Chapters (53)
- Cover
- Title page
- Prologue
- Part One
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Part Two
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-one
- Twenty-two
- Twenty-three
- Twenty-four
- Part Three
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Author’s Note and Acknowledgements
Pulok looked at him. Lao Thien tried to smile, suppressing his sadness. Pulok returned to the field with a heavy heart.
The Chinese players of Seven Star were heartbroken. The players of Duliajan were advancing without any resistance. They were surprised at the sudden change of mood in the opposing team. What had happened?
One after another, Pulok missed three saves. Seven Star Club lost the match. No one knew why.
Some expressed frustration at the missed saves and vented their anger on Pulok. The Seven Star team came to receive the runners-up trophy glumly.
The Duliajan players, with their dirty jerseys and glowing faces, shook hands with the losing team. Hong kept looking at Pulok while shaking hands with their opponents.
‘Come to my wedding,’ Pulok said gently, looking at him.
‘Yes, I’ll come. I’ll come before the wedding too. Why did you do this, Pulok?’ Hong asked sadly. Pulok did not answer him.
‘I think I know why,’ Hong said after some time.
Pulok was quiet. He was filled with a helpless anger.
All the players shook hands with O’Connor. Addison and his group clapped and smiled while both the trophies were handed over. Ming was declared man of the match.
‘We didn’t enjoy the match today, Baruah,’ Addison said to Pulok. ‘You all played very badly after half-time.’
No one answered.
‘Next year, make sure you play well. Our club must win.’
Pulok’s team went to the cycle stand to get their bicycles and return home. As they approached the stand, the victorious team, along with their supporters, was getting into the truck to return to Duliajan. The entire area resounded with loud cheers from the moving truck.
‘Hip hip hurray! Hip hip hurray!’
Six
Six
The preparations for Pulok’s wedding were in full swing. All his friends had come to his house. Hong and his younger brother Ming had also arrived from Tipling, a small town near Duliajan. Pulok was getting married on 11 October. While everyone else laughed and joked, Ming sat quietly in a corner of the room reading an Assamese novel.
Pulok’s two sisters had come with their families to help with the wedding preparations. Other relatives from distant places had also arrived. In the midst of all these joyous activities, the only person who remained aloof was Pulok’s father Minaram Baruah. He was sitting alone in the verandah with a droopy face. He didn’t greet his son’s friends, pretending not to see them when they passed by.