Written By Mandira Ghosh (Grade 7)
“Mum, I have freshened up. Please can I have dinner now?” asked Nardo.
“Let your brother and sisters first come, after that we will have a family dinner out in the garden,” replied mother.
“Fine,” he sighed. Delta came running to them and said, “Mum, why are they keeping the old dressing table in our room?”
“Well, I mean your father and I decided that it would look great if it was kept in your room. Plus, you girls were requiring a dressing table, weren’t you” she replied and glared at Delta, forcing Delta to nod her head “good”.
“Mum! I am ready and hungry,” Luisa exclaimed. She was laughing because she had climbed and sat on her father’s shoulders. Her father was swaying her like a flower. His father said, “Yes, that’s my only girl hungry.”
“Hmm,” Delta cleared her throat.
“Oh yes, second only girl,” Father corrected himself.
“Ok, let’s eat. I’m tired and hungry and please do not test my patience,” said Quinlin running to them.
“What is there for dinner?” asked Luisa.
“See it yourself,” Mother replied and turned sideways.
“Wow, noodles and meatballs!” exclaimed Quinlin. He always like noodles and meatballs.
“Come on, let’s get eating,” said Father.
“Yes!” exclaimed everyone else.
They all ate with their utmost dedication. They all grew tired of chewing and quickly freshened up.
After that, the children gathered and were deciding what to do with the dressing table.
“Maybe, we keep it,” suggested Quinlin.
“No! Please no,” wailed Delta.
“Then, do we dispose of it?” asked Luisa.
“Yes, but how?” asked Nardo.
“Maybe we can dispose of it when our parents are not there at home,” suggested Quinlin.
“But won’t they notice it when they are cleaning our room?” said Delta.
“Maybe, but what if we start cleaning our room ourselves,” said Nardo.
“That would be too tiring but anything to get this rid of from our room,” said Delta.
“So, today’s Sunday. Can we do it on Wednesday?” asked Quinlin
“Why Wednesday and why not tomorrow?” asked Luisa
“It should be a random day for them or they’ll probably suspect something,” replied Quinlin.
“Smart,” praised Delta.
Just then they heard Luisa yawning.
“Can we sleep now?” she asked.
“Yes, we must,” said Nardo.
And so, they all got tucked in their beds and it didn’t take them long to get to sleep, all after what they had just discovered.
Early in the morning at 5, it was that Quinlin had woken up. It was unusual for him; he’d never wake up so early. There wasn’t a blue moon that day, it was something else. Some other reason that woke him up.
He had seen a bright light being emitted from the dressing table mirror. He wasn’t scared but was a little nervous so he shook Nardo up.
“Should we try to find where the light is coming?” asked Quinlin.
“Come on,” Nardo whispered.
They went close to the table and Nardo gathered up the courage to put his hand through the light. It was a hole. The fact that when he put his hand, the light faded away and a bright green colour appeared instead of the mirror.
“Should we go in there?” asked Quinlin.
“We should, but first let’s wake up the girls. We might need them,” Nardo replied and laughed.
“Wake up, oh do wake up,” wailed Quinlin.
“Hmmh,” mumbled Delta.
Luisa on the other hand woke up immediately.
“What’s the matter?” she asked.
“Look,” said Quinlin, pointing to the hole. Luisa squinched when she saw the immediate bright light, it was hitting her eyes.
“That’s some bright light,” she said.
“Huh,” exclaimed Delta and sat up straight. She too squinched as she stared at the light.
“Wow,” she awed.
“Let’s go now,” Quinlin said.
“Yes, we can go now. Though one thing, do you girls want to come with us or not?” Nardo asked.
“Do we? Come on, let’s go,” Luisa exclaimed.
“Ok, ok. Just let me wash my face first, wait here,” Delta replied.
“Alright, but be quick,” said Nardo.
Delta ran to the bathroom without creating any noise and came back running in the same manner.
“Come on now,” she said.
“Ok let’s go,” said Nardo.
They ran into the hole. I may believe that was the last of them being seen in this world. Never mind that for now. The four hit many branches in their way because they were in a hurry to meet their friend Jester.
They were creating much of a noise by screaming Jester’s name and thus they were soon surrounded by a herd of wild elephants. They had unusually long legs and big heads though.
“What an unusually big head you have,” Luisa said.
“And legs. You surely aren’t a common creature to be sighted,” said Quinlin. He had brought a camera with him so what he said made everyone laugh. What did he say? “Selfie? Say cheese!”
Everyone laughed till tears were pouring down from their eyes. Even the elephants laughed seeing the four laugh. It was surely a funny sight.
“Ok, ok enough of laughing,” said the first elephant.
“Do you have a name?” asked Luisa.
“Yes, I do, everyone does. I am Huger, this is Harrietta, my wife, my friend Tomson and his wife Grefeta. This is our child Sircando and he’s their child Tropicara. We are like a herd,” Huger said.
“Oh, those are very complicated names,” said Nardo.
“But they’re excellent,” Delta said hitting Nardo slightly on the hand.
“Oh yes they are,” said Tomson.
“Where’re you headed to?” Harrietta aske.
“We were planning on meeting our Jester,” said Quinlin.
“Oh, but he’s not here. He’s gone away for a while on a voyage. He’ll come back soon though so no need to frown,” said Grefeta.
“We almost forgot to ask, what are your names?” said Sircando.
“Then ask,” said Tropicara.
“Yes, what are your names?” asked Sircando.
Quinlin laughed a bit and then answered, “I am Quinlin.”
“I am Delta,” Delta said.
“I am Nardo,” Nardo said.
“I am Luisa, the youngest,” said Luisa.
“Who are elder to you in order?” asked Tropicara.
“Quinlin, Delta and Nardo. In the order,” Luisa replied.
Suddenly a cold breeze started to flow. Everyone shivered.
“Wh- Wh- Why has it started to get colder?” Luisa shivered.
“Oh, not again!” exclaimed Harrietta.
“What?” asked Nardo.
“This happens very often. Due to the forbidden island. Every time the darkness increases this cold breeze starts to flow. But don’t worry, it will only last for some time. But we must start walking to keep ourselves warm,” said Grefeta.
All the time when they all were walking and talking, Quinlin was thinking. What if we knew how to stop everything. Just then a thought popped in his mind.
“Does the evil spirit reside in an object or a… a place?”
“I don’t —-”.
He stopped talking as he saw something approaching them.
Who was it?
Featured Image Courtesy – WWF
