drunk. The tribe lit a large bonfire, making it roar with dry timber and a type of moss. As darkness fell, they pulled out a few drums and began a dance, chanting a melody that Sandra and Thomas took up as well. Soon, they were all drunk and dancing and chanting melodies that would last well into the night. Jalani would glance over to Eric and smile. Eventually, she came up and sat next to him. “How do you feel?” she asked. “Fine.” “You saw death today. Sometimes, that can change a person’s soul.” “I don’t know if I believe in a soul.”
“Really? I believe everything has a soul. In my tribe, we believe that the soul, at least a small part of it, leaves the body with the breath. If two people breathe into each other, they will be part of each other forever.” Eric smiled. “You find funny our beliefs?” Jalani said playfully. “No, it’s just amazing the things people like to believe in.”
Jalani glanced over at the group. They were all around the fire, dancing and singing in melody to the music. “Will you dance?” she said. She stood up and motioned for him to follow.
Eric stood up and followed her close to the flames. Her slender figure appeared exotic next to the fire, her silhouette like that of goddess; darkness against flame. Her dance wasn’t like the others’ drunken movements. She was very purposeful, her hips moving in line with her legs and her muscular upper body. She took Eric’s hands and wrapped them around her hips. He ran his hands up and down her body as they danced. When they were coated in sweat and their muscles were warm and stretched from the movement, she turned to him and put her arms around his neck. She put her lips to his, and breathed in. He pulled away and saw the mischievous grin she had before she leaned in and kissed him.
CHAPTER
34
Dawn over the plains began with a smoke-gray sky. Soon, the red and orange of the sun would come over the mountains and paint the landscape with color. Then the heat would begin. The waves would come up off the ground creating mirages in every direction one looked. The smell of hot grass and dirt would overtake one’s senses and the day would officially begin.
Eric awoke in a tent next to Jalani and Douglas. Douglas snored like a bear the entire night but Eric was so tired he had fallen right to sleep. Jalani had slept against him, her body warm through the night. He woke and gently removed her hand from his chest before he climbed out of the tent into the bright day. The tribe was up and around. He noticed that the men were gone and only the women and children remained. Some of the children stared and giggled as he made a face at them.
Thomas was seated on the ground, leaning against a tree near one of the tents and sipping at some tea. He nodded hello to Eric as he walked over and sat in the shade next to him. “Quite a sociable people, no?” Thomas said. “I like ‘em. They have no sense of ‘mine’; they share everything. They’re not really a tribe I found out. More like a town.” “Sleep well?” “Not bad, but I was drunk. What was that drink anyway?”
“Milk mixed with the spit of all the tribe and then left to ferment in the sun.” Eric got a look on his face that Thomas couldn’t help but smile at. “You’ll be fine,” Thomas said. “So what do you think of Andhra Pradesh?”
“It’s beautiful. I can see why my dad came here.”
Thomas took a sip of tea. “You’re father died not far from here, maybe two or three day’s journey.”
A robin chirped in the tree above them, dancing among the branches before flapping her wings in a furious display and then darting off. “Will asked what I’m going to do after we kill the tiger.” “Oh? And what did you say?” “I said I don’t know.”
“Well, if you prove yourself a useful hunter, I suppose I could use an apprentice. You could stay with me in Hyderabad until you found a place of your own. There’s a lot of money to be made in helping tourists see the sights and make a kill. You could do it a few years and save enough to go and live wherever you want.” “I don’t know. I’m not much of a hunter.” “That’s yet to be seen. You can only tell when you’re eye-to-eye with the beast.” William crawled out of a tent on the far side of the village and waved hello as he stretched his back. “How do you know Will and his wife?” Eric asked. “I attended school with Sandra. We were, at that time, quite the item.”
Eric never even thought that Thomas was interested in women. Not that he thought he was a homosexual, but more like asexual. He seemed like he’d be perfectly content with a solitary life. “Really? What happened?”
