(A dimly lit stage. A simple wooden table and two chairs are the only furniture. The walls are bare, save for a single window that lets in a soft, pale light. The atmosphere is somber and introspective.)
NARRATOR (voice-over): In the heart of Bhutan, where the mountains stand tall and the rivers flow with a gentle rhythm, lives a man named Tashi. His days are marked by a profound sense of isolation, a solitude that has become the very fabric of his existence.
(TASHI enters, his movements slow and deliberate. He sits at the table, his gaze fixed on the empty space before him.)
TASHI (to himself): Another day, another cycle of loneliness. How many years have I been here, trapped in this endless cycle of solitude?
(He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small, worn photograph. He looks at it, a flicker of emotion crossing his face.)
TASHI (softly): Sonam… My love, my life. If only you were still here.
(He closes his eyes, lost in the memories of the past. The stage is silent, save for the faint sound of the wind howling outside.)
(The door opens, and DORJI, a young man from Nepal, enters. He moves cautiously, as if unsure of his welcome.)
DORJI: Excuse me, sir. I hope I’m not intruding. I was passing through and saw the light in the window. I was wondering if you might have a moment to spare.
(TASHI opens his eyes and looks up, startled by the intrusion.)
TASHI: A visitor? That’s… unusual. What brings you to this remote place?
DORJI: I’m just a traveler, passing through the mountains. I saw your light and thought I might stop and see if you needed any help.
TASHI (with a wistful smile): Help? I’m afraid I’ve been beyond help for a very long time.
(DORJI approaches the table and sits down across from TASHI.)
DORJI: If you don’t mind me asking, what brought you to this place? It seems so… isolated.
TASHI (sighs deeply): It’s a long story, one I haven’t told in many years. But perhaps it’s time to share it with someone.
(He pauses, gathering his thoughts, then continues.)
TASHI: I was once a happy man, with a loving wife and a thriving business. We lived in the bustling city of Kathmandu, surrounded by the energy and life of the world. But then, a terrible accident took Sonam from me. In an instant, my world crumbled.
(He looks down at the photograph, his fingers tracing the edges.)
TASHI: I couldn’t bear the pain, the emptiness. So I fled, leaving everything behind, and came to this remote place to live out the rest of my days in solitude.
DORJI (with empathy): I’m so sorry for your loss. It must have been a terrible burden to bear.
TASHI (nods): It was. And yet, in this isolation, I’ve found a strange kind of peace. The loneliness is a constant companion, but it’s also a shield, protecting me from the pain of the world.
(He looks up, meeting DORJI’s gaze.)
TASHI: But tell me, young man, what brings you to these mountains? What are you searching for?
DORJI (hesitantly): I’m not entirely sure. I’ve been wandering for a long time, trying to find… something. Meaning, perhaps. A purpose.
(He pauses, then continues.)
DORJI: I’ve seen so much of the world, yet I feel as if I’m still lost. Maybe I was hoping to find some answers here, in this remote place.
TASHI (with a thoughtful nod): Perhaps you’ve come to the right place, then. In the solitude of these mountains, one can find a clarity that eludes us in the noise of the world.
(He gestures to the empty chair beside him.)
TASHI: If you’d like, you’re welcome to stay awhile. I may not have much to offer, but I can promise you a quiet refuge from the chaos outside.
DORJI (with a grateful smile): I would be honored.
(The two men sit in silence, the weight of their shared experiences hanging in the air. The stage fades to black, leaving the audience with a sense of the profound loneliness and introspection that permeates the scene.)
