Inner Light

FICTION

Rahul was eagerly waiting for his father to arrive , a rare occasion one would say as he s a young boy but its diwali time you see, and this day his father would bring a big gift box, full of crackers..packed and sent from sivakasi. He had asked his mother innumerable times when dad will come home and got scolded in the end. But enthusiasm is a like a magic fountain in kids ,never drying up. He looked up thinking of asking once more but decided not to stretch his luck.

Although his parents were wealthy, they weren’t much interested in buying crackers. Rahul had to beg them innumerable times had to throw a tantrum before they agreed to bring crackers home. He had spent last two days imagining how he would light each type of cracker along with his friends this diwali night . His favourite cracker was ‘atom bomb’ promptly named because of the deafening sound it produced. He had planned to bury it in ground and light it so that it could create the explosion effect!

At eight p.m. he heard the sound of dad’s car arriving. He couldn’t control his excitement anymore, he ran to the gates..jumping and giggling. His father stepped out of the car looked at his boy and gave him a big smile and slowly extracted the colorful gift packet. He shouted with joy and took it and ran straight to his room.
The box was beautifully wrapped in colors which he removed once he was in his room. And it contained many a variety of crackers but rahul cotinued searching .. but it wasn’t there..his favourite cracker wasn’t in the box. He was so disappointed. He ran to his mother and cried loudly. Mother was utterly confused by this and asked what was wrong. ‘ I wanted atom bomb mommy it isnt there in gift box’ . Next moment two slaps landed on his cheek. ‘ why do you need such dangerous cracker why cant you enjoy safer ones. No way you are getting that!’

He was so crestfallen he didn’t even want to eat anything that night. His dad too was surprised to see his kid sulk during dinner and asked why. Mother ‘ whatever we give him is not enough , he needs atom bomb it seems..he’ll become a terrorist I feel.’
Next morning, the day before the festival, rahul started walking to his school heads down,sullen faced. His father saw him walk..something happened..he went to his son and gave him 50rs.’go buy it son,whatever you want..’

His joy knew no bounds ..finally he would get his favorite cracker. He couldn’t sit in the classes. His mind was set at the cracker shop nearby. Evening came and bell rang..he rushed out of school eagerly crossing the gully to reach the cracker shop. Then something caught his eyes. Three little children, all in ragged clothes were trying to lit a half burned cracker, hoping that it would light. He stood and thought for sometime. Then rushed to the crackershop and bought few smaller flowerpots and lightersticks and gave it to them. And he watched them light it..he could see the light in their eyes ,and somewhere inside him, a light was lit.