Everest – Friday Fictioneers

Varad,

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‘How much for the cap?’

‘300 rupees, madam. You climbing Everest?’

‘Naah! Just trekking to basecamp. My husband will be attempting to summit Everest.’

‘Nice. Your husband very brave. Which party he go with?’

‘Wild Summit.’

‘Very nice. My uncle, Apa Sherpa, going with Wild Summit. He help your husband. I go Everest from next year.’

‘Aren’t you too young?’

‘What saying? I 10 years. My father climb Everest when 14 years. I make world record.’

‘Is your father a mountaineer too?’

‘Yes. Sherpa Ang Dorjee. Climb Everest fifteen times. My brother, Dawa, six times.’

‘Are they climbing this year as well?’

‘No. They die in avalanche last year. Which cap you want? Manchester United?’

Many thanks to our gracious hostess Rochelle Wisoff – Fields for hosting Friday Fictioneers. This week’s prompt has been provided by Bjorn Rudberg. Please enter your story and read others’ here.

Can you write a 30 word Horror story? If you answer in the affirmative, head right here to #MicroMondays. Come join us. It’s fun.

Published by Varad

Self-published author/ Social media neanderthal.

38 Comments

  1. My partner is climbing currently Everest, I’m praying there’ll be no avalanches or earthquakes this year. He’s been to Nepal several times now, he’s brought back a fetching purple yak blanket, maybe this time he’ll buy a cap! Did your partner summit?

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    1. Thanks for the comment, Penny. As I have observed during my treks in the Himalayas, the mountain people have it simple. They know and accept that death might be around the very next corner. There is a lot to learn from everyone from everywhere.

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    1. The value system of people in dangerous jobs is something wonderful and sometimes totally beyond the grasp for us, regular people living regular lives. Thanks for the comment, Christine.

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  7. Like everyone else, the voice of this piece is incredible. I truly loved it. But you got me with ‘Everest’. I would never or could ever trek to the top but I am fascinated with those who do. Its symbolic if nothing else. Then you ended with Manchester United… what can I say but Well Done.

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  9. I admire and respect the child’s ambition.
    It’s a shame that a legendary mountaineers’ family should have to live such a tough life.
    Beautifully written story, Varad.

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  10. Wow! Accidents and death unfortunately become a part of life in some places and some professions. It’s sad, but the human spirit is resilient, it makes you move on irrespective of what has befallen you or people around you in the past.

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  13. I loved the voice of this, Varad. I can well imagine that, for them, this is their life – which includes the possibility of death. We are not all raised with the same sentimentality.

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  17. I guess it depends on what you consider “ordinary.” He seems quite accepting of his family’s fate.

    No, I can’t write horror in a mere 30 words. 100 words is hard enough. 😉

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  20. Recently I was in Bhutan..and I met a small boy who almost spoke like this boy. Daily life in Bhutan is full of struggle..they have to Trek to get even simple daily things…death is so common that they actually have developed a casual attitude. They only have to depend on their prayers to get basic necessities .. no hospitals, no roads, nothing if there is an emergency.

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    1. So true. My guide told me that his eldest kid, 6, takes her two younger siblings daily to school and back. Obviously, the school is located a good 10 km from their house and they have to trek through hilly terrain for most of the journey.

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  21. Western wusses! I did the Inca trail many years back and spent 4 days being overtaken by Peruvians in flip-flops…

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    1. Same thing happened to me when I trekked across rupin pass in the Himalayas earlier this year. The porter boys were wearing slip on shoes and were jumping between rocks on the summit.

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  23. Dear Varad,

    Troubling, if not educational piece. (After reading your reply to Neil.) I felt the same about the child’s casual attitude toward death. Thank you for explaining. I like the voices. Well done.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

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    1. Dear Rochelle,

      I met a Sherpa during one of my treks. He said that right from childhood they understand that climbing the mountains is risky business and death is always lurking around the next corner. They accept that losing limbs and lives is quite possible (since they will be doing most of the heavy lifting) and they don’t dwell on this for long. There are guide Sherpas, who usually accompany the mountaineers to the summit and camp sherpas who are involved only in moving luggage and preparing food. The dream of every camp sherpa is to become a guide. Over the past sixty years, Sherpas have suffered the maximum casualties climbing Everest.

      Regards, Varad

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    1. The Sherpas pride themselves on being true children of the mountain. For them, dying while climbing the mountains is just a part of life. Most of their villages are located on places inaccessible by road and they usually trek between villages, while carrying supplies and their elders/ young ones. They say that one could die while trekking between villages as well. One more important fact is, among the sherpas, climbing the Everest is almost everything. Not only it fetches them good money, but gives a great social status as well. Almost all the youngster there dream of summitting the Everest.

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