"One Picture And One Story Week #71".

Hello my dear steemian friends.

Today I am very happy to take part int his contest, organised by respected @suboohi if you are also interested here is the link:

https://steemit.com/hive-180106/@suboohi/contest-alert-1-picture-1-story-week-71

Source

Anuj was a smart kid, he was very good in studies, good in sports and quick witted. Only his parents and his sister Smita knew his secret that his pompom would ring as soon as it was night. 😊

Anuj was very scared of darkness. He used to get nervous not only in darkness but also in low light. Because of that his family did not go to watch any movie in a cinema hall for a long time.

Anuj had a beautiful airy room between his parents' bedroom and his sister Smita's room, yet he used to sneak into his younger sister Smita's room to sleep at night. Smita used to get very annoyed with her brother because Anuj used to keep a big night bulb lit like a lamp all night.

Anuj himself did not understand why he was so scared of darkness. Whenever anyone asked him, his answer would always be that I do not know.
Because he himself could not understand what is there in the darkness that he is afraid of, demon...... lion......? No.
He knew that all these stories are found only in books.

One night after dinner, everyone got ready to go to the roof to see the stars. Despite Anuj's refusal, Papa forcibly took him to the roof.
Papa thought that seeing the magical world of moon, stars and constellations, Anuj would get lost in them and his fear would also go away. But nothing like this happened. Anuj's eyes were more searching the surrounding darkness than the view of the sky.
Some trees were swaying due to the wind, the leaves of the Peepal tree were continuously humming. These sounds were scaring Anuj even more. Anuj asked Papa, Papa what is this rustling sound?

Papa said smilingly, it is possible that some chameleon is walking around due to lack of sleep. Half an hour was about to pass and Anuj's restlessness to go down was increasing continuously.
Now even Papa was getting angry with his coward son. It was a good thing that he had not slapped Anuj even once. He had got quite a bad breath due to the lack of air.

One afternoon the class teacher came smiling to the class and sat on the table. Without being told all the children knew that there was something special today. Then the teacher announced that we are going on a picnic. The picnic will be for two days and two nights.

Everyone is required to go on the picnic. The children jumped with joy and started thumping the table.
Anuj started getting nervous that two days are fine but how will he be able to stay away from home for even one night?

Seeing Anuj's sad face at the dinner table at night, when his father asked him, he told him about the picnic. Anuj then also told his father that instead of having fun for two days, he wants to stay at home and study, so father should arrange a doctor's certificate for him.

Papa understood his point that why Pampam was thinking of studies instead of picnic😊.
Papa said, son if you go on a picnic then you will get a chance to be with friends, this opportunity does not come again and again. You will learn some things from your friends.

That is why I want you to definitely go on the picnic. Listening to his father, Anuj was thinking that whatever happens in the darkness of the jungle will happen, but I will be exposed in front of the whole class, I keep pretending to be so smart.

Finally the day of picnic arrived. The children happily boarded the bus, everyone left laughing and singing and making noise. Anuj sat scared on his seat.

On reaching the picnic he saw that 35-40 small tents were set up in the open part of the jungle, they all had to stay and sleep there. The teacher told that there will be two children in each tent, choose your own partner. This time Anuj had no dilemma, he quickly caught Ajit because Ajit was the Judo champion of his school. Ajit said yes to become Anuj's partner, but there was a worried expression on his face too.

Anuj was very happy that while living with the Judo champion, no one can harm him by coming out of the darkness. The night was a little cold, after having dinner, both Anuj and Ajit went to their respective beds without joining in the laughter and jokes of all the friends.

Without extinguishing the candles, both of them put their sleeping bags in the jeep. Anuj was waiting for Ajit to switch off the lights. Then a whisper startled Anuj. Then he remembered that Ajit was asking him whether he was afraid of the dark.
And he saw that Ajit was trembling. When Anuj asked, Ajit told him that he was very afraid of the dark.

it was surprising that Anuj heard himself saying why should he be afraid of the dark. Now he removed the sleeping bag and sat up.😊
This was a very amazing thing. Anuj could not believe himself. He patted Ajit and said that friend you turned out to be a complete fool. Don't be afraid, I am with you, hold my hand and sleep without any worry.

Ajit became relaxed after holding Anuj's hand. And he asked Anuj that why are you smiling. Will you not tell this to everyone? Anuj laughed and said, seeing you in this condition, I remembered a similar crazy boy, but this is a very old thing.

Now I inviting my friends. @pathanapsana @ulfatulrahmah and @deepak94 @yulexys21 @hafsasaadat90 @haidee @naina9

Thanks for reading my post

@dipi2024