Lord Bataarkhan &
the Camels of Kulamak
Korean International School, Paulina Reyes Bezanilla, Fiction: Group 4
N
ow, son, lets go back to the basics again, I’m not sure you’ve quite got them!”
Papa’s hand reached out and cuffed me softly on the head. I moaned in protest.
“But Papa! I’m hungry!”
“No food for you young man, until I am sure you know your stuff!”
It was getting dark, I noticed. The stars were starting to fall from the edge of the sky, the
warriors Papa told me came to fight against the darkness, and that is why, when they win and get
together to celebrate, It looks like a big ball of fire in the sky, and day always wins over night.
I huffed in exasperation.
“Fine. But just because I’m hungry.”
Papa moved in front of me and sat down on a smooth-surfaced rock.
He works hard, my papa does. If you look closely into his face, you can see lines on his
forehead. They’re from smiling, the second thing my papa does more. He passes his rough, big
hand in which I can fit both of mine through his dark peppery hair, waiting for me to start.
“So, umm, watering is not needed unless the nose and mouth section gets dry and a bit
grayish…er-“
Pink! Pink-ish!!! Papa mouths.
“Yes, right. Pinkish. Now, food, they don’t eat meat, only plants like the saxauls. They also get
their water from there. Um, you can’t mount them without a saddle because you will hurt yourself.
They can carry loads of weight, but you shouldn’t over-carry them…. And that is all, is it not? Papa?”
He slaps a hand to his face in mock frustration.
“Oh Bataarkhan, you’ve got it all wrong!! All wrong!!” his hands slid down his face, pulling
his forehead lines into deep wiggly gorges that looked like canyons.
My face fell. What could I have gotten wrong? I have been paying attention all morning like I
was told to! What did I forget to mention?
But suddenly, Papa stood up and put his arms around me and bent his head to kiss the top of mine.
“Bataarkhan, you had nothing wrong, I was just playing with you. But it is clear, I could not
ask for a better son”. We stood there, hugging for a long time. I loved papa so much. Like the sand
loved the wind or the darkness loved the light, for even if they fought, the one could not live
without the other.
Mama’s voice snapped us out of the moment.
“Who is hungry huh? I’ve just finished kneading some buns.”
“We’d love some food Mama! Right Khan?” Papa’s eyes shone like they did every time he
looked at Mama. And mama’s eyes reflected all the fire warriors in them, lightening them up in
the dark, ablaze with moonshine. Mama was beautiful and I think Papa agreed with me.
Many years passed from that evening and I still remember it with crystal clear clarity.
Though as I write this, I am now older than I was then, I will try to retell all the events that
followed no matter if they are not always pleasant, but they have to be told.
So I continue, but wait, where was I? Oh, yes!
Papa had been drilling into me since I can remember all the trades and tricks needed to, one
“
