"In the dimming, eastern lights, you shall find
On the top of the godly hills, lays a magnificent sight
A fruit so pure, clean and pristine
An apple of gold, shall be seen"
These words kept ringing in Anruk's mind as he traversed the Shivalik hills. They are the youngest mountain chain of the Greater Himalayas and the hills that Anruk thought were the hills referred to in the riddle. He walked along the slope, one step at a time. His heart pounding and his lungs hurting. Anruk and another hundred such participants had taken part in a reality show which promised a huge cash reward. Only ten participants had made it to the finals and Anruk was one of them. The money would enable him to start his own business which would hopefully enable him and his family a better life and finally escape the demon of poverty.
The riddle had referred to the Shivalik hills and Anruk was certain of this. After all the word "Shivalik” literally means ‘tresses of Lord Shiva’. Unfortunately, he was not the only person who thought so. Eight people climbed the hill includin him. "The fruit contains a rocket flare. The person who finds it will be the winner of 'Khiladi' season ten," informed the game host Rajav Manohar.
Just then a terrifying sight caught his eye. A fellow contestant, Sohan Vare, had cut the rope of another contestant, Mahinder Kapoor. He gaped at the shocking sight of a man falling down the hills, his scream ringing across the hillls. Luckily, all contestants had a parachute and he saw as the parachute came out slowing Mahinder's fall. He looked at Sohan who looked at him with a creepy smile and merciless eyes. The game saw everything fair and Anruk knew he should not be so surprised the next time this happens.
"Al...mo...st...the...re..WHEW!" panted Anruk as he heaved a deep breath. He was up the hill. He wasn't the only one though. He couldn't be sure of how many ppl had completed the treacherous trek but he knew he wasn't alone. The trampled bushes and the shoe marks revealed it all. "Eastern lights," recalled Anruk from the riddle. And so he headed east.
The peak was rather flat, but it was beautiful. There were tall trees, blooming with colourful flowers, a gentle breeze blew and ruffled Anruk's hair. The place was serene and placid and Anruk couldn't help but appreciate its beauty. But he had to move. An hour, two and then three passed by but there was no sign of the golden apple. It was sunset. Anruk watched as the sun and his hope, both dimmed. The sky was a shade of pink and it was paradise to Anruk.
Just then there was a shine. The kind that comes when sunlight falls on mirrors. "Of course! In dimming lights you shall find! That must be where the fruit is," exclaimed Anruk sure that this was it. He wasn't the only one to see the light though. It was not very far when Anruk saw people landing punches and kicks on each other. The heat was on and the people were going crazy. They would stop at nothing to retrieve the fruit. Anruk crawled by the fights, crossing his fingers hoping that he would remain unseen and be camoflauged among the leaves.
The sun dimmed by the minute. But he was making progress. He was at the place he thought was the place of the twinkling light. But he couldn't be sure. Then he noticed it. The smooth walls of the huge boulder next to him. He walked around and bingo! It was a temple! A temple of lord Shiva to be precise. There were paintings of the god everywhere including a rather new placed sign which read "Inside the temple your reward awaits!". He was on the right track. Overjoyed, he entered the temple.
Sohan Vare looked at his fellow contestant as he walked into the temple. "Clever," he thought as he noticed that the rock was actually a temple "But there can only be one winner and that's gonna be me Anruk!"
Two men stood in front of a golden apple. One oblivious of the other. Sohan sprinted to the apple while Anruk held back. "Later, loser" smiled a truimphant Sohan as he sprinted past his opponent in a bid to retrieve the apple. "Sohan, NO!" The scream was not of fear of losing. It was of concern. Anruk watched as Sohan was pierced by an arrow in the hand. Sohan collapsed. Anruk ran to his fellow contestant knowing that it was now safe. "Still breathing" he whispered to himself. "Probably just meant to make him unconsious" His eye turned to the gleaming apple which lay in the hands of a tall idol of Lord Shiva. He held his trophy with a sense of truimph and shot the flare towards the sky in the open. "Just as I imagined," he thought as he looked at the last rays of the sun, waiting for the helicopters to arrive that would escort him back to the camp.
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