Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr......

Sweet Siblings!

 

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr……..

 

Home was at least half a mile away. Sruthi and Raju were walking hand in hand from school. Sruthi’s school bag was almost her own weight and slightly lesser in height. It pulled her shoulders down and she had to heave up now and then to place it in the right place. Raju stole a glance at his poor sister and kept his palm at the bottom of the bag to lessen her burden.

 

Raju was 8 years old and was in Third grade while Sruthi was 6 years old and in First grade. Her white uniform was spotless, but for the dust that had settled on the hems of her skirt. Her school belt was tightened around her hip. The buckle had a badge reading St. Bishop School. Raju’s shirt had at least four big blots of ink stain just near the pocket and the shirt was no more tucked in. There was thick brown mud on his trousers and the white canvas shoes looked dark brown courtesy football.

 

His hair was everywhere; almost waiting to fall from his head. Sruthi had this pop-cut where the hair doesn’t fall on the shoulders. She had a butterfly clip in the right side of her head and she looked so very cute in that. A beautiful little kid! She had this kerchief of her pinned to her chest with a safety pin. She blew her nose from time to time in it.

 

Raju was walking along playing football with a small stone on the street. He would kick the stone some distance and then walk with his sister and then once he reaches the stone he would kick it again. He was determined to kick the stone all the way home. Whenever he kicked it afar, Sruthi would close her eyes as she felt it would hurt his leg, but when the stone traveled a long distance she would open her eyes wide as large as the distance the stone has traveled and then smile.

 

Raju would look at her with a wide grin and she would look at him with pride. Then they will hold hands and walk towards the stone.

 

It was near the corner Cafe Shop Raju kicked the stone a very long distance, but his angle was horribly wrong; it rolled into the drain. They both stood stunned for a moment. He looked dejected. Sruthi looked down searching, she found a look-alike stone a few steps ahead. She picked it up with her left hand and let it fall near her brother’s foot. He looked at her and... then the stone and stepped over it.

 

Raju ran over to the drainage pit and dropped on the foot of the pit so that he can reach down and got the stone that was being bathed in drain with his left hand. He deposited it on the ground and looked at Sruthi.

 

She didn’t like it, but didn’t say anything. He kicked it again and the sand cleaned the stone on the way. This time he tried kicking it with a lot of style and it landed straight on the foot of a guy having his evening tea near the tea shop. He winced in pain and looked at them with anger.

 

Raju held Sruthi’s hand tight and pulled her fast. The guy with a tea cup in one hand and cigarette in another rushed towards them. He caught Raju by the ear. He pulled his ear hard and shouted,

 

“Are you blind kid, eh?”

 

“Sorry…”

 

“What sorry… idiot?”

 

He gave a semi-hard slap on the back of Raju’s head and Raju tripped a few paces ahead.

 

“Be careful, next time, I will break your head.”

 

Saying that he walked back to the tea stall and sat on his bike that he had put its side stand on.

 

Sruthi started crying. Raju’s eyes was welling up with tears too. It was all red. She saw that and started crying loudly.

 

Raju pulled her fast and made for home. Sruthi was sobbing slowly now and then her nose running again. She looked down and got kerchief and blew her nose in it. Right that moment she stepped on the leg of the puppy dog that was lying on the street.

 

“woofffff” the pup gave out a cry.

 

“Grrrrrrrrrr….. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr……..” immediately a dog, which was by its side growled…. And cleared its throat for a bark and then… BARKED.

 

“BOW BOWWWW… BOWWWWWWWW…..”

 

Raju and Sruthi took a few steps back in fear. Both were shaking.

 

Raju summoned up some courage and hissed…”shoooo…shoo shooo..”

 

Pup and dog gave up and walked away…. The bigger dog persisted; it looked around and growled once or twice and moved.

 

Sruthi held Raju’s hand tight and walked fast. A few steps more and... she released her hand from Raju’s grip and stood on the street. Then she took off her school bag and gave it to Raju.

 

“Brother, hold this.”

 

Raju was about to ask why, but before he could, she ran back. She ran all the way near to the guy sitting on the bike. She stepped on the foot rest of the bike, pulled herself up and slapped the guy with her baby hands on the right cheek.

 

He spilled the tea all over his shirt.

 

She stepped down in a hurry and ran back to her brother who was shaking in shock.

 

She came running to him, took the bag and said, “run, run… run...”

 

They raised dust while they ran, holding hands tight.

 

The dog for no reason wagged its tail once.

 

                      - Aravind Kumar Rajendran

Reviews

[Sylver Marcus]

that was amazing. i cant think of any other words to say. tiana is right about the bortherly sisterly love

[T]

Such a beautiful story of a brother and sister love, Raj. She's a brave little one too! Wonderfully written and the imagery took me there! ... hugs