A Human Story

A Stellar Centipede

The next day, a second Saturday, a holiday for them but not for their father, the silence was finally broken by their mother AFTER their father had left. The siblings were watching Interstellar on the TV, for the fourth time. It was their favorite movie. The two leads had just been debating on how they were going to go back through the black hole, in the film.

"I can't believe this. Is this the result you give your father who works SO hard for every paise he makes for you! Especially you, Deeraj." she screamed, loud enough to be threatening but not as much as to attract judgement from their neighbors.

"Answer me!" she shouted after a silent pause, when the siblings had acted like they hadn't just heard her outburst and kept watching the movie.

"What? I did better than HER!" Deeraj said. Aahna punched his arm.

"A just pass, Deeraj? JUST. PASS." said the mother. Aahna sighed to herself, relieved that his attempt to turn the tables on her had failed.

"In one subject! I got more than 80 in the other FOUR!" he shouted back.

"Don't talk back at me! You WILL respect me! Aahna, lower the volume." she shouted.

"What? But... You just... Told me to answer..." he slobbered. "And well, the one subject was just MATH. Which should've just died when calculators were created, if you ask me. Like, everyone has one in their phones in their POCKETS now, right. Like, wh-what's up with that."

"Oh, so you're Einstein now? Going to challenge the education system, huh? Ugh. Aahna, lower the volume. Oh, andthe graphic card upgrade you were asking for, yeah bury that dream." she said.

Aahna had snuck away and continued watching the movie. Hans Zimmer's beautiful score blared through their speakers.

"What! You said you'd buy it after the exams!" he shouted, loud enough for the people in the next street to hear.

His mother's face puffed up. "I said I'll think about it after I see your exam's results." she said. "Aahna!"

"Okay. Okay." said Aahna and lowered the volume by 3 numbers, then added one.

"Nope. Lie. You just lied. You're a liar now. Great example you are, to your daughter." Deeraj shot back, harshly. He stormed off to his room and slammed the door shut.

COOPER : I'M GONNA FIND A WAY TO TELL MURPH. JUST LIKE I FOUND THIS MOMENT.

The door opened once more in 5 seconds and Deeraj came strutting back out and sat next to Aahna, crossing his legs.

"It's the best part." he said and increased the volume by 4.

COOPER : LOVE, TARS. LOVE. IT'S JUST LIKE BRAND SAID.

"And I'm not talking to you! I'll just speak with dad after he comes home!" Deeraj shouted at his mother. Aahna nudged him. "Shhhh."

COOPER : IT'S THE KEY!

"I have dreams too." Deeraj told his sister, after lunch, in their room.

"Like what?" Aahna asked.

"Like a pilot. Anything that would put me up in the air, really."

"You want to fly? What're you, a 6 year old?" she said, her eyebrow raised with a mocking tone.

"Oh you'll see. You'll all see! I thought I'd give you free rides. But no, you've just spoiled that."

"What? Come on, I was just kidding... Come on. Well, it's probably not even gonna happen. With your marks? Pfft."

"What'd you say?" Deeraj said, smiling and visibly reaching for the water bottle on top of the table next to the bed.

"Maaaaaa." she screamed, and ran out of the room giggling. Deeraj followed, playfully chasing her.

It was late in the night, about 8'o clock, when their father finally came home. A little over half an hour later, Deeraj had mustered up the courage to ask his father about the graphic card.

"No." he replied and turned towards the TV without another word.

Every other word Deeraj shouted at him seemed to fall on deaf ears. His mother however couldn't keep up the act and intervened after a while.

"Hey! You will respect your father!" she shouted. "What do you think, money grows on trees? Get out their into the real world and see how hard it is to earn every single rupee!"

"You know what! Maybe I will!" Deeraj shouted back, stormed outside and slammed the door shut.

Oh God, what am I doing? Are they following me? He looked behind him.

Oh they are, okay... Where am I going? How long should I keep walking? he thought to himself.

"Deeraj, get back here right now! We'll discuss it, okay? Come on." his mother shouted, but her voice kept caving in.

Ohhh, it's about the neighbors still, huh? So, that's how long. Why stop with this street? I'll stop after the next. He looked back turning to his left. His mother's eyes had bulged.

"Look out! NO!" screamed Deeraj's mother from the corner of their street. 15 year old Deeraj turned to his right to the sight of a fast oncoming bus.

Waaaaiit. I'm going to have to intervene once more to inform you that here concludes the narrative centipede that I put you on. Now, you're good to go...

Deeraj gasped and leapt forward with everything he had. The bus missed him by an inch. His mind went blank. He turned around and started running.

"Deeeeeraaaaaj! Noooo!" his mother wailed far behind.