Strikes Back 11

BUNG SAWMPAKHATNA

South Bend a rawn thlen chuan, kawng laka a lo rilruk dan angin Sudden-a chu a che zui nghal zar zar a. Chutiang chuan Judge Pringle-a pawh tlawh a, thil thleng kimchang te pawh hrilh a, hmalak zel dan turte pawh sawipui a tum a. Chu Dan hre mi chu thil tam tak sawipui tur a nei a ni. Judge chuan a In hnung lama a office tereuh te, lehkhabu intiang urh mai kar atang chuan a lo dawng sawng a, chutah, a awmpui nu chu Coffee chawiin a rawn dak lut zawk a. Sudden-a chuan a duhzawng tak a nih chu sawiin lo fak luam a, Sudden-a fakna hlimpui angreng tak chuan a chhuah pahin chu nu chuan kawngka chu zawite in a khar a. Pa pahnih te chu a thlah fal zui ta a.

‘Min hmu tura rawn kal I rilruk chu ka lawm hle mai, Mr. Green,’ tiin Judge chuan a han sawi tan a. ‘George Tate-a’n I chungchang thu hi a rawn ziak tih te pawh I hre ngei anga tiraw ?’

Sudden-a chu a lo bu nghat a. ‘Thil zawng zawng kimchang takin a rawn hrilh turah che ka ngai a?’

Chutah, Pringle-a chuan a thuruk ṭhenkhat chu a vawnsak ni a a han sawi chuan, Sudden-a chu a lo nui sak a. ‘Chutiang deuh chu nimah se, a kimchang hi ka hrilh law law che a ṭha zawk in ka hria.’ a han ti a.

Chutah, chu dan hremi chuan, chu tlangval la naupang tak leh sang thlerh thlawrhin, ‘Sudden-a’ dan pawna hnawl a lo nih tak dan, a sawi te chu a han ngaihthla ve ta a. A sawi zawh chuan, Sudden-a hmel chu a ngui ta raih mai a. Mahse, Pringle chuan a lo hnem vat a. ‘Min hrilh chu ka lawm hle mai, engmah a inthlak danglam tawh chuang lovang. Tunah chuan George-a’n I chetdan aṭanga lo thlir zel tur a min lo hrilh chhan chu ka hrethiam ta uar uar mai. Makti hle turin min lo hrilh lawk a. Chutiang chuan mak ka ti takzet reng a ni. Tumahin danin a zawn lai mek hi Arizona Governor thlawpna neiin hna a thawk a ni tih hi rin ngaihna an hre miah lovang.’

‘Hna ka thawhsak ve nual tawh a sin,’ Green-a chuan a lo ti mawl leh tawp a. Chutia a sawi bak chu dan hremi chuan a zawt zui hran lem bik lova. ‘Ka rilru kaptu zawk chu maw, Green, Grace-i'n a en dan che hi a ni. A duhdan anga a awm theihna kawng daltu niin a hre tlat che a.’ a han ti a.

‘Barclay-a hnenah Ranch hi hralh a duh thu min hrilh a,’ Sudden-a chuan a lo ti a.  ‘Chu chu Tate-a duh dan a ni der si lova.’

‘Ka hria a lawm, ka nau, amah ngei pawhin min hrilh ve a sin. Mahse, hemi phenah hian thildang inzep a awm tlat in ka hria. Beng sik meuha ka ngaihtuah hian Ran rual ruk te, Ranch neitu chungchanga buaina ringawt te hi chu a ni lo tlat I ti ve lo maw ?

‘I sawi tum chu ka hrethiam e,’ Green-a chuan pawmpui tih hriat takin a lo ti ve a. ‘Dap chhuah tumin mahniin ka lo bei tan mek a.’

‘Thil danga ṭan ka lo lak ve theihna te a awm em?’ tiin Pringle-a chuan a lo zawt a.

‘Thil tam tak a awm ang chu, Judge. Hun I nei a, mi leh sa biakpawh tur I nei nual bawk a. Pakhatna ah chuan Slash 8 dahkham chungchangah hian eng chen nge hriat I neih le?’

‘Ka hrechiang fak lo nain, Dollar singkhat leh sangnga a ni in ka hria. George-a khan hemi chungchang hi a rawn ziak a, sum fai nei mang lo chung khan, inlaklen leh insawhngheh deuh a duh sia, chutah, Loan puk lam kha a bei ta a.  Chutah chuan Ranch kha a dahkham ta a ni.’

‘Dahkhamna lehkha copy chu I kawl ang chu maw, Judge?’

‘Aih,’ tiin putar chuan a lo chhang a, ‘Mahse, chutiang te chu awlsam lutuk in a neih theih reng ang chu. Chu chu ti turin min duh em ni ?’

Sudden-a chu a lo bu nghat a. Chutianga zawh tur chin awm tawk hre riau mihring chu a ngaisang ru ang reng viau a. Mi thiltithei tak leh thurualpui awm chi hliah hliah a ni tih a lang reng mai a. Hun khawhral khawtlai lova Green-a’n thu pawimawh dang hrang hrang a sawi te pawh chu lo enfel a tiam nghal zung zung a. ‘Ka la inpeih chhuak chiah si lova, mahse, Dan hremi in thil an chhui kual a, an zawt kual vel chu thil tih awm takah ngaiin, tumahin mak an tih ka ring lo’ Green-a chuan han ti a

‘Min ring rawh, ka tih theih ang zawng zawng chu ka lo ti ang’ tiin Pringle-a chuan Slash 8 pa hnenah chuan a han tiam ve a. Pa pahnihte chu chibai inbukin an inṭhen ta a. Chutah, Green-a chu a sakawrah chuangin South Bend kawtthler zau leh lun angreng tak chu a zawh phei ta a. Khua chu paltlangin Thunder Ravine lam panna kawngṭum reh takah chuan a kal ta zel a.

Chawhhnu lam khua chu a lo hniam ruih tawh a. Ni tla tur zungzam la chambang chuan mual pawnga in ding tukverh te chu a chhun tle neuh neuh a. Sudden-a pawh rilru buai takin a ingaihtuah a. A rilru ah chuan chung lai vela suahsual bawlna inmun chhoh dan vel chu a felfai mah mah in a hria a ni. Chungte  man chhuak tura a len zar mek chu a eng laiah ber nge tham khawm tur tih pawh a la hre thei chiah lova. Mahse, a rindan a dik a nih chuan, an hma lawk hun rei vak lovah chuan silai nena inchapcharna leh rik deuh rum rumna tur thil chu a lo thleng thuai tawh turah a’n ngai teh ngawt a. ‘A lo thlen hma poh leh a tha ting mai lawm’ tiin amah leh mah chu a han inhrilh sap sap a.

Thim fel tak tak hma, unau hmel hai vela Thunder Ravine thlen phei chu a duh lem loh avangin, a hmanhmawh teh chiam lova. Midnight-a pawh chu ama kal kalin a kal tir buk buk a. Chulai ruam khur chhung pawh tunah chuan a thim ta viau mai. Midnight-a pawh ruam khur zim tak leh a chhuat rualrem vak lo ah chuan a pen chhut chhut a. A pen thawm chu ruam bang kar velah chuan a thangkawk ruih ruih a. Chutah, inrinlawkna pawh awm lovin awri a rawn chhuak ta thut a. Sudden-a chu a han dakchhuak a, a hma kawngṭum khar chiah chuan mihring hlimthla ding hi a han hmu a.

‘Chelo khan ding nghal rawh!’ tiin thupek ṭeng zet chu a rawn ri chhuak ta a.

Chu Slash 8 pa chuan thimthamah chuan pa pahnih ruangam rawn lang chu a lo hmuh hmaih miah lova, an hmai chu puana tuamin an thup tlat a, an kuta pistol chuan tiṭhang tih hriat fe in a lam a rawn hawi vah mai bawk a. Sudden-a chuan a ban a han phar a, thupek dang a dawn leh takah chuan a ke chu sakawr rahchhan aṭanga thing thlain leiah chuan a han tawlh thla a. Mi pahnihte chu a sir lehlam lehlamah inthenin, amah chu an rawn pan ta a, an rawn hnai zel a, an ruangam hmelhmang pawh a hriat theih ta viau mai.

‘A tha e, Green, min han pe rawh le !’

‘Min pe rawh a?’ tiin a ngaihna hriatloh hmel deuhin Sudden-a chuan a lo zawt a.

‘Khatin hrelo der vel suh aw’ tiin a dinglama awm pa chuan a rawn ti leh a. Hepa hi a tir atanga rawn ṭawng chhuak tu ber kha a ni a. ‘In ranrual hralhna sum chu rawn hlan mai rawh!’

Sudden-a chu ring deuhin a lo nui a, an mitang pa awmdan chuan a tibuai deuh hlek a ni. Fimkhur angreng deuhin an han melh a. 

‘Pawisa ka kawl reng reng lo,’ tiin Sudden-a chuan amah rawk tumtupa chu a han hrilh a. ‘Kan mite zinga pakhat kha ka thawn daih tawh a lawm.’

‘A nih duh hmel khawp mai,’ tiin nichina lo ṭawng tupa khan a lo pawtchat leh hmiah a. ‘Han dap teh, Ray!’

A veilama awm pa chu a thianpa tawngkamah chuan a lo phun nang nang a. ‘I ngaihtuahna te hi chhawrbawk ve deuh teh aw ?’ .

‘Ti la a ni mai,’ tiin tawngtu pangngai bawk khan a thu a lo pe leh hmiah a. 

‘A engapawh chu ni se, tihngaihna a awm tawh chuang hleinem tiraw? Sudden-a chuan a lo ti a. ‘Kan inhmu leh thei chu a lawmawm hle mai, Ray. I lu na kha enge a an zel tak ?’

Chu pa Ray-a chuan a chhang lem lova, a silai kendan chu tidanglam hlekin, an mitang chu rang tak leh kim takin a han dap ta zung zung a. Engmah a hmuh tak lovah chuan a sakawr lam chu rang takin a dap leh a, a zin ipte te, thawmhnaw kar te, pawisa dahna remchang awm ang zawng zawng a han dap kim hnu chuan engmah hmuhchhuah a nei ta chuang lova. Chutah a thianpa chu a han hrilh a.

‘Ka hrilh tawh che u kha mawle,’ Sudden-a chuan pangngai takin a lo ti mai a. ‘In dam chhung ni te hi tupa zu khawn changlo dawt thu mai mai ngaithlain in lo khawhral hnem tawh awm ka ti. Thudik hian rawn pan cheu in, rawn kheng dawt dawt che u mahse, in hre thei chuang dawn lo a nih hi.’

Chu thu avang chuan Ray-a chu a hmai tuamna phenah chuan a rum ngal ngal a. Thinrim fe in a rawn inher a, a puakruk chuan Sudden-a hmai ah chuan a rawn nawr ta nawk a.

‘Ngawi hmak rawh!’ tiin a han vau khar khar a. ‘Ka leiba tlak tur I neih tawh kha aw — tawng tawh lovin I khawhmuhna kha ka kap darh vek mai ang !’

Chutia a rawn che chu a tisual ta !  Kawlphe anga rangin Sudden-a chuan a kut veilam chu a khawkham zawngin rawn vai chhuak pawp a, Ray-a silai ngul chu a taksa atanga hla takah a vai sawn nghal dawrh a. Chumi rual chiah chuan a kut dinglam chu kar pawh awm hman mang lovin a rawn dawk chhuak leh a, chu chuan Ray-a khabe hnuaiah chiah chuan a dawm ta siah mai a. A hnek nat em avangin a kuttum dawngtu chu hnunglamah a leng lawp a. Chutiang teh thuta thil lo thleng chuan a thianpa chu a tih hamhaih deuh avangin, a silai pawh chu a hmetpuak hma ta hret a, a tum chu a thelh ta duai mai le! Sudden-a pawh muang-chang tawh lovin a kut chu a silai lamah chuan rang em emin a vai phe thla zawk a, chu misual pain a rawn kah nawn leh hma chiah chuan a hlimthla dum raih mai lamah chuan a silaimu chu a thawn phei ve ta nghal a. Chupa chu ruam chhuat laiah chuan a bu thla nghal ngawih a. Ray-a rawn tho chhuak ze ṭhal ṭhal in thil thleng a hriat chian hma chuan Sudden-a chu a vir zawk a, a sakawrah chuan a perkai a, chulai ruam chu him takin a tlanchhuah san ta nghal a.

Chuta ṭang chuan Sudden-a chuan a sakawr chu a tur chak sauh sauh a. Buaina tawk tawh lovin Ranch chu a thleng ta a. Dave-a chuan, ngaihtuah angreng tak chunga a lo nghah rengna sakawr in bulah chuan a lo dawngsawng ta a.

‘Thil engemaw inmung chu a awm chiang a ni,’ tih pahin Sudden-a chuan Kurung chhunga thil thleng chu a han hrilh ve a. Ranrual kan khalh dawn tih thu hi tu emaw chuan Shadows ho hnenah a lo hrilh a ni chiang mai. Han ngaihtuah ve mah la, chulai hmunah chuan min lo nghak ngei ang a, kan va lang ta si lo a, mak chu an ti ngawt ang.’

‘Nia, mahse, engtin nge kha kawngah khan I rawn haw dawn tih an lo hriat theih le’ a ngaihna hrelo zetin Dave-a chuan a lo ti a.

‘Ka hrilh a lawm,’ tiin Sudden-a chu a lo nui mai a. Dave-a hawihai hmel a hmuh chuan a nui ta vak a. A han hrilhfiah ve a ‘I la hrereng lawm ni, midang ho hnenah kha kawnga ka rawn haw tur thu sawi puang tura ka hrilh che kha ?’

‘I sawi awmzia chu — Kan zinga pakhatin kha thu kha Shadows ho a lo hrilh I tihna a ni maw ?’

‘Chu chiah chu ni e,’ Sudden-a chuan a lo ti a, a aw chu a rawn rum ta riau a. ‘Tirawh, kal ila I va titipui teh ang.’

Chutia an sawi veleh chuan chu Foreman chu Bunkhouse lamah chuan a pen phei pawk pawk a. Tukverh atanga eng lo chhuak atang chuan Slash 8 hnathawk ho chu an la mu lo tih a lang thei a. Chu Pindan sei zut chhunga Sudden-a a rawn luh chuan hlim thawm a lo ri dar dar a, Mahse, an Foreman hmel landan an hmuh chuan an reh leh nghal duak a. Sudden-a chuan hun khawhral tam lovin Parr-a chu a va hmachhawn ta nghal a. A mitmeng vawt raih mai in a melh reng chu tuar ngam lovin Parr-a chu a meng khup ta zal mai a. 

‘Mine a kan awm lai khan engin nge mawlh che a, Parr?’ tiin Suddena chuan dam raihin a han zawt a.

‘Ka chhuak hma ta deuh a lawm,’ tiin lungni vak lovin a lo chhang a. ‘Ka sakawr ke kha a bai leh a — Ka sawi tawh ang khan. A tawp lamah phei chuan midangte chu kei aiin an thleng hma ta nghe nghe a.’

‘A mak vak loh chu,’ vawt raihin a lo ti hmak a. ‘I  thang rei hle a ni tiraw?.’

Green-a chuan Parr-a en ran chung chuan, ‘Bawng kan khalh laia ka hrilh tawh ang che khan thil chu a lo thleng ta e. Chuan, hei hi ka han hrilh bawk a che. Slash 8 hi chhuahsan la, rawn kir tawh suh.’

‘I la inchhir khawp ang, Green,’ Parr-a chuan a han ti ve thak a, luhlul deuhin Sudden-a chu a lo melh let ve ran mai a.

‘Ka ring hran lo,’ tih chu chhanna a ni. ‘Mi dawthei leh dawihzep han chapchar vel hi ka la inchhir ngai lo’, Parr-a’n a silai a ban da da lai chu a tawp chawt a. ‘Hetah hian chatuana awm hlen I duh loh chuan kha thil kha hnaih reng reng suh’

Second reilote chhung chu chung pa pahnihte chu an inmelh ngawt ngawt a. Midangten pindan laia mihring kun chal mai hlimthla an lo thlir thap lai chuan, Bunkhouse chhung chu a reh tlawk tlawk a. Chutah, Parr-a chuan Foreman lak atang chuan a mit a lasawn ta zawk a. Green-a chuan a han enchhin velin a chak hle tih a hmu a. Chutah.

‘Ka tih reng kha — Ṭawng thei pa,’ tih pahin a han ner khum sak a, kalsawn tum niawm takin a han inher hlek a.

‘Hrep tak che chuan, Green!’ Parr-a chuan a han ti thawt a, ‘Ka —’

A duh ang chuan thleng zui awm tak a nih laiin, a vauna thu pawh chu a chhak chhuak zo hman ta lo. A kutin puakruk kawm a khawih hman hma chuan, Sudden-a chu keite ang maia rangin a rawn vir let zawk a. A kut veilam chuan Parr-a kut dinglam chu thir chaicheh cheh ang maia nghetin a man chawt a. Chumi rual chuan a kut ding lamin a hrawkah a rek nghal chawt bawk a. Zawhtein duhtawka sazu a thing ang mai hian hnung zawng leh hma zawngin a thing ta nawk nawk mai a. Parr-a nghawnga a rehna kut chuan a ham thuk tial tial mai lehnghal a. Pakhat zawk lah chu a hmel a rawn duk chhuak a, a mitte chu a rawn pawng ta zawrh zawrh a, A boruak hip tur Sudden-a’n a reh pin sak tlat avang chuan a meng pual ṭan ta mai a. Thawchhamin a buai dawn ta tih ah chuan Foreman chuan chhuatah chuan a theh vir thla ta nawk mai a. Chu Cowboy chhuata let reng chu, boruak tlachhama inhambuaiin a thaw hrawp hrawp a. Rei vak lovah chuan pai tak tak chungin a rawn ding chhuak ve leh ta mai a. Chutah chiah chuan Green-a chuan sakawr in bula Dave-a’n a lo pek pawisa tel atang chuan a ṭhen a zar la chhuakin Parr-a ke bulah chuan a han theh thla a. 

‘Kha.. I thla khat hlawh,’ a han ti leh hmak a, ‘I phu loh em em dollar sawmli chu a nih kha. I bungruate kha khawm la, boruak chu va hnek ta che’

Ngeiawm angreng taka chevel chungin Parr-a chuan a bungraw neih ang angte chu a han fawmkhawm a, Sudden-a chu, engtin emaw luhlul a chhuah leh palh a lo dolet tura inring em emin, a hnungah a lo ding reng a. Mahse, chu pa chu tlawm a ni tawh a; A sakawr zin te chu belin ngawi rengin thim zingah chuan a pilbo ta a.

Hnunglam a Bunkhouse ah chuan a naute ho chuan an intihbuaina chungchang chu an lo sawi zui laih laih a. Dave-a chuan an Foreman in an zinga enthlatu a man chhuah dan chu a lo hrilh thuai thuai hlawm a.

‘Tehreng chuan leh!’ tiin Dobbs-a chu a lo thaw hawk a. ‘Ka thil hmuh kha rin harsa ka ti hle mai. Curt-a a reh hlum thelh lai pawh khan Green-a kha a la nui in ka hria?’

‘Nui a? Parr-a chuan nuihzatthlak a tih loh teh kha a’ Shorty a chuan a lo ti bal bal a. Green-a khan Curt-a hrawkhrui kha pawt chhuakin a eitir dawn emaw ka lo ti tawh a!’

‘Ti kha chuan…. Parr-a tan chuan inkhaihlum tih vel chu thil thar a nih tawh dawn loh kha’ Gimpy-a chuan a lo ti ve chuar chuar a. ‘He pa Green-a hi ka hmu tam tulh tulh a, a lamṭang ka ni hi ka lawm telh telh mai’

‘Ni chiah mai,’ Shorty-a chuan a lo ti ve a, Eng an tih thim pah chuan an mu ta dial a.