Fiction: Two cousins in Nepal face the challenges of pending womanhood in a country of men

Fiction: Two cousins in Nepal face the challenges of pending womanhood in a country of men

It had been Sumnima’s idea to steal the mangoes. Everything of any real consequence always seemed to be Sumnima’s idea. And now here she was, racing ahead, charging through the trees, leaving Rita trailing behind, and all Rita wanted to do was to cry out. But her breath came in squeezing, muted gasps. Her ankles repeatedly twisted and buckled, the uncertain slap slap slap of her feet thundering at the centre of her ribcage. A hard outline of som…