Short Story: The Trek by Kalpana Misra

In this short story, Kalpana Misra narrates a beautiful story of love and redemption emphasizing how love catches us unaware when we are least expecting it to.

The mist cushioned her from the sight of the angled drop to the Himalayan riverbed thousands of feet below. It was a blessing that visibility was so low. All Jaya could see was the ochre strip of pathway undulating around the mountain. Where was her trekking group? Maybe pausing to watch the high-altitude mountain goats cavorting higher up hadn’t been such a good idea after all. The failing afternoon light gave cause for concern but she couldn’t walk any faster on that narrow path. She licked her chapped lips,  breathing a little faster. 

A gravelly male voice rose from the mist-wreathed abyss,

‘Hello! Is someone walking past?’ 

Who asked such a question? Someone in trouble on the path. 

‘Is everything ok?’ She called in a level voice.