The Dark Night

                                                                                                             -Nandita Karthikeyan

Heavy rains again, there was nothing to say about it. This was the season when the farmers of Madras were really happy and joyful because after these rains, there was a continuous season of drought and bad harvests. Probably, God had given us additional rain this time. I, as I had already mentioned, am a rain lover. Even if I was sick or completely hospitalized, I would still enjoy the rain and I'm sure cold would never dare come close to me.

I was peeping out of the balcony, trying to enjoy the rain. My neighbours think I'm crazy, because I'm the only person who gets completely wet, standing in my balcony!

I peeped out to get myself completely drenched - I love it whenever that happens. I could not go down because my mom was out and only I was at home. If my mother was at home then there would have been no problem, she would have allowed me to go down but when she is not there, I'm the one who is supposed to take care of the house. My father was at office. I went into my room to change my night dress. I came out wearing a pretty one. I was very bored so I planned to sit in front of my laptop or my TV, but even that seemed really boring. Wishing my mom was at home, I kept staring at the TV, when all of a sudden, the lights switched off.

I was known to be one of the 'ghost riders' or the 'exorcist' of my gang as I am the strongest among all my other pals but really, who would have the guts to stay at a place where it is completely dark and you hear all sorts of howls that too at night time?

I tried hard to close my eyes but closing or opening my eyes did not make any difference because the whole room was pitch black. I tried rubbing my hands on the TV parapet to get the torch light, but all of a sudden I remembered that I left the torch in the rest room. Now, I didn't have the guts to go to the rest room to fetch the torch! I didn't lose hope and I continued searching for my mobile. I kept swaying until I found something really cold.

"Oh my, it’s so chill!" I shouted. It was a Limca bottle which I left open after drinking a little of it. A few seconds later, I heard somebody yell my name.

"Taaaarrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaaaaaa......."

Who could it be at this odd time? I hoped it was somebody I knew. I looked through the key hole.  The person outside started banging on the door. Who could it be? I was breathing heavily. I took the Limca bottle in my hand and I planned to hit the person if I didn't know him or her.

"Taaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrra open the door!", the voice said. I opened the door,  and I swayed the bottle half way when I found out that it was my friend, Nisa. Thank god the bottle didn't hit her head! But something even more stupid happened. The bottle was partially open and juice spilled over both of us and we smelled like Limca. The lights came back on and we looked at each others’ faces. If only the electricity had come on a little more early!!

Even now, whenever I think about that day, I cannot control my laughter.