It was a long, long time ago. He was fresh in a central Govt service, requiring frequent tours throughout North Eastern region. He had arrived at Aizawl in the evening, the hilly District headquarters of Lushai hills(now Mizoram), then within the State of Assam. He was assigned a survey task in a rather remote township far from Aizawl. Early the next morning, he boarded the only transport bus that would take him to his unknown destination. Almost all the co-passengers were local Lushai people, adorned in their customary costumes! snub nosed,expressionless hooded eyed that seemed stern and ferocious to his unaccustomed eyes.The bus seemed to have no fixed departure time, though it was to leave early as he was told. After a long wait, the rickety bus finally snaked its way through the zig zag pebble covered road. After a short journey, the bus was now passing through literally a nondescript road with thick forests on either side, rolling verdant hills kissing the horizon, tall ancient trees almost touching the cloudy skyline. The bus rolled along topsy-turvy, winding through the hilly terrain, picking up a reasonable speed. After covering a considerable distance, the bus slowed down, moving at a snail’s pace, as if apprehensive of some unknown danger. As the bus moved on, forests on either side appeared to grow thicker and thicker, the jungle agog with a symphony of mingled sounds of nature.Though it was day time,sunshine played hide and seek through the thick foliage, sometimes totally dark with sunlight completely blocked. The bus suddenly picked up speed, passengers abruptly jolted almost out of their seats, a matronly lady sitting a few seats behind opened her inside out, hurriedly trying to open the glass window. She belched out whatever she had inside, littering the floor below, unable to open the window in time. The bus conductor hurriedly came down, shouting some choice expletives in native dialect, shutting the window firmly, instead of opening for her convenience. Sitting in front seat, he apprehensively looked ahead, sensing that the driver seemed to be in a hurry to cross a particular stretch of the dilapidated road. The bus stopped, as suddenly as it had picked up speed, driver killing the engine completely, all passengers sitting immobile, a sense of foreboding almost palpable. looking ahead, he suddenly saw a group of wild boars dashing across the road, grunting and wailing, as if holding on to dear life. A few moments later, he fleetingly saw a big black shape blaze past in hot pursuit. Moments passed, suddenly a blood-curdling death wail reverberated through the jungle, hovering in the air for some nondescript time, then an eerie silence! A hitherto unknown primordial fear gripped him.
The passengers and driver alike continued to sit immobile, as if anticipating something more the jungle was about to unfold. A herd of elephants, led by a big one with long tasks, came into view, walking slowly and majestically across the road. They seemed to linger on, the small cub appeared to saunter towards the bus playfully. He felt his heart skip a beat, terrified lest the elephants decide to play with the bus! The mother elephant appeared to slowly nudge the cub, the herd continued walking majestically towards the jungle, then disappeared as they came.