Chilling Droplets

Chilling Droplets-A short story.

It was eleven o'clock and the bell rang for the break. Children flew out of the classrooms as usual. Some ran to the playground and some flocked at the canteen door. The whole school sounded like a village marketplace with the noise. Almost all the children enjoyed their time during the fifteen minute break every day. This was the happiest time for the most of them during the school period. But in grade two, there was a boy who remained inside the classroom when all of his fellow mates were out enjoying at the playground during the break. Rifan, a silent and a well-behaved child in the class, was loved by his teacher and classmates for his calmness, honesty and the other good qualities he possessed. He was from a poor family and his father made a living that was barely sufficient to feed his family of five kids. Although the life was poor in wealth, the whole family was rich in health and happiness.

Like other children, little Rifan too yearned to enjoy and play but for some reason he chose to stay in the classroom. He watched his friends playing outside through the doorway from where he was seated on his bench in the first row. He brought his breakfast, two slices of bread coated with Jam or Butter from home. It was what his parents could afford but this little boy did not like it much. Most of his mates used to buy stuffs from the school canteen with their pocket money. Rifan's wishful mind was being kindled by his fellow mates who ate many stuffs buying from canteen. He was never given pocket money and neither did he dare to ask his parents. He suppressed his yearning of buying something from canteen to himself alone.

As usual the bell rang and it was eleven o'clock. The class teacher had never felt the need of informing the class that it was time for the break. The very next second after the bell rang, children of this grade two class, vanished in a flash from their benches. Some of them had left their books wide open. Rifan was sitting alone in the class as usual while the rest of the classmates were out. He had a look around the class and smiled to himself upon noticing the untidiness of the fellow mates. This day little Rifan had not brought breakfast from home. He was late to wake up, so he had to hurry to the school missing his breakfast. The little boy was feeling the emptiness inside his tiny tummy. He just let his sight float around trying to forget the rumbling of the hunger that was heard from the depth of his stomach. Just as he was staring at the floor, his eyes caught up with something that glittered. He focused the sight right on the thing that he just saw. It was a round shaped metal like thing. Rifan wanted to inspect it closely at all cost. So at last, he stood up from where he had been seated for the first time since he entered the classroom in the morning. After having a look around one more time, he slowly stepped away from his bench. He wobbled forward to where that glittering thing was seen. It was only a few paces from his bench. Rifan managed to balance his body while he bent his back to pick that shiny round shaped thing. His eyes were widened when he realized that it was a two Rupee coin.

Hundreds of thoughts and desires flashed through Rifan's mind as he grabbed the coin. He held it tight in his tiny palm. He was standing there alone motionless wondering what to do.

Many inner voices whispered to him, 'Hey this is your moment to go to the canteen' and another voice questioned 'whose money is this?' Little Rifan's desires were fighting hard against his inner mind. Finally his desires won the battle and led him to have the courage to buy something from the canteen since it was his yearning for all these days. It was the first time he stepped out of the classroom during the break. It had been a struggle for Rifan to walk to school from home every day. He used to walk at a snail's pace to make sure that he did not tumble upon anything on the way. Stepping out to go to the canteen was another struggle but his desire filled with enthusiasm gave his legs an extra strength. He had never been to the school canteen before, so he had no clue where to go and where to turn. His mates and many other children from other classes were running and playing. He slowly started to walk ahead with the hope of asking someone the direction to the canteen.

Many of the children were sucking an Ice-packet each in their hands. There were many different coloured ones and this kindled little Rifan's devouring desires that were overtaking him. He made sure that the two rupee coin was well safe with him. A boy of another class walked past him. Rifan called out that boy with a gesture.

"Where's the canteen?" was the question from him to the boy who turned up to the call.

"It's over there next to the Assembly hall," was the quick answer pointing towards the Auditorium. He gave a weird look at Rifan and ran away. After knowing the direction to the canteen, he almost began to run but actually he could only walk a little faster than he used to.

The wobbling little boy struggled through the muddy water holes and blocks of buildings to get to the destination – the canteen. It was a crowded place. Lots of children had flocked at the doorway of the canteen which occupied a small classroom. Each and every one of them was buying something to eat. Various kinds of sweets and fast food items were being sold. Among them were buns, rotties, wade, rolls, pancakes and ice-packets! Rifan was waiting a few paces away from the rest. He waited until he could find a way through the crowd. At last, he found himself at the doorway of the canteen where he could see the canteen man. Little Rifan was new to this place and most of the kids stared at him strangely. The boy was excited to the extent that he kept grinning at every one who looked at him.

"What do you want little boy?" a voice was heard from inside the canteen. Rifan felt a chill down his spine.

"Ice-packet!" he said in a trembling tone.

"Orange or Pink?" man asked with a smile.

The little kid said, "Pink," with a blissful smile that flashed across his flesh-less face. He stood impatiently and the man held out a pink colour ice-packet to Rifan's tiny hand. Then the boy gave his treasure-two Rupee coin to the canteen man with the most beautiful smile in his life. He was thrilled when he got hold of the freezing ice-packet! Yes it was just out from the freezer and the little lad was struggling to hold it in one hand so, he used his both the hands in turn. He could not wait till he could taste it but his legs started to drag him back to the classroom. He came passing all what he had to go through on his way to the canteen but the joy and the happiness of realizing the yearning he had, made him walk past those muddy water holes without much struggle.

He reached the classroom at last. It was still empty and Rifan found the comfort of his bench. By then he noticed that the ice-packet was melting inside and both his palms were wet with chilled water droplets. He could not be patient anymore and he closed his eyes when he kept the top edge of the ice-packet between his front teeth to split it open. Just then Rifan felt a tight grip on his right wrist by a strong hand! He was stunned for a second to see his mate Ameen who stopped him.

"How did you buy this Rifan?" Ameen frowned with anger in his voice.

"I bought it from the canteen, Ameen," uttered the poor little fellow in a low tone. Upon hearing the answer, Ameen laughed violently tightening his grip on Rifan's wrist. Ice inside the packet was melting fast. Chilling droplets were dripping down the innocent boy's right arm.

"Man, how did you get the money ha?" was the second question from the furious Ameen. Most of the classmates knew well that Rifan had never brought pocket money up to that day.

"I found it on the floor over there. A two Rupee coin," Rifan, the boy who was loved by everyone for his honesty, exposed how he found the money to buy this ice-packet. He felt like something was blocking his throat.

"Hm, you know buddy that coin is mine and this ice packet belongs to me," Ameen said sternly.
The boy, who had a yearning to eat something from the canteen, remained silent for a moment and held out his right hand with the melting ice-packet to his mate Ameen without speaking back.

"Take this," was all what he could say and he had no more strength for another word. Ameen got hold of the ice-packet, which belonged to him as he claimed, from Rifan's hand. Ameen stared at his friend's innocent eyes for a second and ran away from the classroom. Finding the coin, his struggle through the way to the canteen, the crowd, his excitement, smiles, grins, the chilliness of the ice-packet, all the scenes flashed in front of Rifan's eyes and vanished away. Little Rifan looked at his right palm one more time, it was still wet and he noticed the chilled water droplets have run down up to elbow. He placed his wet and frozen palm on his cheek. He felt a chill running down his spine...