| Creative Writing Competition 2012 India | |
| CODE | 485 |
| SETTING | Terrace OR Bedroom OR Living Hall |
| OBJECT | Chocolate |
| THEME | Remorse |
Short Story Children – Depth of Unspoken Words
Photo credit: cohdra from morguefile.com
“Cherry come downstairs for evening toast.” Mom yelled on top of her voice for the fourth time.
I rushed to the terrace stairs dreading her sweltering anger.
From the corner of my eye I saw him eyeing me as I bolted down.
He must be insane. I thought as I munched the half – crunchy rusk dipped in garlic tea. After satisfying my belly I went on to finish my notes on photosynthesis and respiration. But the mysterious boy kept luring in my subconscious mind.
Next day after my school and after winding up all my homework as accustomed I headed to my terrace to water; manure and hand hoe my beloved flora.
I tied jasmine twisting it around the thread as it gained height owing to its remarkable growth genes. I weeded palm and plucked away dry pods of periwinkle. The grafted rose was beaming with its first rose bud with twisted petals of yellow, red and dark orange hue. Hibiscus, sandwich island climber and petunia were swaying with the cold twilight breeze.
And then I again spotted him. He was practicing basketball all alone. After each goal he passed me a momentary look. I was perplexed. For the last two weeks since his appearance as our new neighbour he was keeping and eye on me.
The common boundary between our terraces was only three feet high and it could easily be traversed.
That day after supper Mom gave me my favorite gulab jamun. After enjoying the luscious sweet and licking away the last drop from my fingers tips, I enquired, “Who brought them. They are just awesome. Do you have more?”
“Mrs. Patel, our new neighbour shared the meritorious result of his son with gulab jamun. His son, Prateek surpassed all his class mates in class nineth quarterly exams.”
For the first time in my life gulab jamun choked my throat.
“What happened? You always eat gulab jamun in such haste and I always warn you not to do so. Now wait, I’ll get water for you.” My anxious Mom exclaimed.
My Mom kept patting my back as I drank luke warm water. It pushed away the obstructing element down the pharynx to my stomach. But the thought that I enjoyed the insane boy’s victory sweet made me go mad.
I summoned all my close friends for an urgent conference and at our colony’s park sharp at7:30 p.m.
“He is staring you for such a long time and you are notifying us now.” Rohit bellowed unable to control his rage.
“I considered myself to be mature enough to handle this perky matter.”
“This isn’t perky, rather it’s pesky.” Meeta declared. Rest of my friends gave her an approval nod.
“Now let’s conclude Mr. insane’s chapter.” Rohit said after thinking hard.
“What next?” Meet inquired.
“We are going to give him good thrash.”
“Cherry you just have to depute him here at8:00 p.m.tomorrow sharp, when the crowd leaves for their houses, at any cost, for a lesson for lifetime.”
“And you better be absent from the scene to avoid any suspicion.”
“Okay, it would be done.” Cherry confirmed chewing her lower lip.
“So mission is scheduled for tomorrow.”
Everyone left.
Next day I asked my mother to go to Prateek’s house and ask him if he could come around8:00 p.m.for general knowledge quiz arranged my colony friends. ‘It would be such a fun and he is such an intelligent boy.”
“Why don’t you do so?”
“I would have done if wasn’t busy preparing the quiz questions.” I smartly doused her query.
She left and soon returned confirming the insane boy’s visit.
I avoided my evening terrace stroll that day.
Around8:00 p.m.I felt uneasy. I headed to terrace. As I walked across every plant, a bright blue wrapping placed near hibiscus sent vibrations all through my nervous system. I scanned my surroundings. Finding no one nearby, especially the insane boy, I opened the blue packing slowly with my wobbling fingers.
Inside was a box of assorted chocolates with a letter.
My mind instantly declared it to be an offering from Prateek.
With anger shot eyes I unfurled the white paper folding.
“Dear Cherry,
This is a story of a boy. A six years old, young boy. He lost his younger sister to a heart ripping road mishap. He was a witness to that tragedy. Pain of losing his only little sister tormented his mind day and night. Until he rediscovered his little sibling in someone.
That boy is me. And that someone is you.
The day I came here, I saw you. Somehow, I felt as if my little one, Chiku was standing before my eyes. And with each passing day my sisterly love for you strengthened.
Today on the eve of Raksha Bandhan, I mustered all courage and brought this pack of chocolate as a token of my brotherly love. Chocolates because, Chiku used to relish them with all her heart.
Could I call you my younger sister?
With love,
Your brother (yet to be confirmed), Prateek.”
By the end of the letter my face was gleaming. Gleaming with tears of remorse.
I ran down the stairs, unbolted the latch of the main gate and with all my might hurried to the colony’s park.
Prateek was standing there amidst all my friends.
“No, no,” yelling like an insane, I barged into the group and embraced Prateek.
Eyes widened all around us. Five pairs of eyes were fixed on us.
“Bhaiya, I am sorry for I misunderstood,” was all I managed to say.
He caressed my head and said, “After years my wrist will have rakhi from my little sister.”
His eyes twinkled with brimming tears.
__END__
