Bruno — An Opportunity

Happiness and excitement are a thing of the past for me. My life has become my prison. All I know now is, I am bearing my sins. I have forgotten to laugh. The things which made me happy now haunt me. Whenever I see those things all I am left with is pain and mourn.

My life has never been the same. Earlier, my life was full of adventures and excitement. I loved to go on expeditions and discover mysteries. I was a famous person then. People would chant my name. I was a role model for them. They would always take my name whenever they talked of bravery and glory. And my son Kelvin was no less than me. Together, I and my son had scaled these lands a hundred times. People used to call us the lionhearts. Our pair was one to be looked for. Kelvin loved to scale mountains and once on reaching the peak he would exclaim with joy

“I made it”.

Everything was fine until our trip to Puerto Rico. I wanted to discover The Devil’s triangle near Bermuda. It was one of the things that I had wanted since beginning my journey as an adventurer. One day I shared this plan with my wife, Sherry. She was a nice woman but she always abased others. She did the same with me when I told her about my dream.

“You might be a lionheart but you have grown old now” she mocked me.

“That place has no mercy for old chaps like you” she added.

I was a man of a short temper. I could not tolerate her words. I took her words as a challenge. She tried a lot to convince me but my arrogance made no account of her pleadings. At last, she was also done debating with me. She knew that once made I won’t change my plans.

“Fine, if you have made up your mind I won’t stop you but you would not take Kelvin there.”

I became a bit anxious and said

“If he won’t come with me, how would he grow up and come out of our how?”.

She resisted a lot but at last, agreed. She put on one condition that I would bring Kelvin back safely. She was a little afraid of our trip. Before leaving she said me

“Is it really necessary for you to do this”

“Don’t take my words so seriously”

I was not ready to listen to her. I was so confident that I promised her that I would bring her the Bermuda mist. I wanted to prove to her that I was scared of nothing in this world.

From Puerto Rico, we hired a yacht and sailed towards our destination. I had planned that we would go to Florida via Bermuda, entering into the centre of The Devil’s Triangle. As we left the shore, we started accounting for a series of misfortunes. The weather worsened as we pushed towards the triangle. I think that was my biggest mistake that day. As we moved closer, the waves grew taller and taller. It repeatedly pushed us out of our course. The waves had started hitting our deck. I still remember his words that he said to me:

“Father, I am scared of this sea.”

“I think we must retreat now.”

“We won’t make it this time.”

But my ego and overconfidence didn’t let me turn the steering wheel. I kept pushing forward until a gigantic wave flipped us into the water. That wave tossed our yacht and ruptured our hull. I could only hear Kelvin scream and thump on water but couldn’t see him. The clouds were so dense that made sunlight impossible to escape. It was tough for me to see him. I stroked towards his voice but with a lightning strike on the water, my eyes closed. Things went silent as if there was nothing around me.

When I opened my eyes I found myself on a rocky beach with no sign of a creature. There were many small islands around it with little vegetation. I swam across those islands and waited with the hope that my son would have been drifted to one of them. After 8 days, I saw something floating towards me. I jumped into the water and grabbed it. It was someone’s dead body. It was bloated and burnt all around. It was missing a few fingers. I pulled it to the shore. I checked it for any supply and identification. I turned it around. And What I saw still haunts my dreams. It was a locket with a photograph of me and Kelvin. It was Kelvin’s body. The lighting had burnt his skin and seawater had soaked his body. I cried and yelped. Everything from my life had been snatched from me. I lost all my hope. I tried to end this life but couldn’t gather the courage to do so. Every time I attempted to kill myself, my conscience stopped me. I grabbed Kelvin and rolled myself against him. I waited for death to take me in. But my fate didn’t let me die a peaceful death. A few days later I was rescued by a group of fishing boats and brought to Florida. I cremated Kelvin’s body. Now I didn’t dare to look into my Sherry’s eyes. But somehow I gathered some courage and made her a call. I told her everything. Listening to this she might have been stun.

“Kelvin’s blood is on your hands,” she said and ended the line.

After that day neither I dared to call her nor she felt the need to call me back. That night I sat by the shore and started thinking over my deeds. That incident kept rotating in my eyes.

I think God had cursed me for my arrogance. So he left me alive but took everything I loved away from me. Each time I saw a family my memories were revived and Kelvin’s word would come into my head. My head would start throbbing and I can’t express that pain. To overcome my pain I started drinking and I would drink until was completely dosed off. With each gulp, I would try to forget about my pain but that relief was temporary. I started escaping crowd and people. I had become a vagabond who would scavenge for money in the streets of Florida to buy myself my daily potion.

After spending about a year in the streets of Florida, one day I thought to return to my place, to my wife, and start a new life. I started begging on the streets to collect some money for the tickets. I reached my home but it was locked. I inquired with my neighbours. They told me that Sherry had left the house long ago. I knew that she was hit deep with that incident. I broke into my house and gathered my belongings and some memories with me. Sherry had left me everything in the house. Maybe it was her way of punishing me. I took a trunk with me that we used to keep our equipment when we returned from any adventure. Now, I started wandering throughout this globe to seek redemption from my sins.

My journey brought me to the Himalayas, a Mountain Range in South East Asia. It was less populated and people here were not much interested in interacting with foreigners. This was a place made for me. I got myself a piece of land and a cabin on a small hill adjacent to a small village. Throughout my life, I had heard people say that this place was a land of Nirvana and Vedas. People across this globe came here to free themselves of the shackles of sin but I had come here to free myself from my memories and escape people. Every night I could hear Kelvin and his words. In my dreams, I would see him standing on a cliff and waiting for me. But whenever I reached him he would turn his back towards me and jump off the cliff saying:

“It’s all your fault.”

“You got me killed.”

Every night I would sit by the fire with my wine and my diary where I had written about our adventures. I would read those extracts to myself and try to remember my son. Although it didn’t redeem me from my sins but it gave me a bit of happiness which I had been searching for. Generally, I would avoid going to the village down this hill. But I was forced to do so when my bottle was emptied or I required any medicine or other supplies. And if I had to, I would visit the village at night when it was less crowded and safe for me.

That night it happened. My bottle was empty. I put on my coat and went down the village. The only wine shop in the village was at the end of the street and to reach there I would have to walk past many houses and other shops which I hated the most. While moving down the street I saw an enclosure in front of a house which was not there till then. I waited a moment and tried to look past the wooden fence but could see nothing. I moved a few steps forward. A Mountainous shadow came in front of me. I could see a pair of eyes darker than the night frowned at me. It was a dog that was staring at me with his big eyes. It scared me. Before I could move, a man came running out of the enclosure.

“Bruno, I will kill you,” he yelled and swept a wooden baton towards him.

The dog jumped back to the fence. I could hear over other dogs barking and whining. That man turned back to the fence and gave me an agitated look. I continued forward to the shop. I went back to the cabin with my bottles filled. On my way back, I remember that the enclosure was not there last week. I thought that he had invested in a sledge business. This place was harsh and to survive one had to do a variety of jobs. Dog sledges were a common thing out there. Sledge dogs are medium in size but that dog was much bulky to be made a sledge dog. I thought that he might have got the dog at a cheaper price so he took him to save some money.

I came to my bed. And was about to sleep. The dogs started howling and whining in pain and a loud thumping was heard. It was impossible for me to resist that noise. On winter-nights, any sound is amplified and is clear. It was intolerable. I somehow managed that night. The next morning again that noise was at its peak. This time I could not control myself. I went to my trunk and picked a binocular out of it. I looked at that house. That man had tied Bruno’s neck and body with shackles and was repeatedly hitting him with the baton. It looked as if he was asking him to do something and Bruno was ignoring him. Once when Bruno was on the floor. He started doing the same with other dogs. I thought that I should intervene but I neglected it. I was neither interested in that dog nor in that man. He would beat each dog until either they collapsed or they sat limping with their tails between the legs. He was trying to embed fear in them. This would have been because he was unable to make them do his desired task.

This series of beating and crying continued for a few days. I don’t know what had happened to me but I would keep an eye on them. I saw that the dogs were trembling and their bellies had sunken out of hunger. I got emotional. I decided that when it will be dark I’ll break into the fence and feed them something. At night, when most of the people were slumbered I took some dried fishes from my last hunt to feed them. I came close to the fence and was opening the door. Bruno flinched on me and I fell on the floor. Having such a massive dog on me scared me. I thought that he would bite out my face instead he started licking me. I couldn’t resist petting him. I entered the yard and silently fed everyone. Those dogs were in miserable condition. I couldn’t let them die there. I committed to myself that I would free them all at any cost.

While I was returning to my cabin, Bruno brought me a piece of paper. I tapped his head and he returned. It was some kind of a map. I took it with me. I spent the whole night understanding it. It was a map of a hidden place like El Dorado. That man was planning to find a hidden city in the mountains. That map didn’t fascinate me a lot. I had spent my whole life behind those maps. The only thing which I cared, for now, were those dogs and my wine. I would occasionally feed them. I didn’t know a way out to save them.

A few weeks later I heard a gunshot. I took out my binoculars and looked for the source. That man had tied a few dogs to a sledge and was killing the weak once left behind. I couldn’t tolerate it. I rushed to that house with my machete. I jumped on that man and threw out his gun. He shouted for help. A group of men attacked me and knocked me out. By the time I woke up, seven dogs had been slaughtered and he had left that place. I opened my eyes in a saloon. It was owned by an old man.

“Don’t you love your life?” He told me, passing me a drink.

“The man you engaged with was the superintendent’s son.”

“He could have killed .you and no one would have arrested him.”

“He is a cruel man.”

“Once a year, he would come here with dogs to explore something.”

“I know nothing, all I know is that I am going to kill him” I stood up and said.

That old man gave me a gun and said:

“I have seen a lot of men coming here but have never seen a one who would risk his life to save a few dogs.”

“He has headed to the frozen lake”

“You can catch him if you followed this route,” he said scribing his fingers on a map.

I moved out of that saloon and went behind him. I found him forcing Bruno to walk on thin snow. Dogs can sense hazards but that fool was unaware of that. I jumped on him.

Pointing the gun towards him I said “keep that baton down or I’ll shoot you”

He throws the baton.

“Now step aside”

He threatens me “You are doing a mistake old man”

I step into the sledge and hit him with the gun’s stock.

“I’ll see what happens to me”

I fled from him into the bushes. When I came at a safe distance. I unchained all the dogs. All of them ran away but Bruno sat. I made every attempt to send him but he didn’t move an inch. I left him and started walking back to my cabin. He silently followed me. Every time I looked back he would hide behind a tree or lay down on the floor. I continued to walk and reached a river across which an old wooden bridge was dangling. If I avoided the bridge it would have taken me a whole day to return back but if I took the bridge I might end up losing my life. I breathed in and l let my fate at the stakes of god. I started walking the when I reached the middle, I heard Bruno bark. I turned back to see him. As I turned I fell into the stream. The water was very cold. Soon my hands were frozen. I couldn’t swim. My eyes were closing. I submitted myself to the water. I was not panicking. I accepted my death. The last thing I saw was Bruno jumping into the water. I heard a voice in my head. It said

“This is your redeemer”

“Don’t let him go”

I opened my eyes puking some water out. Bruno has been sleeping against me. I was shivering with cold. I grabbed Bruno and slept. I woke up in the morning and Bruno was still beneath me. He was staring at my face with his innocent eyes. I supported myself against a tree and curled my arms around him. I thought that God had given me a second chance to make things right. I decided that I would go back with Bruno and start a new life in the village.

I came back to my cabin with Bruno. In the evening he also joined me in mourning. I started drinking and then crying in memory of my son. When Bruno saw me cry he became restless. He jumped in my lap and broke my bottle. I stood up and brought a new bottle. He snatched it from me and threw it away. I understood that he hated me drinking. I brought my whole crate out and shown him.

“I always keep backup, buddy”

Bruno whined and slept by my chair. I wanted to leave my bottle but could not leave those memories. The next morning I decided to meet with the villagers. I came down with Bruno. He walked by my side everywhere I went. I visited a few shops and he accompanied me like a gentleman. But when I headed for the wine shop he grabbed the end of my coat. He started pulling me away. He tumbled me down. The man from the saloon said

“Ahh! I think he doesn’t like you drinking.”

“He really is a nice dog.”

I returned to my cabin and sat on the chair. I looked at Bruno then started drinking my wine. This time again he wasted it. I yelled at him out of frustration

“What do you want buddy?”

“What should I do?”

Bruno ran into the cabin and brought me my diary. I didn’t understand what he was trying to say. He again went in and brought that map in my lap. I held both of them in my hands and started jerking them over one another to understand him.

“I can’t get you,” I asked him.

This time he brought me my coat and threw it over my hand.

“Oh! You want to go on an adventure” I exclaimed.

Bruno started rolling and howling out of happiness. I thought that he was made for me. I brought out my crate and drained every drop of wine.

“Are you happy now?” I asked Bruno.

He jumped on me and started licking me.

“Let’s start packing. We will be leaving tomorrow,” I muttered.

I looked at the map and decided that I spent my entire life following trails and routs but this time I would make one. I promised myself that I would only walk on the paths that are not present on any map. And threw the map in the fire. I opened my trunk and started arranging my stuff. I was all set to leave by the dawn. Before sleeping I wished Bruno. He would sleep next to my bed in reach of my hand.

“I think this is what my fate wants from me.”

“I will never leave you, my friend.”

The next morning we started our journey. After days of roaming in the forest, rowing through rivers, and climbing over the mountains we reached a place that was full of greenery. The best thing about this place is that it was much warmer than the rest of the Himalayas. It was a vast piece of land. It was separated by a stream of clean water. On the other side of a stream was a pine forest that was spread in a large area. One could see the horizon from all three sides. I decided that we would leave here. I started building a shelter for us from the logs. While I made a shelter Bruno played. He ran long distances and rolled on the soft grassy floor. He was very happy to reach there. By evening I was only able to build one of the four walls. We slept together on the floor. The day was very tiring so as soon as l lay down I dozed. It must be about midnight when Bruno started growling. He had seen something at a distance. I turned my flashlight on and pointed in that direction. It was a cougar. I held Bruno and said to myself

“The fire would keep him away.”

Every day, while I worked, Bruno would explore around the place. And by the evening he would return. A few weeks later I was able to complete the walls but the roof was still a thing of weeks. Every day I would fish in the stream and collect local fruits which were edible, for dinner. I had brought some buckwheat with me which I had harvested just beside our house. We were adjusting slowly. One day after about a month, while working I saw a grey wolf howling by the stream. He was looking towards us. Bruno went running towards him. I knew that he had made some friends in the wild. He would stay out for longer periods but every night he would return to sleep by my side. While I worked on the cabin I could see him running with those wolves. He had become a pack member.

After six months I was all set to live here. My house was ready. My crops were ready to harvest and Bruno had made some friends. While these days the cougar often showed up but never attacked because of Bruno. I had started new leisure. The stream brought precious stones with it and I would spend my days collecting and decorating them. Bruno was happier with his new friends.

One night it was raining and Bruno had not come back. I waited but there was no sign of him. I assumed that he had started his new life with his friends and didn’t want to interrupt. I was very happy for him. I went to sleep and dozed off soon. When I was completely asleep the cougar showed up. I had no idea that I was going to be prey. It entered into my cabin through the window. I opened my eyes when I heard things tumbling but before I could move to grab my gun it pranced upon me. I screamed “Bruno”. It sliced open my stomach and bite me on my arm. He reached for my throat but before he could succeed, Bruno came in to rescue me. He hurled the cougar out of my cabin. They started fighting. Bruno grabbed its leg and it held his neck. They growled and roared louder than the thunder outside. I was laying on the ground. All I could hear was grunting and growling outside. This time I didn’t want to lose my partner. I prayed to God.

“Oh god! Don’t punish Bruno for my sins.”

I tied an end of my shirt across my stomach and came out with my rifle. The pain was too much. I could barely see things clearly. I aimed and made a shot to save Bruno. I heard a loud roar and saw the cougar fell on the ground.

Bruno came limping towards me, he licked my face and went into the cabin. He brought me my hat and the diary from the room. He poked his nose beneath my arms and supported me. I cuddled him for the last time and looked towards the sky. The rain had stopped and clouds were fading away. I could see a clear sky with a full moon shining brighter than ever. My eyes were filled with tears and were dripping. And Bruno repeatedly licked my face and wounds. His eyes were wet too. The last thing I remember was his warm breath touching my face and his smooth fur under my palm. Slowly I closed my eyes but this time I was not sad. I was not in pain. I was happy. I was happy for Bruno. I was thankful to him for bringing me another opportunity. Without him, I could never have achieved my peace.

The last thing which I saw was my son standing on the cliff. But this time he didn’t jump off. He was waiting for me with his hands spread to hug me. He said

“Father, it’s your time.”

“I forgive you.”

“I enjoyed my life with you, through Bruno.”

On listening to him I was relieved of my burden. Slowly things went drossy. I was losing my senses but I could still feel Bruno’s breath. I submitted myself to my fate.

Bruno stayed awake the whole night waiting for me. He was committed to soothe me even after my death. With the first light, he gently pulled himself out of my grips. He slid my hat on my face and licked my hand for the last time. He went to the cabin and pulled out my blanket. He spread my blanket by my corpse and sat on it. He howled in pain. After some time he took my blanket with him to the other side of the stream. After that day he never returned to the cabin.

Bruno was a dog like no other. He had suffered. He was beaten up but was never broken down. He brought hope and belief. Without him, I would have never made it. I don’t know how or why he was there but he was.

THE END