Stormiie: Based on a True Story

By Sudesh Gurung, Samprada Gurung and Sumina Subba

Based on true story. On that fateful morning after the typhoon if Samu had not had the courage to rescue Stormiie, may be they would have never found each other, may be Samu would have never had the conviction to leave a job that she never enjoyed, and may be she would not have had the chance to see her dreams taking shape. On that fateful morning after the typhoon, it was not just Stormiie who had been rescued.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Partridge Publishing Singapore
• Release date: Feb 23, 2022
• ISBN: 9781543769029

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Copyright © 2022 Sudesh Gurung. All rights reserved.

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ISBN

978-1-5437-6901-2 (sc)

978-1-5437-6903-6 (hc)

978-1-5437-6902-9 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2022902881

02/22/2022

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INTRO

Chapter 1

Samu

Chapter 2

Sushmita

Chapter 3

Typhoon Mangkhut

Chapter 4

Stormiie

Chapter 5

Yuen Long

Chapter 6

Mid-Autumn Festival

Chapter 7

Tai Tong

Chapter 8

Happy Days

Credits:

This book is dedicated in loving memory of

FUK  (Ahbo)

bwFUK%20%20Ahbo.jpg

CHAPTER 1

Samu

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It was a Monday morning. On the dot at six, Samu opened her eyes from a deep sleep. She turned her head to the right and to the left. She then let out a big yawn, and an even bigger stretch before getting up from the bed. She opened up the drapes to let the sunlight in. On that day though, the sky was a pale grey.

I wonder if the sun will come out today, Samu thought to herself as she pushed aside her black curls and tucked them behind her ear while she made her bed.

A bed well-made will make for a day well-spent, this is what Samu had learnt from an early age. So, for her, making the bed every morning was an important task. This was also because Samu was a creature of habit. She woke up at six, ate her breakfast by seven, and reached her work at nine — on the dot.

Samu was short for Samprada Gurung. Samu was born in Nepal and raised in Hong Kong as Sneha was born in Hong Kong. Their father, Suren Jung Gurung, had served in the British Army and the family decided to make Yuen Long in Hong Kong their home away from home. Their actual roots lay in Nepal, a country where Samu’s parents had grown up. She had heard much about Nepal, but never had the chance to live there. Having a father who had served in the army also meant that discipline and routine were engrained in the Gurung household.

Samu was a tall girl with an oval shaped face and long limbs. When one looked at her, they could picture the golden husk of wheat hanging low in the sunset. Her long and curly black hair had a mind of its own – and let’s not even start on combing through them! So, she always let them hang loose. However, it was her almond shaped eyes that stood out the most — they carried a twinkle. In fact, her most striking features were her eyes and her big smile – which she always carried.

Samu loved outdoor activities, her bedroom wall was covered with photos of her bungee jumping, paragliding and trekking. When she wanted to retreat to her ‘happy place’, she would spend time with paint and brushes — art was her therapy. She had a special interest in Mithila art, which was practiced in the lower plains of Nepal. A colorful handmade Mithila painting of a peacock was hung above her bed. It was her prized possession. It made her feel connected to her roots.

However, spending time with her family was a special delight. She took long walks around the neighborhood with her mother, Sharmila Gurung, and often ended up being her navigator. She would play crossword puzzles sometimes – silently though, as her father would be watching the TV and complaining about worldly things. She would also help Sneha with everything under the sun.

Sneha, on the other hand, was a teenager. She had a rich chocolatey complexion and chubby cheeks that made her look gobblelicious. Her life revolved around school, meeting friends and finishing homework — the woe of every student! Sneha had a quiet personality and could bury her nose in a book for hours listening to Billie Eilish. For a teenager, however, she would often quote the wisest of quotes. "Don’t let the muggles get you down," was her favorite thing to say.

While their parents doted on their two girls, Samu doted on her little sister and loved taking her out for cycling.

Wait for me, you are going too fast! Sneha would exclaim.

You snooze, you lose! Samu would tease back.

Sneha would then scrunch up her face with sheer determination and pedal faster to catch up with her older sister. She knew she could not compete with her, but it did not deter her from trying.

After both were exhausted, Samu and Sneha would nibble on delicious street food in the night market. Their favorite was curry fish balls. Sometimes, Sneha would pretend that she was still grumpy about losing the bicycle race and Samu would cheer her up with an ice-cream. Now, who does not like ice-cream?

However, Samu’s absolute favorite activity to do was going on long hikes and being alone with nature. That was when she felt at peace, away from the noise of the city — oh, what a feeling to breathe the fresh crisp air!

Samu and Sneha lived with their parents in a high-rise flat. The ones where you needed to stretch your neck upwards to see the top, the way Jack had to look all the way up the beanstalk. They lived on the fourteenth floor – you could see the entire Hong Kong from the balcony! Both sisters loved spending their evenings watching the city come alive with lights while sipping warm cups of hot chocolate with marshmallows floating on top.

The flat was just the right size for the family of four. Even though all of the flats looked the same, Samu’s was instantly recognizable because two beautifully crafted oil lamps hung on either side of the door. From afar, it looked like two dancing dragons on a chandelier. Samu’s mother had bought it from a Newari artisan in Kathmandu.

On that pale grey morning, their flat was abuzz with activity. Samu’s mother was busy preparing breakfast for the family while her father watched the news in the TV.

The Joint Tropical Warning Center has been monitoring a tropical disturbance near the International Date Line since September 5. What looked like a tropical disturbance has turned into Typhoon Mangkhut, which is now nearing The Philippines. Residents of the areas that will be affected are being evacuated as early as possible. The government has issued highest alert