Happy birthday Mally

Through the serene snow-capped landscape a group of trekkers walked their way to the highest point on the earth, Mt. Everest. A nagging drizzle had drenched them head to toe; their feet slipped on the delicate snow, but they moved on, pledged to success.

It was Mally and her friends Abhi, Hina, Java, Viz and Pro. When life had got too boring on the plains with their work, they had decided to come over to the mountains. They were led by their Captain, Yuvi.

They passed the steep walks, clutching their sticks and adjusting the masks. They had been walking for an hour when they decided to take a break. Abhi, Hina, and Java sat down to catch their breath, while the rest admired the majestic view.

"Isn't this magnificent?" Mally asked awestruck.

"It looks like something out of movies," Viz replied as she clicked a photograph.

"Wait till we get to the top, it's going to blow your mind." Yuvi added.

They continued their trek, when all of a sudden, Mally slipped over a loose snowy patch and lost balance to crash into a perplexed Java who stumbled back.

Mally gave a nervous smile and moved forward, away from Java who stood glaring at her. Java had lost count of how many times Mally had slipped and crashed into her.

"K girls. Be prepared now, for the most crucial part of our journey - the Khumbu Icefall!" said the Captain. The trekkers drew their breaths in surprise. Before them stood a colossal wall of ice. "Sky is the limit!" whispered Mally to an awestruck Edna. Meanwhile Yuvi called out to them and sorted them in a line. Abhi was to go first, while Mally stood last as Yuvika took the end.

After what seemed an hour, the team was finally up and headed towards the summit, not far from the icefall. The light reflected from the surrounding highlands sometimes blinded them, but this group was undaunted.

Suddenly Java stopped them and pointed at the peak, now glistening gold with the melted flow of sunlight. They did not speak but threw occasional it's-awesome-right smiles to one another. "Come on, we're almost there!" said Yuvi, her eyes shining with excitement.

Soon, they found themselves standing on the summit, taking a success selfie, each grinning broadly. "You're forgetting something, Viz."

"What? Oh, yeah! Birthday girl, eh?"

"Did you bring my cake?!"

"Are you serious?"

"I told you to."

"And perhaps I told you to carry your own stuff, Mally!"

Hina threw herself between the two and said, "Okay, okay, no fighting please! Let's see, I've got some fruit cakes! We could always have that!" And Abhi bent down and threw up a handful snow, "Here's to our dear Mally!" Pro said pulling mally into a tight embrace. Yuvi said, "Yeah! Remember our plan guys? Let the whole world know, come on!"

To her sheer delight, the team obeyed at once and each took her position in a circle, keeping Mally in the centre, and shouted,

"Happy birthday, Mally!"

The sound echoed forth.