Flying squirrels leapt from tree to tree, and we often startled grazing deer. Smelling a tiger, they quickly bounced away on springy legs. I watched Ren to see his reaction, but he ignored them. I noticed another common tree that was more moderate in size and also had a papery bark, but where the bark split on this one, a sticky, gummy resin dripped down the trunk. I leaned against one to pick a pebble out of my shoe and spent the next hour trying to peel the goo off my fingers.
I’d just gotten it off when we weaved through a particularly dense undergrowth of tall grasses and bamboo and sent a flock of colorful birds into flight. I was so startled that I backed into another sap tree and got sticky sap all over my upper arm.
Ren stopped at a small stream. I pulled out a bottle of water and drank it all down. It was nice to have less weight in the backpack, but I was concerned about where I would get water from after my supply ran out. I supposed I could drink from the same stream as Ren, but I would put that off for as long as possible, knowing that my body wouldn’t handle it as well as his.
I sat down on a rock and searched for another energy bar. I ate half of one and gave Ren the other half, plus another one. I knew I could survive on that many calories, but I was pretty sure Ren couldn’t. He’d have to hunt soon.
Opening a pocket of Mr. Kadam’s backpack, I found a compass. I pushed it into the pocket of my jeans. There was still money, the traveling papers, more water bottles, a first aid kit, bug spray, a candle, and a pocketknife, but no cell phone, and my personal cell phone was missing.
Strange. Could Mr. Kadam have known that I would end up in the jungle? I thought about the man who looked like Mr. Kadam standing by the truck right before it was stolen and wondered aloud, ‘Did he want me to get lost out here?’
Ren wandered over to me and sat down.
‘No,’ I said, looking into the animal’s blue eyes. ‘That doesn’t make any sense either. What reason could he possibly have for flying me all the way to India just to get me lost in the jungle? He couldn’t have known you would lead me in here or that I’d follow you. He’s not the type to deceive anyway.’
Ren gaze shifted to the ground as if he felt guilty.
‘I guess Mr. Kadam is just a really well-prepared Boy Scout.’
After a brief rest, Ren got up again, walked off a few paces, and turned around to wait for me. I dragged myself off the rock, com-plaining, and followed along behind him. Pulling out the bug spray, I gave my limbs a good spritz and squirted some on Ren for good measure. I laughed when he wrinkled his nose and a big tiger sneeze shook his body.
‘So, Ren, where are we going? You act like you have a destination in mind. Personally, I’d like to get back to civilization. So if you could find us a town, I’d be most appreciative.’
He continued to lead me on a trail that only he could see for the rest of the morning and into the early afternoon.
I checked my compass often and figured out that we were traveling eastward. I was trying to calculate how many miles we’d walked when Ren burrowed between some bushes. I followed him to find a small clearing on the other side.
With great relief, I saw a small hut that sat right in the middle of the clearing. Its curved roof was covered with rows of canes tied close together that draped over the top of the structure like a blanket. Stringy fibers, tied into intricate knots, lashed large bamboo poles together to make walls, and the cracks were thatched with dried grasses and clay.
The hut was surrounded by a barrier of loose stones piled on top of each other to create a short wall about two feet high. The stones were covered in thick, verdant moss. In front of the hut, thin panels of stone were affixed to the wall and were painted with an indecipherable assort-ment of symbols and shapes. The shelter’s doorway was so tiny that an average-sized person would have to bend over to enter. There was a line of clothing flapping in the wind, and a small flourishing garden was planted on the side of the home.
We approached the rock wall, and just as I was stepping over, Ren leapt over the barrier next to me. ‘Ren! You scared the stuffing out of me! Make a noise first or something, would you?’
We approached the small hut, and I steeled myself to knock on the tiny door, but then I hesitated, looking at Ren. ‘We need to do some-thing about you first.’ I took the yellow rope out of my backpack and walked over to a tree on the side of the yard. He followed me haltingly. I beckoned him closer. When he finally came close enough, I slipped the rope through his collar and tied the other end to a tree. He didn’t look happy.
‘I’m sorry, Ren, but we can’t have you loose. It would scare the family. I promise I’ll be back as soon as I can.’
I began walking over to the small house, but then froze in my tracks when I heard a quiet male voice behind me say, ‘Is this really necessary?’
Turning around slowly, I saw a handsome young man standing directly behind me. He looked young, in his early twenties. He was taller than me by a head and had a strong, well-developed trim body that was clothed in loose white cotton garments. His long-sleeved shirt was untucked and carelessly buttoned, revealing a smooth, well-built golden-bronze chest. His lightweight pants were rolled at the ankles, emphasizing his bare feet. Glossy black hair swept away from his face and curled slightly at the nape of his neck.
His eyes were what riveted me the most. They were my tiger’s eyes, the same deep cobalt blue.
Reaching out a hand, he spoke. ‘Hello, Kelsey. It’s me, Ren.’
8
An Explanation
The man approached me carefully with his hands splayed out in front of him and repeated, ‘Kelsey, it’s me, Ren.’
He didn’t appear fearsome, but my body tightened in apprehension nonetheless. Confused, I held my hand out in front of me in a futile attempt to halt his progress. ‘What? What did you say?’
He came closer, put his hand on his muscled chest, and spoke slowly. ‘Kelsey, don’t run. I’m Ren. The tiger.’
He turned over his hand to show me Ren’s collar and the yellow rope coiled about his fingers. I looked behind him, and sure enough, the white cat was missing. I took a few steps back to put more distance between us. He saw my movement and immediately froze. The back of my knees hit the stone barrier. I stopped and blinked my eyes several times, not comprehending what he was telling me.
‘Where’s Ren? I don’t understand. Did you do something to him?’
‘No. I am him.’
He began to approach me again, while I shook my head.
‘No. You can’t be.’
I tried to take another step and almost fell backward over the wall.
He reached me in the blink of an eye and caught my waist, steadying me.
‘Are you alright?’ he asked politely.
‘No!’ He was still holding my hand. I stared at it, imagining the tiger’s paws.
‘Kelsey?’ I looked up into his startling blue eyes. ‘I am your tiger.’
I whispered, ‘No. No! It’s not possible. How could that be?’
His quiet voice was soothing. ‘Please, come inside the house. The owner is not at home right now. You can sit down and relax, and I will attempt to explain everything.’
I was too stunned to argue, so I allowed him to guide me toward the hut. He clutched my fingers in his as if afraid that I would run back into the jungle. I didn’t usually follow strange men around, but something about him made me feel safe. I knew with certainty that he wouldn’t harm me. It was the same strong feeling I experienced with the tiger. He bowed his head to get through the door and stepped into the small hut, pulling me along behind him.
It was a one-room shelter with a small bed in one corner, a tiny window on the side wall, and a table with two chairs in another corner. A curtain was pulled back to reveal a small bathtub. The kitchen was just a sink with a water pump, a short counter, and some shelves with various canned food products and spices. Above our heads, the ceiling was strung with a hanging assortment of dried herbs and plants that filled the room with a sweet fragrance.
The man gestured that I should sit on the bed, then leaned against a wall and waited quietly for me to settle myself.