Write a piece of fiction describing the incident that gave rise to the phrase, “third time’s the charm.”

“History is written, as chosen so by the victors” said the old man. “For what we know, only a fraction of the truth is revealed.”

The young man listened keenly what the relatively old man had to say. With scars and withered skin seemingly gracing his face and body, he seemed to have seen and endured much in his time.

“It was stormy night” he continued. “The heavens cried with rain. Roared with thunder. I and my brave comrades continued our trek across the hilly forests, which seemed our impending death. One of us had already nearly escaped his death, when one of many trees struck down and managed to screw a shoulder.”

“Oh my, that was close.” said the keen listener.

“Yes indeed, a broken shoulder better than a being crushed to mud” he continued, breathing slight heavily. “But what was worse, after a few hours, enduring what the storm and the wilderness had to offer, a tree got struck again, resulting in a lot of landscape to disorient and injuring everyone.”

“Hard luck. But looking at the condition, that could have been expected.”

“Yes indeed, but what seemed striking, the first one to get hurt was the same one who got his shoulder dislocated, this time he managed to damage his leg, on the same side” continued the adventurer.

“Dam, that’s what you might call bad luck.”

“Perhaps. But it wasn’t pretty till after a long quest of reaching the shelter and soon rescue, after the storm subsided. Things grew only worse until it got better. Due to the harsh situation, most did not make it. Due to the storm, a huge banyan tree got struck down, and smashed most of the company to death. Those images continue to haunt me even today. After we came back home, everyone called us few heroes. I just felt lucky to make it out alive.”

“Indeed, that was quite horrible what happened. But what became of that one, who got hit twice?”

“Well, it would seem the third time’s the charm.”

Smiling, the old man got up from where they sat across the camp fire, revealing his right hand shoulder to be bit out of place, but still functioning normally, as he held out his support, limping away to get his soup.