Ravi looked at the clock,
Half past eleven o'clock it was.
The night is a strong mistress
Gets more intimidating
As she approaches her darker shades
With little stars to shine on her
Dark long gown.
He was alone in his house
His mother, was taken to the hospital three months ago
By the men of the village
They told him, she had ALS
He didnt understand ofcourse
He lived in his bunglow with
Ramu the five year old Sweeper boy.
Ravi had always hated him
But not by his own judgement
But by what the society had
Taught him.
The 'Untouchable' was to be avoided .
Last afternoon, Ravi was sitting near his window
He saw Ramu go across the lawn
To fetch a bucket of water from the well
As Ramu's eyes met Ravi's,
He smiled innocently, Ravi frowned and broke the eye contact .
He didn't know what to feel about Ramu, and as it often happens
Ignorance turns into blind hatered.
The clouds rumbled, Ravi a seven year old boy, sat frozen with fear.
The lights were gone, thunder storms were expected.
The sound of thunder in darkness
Made Ravi feel the depth of his loneliness
The depth of the fear;
He stood up from his bed and went to Ramu's room, under the staircase.
Ramu was awake, with a little lantern lit by his side .
"What happend Dada ? " He asked
"I am afraid" said Ravi, surprised at his own honesty .
Ramu smiled and said "come sit here, I am afraid too."
As Ravi went and sat beside him
All he could see
Was a face in the dark
And the touch of God over his shoulders, as Ramu held Ravi with his arms around Ravi's shoulders .
Ravi felt the happiness of security
Happiness of the feeling of family.
"I suppose the rainy season is here", observed Ramu
As they both looked into the lantern.
The scent of the wet earth blew in through the skylight and the rain fell harder than ever.
