A Heart of Stone with a Coat of Gold

The Thief

Author's Note - Please share your thoughts dear readers, I would love to hear them  

Neel was running behind Dhruv. It was early morning barely even five. As he ran, the morning dew, the rustling of the ferns and the hooting of the birds distracted the young boy running behind his even younger brother. But he ran, fast, fast, faster. As he reached the finish line, his eyes caught something. A small boy and his father, outside a small hut. Their clothes ragged and torn, dishevelled dirty hairs, but still a sign of joy and content on the boy's face as both father and son took a bite off the same sweet potato. Their only prized possession, their only joy in this unfair world. He looked longingly at the potato.

Neel picked up the pace as he saw of the silhouette of the large man. He had been losing for five days straight, today he would win, he decided. Still, by the time he finished, Dhruv was already done. He had the proud face, having beaten his elder brother again. The man came into view as he stopped his stopwatch. He was a tall burly man with broad shoulders, had a short beard, and cropped hairs.

"Well done, Dhruv, again. Here's your prize." He threw the younger child a 5 rs coin. The young child smiled in glee as he caught. The man then turned to his older son. "Now for your prize." Dhruv's smile vanished as he knew what was coming for his older brother. He turned his face away.

As the man came nearer, Neel cowered from him. The man raised his hand and slapped Neel as hard as he could. "Always a disgrace," he growled. Neel started to cry. A slap hit him again. "Be a man. If you cry again, I swear, I will hit you 50 times." Neel stopped, holding his tears back, his eyes like that of a scared goat about to be slaughtered

As he walked back to his home, Neel's eyes caught the sight of the child again, having his meal as his father patted his head. Neel at that moment would have done anything in his power to switch places with the pauper.

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Neel woke with a start. His heart was thumping, his forehead wet with sweat.

He had probably dozed off reading Reema's sheet. His thoughts floated back to the dream. He remembered it now. It was a distant memory, something which he had kept locked in an obscure corner of his mind.

His hands were trembling as he struck a match to light his cigarette. Sadly, the burning match fell from his hand, turning Reema's sheet into ash. Neel tried to put off the fire with his hands, unsuccessfully. In the end, he managed to save only a single word. It was 'Heathcliff'.

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Meera called Anu in the evening. "How's Neel today?"

"Fine Mom," Anu answered, her mind wandering back to Reema's crying face. What kind of man behaves with a child like that? She continued, "Why?"

"Well,", the old woman hesitated, "It's Aryan's first birthday. And Shruti's first death anniversary."

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Before Anu went to sleep, she saw the light in the living rooms on. She wondered what Neel was doing so late. He generally went to bed early, even though he would lay wide awake staring into the ceiling, thinking about God knows what. Anu though about Neel, and the demons of the man. She was tired, she had been preparing for the whole day, even though she had been sick.

Anu soon drifted to sleep, while jumping between random thoughts, of Neel, her studies, Reema, Ishan.......

Only to be awakened by a noise.