The dust devil died. Strong wind ceased to howl.
The bandits had overstayed
their welcome. Pausing for thought, a final band
of silver and carnelian caught the leader’s eye.
Deciding, he gave a battle cry.
Following was a shameful brawl. The
newlyweds were outmatched in skill
and weapon. Although they fought with vigour,
each twirling a sword,
soon along with two others the couple was no more.
The final remaining pirates took what they can,
one with a missing eye, another cut. ‘arsh (Harsh) weather
took the third man, and the fourth carried on.
His neck was slit but he survived,
To eventually tell the tale of the Gundbekh man and wife.
The seller-turned-storyteller stopped here, but I still felt stunned and disoriented. All while
he was speaking, I’d seen it all. The sand storm which then led to the robbers staying with the
nomadic couple; the hungry glint in the pirates’ eyes when they saw the jewellery (which was
supposedly sitting on the counter in front of me!) and the bloodshed afterwards.
“And that, iz the tale of the Gundbekhs and this piece. I ‘eard (heard) it from the man who
gave me this…” he snarled, “but could we speed this up? I have places to go.”
In a daze, I handed the prepared amount of money, watching detachedly as he counted it out
and placed his box full of Gobi treasures down next to me, the bracelet with the eerie stone still
on the counter. Even with the certificates of authenticity I knew better than to question where he
got them. Shady dealings were ultimately his shady dealings, and part of my brain felt ashamed
that my shop was selling potentially hot items, but alas business was business.
He- how had I managed to forget his name, I do not know- filled in the last of the forms then
took his leave. His queer orbs bore into mine one last time, then he swept out the door. Stray
rays of afternoon sunlight filtered in through the swinging door, and for the briefest of moments
the light bounced off the reflective silver bangle and on to a thick, ropy scar on the back of the
seller’s neck, puckered but white with age. It almost looked as if a heavy weapon, like a sword,
had cut his neck shallowly.
…..His neck was slit but he survived,
To eventually tell the tale of the Gundbekh man and wife…..
