“One more story, please.” Aruna clung to her mother’s arm.

“Not today dear.” Amma stroked Aruna’s hair which gleamed a golden brown under the night lamp. Her other hand patted Akash who was facing his sister.

“Please, Ma…”

“But I am out of ideas and stories now. I had a long day at work.”

“Then, read from a book.” Aruna grinned. “I don’t mind.” She persisted just like any two-and-a-half-year-old would - with innocence and ever-lasting hope.

“Is it? Okay. Akash, can you be a sweetheart? Please bring me the Panchatantra book from the next room.” Akash got down from his bed.

“Yaay! I love Panchatantra.” Aruna hugged her mother.

Akash came back in a jiffy. “You know what, Aruna. Amma is tired. Let’s hear the story tomorrow.”

“No. I want to hear it. I will get the book if you won’t.” Stubborn Aruna gingerly climbed down from her bed. She too came back empty-handed. “Amma, I can't find the book. It is too dark in there. Can you switch on the light please?”

Akash turned to the other side and buried his face in the pillow. He didn’t want to face his mother now. She would lecture him about how not to fear the dark. It was not that he wanted to be afraid. He just couldn’t help it.

When he stepped into a dark room, he felt spiders, hundreds of them crawling and creeping towards him. At times, he felt as though the curtains flapped so hard that a tornado was created. The worst part was he would be caught in the eye of it, going round and round in the air, his body totally out of his control. And at some other times, he felt as if all his stationery – pencils, erasers, scale, pens – came to life and flung him around. Like he did to them at times.
Akash hated to be alone in the dark. Period. End of discussion. There was nothing that could be done about it.
 

***
 

“Amma, can you please make pasta for lunch tomorrow?” While packing his bag, Akash remembered his promise to his friend.

“Hmm. Maybe day-after? I don’t have the necessary ingredients." Amma said kneading the dough for dinner. Aruna was busy creating snowmen out of wheat dough.

“But Amma, I promised Mithun. His mother is out of town and he doesn’t like the canteen food. Your pasta is his favourite and I promised to get it for him.” Akash explained. “It is my favourite too. And Aruna’s.” He added, trying his best to get his mother to cook pasta.

“You very well know I don’t use pasta made out of maida. I cook only durum wheat ones. They are healthier. Also, I don’t have enough veggies.”

“You can go and buy them now,” Akash suggested, zipping his bag shut.

“I can, but for that I will have to go to the main market. The shops nearby will not have all the ingredients.”

“Ok. So what, go and get them from the main market.” Akash immediately replied.

Amma washed her hands and came and sat down next to Akash. She looked at the clock. It was close to 7 pm. “It is not that simple. I need at least an hour. Someone has to watch over Aruna. And Appa said he has to work late. So, him getting it on his way home is ruled out.”

Akash’s face fell. He was eagerly waiting to show off his mother’s cooking skills to his friend Mithun.

IDEA. His eyes brightened at the thought that struck him.

“Ma, all of us can go together. That way you can keep an eye on Aruna.”

Amma shook her head. “Aruna is too small. She will not be able to hold the two-wheeler properly. Plus, it is close to her sleep time and she might get cranky.” Amma reasoned pulling Akash next to her.

“Hmm...” Akash tried to think of a way to make it possible. “Amma, I have got another brilliant idea.” Akash jumped up and down with joy.

“Yes?”

“I am almost ten years old NOW. I will look after Aruna.”

Amma smiled, “But…”

“No ‘buts’ Amma.” Akash used the stern voice his mother used to get things done. “I am responsible enough and I can do it.”

“Aruna is still small. She might get cranky and start crying.” Amma tried to dissuade him.
But Akash had his answers ready. “I will play with her, whatever she wants to. I will take care of her. I have even finished my homework. I don’t have anything else to do.”

“She is recovering from a fever and will exhaust herself if she starts crying uncontrollably.”

“Amma, I will make sure to not let her cry. And even if she does, I will stop it within two minutes. I promise. And you know, I don’t break promises.”

Amma looked at a determined Akash. “Fine, I will inform Vimala next door. Call her in case you need any help.”
True to his word, Akash engaged his sister very well. They coloured for a little while. Then played with her Barbie dolls. He even let her put make-up on his face and agreed to be her patient in the ‘Doctor’ game. And now they were playing ‘catch’. At last, a game he liked. Akash heaved a sigh of relief. Akash looked at the clock. It was 7.30pm. Just half an hour more and Aruna hadn’t even cried once.

“Catch!” Aruna threw the softball at him. Akash was distracted and missed the ball. It went past his shoulders, landed in the dining room and rolled into their spare bedroom. Aruna ran after the ball into the dark, dark and completely dark bedroom.

Akash waited for her to come out with the ball but heard her cry instead. “I can’t find the ball.” She wailed.

“Come out, Aruna. Don’t cry. We will play something else.”

“No, I want my unicorn ball. Now.” Aruna was stubborn as usual. Her crying increased. “Switch on the light, I will find the ball.”

She called out. Aruna was too small to reach the light switch.

Akash stood rooted to his spot. “I am a big boy.” His words came back to him hauntingly.

He took a step towards the room but his legs started sweating and his body shivered in fear.

“I promise, I will take care of Aruna.” He had said to his mother.  But then he felt as though a spider was crawling down from his head even when he was standing just at the threshold of the dark room.

What to do now? Akash didn’t want to go into the dark room. But he also wanted his little sister to stop crying. He made a promise to look after her. He had to do something.

Just like that, he remembered the incident from a week ago. His mother had stood unflinching when a pack of street dogs came after him. Seeing his mother brave them, the dogs slinked away.

“Aren’t you afraid of dogs, Amma?”

“Yes. I am. But the dogs don’t need to know that, do they?” She had laughed and dismissed the matter casually.

Then he remembered his grandfather trying to stand up without any help.

“Thatha, you are only now recovering from a fall. Stay in bed, you might fall again and break your leg.”

“Ha. Ha. Fear is the biggest crutch, my boy. I don’t want it. If I don’t try and give in to my fears, I will never be able to get up. I want to walk and do things on my own.” His grandfather explained. He then tried, right in front of Akash's eyes. And fell down on his bed with a big plomp. But Thatha never gave up trying. And to the surprise of his doctors, Thatha recovered and was walking earlier than anticipated.

THERE IS NO COURAGE WITHOUT FEAR. He had read somewhere or was it in a movie that he saw? Akash shook his head to not deviate his mind. Aruna’s wails were growing louder. With determination, Akash walked towards the dark room. After all, he wasn’t going to be alone. His sister was already there for him. With that thought, he went into the dark room, unlit room. The light switch was just few feet into the room. He flicked it on. The room flooded with light in no time.

Phew! Akash exhaled. But he also realised that no spiders were crawling towards him. The curtains lay dormant, as his mother had left it. And his stationery was safely sitting in its place, just as he had left them.

Aruna found the ball and stopped crying. It had rolled under the desk.

Soon after, Ma came back and found Akash reading a Panchatantra story to Aruna. She was surprised.

“How did you get the book? It was in the spare room.” She asked, knowing very well that the room was not lit when she left home.

“Come on, Ma. I am a big boy now. Do you still think I am afraid of the dark?” Akash laughed.

***