"Yooki... Yooki... Yookiiii..." Radhika Yooki kaa narm, mulaayam gaal pe phir se ek chuttkii kaat-te huye cooed, "tu itnaa cute kaise?!"

With sparkling almond eyes, and a tiny little pouty mouth, Yooki was cute as a button, sweet as a nut... ridiculously pretty, and compellingly endearing!

Thaa toh class ten kaa ladkaa, parr bachpanaa abhi tak nahi gayaa thaa - wide-eyed and forever playful, Yooki was unselfconsciously exuberant and outrageously unrestrained... full of weird ideas, childish pranks, and a hilarious take on practically everything.

And they absolutely enjoyed having him around!

"Seriously, not just cute, jaan-levaa cute..." Supriya squealed, doosraa gaal pe chuttkii kaat-te huye, "aur twachaa toh dekh, kitnaa soft and smooth... kaash my skin was also this lovely!"

"Saara dinn facewash, facepack aur moisturiser ragad-ragad ke mal-ne ke baad bhi nahi?!" Gurpreet, urf Guppy, snickered wickedly under his breath.

"Guppy, tu chup baith!" Supriya growled menacingly, before letting out a sigh as she caressed Yooki's cheek, "Aur kyaa rang, haai!"

"Mujhe toh bas uska rang mil jaaye toh enough!" Asha giggled from the back.

"Arre, ab chhodo bhi," Rohan hasnte huye kaha, "dopahar se hii tease kar rahe'n ho bechaare ko!"

"Haan, aur karenge!" Radhika instantly snapped, patting the reddened cheek, "Pehle yeh toh bataye'n kii aaj itnaa chup kyu hain, phir hum chhod denge."

"Uska marzi, tumhe kya?" Rohan ne hanste huye bolaa.

"Yaar, Rohan, he's fun... always... the very soul of our trips," Asha said, "par aaj, suddenly, he's gone totally silent, kyu?"

"Honest," Nikhat nodded, "pechle do saalon me do minute se zyada Yooki ko chup rehte huye meine kabhi nahi dekhaa!"

"Exactly!" agreed Radhika, adding, "Besides, subah jab Conrad hame'n pickup kiyaa toh Yooki normal thaa, non-stop chatar-pater as usual, all the way to Dhimaan's place, where we picked up you guys... aur phir achaanak, chup!"

The girls stayed just off campus, keerai pe, while the guys shared rooms further down, closer to town, ek fifteen minutes drive away. Conrad aur Reggie being locals, apne-apne ghar par hii rehte thae.

"Arre, iss me meraa naam kyu?" Dhimaan hanste huye bol uthaa, "Meine kyaa kiyaa, huh?"

"Teraa naam nahi, yaar," Radhika replied, "par once we got there he fell silent."

"And has remained that way all day!" sighed Supriya, giving the boy a hug.

"Oooo..." went a few of the girls, "kissa kya hain, Yookiii?"

Radhika aur Supriya kae beech baithaa, bechaara Yooki gulnaar saa cheheraa liye, sarr jhukaaye, chup-chaap sharmaataa raha -- eyes lowered, the smile coy.

"Yaar, meraa chhotaa saa bhai ko kyu pareshaan karr rahe'n ho aaj, ab bass bhi karo naa..." Conrad, Yooki's older cousin smiled indulgently as he looked back over his shoulder from the passenger seat beside the driver.

"Tu chup baith!" Radhika instantly snapped, before tousling Yooki's silky mop of straight, longish hair cooing at the boy in baby tongue, "Ale-ale, thotaa saa, nanha saa battaa hain tela bhaai? Toh phir hum college walon ke saath kyu hangout kartaa, huh?"

Yooki chhod sab hii classmates thae - third year med students, while he was Conrad's younger cousin, a schoolboy... but they knew him well, was used to having him hangout with them.

"Bol naa Yooki, aaj itna chup kyu..." Supriya nudged, "girlfriend se jhagda huya kya? She broke up with you?"

"Haawww..." everyone drawled instantly -- not just the girls, but also a few of the guys -- giggling mischievously at the silent boy's discomfiture.

"Dekho toh kaisaa sharmaa rahaa hain, full on blush!" Radhika laughed, both girls once more pinching his cheeks "Zaroor girlfriend wala chakkar hii hoga!"

"Tauba, girlfriend?!" Nikhat exclaimed with feigned shock, "Aap date bhi karte ho, Yooki?!"

"Kyu nahi?" Aarti called out from the back, "Aisaa cute saa bandaa kaha milegaa tumhe, huh? Agar chahe'n toh vo sab overhyped K-Pop idols ko he can give a run for their money!"

"Bilkul sahi!" Radhika agreed wholeheartedly, "Woh Hong-bin, Joshua, Baek-hyun aur baaki sab ko 'chal-hath' kar saktaa hain hamaara Yooki!"

"Sach, I totally agree with that..." concurred Supriya, before giggling as she wrapped an arm around the silent boy, "our Yooki is way cuter than any of those grownup, wannabe teens!"

"Yaar, agar class ten kaa bachchaa nahi ho kar even first year kaa hota toh mein khud hii usko apna boyfriend bana leta!" giggled Asha from her seat beside Rohan.

"Double tauba!" squealed Nikhat, "Rohan ko dump karr deta Yooki ke liye?"

Nikhat was usually a silent observer, simply smiling while the others raised a ruction... but today even she was a participant, enjoying herself teasing the coy little schoolboy.

"Seriously, saare K-Pop kae cute-cute man-boys ko peeche chhod jataa hamara Yooki agar apna koi band banaata!" giggled Supriya.

"Yaar, iss ladke kaa sarr aur mat khaao!" sighed Conrad, "Pehle se hii bigdaa huyaa hain, and you guys will spoil him totally!"

"Hah!" Aarti laughed, "Spoil karne kae liye bachaa kyaa hain teraa ladlaa bhai kaa, huh? You've already spoilt him!"

"Yeah..." agreed Asha, "saara dinn bike pe apne saath le kar ghoomnaa, apne doston ke saath hangout, masti karnaa, koun bolegaa tera bhai school kaa bachchaa hain, huh?"

"Guys, really!" scoffed Reggie, "Tum ladkiyaa'n bhi naa, bilkul dumb ho?"

"Dumb?" Asha and Nikhat bristled, almost simultaneously.

"Yaar, yeh blush, yeh lajiilaa-pan, yeh dabe-honth muskaan, yeh tumhe broken heart yaa breakup kaa sign dikh rahaa hain, huh?" Reggie hanste huye javaab diyaa, "People, yeh hain first flush, prem kaa new-new anubhuti... jise kehte hain prem agan!"

"Hai tauba, sach?!" Nikhat exclaimed looking at Yooki.

"Haan!" Reggie asserted, "Aur yeh silence, yeh pehlaa pyaar kaa pehlaa tadap, the pangs of seperation!"

Not just Nikhat, every pair of eyes was now on Yooki, watching him squirm shyly... his face grow even redder.

Aur iss masti-mazaak, chhed-khaani me, with everyone focussed on little Yooki, kisi ne bhi ek aur cheheraa laal hotey nahi dekhaa, each failing to notice the blushes, and the fidgeting in silent discomfort!

"Pehle agan birha ki, paachhe prem ki pyaas; kahe'n Kabir tab jaaniye, naam milan ki aas!" Dev recited in his serious tone, instantly sending the group in splits.

"Wah-wah, kyaa Kabir kaa dohaa pada bhi yaar!" Guppy guffawed, clapping his hands.

Now, Dev never really spoke much, but when he did it was usually something profound - a quote laced with earthy wisdom and great humour... or a nerve-tickling, tongue-in-cheek observation that instantly sent the gathering bursting into peels of laughter... getting even the most serious professor to chuckle and shake their head.

"Hmmm... first love," mused Aarti, "never thought of that!"

"Dude, Yooki, tu ghabraa mat," Guppy counselled, the tone jovial, "vo nahi toh aur sahi, aur nahi toh aur sahi"

"Wah, kyaa paath pada rahe'n hon bacche ko!" Aarti commented, frosty, before snorting disgustedly, "Guys, such insensitive animals!"

Ignoring Guppy both Supriya and Radhika, on Yooki's either side, asked, "Koun hain, classmate? Bataa naa yaar!"

"Teraa wo dost, Ribum..." Conrad asked, suddenly curious, "uski chhoti behan kyaa?"

"She's cute?" Aarti asked between all the awwws, the ooohs and giggles.

"Oh yeah, she's cute, and totally into Yooki..." Conrad ne hanste huye group ko batayaa, "you should watch her when Yooki's around. Oh my God, all blushes and fluttery eyelids... Yooki too gets all weird and self-conscious!"

Yooki flashed a fleeting glance of fierce disapproval at his older cousin, but quickly went back to squirming and blushing uncomfortably as the two girls tugged at both his cheeks.

And at that exact moment with a loud, ominous clunk, and a foreboding shudder, the Tempo Traveller they were travelling in lurched viciously, veering sharply to the left... almost careening off the narrow road as the driver slammed on the break.

"FUCK, what was that?!" someone at the back called out with horror as they got tossed about, almost thrown off their seats.

They had been bumping along a very rough patch of road, had just crossed over a culvert and hit a rather large pothole, when the series of clicks and clanks that had started a short while ago culminated in the loud clunk, the vehicle jerking as the engine seemed to splutter and stall... before finally coming to a grinding halt, half-on-half-off the pockmarked asphalt.

"Sweet Jesus, kyaa huyaa?" Conrad asked the driver, before turning and asking, "You guys okay?"

With groans and grunts they nodded, looking around at each other.

"Kyaa bhai..." a few of the guys asked the still shaken driver, "tyre burst kyaa?"

"Axle..." the driver mumbled unbuckling his seatbelt.

"Axle tooth gayaa?!" Dhimaan asked, sounding horrified.

"Yaar, hum last week trip book kiyaa..." Venkat said rubbing his elbow, "trip se pehle service nahi karwayaa kyaa? Gadi ko check nahi kiyaa?"

"Kuch bhi problem nahi thaa..." the driver replied getting off the vehicle.

"Toh bas, yuhi tooth gaya, huh?" Venkat asked hotly as the group trooped out.

"Road dekhaa aap ne?" the driver retorted grabbing a torch from under his seat and scooting down, looking under, "Ooper se vo kachchaa sadak, meine manaa kiyaa thaa..."

They had taken the SH-5 that day, driving past Rumnong... past villages and hamlets, past orchards and farmlands... before getting off the highway onto a narrow side road that had seen better days somewhere in the past... bumping their way through the forested mountainside, past more fields and orchards -- a 65 minutes of torturously slow, bone rattling drive -- till they reached a tiny speck of a settlement...

"Yaha right le lo..." Conrad instructed as he spotted what he was looking for, pointing to a single lane, unpaved mud track that branched out.

The driver protested, "Rastaa kaha? Yeh toh road bhi nahi!"

"Yaar, bas ek kilometre..." Conrad gave his cheery smile, "trek route tak."

Rutted and gravelly, the 'road', if it could even be called that, climbed a steep uphill, tree covered section -- a mere 1.2 kms, yet a solid 15 minutes of tough ride, the vehicle tossed and flung about like a boat in rough seas -- abruptly ending in a small clearing at the edge of a ravine.

Conrad had just found out about the place -- an old living-root bridge across a stream that had been washed away in a flash flood over two decades ago... the remnants, bits and pieces of roots from the ruined bridge still visible, still selfie and Instagram worthy!

And also, a swim hole and waterfall further upstream -- the only pool on the side of a cliff rather than down below -- an almost perfect circle of crystal clear water, spilling over the southern edge and plunging down the rockface in a cascade of liquid silver, spraying a plume of foam and mist, flowing in a narrow watercourse before joining the main stream!

"Yaar, bas... bas..." Conrad beech me bolaa, trying to cool tempers as the group gathered around Venkat, asking the driver, "sure axle hii gayaa?"

"Haan..." the driver confirmed standing up.

"Toh ab kyaa?" Conrad asked.

"Iss road pe kuch khaas traffic nahi milegaa..." the driver shrugged, "agar koi gaonwala mil gayaa toh usse request karnaa..."

It was a desolate stretch of road -- no villages, and neither a hamlet anywhere near -- the narrow strip of road hemmed in by thick growth on either side... the mountain stream they had just crossed over lazily meandering through.

"Yaa koi two, three wheeler aa gayaa toh aap me se koi aage highway tak chale'n jaana," the driver was saying, "yaa Rumnong tak, wahaa shayad kuch mil jaaye'n. Nahi toh Shillong jaa kar doosri gaadi arrange karnaa padegaa."

"Shillong?" Venkat grimaced, "Yaha se highway, phir Rumnong kareeb ek ghantaa, and another hour plus to Shillong, that will be over four hours, round trip. Already sunset hone wala hain, aur jab tak lautoge aath baj jaayegaa, it'll be completely dark!"

"By eight..." Guppy added shaking his head, "that's only if we get some transport right now!"

"Oh my God!" the girls gasped in unison.

"Aur agar koi gaonwala nahi aaya toh?" Venkat asked shushing the girls.

"Paidal jaanaa padegaa highway tak..." the driver shrugged throwing the torchlight under his seat.

"Fuck!" Rohan exclaimed.

"That's about what, a thirty minute walk from here, huh?" asked Guppy.

"Yes..." nodded the driver.

"Toh aap kyu nahi chale'n jaate, huh?" Venkat questioned.

"Mein gaadi chhod kar nahi jaataa," he replied, firm.

"Tumhara owner ko call karo, bolo doosri gaadi bheje..." Guppy suggested.

"He is the owner, dude," Conrad replied.

"Network nahi milegaa yahaa," the driver answered, "khud jaana padega town."

"Oh my God, seriously, there's no signal!" one of the girls cried out.

"Not even a single bar!" exclaimed another.

And as tempers seemed to bubble and rise, like some heavenly miracle they heard the loud clatter and creak of strained metal, accompanied with the whine of an overworked engine in the silence of the wilderness... soon catching sight of a goods auto rattling up the road towards them -- a most heartwarming vision!

Conrad aur driver ne jaldi road kae beech jaa kar haath hilaane lagaa... the other guys soon joining in.

The man, a happy faced stranger, was running his weekly errand, delivering essentials to the remote villages and hamlets, and was headed back home, to Shillong... happy to help, take a couple of the guys to town. And yes, he'd inform the garage and have them send over a mechanic.

Conrad and Dhimaan volunteered to go... and off they went, to try their luck at Rumnong, or else, Shillong.

"Ab kyaa?" asked Supriya.

"Chal, waha baith-te..." Rohan suggested.

Right after the culvert, by the side of the stream to their left, was a small patch of open ground, about the size of a tennis court... bare and rock strewn, devoid of trees or shrubs.

"Yeah, better than being cooped up in the van," Venkat agreed, "or standing here."

"Aur saanp niklaa toh?" a girl asked.

"Yaar, pichle do saalo'n se hum ghane jungle, heavy undergrowth me trek kar rahe'n hain, overnight camping bhi kiye'n hain, aur yeh toh open ground hain, no bushes, saanp kaha se niklegaa, huh?"

"Aur niklaa toh bhaagenge!" Guppy laughed, doing an impromptu snake dance while mimicking the iconic Nagin been sound.

"Shut up, stupid!"

Kareeb teen saal pehle miley thae sab... school kae baad ghar chhod duur Shillong me aayaa thaa doctor banne kae liye. First do mahinaa settle hone me lag gayaa, aur phir dosti banii... aur sabhi apne-apne interests ke mutaabik apna-apna groups banaa liyaa...

Conrad, Reggie, Dhimaan, Gurpreet, Rohan, Venkat, Radhika, Nikhat, Asha, Aarti aur Supriya sab adventure enthusiasts thae, passionate about travelling, ghoomne aur trekking kaa bada shaukeen, so by the third month they were off practically every weekend -- exploring the neighbourhood of Shillong, visiting the famed living-root bridges, waterfalls and swim holes, hiking to hidden lagoons, secret lakes and sacred-groves.

Shuru-shuru me toh sirf daylong trips thaa, parr second year hotey-hotey, jaise-jaise jaan-pehchaan aur dosti gehraa hotaa gayaa, unke trips bhi lambaa bantaa gayaa -- overnight camping, and all weekend excursions to more far flung spots, and even neighbouring states.

The breathtakingly beautiful land -- fertile with myriad myths, folklores and superstitions -- the forested mountains, hills and valleys nestling an endless treasure trove of enchanting locales to sate their appetite...

Where every nook and cranny, every dale and grotto had a story attached to it, an elaborate tale to narrate. Where every space beyond the ken seemed to harbour fascinatingly elusive entities ready to swoop down at any moment. Where each flutter, and every moving shadow seemed imbued with a life of its own...

A space where human consciousness constantly played an intensely potent game of light and shadow under the dappled shade of the lush canopy... the dense, swirling mist further obscuring the vista, lending a spooky feel to the silent forest!

The silence broken by birdcalls and the hum of bees... trickling water and the susurration of gentle breeze through the trees... distant crackles and furtive scurries... and of course, their laboured huffs and puffs, their grunts and groans, and their amazed 'ahh' and 'oohh' as they admired the expansive view.

Oh, it was sheer joy, an unimaginable thrill, tramping up and down over the rough and tumble of the undulating landscape... hiking along ridges, and following trails as the well marked paths meandered through pine forests bursting with colourful rhododendron and orchid bloom... the forest floor lush with ferns... moss covering practically everything -- tree trunks, rocks, stones and fallen twigs... dangling from branches like an old man's beard.

They usually set out early, just as dawn was breaking -- breakfast and lunch, snacks and water, dhurries and other essentials neatly packed. Dev and Rohan carrying their guitars, and all mobiles fully charged!

Third year hotey-hotey sab kuch dekh chukey thae -- the popular and the obscure -- they had been to every site worth visiting... had witnessed the colourful annual boat race on the Umngot, the International Cherry Blossom Festival, and the `Siat Khnam', the highly famed archery competition popular with boys and young men.

Aur ab, with the increased academic work load, unke jaunts had become daylong picnic trips to quaint little villages and lesser known locales away from the more touristy sites...

Yooki now regularly joining them.

Aur iss trip pe Dhimaan's cousin Suvir bhi join kiyaa thaa, a first year undergrad pursuing his Tea Management programme -- BSc(Hons) Agriculture in Tea Husbandry -- was visiting Dhimaan for the extended weekend, and had arrived the day before.

All of eighteen, the teen was stunningly goodlooking, and with impeccable manners too... but rather quiet. Though Dhimaan assured them that Suvir was neither quiet, nor bashful... could be wickedly charming, and full of outrageously quirky ideas of fun!

Taking the dhurries and cushions the girls got off the road, gingerly climbing down the incline as the boys followed - Reggie and Dev with their guitar... Venkat and Guppy carrying the leftovers and snacks.

"Tujhe ab phir se khaana honaa, huh?" Aarti snickered at the two, "Bhukkad!"

"Toh aur kyaa karnaa while we wait?" Guppy sniggered back.

"Yaar, we should save it for later..." suggested Rohan, "Rumnong me agar van nahi milaa toh it will get real late, aur iss jungle me this is our only option..."

"Yaar, tum log bhi naa!" Venkat let out an annoyed grunt as they settled down.

"Chalo, Asha... Nikhat, shuru ho jaao!" Reggie said, apnaa guitar kae taar ched-te huye.

Dev responding with a quick, fast-paced strum of his own, plucking the high notes.

"Nah, subah se sirf mein aur Asha hii gaa rahii hoon, aaj toh Dev didn't sing even a single song!" Nikhat shook her head.

Asha, Nikhat and Dev were amazing singers, each a natural, with a superb sense of music, and extraordinary vocal qualities. Rohan bhi thoda gungunaa letaa thaa, par baki kae sab besuraa!

"Yaar aaj bahut gaana ho chukaa," Rohan said, "yeh scenery toh dekho, yeh location... yeh sannaata, shaam kaa yeh waqt, kyu naa koi romaanch bharaa kaahaani ho jaaye, huh?"

"Yes, ek spine-tingling saa horror story!" roared Guppy, thumping the air with his fist.

"No guys, no horror stories!" Supriya shook her head.

"Yaar, just look around..." Venkat said, the voice low, "kyaa maahaul, kyaa fazaa... dhaltaa dinn, doobtaa suraj... godhulii kaa samay..."

"Venky, stop!" Supriya screeched.

"Really, this is perfect!" Venkat persisted, "Think of all the Hollywood horror and slasher movies... groups of highschool teens or college undergrads... remote location, a forlorn camp... dense woods, or a lonely stretch of highway... twilight hour, or dark nights..."

"Chup karr!" Radhika snapped, passing her arm around Supriya.

And as if on cue somewhere in the distance a jackal let out a doleful howl... almost instantly joined in by others, each high-pitched, mournful wail bouncing and echoing, coming in from all sides - a cacophonic symphony in the sombre landscape!

The girls squealed, huddling closer together.

"Now, that's what I call 'romaanch-kaari'..." laughed Reggie, still strumming his guitar - a taut, suspenseful note to match the mood - adding in a low voice, almost a whisper, "and that also reminds me of a legend in these parts..."

"Enough!" Rohan called abruptly standing up, cutting Reggie short, "Venkat, Reggie, as you two so perfectly mentioned, it's getting dark, so why not collect some wood and start a fire before it does go totally dark, and also gets cold. So, move your lazy butts and come with me, help out!"

The girls sighed with relief as the guys got up, all of them... walking into the woods beyond the clearing...

"Careful guys, and stick together," Radhika called after them.

They were back after a while, each with an armload of twigs, broken branches and deadwood, and soon had a small fire going, everyone gathering around it as the sun dropped behind the trees... silent as they sat listening to the crackle of the fire, breathing in the scents of the forest, watching the kaleidoscopic display of the setting sun as daylight gradually faded... knowing well that it would suddenly go totally dark as usually happens in a forest.

"Hmm, the legend I mentioned earlier," Reggie broke the spell, "well, it goes something like this... deep in the forest, shrouded in mist and mystery, hidden by the thick foliage, there lives an unknown creature awaiting the arrival of unaware and weary travellers. It's claimed..."

"Chalo, gaana gaate... Dev," Nikhat announced ignoring Reggie's tale and cutting him short, calling Dev.

Both discussing in a low tone before Dev nodded, plucking the strings of his guitar, dhun pakad-te huye as Nikhat cleared her throat...

Reggie quickly picking up the tune, strumming along... and suddenly Yooki was no more the centre of attention... left alone for the first time since they had started their trek that morning -- no one tugging at his cheeks, tousling his hair, or asking him weird questions... no more teasing, no more joshing... sab music me mashguul, swaying with the rhythm as Nikhat began to sing...

"Aage bhi jaane na tu, pichhe bhi jaane na tu,
 Jo bhi hain, bas yahi ek pal hain,
 Aage bhi jaane na tu ...  

Aaha, dhalte shaam kaa haseen manzar... khoyaa nazar, soyaa nazaaraa... saath me aisaa gaanaa, aur geet bhi kyaa... jaise jeevan kaa paath ho, life's lesson... zindagii kaa saaraansh!

"Anjaane saayon kaa raahon me deraa hain,
 Andekhi baahon ne hum sabako gheraa hain,
 Ye pal ujaalaa hain baaqi adheraa hain,
 Ye pal ganvaanaa naa ye pal hi teraa hain,
 Jeenevaale soch le, yahi vaqt hain kar le puri aarzoo,
 Aage bhi jaane na tu ...  

The words literally speaking to him... utsaah jootaate huye urging him to act, do something after an entire day spent simply longing...

Binn sochey, binn koshish kiye, Yooki kaa nazar khud uthh gaya, once more furtively seeking out Suvir... silently looking at the handsome young man where he sat across the fire from him, between Venkat and Guppy... finding the older teen's eyes already observing him, their gaze locking briefly before he quickly lowered his eyes as Nikhat sang away...

"Is pal ki jalvon ne mehfil savaari hain,
 Is pal ki garmi ne dhadkan ubhaari hain,
 Is pal kae hone se duniyaa hamaari hain,
 Ye pal jo dekho toh sadiyon pe bhaari hain,
 Jeenevaale soch le, yahi vaqt hain kar le puri aarzoo,
 Aage bhi jaane na tu ...  

Dhak-dhak kartaa nanhaa saa dil seene me sau armaan liye machal raahaa thaa... Yooki kaa dhyaan ab naa toh gaane me thaa, aur naa hii wahaa baithae logo'n par.

Thodaa saa darr, thodii laaj... kyaa pata koi dekh le, koi samajh jaaye... par kyaa kare'n, aise me kahaa rehtaa hain dil pe koi ikhtiaar... toh bas, yuhii, sab se nazar bachaakar, sab kaa nazar chooraakar, utthaata gayaa palkaen aur milaataa gayaa nain... aur harr baar Suvir kaa nigaah khud par paayaa!

Phir, for the first time that day, Yooki didn't lower his eyes, nor looked away... holding Suvir's gaze in the fast growing darkness, staring back at the stranger he'd just met that morning...

"Is pal ke saaye me apnaa thikaanaa hain,
 Is pal ki aage ki har shay fasaanaa hain,
 Kal kisne dekhaa hain, kal kisne jaanaa hain,
 Is pal se paayegaa jo tujh ko paanaa hain,
 Jeenevaale soch le, yahi vaqt hain kar le puri aarzoo,
 Aage bhi jaane na tu ...  

Haai, kisey maloom thaa kae takraate nain me iss balaa kii chaen bhi hain... sabse nazre'n bachh-bachhaa kar, palkaen jhooka-jhooka kar aankhriyaa ladaataa gayaa ab dono... both eyes atwinkle, seeming to sparkle in the dancing light of the fire!

Or was it simply reflecting the flickering flame?

And as the song neared it's end, everyone now humming those last couple lines along with Nikhat, Yooki saw Suvir rise... and turning around begin to walk away, towards the stream... pausing for a brief moment to cast a glance over his shoulder, the eyes beckoning... and then he was gone, lost in the gloom of the jungle twilight beyond the glow of the fire...

"Aage bhi jaane na tu, pichhe bhi jaane na tu,
 Jo bhi hain, bas yahi ek pal hain,
 Aage bhi jaane na tu ...  "

"Wah-waah... that was amazing, Nikhat!" Rohan clapped, the others joining in, everyone cheering like it was a rock concert!

"Lovely!" exclaimed Radhika, "Perfect mood set ho gayaa, ab ek romantic saa number ho jaaye, Dev."

"Haan, aaj Dev ek bhi gaanaa nahi gaayaa," agreed Aarti, "you have to sing now!"

Mann basey sawariyaa, nain bhayo [भयो] bawariyaa - aankhon kae saamne se Suvir ojhal hotey hii Yooki kaa dil machal uttha... aur uss badhtii betaabii me Yooki kaa toh naa hii gaanaa sunne me, aur naa hii unke inn sab bekaar baaton me koi interest rahaa.

Dhak-dhak kartaa dil beqaraar huyaa jaa rahaa thaa, jaise shaam hotey hii jaam kii khaatir bechaen sharaabii, aankh taras gayaa ek jhalak paane kae liye...

Life was simple for Yooki, life was fun - a joy ride at the amusement park!

And like any other weekend morning with a trip planned, Yooki was up by four, knocking on Conrad's door urging him to rise and shine.

By the time the driver arrived he was already outside, bright-eyed and bushy tailed, ready to embark on their day's adventure. Excitedly yapping away once they picked up the girls... heading for Dhimaan's place where the guys had gathered... Yooki jumping out to greet them...

Phir...

Yooki naa toh pehle kabhi dekhaa thaa, aur naa hi kabhi milaa thaa... par vo ek jhalak dekhte hii aajeeb saa sansanii phail gayaa saaraa badan me.

Aankh milaa hi thaa, kae samaa badal gayaa... the dew laden morning air suddenly charged... electric... literally crackling as their eyes limned over each other in the mellow glow of the breaking dawn...

Aur aankh milaa bhi kyaa... bas teer chal gayaa -- kisne chalaaya, koun thaa nishaana, kisey pataa -- par jo bhi hon, dono hii ghaayal, dono kaa hii jigar kae aar-paar ho gayaa!

Nanhaa saa dil yun machlaa maano uss ek pal me hii bachchpan chhod angdaayi letaa jaag utthaa mast javaanii... aur nazre'n churaate huye yun jhep gayaa Yooki kae pata bhi nahi chalaa aakhir kyu!

Through the numbing haze he heard Dhimaan introduce the newcomer to the girls, and then it was his turn...

"Yooki, this is my cousin, Suvir... " he heard Dhimaan say, blinking up briefly, but unable to engage, "Suvir, Yooki."

Hand suddenly limp, and fingers almost insensate, Yooki let Suvir shake his hand... aur uss sparsh se poora jism me current saa daud gayaa... ek anokhaa saa, totally new feeling... a never before experienced sensation engulfing his entire body, inundating his benumbed senses!

Aur yuhi, ho gayaa Yooki kaa bolti bandh!

Yooki ko pataa bhi naa chalaa kii kyaa ho gayaa!

Sahi, Yooki ko pataa nahi chalaa, par yeh biology thaa, yeh toh honaa hii thaa...

Yooki zingagii kaa uss mod pe thaa jahaa kshanbhangoor [क्षणभंगुर] kaishaurya [कैशोर्य], that fleetingly brief moment between childhood and adulthood meet... jab innocence aur burgeoning curiosities converge... jab ansoche, anjaane chaahat turns everything on its head!

Binn bole'n hii nigaaho'n se guftuguu kartaa rahaa dinn bhar... jo lab naa bol payaa, jhookey palko'n ne keh daalaa... aur namm honth kaa thar-tharaanaa kuch bhi kasar naa chhoda, dhadak-taa huyaa be-zuba'n dil kaa har fasaanaa sunaa daalaa...

Jab aur raahaa nahi gayaa toh utth khadaa huyaa Yooki... nishshabd... nistabdh... vyakul chitt, utaavlaa [उतावला] mann, dheere se chal padaa panghat ki orr piyaa milan kaa aas liye...

And as he walked away into the darkness, the meaningless chatter followed right behind him... the voices floating over the still twilight air...

"Yaar, gaa naa yaar..." someone was urging Dev as he still seemed to demur.

"Haan, yaar, Rafi sahab kaa damdaar saa ek romantic number!" Rohan requested.

"Inj naa kar puttar, gaa de!" Guppy exhorted with his usual joviality.

"Okay... okay," he heard Dev finally laugh, doing a fast paced slap strum routine, then pause for a moment before striking up a tune...

And as Yooki reached the edge he heard Dev's clear voice ring out in the silence of the dusk...

"Ye zindagii kii mehfil, mehfil me ham akele,
 daaman ko koii choome, zulfon se koii khele.

 Aajaa re aa zaraa, lehraa kae aa zaraa,
 aankhon se dil me samaa,
 aajaa re aa zaraa ...

Looking down the incline Yooki sought Suvir, parr wahaa koi bhi nahi thaa, just the rushing water, and the rising mist... his eyes desperately searching along the rocky bank, right and left...

Phir achaanak, andhere me Suvir nazar aayaa... not below, but just beyond the clearing, standing at the edge of the woods, almost hidden by the lush foliage...

Saanjh kii dheemii roshnii me dono hii khade ek doosre ko dekhtaa rahaa... khushii se Yooki kaa dil yun jhoom utthaa, theek jaise baaraat aane parr dulhan kii sahelion kae chahel-pahel [चहल-पहल]. Sarr se paon tak shiiharan daud padaa, aur lehron kii tarhaa armaan umad-umad kar machalne lagaa seene me...

Dhadkano'n kaa tez raftaar ab purii ravaanii pe thaa... lafzo'n kii koi zaroorat nahi thii, aur dono hii chal padey ek doosre kii orr...

"Dekh fizaa me rang bharaa hain,
 mere jigar kaa zakhm haraa hain,
 siine se mere sarr ko lagaa de,
 haathon me tere dil kii davaa hain,
 aajaa re aa zaraa, lehraa kae aa zaraa ...

Haai, gaane kae bol bhi kyaa, jaise unke liye hii likkhaa gayaa ho'n... unke hii deepest emotions bayaa'n kar rahaa ho'n jaise...

Paas aate hii Suvir ne Yooki ko pakad kar kheech liyaa apne baahon me, and pushing him against a nearby tree, leaned in, looking down into those wide, uncertain eyes... the back of his fingers already caressing the smooth face...

God, the boy was so unbelievably cute... so gorgeously adorable!

Kyaa zaalim adaa, kyaa balaa kii muskaan... harr andaaz shayeraana, harr atvaar [�...तवार] qaatilaana.

Dinn bhar chup-chaap dekhtaa baithaa, simply watching, silently, literally driven out of his mind. Marr mitaa thaa Suvir uss chhotaa sa schoolboy par. And it was obvious to him that the feelings were mutual.

Aur ab jaa kar maukaa milaa, finally!

"Apna sulagnaa kisko dikhaaun,
 saason ke tuufaan kaise chhupaaun,
 aankhen kyaa kyaa dekh rahiin hain,
 dil pe jo guzrey kaise bataaun,
 aajaa re aa zaraa, lehraa ke aa zaraa ...

Fingers gentle, the touch soft, Suvir went on caressing... repeatedly running his thumb over those full, parted lips with a slight pressure... feeling them quiver under his touch.

Yooki thar-thar kaanmp rahaa thaa, sarr se paon tak, staring back at Suvir with unseeing eyes... dil yun dhadak rahaa thaa maano abhi seena cheer kar bahar nikal aayegaa...

God, it felt so incredibly amazing -- the fluttering touch, the tenderness... the closeness, the radiating warmth of Suvir's body, almost pressed against his... the hot breath washing over his face... the inebriating scent of maleness... EVERYTHING!

It filled his entire body with a tingle that was beyond every imaginable pleasance... growing agonisingly unbearable with each passing minute...

Yooki couldn't even begin to understand, let alone explain or express what all was happening... yet, he wanted more!

And as he closed his eyes, letting out a soft moan, he felt Suvir's mouth cover his... those full, manly pair of moist lips press down on his own quivery boy lips...

"Tere bhii dil me aag lagii hain,
 mere bhii dil me aag lagii hain,
 dono taraf hain ek sii haalat,
 dono dilon par bijalii girii hain,
 aajaa re aa zaraa, lehraa ke aa zaraa,
 aankhon se dil me samaa,
 aajaa re aa zaraa ... "

Namm labon kaa lab se milte hii... madbharii saanso'n kaa saanso'n me ghulte hii, ang-ang me dehaktaa, bhadaktaa ek jwalaa phoot utthaa, aur jism me aag saa phail gayaa...

Wrapping his arms around Suvir, Yooki lipat gayaa, pressing himself against the older teen, crying out in his mouth, clinging on tighter...

In that numbing haze... engulfed in the ever expanding mist and sensual miasma, Yooki perceived another point of heat pressed against his abdomen -- hotter than Suvir's body warmth, seemingly rigid -- wondering for a moment, before becoming aware of his own hurtful arousal, the fierce hardness struggling in his own briefs!

Ek doosre se liptey, dono paaglon kii tarhaa choomtaa gayaa, aahen bhartaa gayaa... Suvir's hands roving all over Yooki's tender form, from head to hips, and all around... touching and feeling, caressing and fondling, groping and kneading... driving the boy further out of his inexperienced young mind!

Dono kaa hii saans phool rahaa thaa, aur dil kaa dhadkan toh poocho matt, yun tezii se bhaag rahaa thaa jaise full marathon sprint kae raftaar se complete kiyaa ho'n!

Jaha khadaa thaa vo, uss jagah se campfire saaf dikh rahaa thaa... parr unke zehn me toh ab naa hii koi aur thaa, naa hi kisi cheez kaa kuch mainey rahaa!

The world simply didn't exist anymore for either of them... the friends of their cousin didn't exist... no one, and nothing mattered as they indulged in their untamed passion after a long day of waiting...

The voices floating in from the clearing... the banter, the laughter... all meaningless, passing by with the breeze, unheard.

Naa sunaai dii, naa samajh aayaa...

"Yaar, yeh Yooki kahaa chalaa gayaa?" Radhika had asked.

"Probably went to take a leak..." Rohan had responded.

"And Suvir... where's Suvir?" asked Aarti.

"Went to pee, obviously..." snickered Venky.

"I didn't even notice..." mumbled Reggie.

Unhe toh yeh bhi pataa nahi chalaa kab Dev kaa gaanaa khatam huyaa, aur kab Asha ne sur pakdaa...

"Dhiire dhiire machal ai dil-e-beqaraar koi aataa hain,
 yun tadapke na tadapaa mujhe baar-baar, koi aataa hain,
 dhiire dhiire machal ai dil-e-beqaraar ...

The song hardly registering, the words barely penetrating their benumbed senses as they went on kissing... hungrily chewing on each other's lips while rubbing up against one another... both pelvis fierce as they ground into each other...

Suvir slipping a hand under Yooki's shirt, touching bare skin for the first time, soft and smooth, his fingers fluttering up the satiny torso... sensing the goosebumps the fingertips were raising in response... reaching higher, seeking... taking a turgid boy tit between his thumb and forefinger, relishing the feel of the engorged nipple...

Yooki groaned, tightening his grip as Suvir gently tweaked the tiny little nub while biting down on the boy's lower lip.

Both moaning out their pleasure -- Suvir at the sheer tactual pleasure of running his hand across the silkiest flesh he'd ever touched, and Yooki at being touched so intimately for the first time in his young life...

Both deaf to the sounds coming from the clearing...

"Mujhko chhoone lagii uski parchhaaiyaa'n,
 dil kae nazdiik bajtii hain shehnaaiyaa'n,
 mere sapano'n kae aangan me gaa...

They didn't hear the excited announcement of the driver... nor Guppy's thrilled exclaimation that made Asha pause...

" GUYS, LIGHTS!" Guppy was yelling as he stood, "We're saved!"

Bas, gaanaa bandh, aur sab bhaage road kae taraf...

"Yooki..." someone called as the group reached the road, "Conrad aa gayaa!"

They didn't hear the joyous cheers as with blaring horn a much battered, rickety old Matador van pulled up by the roadside... Dhimaan and Conrad literally hanging out of the windows, grinning widely, waving!

They had been lucky, very lucky indeed, for no sooner had they reached Rumnong, that the Matador came sailing by. The driver willing to pick up the gang and take them to Shillong, of course, after negotiating an outrageous deal, and there they were... ready to finally call it a day and head home!

The two still unconscious to all the happenings, still busy making out... Suvir kissing and licking the boy's face... nibbling and nipping his earlobes and lips, nose tip and neck... both unconcerned with whether he was leaving a trail of suggestive marks.

Yooki simply hanging on, kissing back as he unabashedly rubbed his crotch against Suvir's thigh.

"YOOKIIII!" another call came floating through the air, followed by calls for Suvir... the hollers just about piercing their cognisance over the loud beat of their thumping heart, and the deafening roar of blood pumping through their ears...

"YOOKI, yaar kahaa ho tum?"

"SUVIR, dude?"

Sunn toh rahaa thaa dono, parr chaahte huye bhi kuch kar nahi paa rahaa thaa...

Dimaag baar-baar sachetaan kar rahaa thaa: 'Ab chhodo bhi, bas bhi karo... sab bulaa rahe'n hain!'

Parr mann sunney ko taiyaar nahi thaa, maan-ne se inkaar kartaa rahaa, apnaa hii dhuun gaaye jaa rahaa thaa: 'Mujhe rok matt, aaj udne de udne de ban ke pavan... aaj chhaane de chhaane ban ke ghataa!"

Ek sau baar dono ne honth chhod munh hataayaa, aur sau baar phir se lab milaayaa, choomte rahaa... hands clinging on desperately, jaise doobne wala tinkaa pakad letaa!

"Yaar, kahaa ho tum dono?" phir bulawaa aayaa, "Ab nikalnaa hain!"

Sau koshish kiyaa, phir bhi dil nahi maanaa... bodies flushed, mouth glued, mind dead to all sensibilities, they went on and on... kissing and chewing and gnawing... moaning away while grinding their raging crotch against each other!

The calls kept coming at regular intervals as the group gathered their belongings from around the fire... others transferring their remaining stuff from the Traveller to the Matador.

"Chalo, jaa karr dekh te hain," they heard Dev's voice, sounding frightfully close, "yahi kahi hogaa..."

"Haan, chalo..." Venky responded.

Maano dil par patthar rakhte huye aakhir dono ne ek doosre kaa honth chhodaa, aur alag ho gaye... phir kareeb ek-aad minute baad dono hii alag raaste se nikal kar clearing me aa pohuchaa...

"Yaar, Yooki, kitnaa paani piyaa aaj, huh?" greeted Dev as soon as he cleared the bushes.

"Suvir, dude, you can smoke in front of us," Reggie laughed in jest, "jungle me jaane kaa zaroorat nahi!"

Thankfully, in all the excitement of finally going home, and the low light of the flickering flame, no one seemed to notice the flushed faces... or the glazed eyes and puffed lips... totally missing out on the dishevelled hair, and the still clearly distended crotch front... the guys busy putting out the fire, making sure there was no smouldering embers... everyone rushing towards the van...

"Autowala garage ko inform kar degaa..." Conrad was telling the driver, "aur mein bhi phone kar dungaa, subah mechanic aa jayegaa."

"Bhaiyya," Radhika said, "khaana van me rakh diyaa, app khaa lenaa."

Aur uss bheed me, while everyone was busy checking and re-checking one last time, Suvir ne jhat se Yooki kaa haath pakad kar Matador me peeche, corner seat pe le gayaa... sitting down together, shoulders and thighs rubbing, fingers intertwined... both heart still beating rapidly...

They didn't know, but they were both sure, that in the week ahead, no matter what, no matter how, but they WOULD find a way (and a place) to be alone... and complete what they had started in the woods that evening... and do the inevitable - consummate they passion for each other!

And what, after that?!

Like the song said - 'kal kisne dekhaa, kal kisne jaanaa'... why bother about the unknown when they could live in the present, in the NOW!

Suvir gave a gentle squeeze to the hand he was holding, and Yooki responded with a squeeze of his own... both smiling in the darkness of the van as the driver started the engine and pulled away...