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the man who wear the crow print mask chapter 3
The man who wear the crow print mask
chapter 3
Our lone journey makes slow but steady progress down the ridge. Even in near darkness, I can make out the imposing views and the dark beautiful scenery and big trunks of the dense Nsiang forest that surrounds much of the regions.
Thaitanglung and Alicia have been engaged in intense discussion since our short journey began,
they were discussing about their adventures in the capital,when they tried to saves a family of the governor but failed because of the lack of fund and time, and the competition between the groups of doctor which turned bloody, and as the light of the southern gate loom larger on the horizon, their voices get heated.
"Referring to ancient deity customs puts peoples' health at risk," I hear Alicia say, looking at me.
People will do anything for religion,even if it's costing theirs time and resources and that's crazy . Lucky me I don't have any religion,her remarks strike me hard for I'm a good Christian.
"But negating those beliefs can cause long term distress, even if the person heals," thaitanglung intercept, his voice lifting above its masculinity attitude.
"Yes, if, if the person is heals. They will give the credit to the unseen God and that's is absurd Alicia added.
The people in old Tamenglong think their honey bees keeper makes the best honey in the world,but he lack cleanliness and hygiene which, according to Alicia, means it should not use it on wounds." For bacteria might be happier than ever .
"Alternatives can often be found. If you're in Tamenglong, you can use something else to stave off infection. Like using some medicinal leaves ,but sadly they are all ignorant about it.
Should we just ignore our oaths as doctors and harm the patient by invalidating their rituals and belief in the kobiraz and even to the extent of transforming ourselves as god the maker of local maipa, thaitanglung said with an evil grin.
"I seem to recall you dodging a custom or two on our last outing," Alicia says.
I replied, it's just to save the lives of a poor women, people are too ignorant and believe in superstitions .
If I had not intervened the women's would be dead, the authority will ruled out that she was inflected.
Things have changed a lot after' the invasion of the deadly Anthrax 3.0, fours years ago. And now this vivid 9, it's the perfect virus for the fraud people to cheat on innocent folks or for some hungry power individual to spread fake news or for any religious faction to ruled anyone by saying it's the god cursed.
"We need a deciding vote, Sixvi. Does our oath to heal give us the authority to bypass deity customs?"
Alicia said.
I side with Alicia. Doctors must do whatever it takes to heal someone. Not bound by religion or any force.
Thaitang too agree with Alicia.
I mutter that doctors seem to get blamed no matter what they do,what if the patient died or if something happen or the patient is not satisfied with the results.
I suggest ,many of these problems will vanish if we are flexible with the truth and also makes the patient understand it, and afterall education is what we needed most and common senses.
"Hahhaaha ! Sixvi, Alicia laughed out loud . Alicia throws her arms up in mock celebration. "Another doctor on the side of medical progress and philosophy.
Thaitanglung smirk
. "All right, but neither of you better come running to me when you are in trouble.
"I know better than to ask you for a favor," Alicia says, continue laughing.
I have read about everything, from medical to philosophy .
The argumentative tone has vanished, and it's clear that there are no hard feelings between us.
We all agree on one thing,we should have full power over a patient for a successful and good results or outcome.
"Heard you arrived today, same as us," Thaitang says. "Where do you comes from? And tell me about yourself?
I began to narrate, about myself
"I was born in this country close to the second capital, Dailong" my family traveled alot, and at one point "My family fled from their land when the nomads from the north ,from Assam,invaded when I was only an infant. After the failed invasion we came back to Dailong, my dad was a pharmacist,and my mother a nurse ,she works at a children's hospital. I had three other siblings,and I'm the eldest. My younger brother is in the army and he's posted at the Eastern front,and my youngest sister,a musician she been touring the whole of the continent, and unfortunately she died during the last anthrax hit,four years ago. Mom and dad are still alive ,and have settled peacefully at Dailong living off from the pharmacy my dad owned.
"I had an deduction," Alicia says. "The accent, plus you have that look about you." It reminds me of someone ,my former classmate from Dailong.
And Alicia and thaitanglung began to introduce themselves too-
Alicia is from Touseum region,and she had no siblings at all, because of the acute poverty and the lack of everything,her mother passed away by a simple illness,after her mom passed away ,she and her dad move to ,Tml and live on to this day.
Thaitang is originally from Khoupum, and his family still lives there,he is the youngest among four brothers and two sisters, he is raised in a well to do farming family,and he is sent to tamenglong for further studies ,he completed his course in New Tml hospital, one of the reputed hospital in the region.
After we exchange some anecdotes about our upbringing to pass the time, before the conversation turns to the present Tamenglong,ie the old tamenglong. Alicia say she is confused about the new and old Tml, and she ask me if I know or if I could clear her confusion as I live nearby. I nodded in affirmation and continue on, the year was 2045, the town planning committee decided to shift the location of the secretariat from the existing to the another site, north of old Tml. After much debate in the parliament ,it shifting is granted ,and to look into the matter a new group is formed,under the leadership of the then chairman of Tml, he belongs to the left wing party, under his leadership he brings lot of changes, in education , medical,and technology ,but he failed to look into the matter of the old Tml. He failed to keep his words , compensation.
The people of old and new Tml were not unified, as we can see how the new Tml people treated the old Tml people as a low caste or inferior being. But things change after the new chairman take the seat,he unified both the old and the new under one jurisdiction, and eventually he became the Head, and so to look into the matter with ease ,the divided the whole of Tml into 3 zone, and appoint a chairman for each zone, the zone are old Tml ,new Tml, central Tml. Among all this zone old Tml hit the worst for its the epicenter for the anthrax which hit the whole world badly and now vivid 9. It's like old Tml will be a barren place after a decade for almost half of the citizens had shifted to either central or new Tml. The people stayed behind are from the middle class family,or the working class or the poor. It's a pity but what can we do. I hope things goes back to normal like before, and it's in our hand to decide the future of this forsaken place. As for now vivid 9 had not spread out to the neighborhood,and we had little time , either to find a cure or to burnt this place to ashes.
Alicia seem to be annoyed at my saying but she helped to keep to herself.
"What did the chairman tell you about this assignment? Was it that line about getting a spot on the office of the HEAD?" Thaitang asks, leaning in to keep my conversation out of earshot of the driver.
When i confirm this to be the case, thaitang curses to himself. "I bet he told you that nonsense about his family coat of arms, too. Look, the fact is we're being sent here to fulfill his selfish objective. An outbreak of virus and to stop it means sending in the doctors. He doesn't expect success. He just wants funding. When we fail, we'll suffer the same fate as the rest of this sorry town,and we might be termed as traitor to the government too,I had a bad feeling about this, him giving us full Power.
The driver, slow down the vehicle and he gave a big loud horn, signalling the toll keeper to open the gate.
Credentials are exchanged between the driver and the toll point guards, and with a slow, mechanical grind, the gates of the swing open.
We came across another gate,but it had little soldiers posted, without much talk the guard open the gate,and we saw a billboard that's says ,. welcome to old Tml zone 2, this much be the epicenter of this vivid 9 ,I murmur to myself. We reached at about 7:00 pm, and it's was already dark with no soul visible.
The streets lie still beneath the night sky.The occasional bark from a distant dog, the town seems to be holding its breath. Even the gate guard who let us pass appear to have vanished behind their fortifications, gulped back up by the lateness of the hour.
On the western side of the road i can just about make out the steady rise of a hill and, atop this barrow, the outlines of grand structures. To the east, a network of narrow streets flow into clusters of modest, tight-knit dwellings. I hold my coat closer against the advancing chill of a clear night, as the soldiers,the driver who accompanied us unload supplies from the car into the street.
Thaitang and Alicia are making short patrols around the nearby sacks, crates, and barrels, most likely in a similar effort to stay warm.
I direct a comment at the closest group of the guards.
"When is the secretary coming to meet us?"
My question is met with a laughter from the guards. "You're more likely to see one of the deities out here tonight than get the sadist secretary out of her den. They paid little attention to my queries.
My exchange is cut short by a shout of acknowledgment from farther down the street. Looking into the dark, i make out the shapes of a uniformed group of seven or eight figures heading in the direction of the car. They appear to have come from the direction of the hillside where the tall tower stands.
"Here we go," one of the guards remarks. "The sadist Miss secretary.
The soldiers spread out around the spot where the supplies are being deposited. They're irregularly armed and wear a mismatched selection of clothes, and their weapons are not upto my mark,they handle it badly Most, i notice, are dyed a dark blue. A woman who looks like she would have no trouble lifting one of the creates at her side starts bellowing out orders.
"Raan, Ganglin get those crates up to the command centre, take the sacks. The rest of you lot stand guard. We'll switch shifts in an hour. No breaks until all of this is up the tower .
I realize that all may well include a portion of the supplies earmarked for our own use. But defying the secretary is likely to antagonize her, and them.
I thought ,why they are more of a goons and taking advantage during this time of fear of virus,they seem to earn a good deal of dirty money.
I defer to the secretary authority and allow some supplies to be taken. But it's useless.
We stand and watch as the militia begin carrying the various crates and barrels away. As the pile begins to dwindle, Thaitang tries to step in and claim one of the smaller sacks earmarked for medical use. He's blocked by a shorter man who speaks through an uncombed mustache.
"That's not for you, pothead. Step back."
Thaitang persists but finds himself pushed back by the blunt end of the man's bayonets.
"I said, that's not for you."
My colleague in the boar mask looks over to me "Sixvi, those supplies are ours. Are you just going to let this sick sadist secretary take them?" When it becomes clear that is indeed my intention, he shakes his head and strides over to Alicia. I see him gesturing in my direction.
The Supplies are hauled way. I see the backs of the group as they disappear into the night, making their way slowly up the tower at the urging of their leader.
The soldiers are leaving, too, turning the empty truck around and heading for Tml southern gate. I hear noise of the vehicle cease as the towering entrance is cranked open by reemerging watchmen. Then the straining of rope and gears, and a final thud as it swings to a close.
Thaitang pulls up his mask, resentment in his eyes as he confronts me. "Something you need to understand. Those people, people who do the dirty work for higher powers, they won't just stop at a few supplies."
"You'd better have a spectacular explanation for what just happened, Sixvi," says Alicia, her arms folded across her chest.
"The secretary' is in charge of this zone and unless that changes we defer to her authority." And
"I did what was necessary to avoid any conflict."
"Resisting a group like that always gets you hurt, so what's the point?"
And "Being nice and compliant now will give us leverage later."
Alicia laughter makes the outline of her fox mask shake. "Right, right. You let us get robbed by the government employed soldiers as part of your master plan. Good to know."
I look at Thaitang who runs his hand down the front of his face before he speaks. "Leverage…deities, take me now." He slips his mask back down over his face and sighs. "I don't think you quite realize the power imbalance at play here, Sixvi. But it's late, it's cold, and I want to lie down, so consider the matter dropped." We decided to look out for a shelter, now our supplies being loot by the soldiers, and now I realised how corrupted the government is, they not only used us as a pawn but used us ,the doctor as a shield for their wrong doings, the chairman is not interested in finding a cure for the virus but he is interested in the findings the Head will gives out. I cursed my self for this silly act of coward, by letting us robbed us , without raising any voice. Thaitang and Alicia look at me with their dissatisfied and disappoint looks,and for the worst the driver leave us behind.
With much difficulty I speak out, hey ! Alicia and Thaitang, let's first look out for a shelter , or a place and we can act out or execute out our plan, let's not act in haste, for we are doctor, the 2nd to the almighty in saving lives, we should make out our own strategy to finished our mission . And after that we can take out revenge,and I know the good they have taken will be of no use for them as most of it were for our own research,and they won't be able to make out of what to uses for, unless they are like us,but what fear me is what if they destroy the supplies?
Thaitang and Alicia agree with me!
To be continued……………
© bamriguipamei
chapter 3
Our lone journey makes slow but steady progress down the ridge. Even in near darkness, I can make out the imposing views and the dark beautiful scenery and big trunks of the dense Nsiang forest that surrounds much of the regions.
Thaitanglung and Alicia have been engaged in intense discussion since our short journey began,
they were discussing about their adventures in the capital,when they tried to saves a family of the governor but failed because of the lack of fund and time, and the competition between the groups of doctor which turned bloody, and as the light of the southern gate loom larger on the horizon, their voices get heated.
"Referring to ancient deity customs puts peoples' health at risk," I hear Alicia say, looking at me.
People will do anything for religion,even if it's costing theirs time and resources and that's crazy . Lucky me I don't have any religion,her remarks strike me hard for I'm a good Christian.
"But negating those beliefs can cause long term distress, even if the person heals," thaitanglung intercept, his voice lifting above its masculinity attitude.
"Yes, if, if the person is heals. They will give the credit to the unseen God and that's is absurd Alicia added.
The people in old Tamenglong think their honey bees keeper makes the best honey in the world,but he lack cleanliness and hygiene which, according to Alicia, means it should not use it on wounds." For bacteria might be happier than ever .
"Alternatives can often be found. If you're in Tamenglong, you can use something else to stave off infection. Like using some medicinal leaves ,but sadly they are all ignorant about it.
Should we just ignore our oaths as doctors and harm the patient by invalidating their rituals and belief in the kobiraz and even to the extent of transforming ourselves as god the maker of local maipa, thaitanglung said with an evil grin.
"I seem to recall you dodging a custom or two on our last outing," Alicia says.
I replied, it's just to save the lives of a poor women, people are too ignorant and believe in superstitions .
If I had not intervened the women's would be dead, the authority will ruled out that she was inflected.
Things have changed a lot after' the invasion of the deadly Anthrax 3.0, fours years ago. And now this vivid 9, it's the perfect virus for the fraud people to cheat on innocent folks or for some hungry power individual to spread fake news or for any religious faction to ruled anyone by saying it's the god cursed.
"We need a deciding vote, Sixvi. Does our oath to heal give us the authority to bypass deity customs?"
Alicia said.
I side with Alicia. Doctors must do whatever it takes to heal someone. Not bound by religion or any force.
Thaitang too agree with Alicia.
I mutter that doctors seem to get blamed no matter what they do,what if the patient died or if something happen or the patient is not satisfied with the results.
I suggest ,many of these problems will vanish if we are flexible with the truth and also makes the patient understand it, and afterall education is what we needed most and common senses.
"Hahhaaha ! Sixvi, Alicia laughed out loud . Alicia throws her arms up in mock celebration. "Another doctor on the side of medical progress and philosophy.
Thaitanglung smirk
. "All right, but neither of you better come running to me when you are in trouble.
"I know better than to ask you for a favor," Alicia says, continue laughing.
I have read about everything, from medical to philosophy .
The argumentative tone has vanished, and it's clear that there are no hard feelings between us.
We all agree on one thing,we should have full power over a patient for a successful and good results or outcome.
"Heard you arrived today, same as us," Thaitang says. "Where do you comes from? And tell me about yourself?
I began to narrate, about myself
"I was born in this country close to the second capital, Dailong" my family traveled alot, and at one point "My family fled from their land when the nomads from the north ,from Assam,invaded when I was only an infant. After the failed invasion we came back to Dailong, my dad was a pharmacist,and my mother a nurse ,she works at a children's hospital. I had three other siblings,and I'm the eldest. My younger brother is in the army and he's posted at the Eastern front,and my youngest sister,a musician she been touring the whole of the continent, and unfortunately she died during the last anthrax hit,four years ago. Mom and dad are still alive ,and have settled peacefully at Dailong living off from the pharmacy my dad owned.
"I had an deduction," Alicia says. "The accent, plus you have that look about you." It reminds me of someone ,my former classmate from Dailong.
And Alicia and thaitanglung began to introduce themselves too-
Alicia is from Touseum region,and she had no siblings at all, because of the acute poverty and the lack of everything,her mother passed away by a simple illness,after her mom passed away ,she and her dad move to ,Tml and live on to this day.
Thaitang is originally from Khoupum, and his family still lives there,he is the youngest among four brothers and two sisters, he is raised in a well to do farming family,and he is sent to tamenglong for further studies ,he completed his course in New Tml hospital, one of the reputed hospital in the region.
After we exchange some anecdotes about our upbringing to pass the time, before the conversation turns to the present Tamenglong,ie the old tamenglong. Alicia say she is confused about the new and old Tml, and she ask me if I know or if I could clear her confusion as I live nearby. I nodded in affirmation and continue on, the year was 2045, the town planning committee decided to shift the location of the secretariat from the existing to the another site, north of old Tml. After much debate in the parliament ,it shifting is granted ,and to look into the matter a new group is formed,under the leadership of the then chairman of Tml, he belongs to the left wing party, under his leadership he brings lot of changes, in education , medical,and technology ,but he failed to look into the matter of the old Tml. He failed to keep his words , compensation.
The people of old and new Tml were not unified, as we can see how the new Tml people treated the old Tml people as a low caste or inferior being. But things change after the new chairman take the seat,he unified both the old and the new under one jurisdiction, and eventually he became the Head, and so to look into the matter with ease ,the divided the whole of Tml into 3 zone, and appoint a chairman for each zone, the zone are old Tml ,new Tml, central Tml. Among all this zone old Tml hit the worst for its the epicenter for the anthrax which hit the whole world badly and now vivid 9. It's like old Tml will be a barren place after a decade for almost half of the citizens had shifted to either central or new Tml. The people stayed behind are from the middle class family,or the working class or the poor. It's a pity but what can we do. I hope things goes back to normal like before, and it's in our hand to decide the future of this forsaken place. As for now vivid 9 had not spread out to the neighborhood,and we had little time , either to find a cure or to burnt this place to ashes.
Alicia seem to be annoyed at my saying but she helped to keep to herself.
"What did the chairman tell you about this assignment? Was it that line about getting a spot on the office of the HEAD?" Thaitang asks, leaning in to keep my conversation out of earshot of the driver.
When i confirm this to be the case, thaitang curses to himself. "I bet he told you that nonsense about his family coat of arms, too. Look, the fact is we're being sent here to fulfill his selfish objective. An outbreak of virus and to stop it means sending in the doctors. He doesn't expect success. He just wants funding. When we fail, we'll suffer the same fate as the rest of this sorry town,and we might be termed as traitor to the government too,I had a bad feeling about this, him giving us full Power.
The driver, slow down the vehicle and he gave a big loud horn, signalling the toll keeper to open the gate.
Credentials are exchanged between the driver and the toll point guards, and with a slow, mechanical grind, the gates of the swing open.
We came across another gate,but it had little soldiers posted, without much talk the guard open the gate,and we saw a billboard that's says ,. welcome to old Tml zone 2, this much be the epicenter of this vivid 9 ,I murmur to myself. We reached at about 7:00 pm, and it's was already dark with no soul visible.
The streets lie still beneath the night sky.The occasional bark from a distant dog, the town seems to be holding its breath. Even the gate guard who let us pass appear to have vanished behind their fortifications, gulped back up by the lateness of the hour.
On the western side of the road i can just about make out the steady rise of a hill and, atop this barrow, the outlines of grand structures. To the east, a network of narrow streets flow into clusters of modest, tight-knit dwellings. I hold my coat closer against the advancing chill of a clear night, as the soldiers,the driver who accompanied us unload supplies from the car into the street.
Thaitang and Alicia are making short patrols around the nearby sacks, crates, and barrels, most likely in a similar effort to stay warm.
I direct a comment at the closest group of the guards.
"When is the secretary coming to meet us?"
My question is met with a laughter from the guards. "You're more likely to see one of the deities out here tonight than get the sadist secretary out of her den. They paid little attention to my queries.
My exchange is cut short by a shout of acknowledgment from farther down the street. Looking into the dark, i make out the shapes of a uniformed group of seven or eight figures heading in the direction of the car. They appear to have come from the direction of the hillside where the tall tower stands.
"Here we go," one of the guards remarks. "The sadist Miss secretary.
The soldiers spread out around the spot where the supplies are being deposited. They're irregularly armed and wear a mismatched selection of clothes, and their weapons are not upto my mark,they handle it badly Most, i notice, are dyed a dark blue. A woman who looks like she would have no trouble lifting one of the creates at her side starts bellowing out orders.
"Raan, Ganglin get those crates up to the command centre, take the sacks. The rest of you lot stand guard. We'll switch shifts in an hour. No breaks until all of this is up the tower .
I realize that all may well include a portion of the supplies earmarked for our own use. But defying the secretary is likely to antagonize her, and them.
I thought ,why they are more of a goons and taking advantage during this time of fear of virus,they seem to earn a good deal of dirty money.
I defer to the secretary authority and allow some supplies to be taken. But it's useless.
We stand and watch as the militia begin carrying the various crates and barrels away. As the pile begins to dwindle, Thaitang tries to step in and claim one of the smaller sacks earmarked for medical use. He's blocked by a shorter man who speaks through an uncombed mustache.
"That's not for you, pothead. Step back."
Thaitang persists but finds himself pushed back by the blunt end of the man's bayonets.
"I said, that's not for you."
My colleague in the boar mask looks over to me "Sixvi, those supplies are ours. Are you just going to let this sick sadist secretary take them?" When it becomes clear that is indeed my intention, he shakes his head and strides over to Alicia. I see him gesturing in my direction.
The Supplies are hauled way. I see the backs of the group as they disappear into the night, making their way slowly up the tower at the urging of their leader.
The soldiers are leaving, too, turning the empty truck around and heading for Tml southern gate. I hear noise of the vehicle cease as the towering entrance is cranked open by reemerging watchmen. Then the straining of rope and gears, and a final thud as it swings to a close.
Thaitang pulls up his mask, resentment in his eyes as he confronts me. "Something you need to understand. Those people, people who do the dirty work for higher powers, they won't just stop at a few supplies."
"You'd better have a spectacular explanation for what just happened, Sixvi," says Alicia, her arms folded across her chest.
"The secretary' is in charge of this zone and unless that changes we defer to her authority." And
"I did what was necessary to avoid any conflict."
"Resisting a group like that always gets you hurt, so what's the point?"
And "Being nice and compliant now will give us leverage later."
Alicia laughter makes the outline of her fox mask shake. "Right, right. You let us get robbed by the government employed soldiers as part of your master plan. Good to know."
I look at Thaitang who runs his hand down the front of his face before he speaks. "Leverage…deities, take me now." He slips his mask back down over his face and sighs. "I don't think you quite realize the power imbalance at play here, Sixvi. But it's late, it's cold, and I want to lie down, so consider the matter dropped." We decided to look out for a shelter, now our supplies being loot by the soldiers, and now I realised how corrupted the government is, they not only used us as a pawn but used us ,the doctor as a shield for their wrong doings, the chairman is not interested in finding a cure for the virus but he is interested in the findings the Head will gives out. I cursed my self for this silly act of coward, by letting us robbed us , without raising any voice. Thaitang and Alicia look at me with their dissatisfied and disappoint looks,and for the worst the driver leave us behind.
With much difficulty I speak out, hey ! Alicia and Thaitang, let's first look out for a shelter , or a place and we can act out or execute out our plan, let's not act in haste, for we are doctor, the 2nd to the almighty in saving lives, we should make out our own strategy to finished our mission . And after that we can take out revenge,and I know the good they have taken will be of no use for them as most of it were for our own research,and they won't be able to make out of what to uses for, unless they are like us,but what fear me is what if they destroy the supplies?
Thaitang and Alicia agree with me!
To be continued……………
© bamriguipamei
