This happened sometime back. I and 2 friends of mine were visiting Goa. We were returning from Goa. The little trip we planned turned out to be great. We were returning in a car we had hired. It was night. Around 1 O clock in the morning. The roads were pretty much deserted. We had come out of the town. And we were in between towns. When the tire of our car burst. Our driver pulled the car on the side. We all got out and saw the back tire was totally burst. It looked pretty bad. 

“Don’t Worry Sahib” Our driver told us, “I always carry a spare tire in the dickey of the car.”

“Well, that’s a relief!!! Or I was thinking like in the middle of the night and middle of nowhere, how could we get a tire!!!” My friend Rohit muttered the obvious. He had a habit of doing that.

“Yes, look around here, there are buildings here but they look so isolated. And no one is in sight!!” Mukesh said.

The driver had opened the back dickey of the car and took the spare tyre. And he had started to remove the old one.

While we stood, doing nothing. I was rather getting the feeling that several eyes from the dark corners watched us. I tried to shrug of the feeling. However, I could not. Suddenly I heard footsteps on the dry leaves. This was not made a man. But by an animal. I quickly turned around in my excitement and anxiety only to see a dog. I let go a sigh of relief. But still somehow something didn’t feel right.

“Uhhh…..guys, looks like we have got company!!!!” Rohit said pointing towards a few dogs who were slowly gathering around us. This looked dangerous.

“Oh Dear…this is not good!!! I don’t like dogs. I don’t like them at all!!” Mukesh said. He had started to tremble a little.

What Rohit said was right. The dogs were gathering in front of us now. Looking menacing with each and every passing moment.

“I think we should be getting back into the car” I said.

“It’s a good idea sahib!!” The driver said. And he quickly left all his work and jumped inside the car. And we had started to move slowly towards the door. Suddenly out of nowhere the dogs started to run towards us. They were growling and barking now. Rohit and I quickly went to the door. Rohit went to the other door while I went to the opposite door. Meanwhile Mukesh stood still in fear. He was unable to move.

“Mukesh get in the car!!!” I almost shouted.

But he didn’t budge. It looked as if he didn’t hear me at all. Rohit had got in quickly. But somehow my door didn’t open. It was stuck. Damn. I tried hard. I twisted it in every possible direction. But it was stuck. The driver quickly reached out to the inside lock and tried to open the door. The dogs now had come very close. And Mukesh started running. He ran straight ahead on the road. He let out a yell and ran for his life. I just stood there paralyzed and thought, ‘What the hell is he trying to do?’

But right now I didn’t have the time to think for Mukesh. I was in a bad situation. After the seeing Mukesh run, the dogs had started to run after him. They were chasing him like a pack of wolves after a prey. The dogs ran by. But two remained. They were coming towards me. Shit!!!! The door was jammed.

“Come to this side. This door is open!!!” Rohit shouted.

But it was tough. The dogs were almost on me now. What can I do??

Think!!! But my mind was blocked. One dog had reached me and very aggressively he tried to bite my leg. I jumped in air and landed a kick on him. No effect!!!

“Get on to the top of the car!!! And come to this side!!!” Rohit shouted from inside.

I had heard Rohit. Ok!! I jumped on the roof the car. One dog again had caught the hold of my pants and ripped it off!!!

I jumped on the roof and slided down to the other side of the car and fell down on the road. The two dogs came round to this side. Barking and Growling. They looked menacing. I quickly opened the door. And jumped in inside like a professional athlete. Rohit shut the door immediately blocking the dog attack. I was safe. But what about Mukesh??

“Mukesh!!!” I let out a groan.

“I don’t know. He went running on the road and the dogs running behind him!!” Rohit said.

“He is crazy!!! Why didn’t he jump inside the car?? What is he trying to do?? He will never get away from those beasts!!” I said almost panting. Trying to recover from my own experience.

“Your friend crazy, sahib!!!” Our Nepali driver said.

“Maybe he is trying to win a running race with the dogs!!” Rohit smiled.

“No time to crack jokes Rohit!!!” I snapped back.

Very soon the two dogs lost interest in us and the road was empty again. No sign of Mukesh!!!

We quickly and nervously got out of the car, fixed the tire and started on the road. Driving slowly. Looking for Mukesh. Hoping for the worst!!!

After sometime we did find Mukesh. He was hiding inside a big Dustbin. And the dogs had also lost interest in him and left him. He was still shivering from fear.

“Mukesh, You Dumbass…why didn’t  you get inside the car???” I asked

“I was too scared. My mind had stopped thinking, I guess, and I ran!!!” He said shivering.

“It doesn’t matter as long as you are all right!! Did they get a bite of you??” I asked and smiled. I tried to make the atmosphere a little light.

“ No!” he smiled back.

So we got out of Goa with a bit of adventure with dogs. Not a memorable one. I only hope this doesn’t happen to anyone!!!!