Homo One :: Part 1 :: Chapter1 - Global Warming

"Bhadaaaaaaaaaaaaaaam..."  

The deafening noise caused thirteen year old Sonam and seven year old Tashi to make use of the first fingers of both their hands to plug their ears. It was late, the blast was already over, but atleast it saved their ears from the echos and the shrieks that form the aftermath of such explosions.  

Both were fortunate. Their father had blown away his entire wages on Ardam, the local alcoholic brew. Their mother had no say in the functioning of the household. Anyway, they were fortunate because they were alive. They were alive because they had not gone to Norbu Hill like Pasang, Pema, Dorjee and Jill. They had not gone to Norbu Hill like their cousins because they had no money for the mela. They had no money for the mela because their father was a drunkard. A blessing in disguise!

On Norbu Hill, a few minutes back there were a number of stalls selling an even greater number of items to the locals. Most of those items were everyday usage goods smuggled from China. Now, after the explosion there were two sets of exhibits on display. One, of the remains of the items both bought and sold and second, of the remains of the buyers and sellers of those items.

Most of those who survived could be categorised as unfortunate. For they had survived to live with the painful memories of the event which they would be made to remember everyday, every minute, every second of their lives by the absence of some part of their body - a hand, an eye, a leg, a tooth and the presence on their body  and on their mind -of scars. Scars of the splinters. Scars of the blood.