Patrick Woodhead - The Cloud Maker (2010)

‘Soon? What does that mean?’

Shara looked back towards the door, as if expecting it to open at any moment.

‘It’s . . . it’s complicated,’ she said finally. ‘That’s all. You’re going to have to trust me on this.’

‘I don’t give a shit how complicated it is,’ Bill snapped, his voice rising again. He blinked slowly, feeling his head spin from the effort. ‘I have a family to get back to, Shara. You understand me? A family. Luca and I are getting out of here the moment I’m on my feet again.’

Bill grabbed her wrist, yanking her body round to face him.

‘Do you understand,’ he said, the temper rising even further. As he spoke, he looked across to the other bed to where Babu was still sitting, his eyes moving between them both. Tears were spilling down his cheeks and he looked terrified by Bill’s sudden anger.

Bill let go of Shara’s wrist and slowly sank back on to his pillow.

‘I’m sorry,’ he whispered. ‘I didn’t mean to shout. I’ve just been going crazy, lying here thinking about it all.’

Shara moved closer to Babu and placing her hand on the back of his neck, gave him a reassuring smile.

‘I know I misled you,’ she said, speaking over her shoulder, ‘but I had important reasons, and I’m asking you to give me the benefit of the doubt. You talk about owing things – well, we’ve taken you in and are tending to your wounds. All I ask is that you now show a little patience.’

She pulled a strand of black hair back from her face. When she turned back to Bill she suddenly looked very tired.

‘You have no idea what it cost me to bring you here. You were never meant to see Geltang and now that you have . . . it’s something that can’t just be undone.’

Bill was still staring at Babu, his expression softening as he thought back to his own son, Hal.

‘Can you tell him I’m sorry for shouting,’ he said. Then, raising his hand to his face, he let his fingertips run over the top of his broken nose and across his split lip. He gave a ghost of a smile. ‘I’m not surprised I scared him. I probably look terrifying.’

Shara whispered a few sentences in Tibetan, her fingers curling through Babu’s hair.

‘Don’t worry. He may only be a boy,’ she said to Bill, ‘but Babu’s tougher than he looks. We travelled the whole way across Tibet together.’

As she spoke, Bill reached forward and grabbed his small diary off the bedside table. A few of his other possessions were there, including a crumpled picture of Cathy and the kids. Ripping a blank page from the spine, he started folding the page in half.

‘Yeah, well, I shouldn’t have lost my temper. I’m sorry.’

‘You’ve been through a lot,’ Shara answered. ‘We all have.’

Bill leaned forward again, wincing slightly from the effort and opened the palm of his hand to reveal a small paper frog.

‘Ribbit,’ he said softly. As Shara passed the frog across to Babu and he held it aloft, his expression slowly changed from fear to curiosity. He pulled down on the head, marvelling at the way the legs moved. After a moment, Babu’s nose wrinkled as the beginnings of a smile passed across his face.

‘Ribbit,’ he repeated, his smile widening a little more.

Bill went to speak when the door bolts were suddenly shot back. A broad-set monk dipped his head and entered the room. His eyes carefully passed over each of them in turn, before he folded his arms across his chest, the bare muscles flexing in his upper arm. A long, jagged scar ran down from the crown of his head.

‘ Drang ,’ Shara said, her jaw clenching with frustration. He didn’t respond but stood impassively to one side of the door. As Shara signalled for Babu to remain quiet, a second figure swept into the room. Even before he had thrown back the cowl of his robe, Shara recognised the unmistakable silhouette of Rega.

‘ Tashi delek, Venerable Father, ’ Shara said, dropping into a low bow. ‘ We are honoured by your presence. ’

Rega didn’t answer. His head was inclined to one side and his nostrils flared wide, taking in the sharp smell of disinfectant in the room.

‘ Father? ’ Shara prompted and his head suddenly jerked towards her.

‘ I was told there was some commotion coming from this room,’ Rega said eventually. ‘What is happening here? ’

Shara looked towards Bill, who was staring at her and the old monk, trying to understand what they were saying.

‘ I just came to check on the patient,’ Shara answered quickly. ‘ But I need to deal with an urgent matter. If you will excuse me . . . ’ She trailed off as Rega became distracted, his head tilting to where Babu was sitting on the other bed.

The old monk moved closer as Babu shrank back into the pillows, his prayer beads clacking nervously in his hand. ‘ Shara? ’ he said, his voice high-pitched and scared.

Rega’s nostrils flared again. ‘ So finally, I meet the child. Governor Depon’s son. ’

He reached out a hand, the fingers long and delicate. ‘ Come closer, child. ’

Shara gave a strained smile.

‘With due respect, His Holiness the Abbot has instructed that he should not socialise with other members of our order. I will take him back to his quarters.’

‘ Yet he is here with the Westerner? And I only ask the chance to meet a boy so special that he does not even pass our initiations. ’ Rega’s lips pulled back to reveal worn teeth as he attempted a smile. ‘ The only way for me to see is through touch. Surely you would not begrudge an old blind man? ’

Shara hesitated for a second, glancing to where Drang was standing by the door. He looked preoccupied, staring at the jade beads Babu was holding in his hands. His head finally tilted up, to meet her gaze, then he moved a step to his right, covering the door.

Shara helped Babu on to the ground and as Rega approached he stood rigid, hands outstretched.

‘ Hold still while our father greets you, ’ Shara said, hearing the tension in her own voice.

Rega’s bony hands traced across Babu’s cheeks, sweeping over the top of his forehead and down under his chin. As his fingers passed over Babu’s closed eyes, the prayer beads in his hand fell to the floor with a clatter. Eventually, Rega straightened, flexing his fingers.

‘You say you are the son of the governor, but I can tell you were born on the plateau. Tell me, child, when did you move to Lhasa?’

‘ Really Father, he is just a child, ’ Shara protested. ‘ He is surely too young to answer such questions. ’

‘Too young or unable? ’ Rega said. ‘ Many irregularities have occurred recently and it is for me to decide what . . . ’

He was interrupted by clattering footsteps. A young monk appeared at the doorway, his eyes frantic. He bowed quickly at the room, and then leaned forward again, supporting hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath.

‘Father, I must speak with you.’

Rega swivelled round, his jaw clenched.

‘ Wait, impertinent child ,’ he hissed, raising a finger, ‘ I am engaged with other matters .’

‘Father you must listen! Something terrible has happened.’

Rega hesitated for a second, then with a sweep of his hand, signalled for Drang to follow him. He stalked out of the door, his robe billowing behind him. As his steps disappeared down the corridor, Bill propped himself further up in the bed.

‘What on earth was all that about?’

‘I’ll explain later,’ Shara said quickly, scooping Babu up from the ground. ‘I’m sorry, Bill, but it was stupid of me to have brought him here. I’ll come back, I promise.’