A Story and Poem by Arush Dey
My Adventure in the Dark
I was coming home one moonless night through a dark jungle. There was no light in the vicinity and nothing ahead, could be seen properly. An owl hooted from a ghostly banyan tree nearby and I also heard the soft call of a nightjar and the distant howl of jackals. In other days, when I came home, I could spot many stars in the night sky twinkle like a thousand beautiful eyes but that day I couldn’t see anything.
I was much frightened by this. And when, I least expected it, the rain started pouring heavily and I started searching for a place to shade myself from it. I, searched here and there until, I finally found a cave nearby. Without giving it a second thought I rushed inside the cave. And though I was already drenched in the rain, I thought that it would be better to stay inside until the rain stopped.
I didn’t have a torch with myself and couldn’t see anything but got a nasty smell, which helped me sense that there were bats inside the cave. I had read somewhere that many bats are deadly blood- sucking draculas, just the other day which is why I trembled in fear.
I didn’t realize when I felt asleep but when I woke up I saw that it was midnight. The rain had stopped. So, I went outside and walked quietly. But the path was slippery and I hurt my leg several times, as I slipped or bumped into a rock. I knew that my mother would be getting concerned about me, so I tried to increase my pace in order to get home faster.
I had walked merely some distance when I noticed two golden - yellow eyes glowing in the dark. I felt afraid and my heart started beating loudly. I gathered some courage and gradually walked towards those eyes and when I stood right in front of them, I felt a bit strange as they rarely blinked. I took a twig and threw it at those eyes. Then the eyes danced away and I realized that they were nothing dangerous but just harmless fireflies. I followed those fireflies, which were later joined by a few other fireflies. Their light guided me and also helped me walk back home without getting hurt again.
When I reached the doorstep, the fireflies flew away. That was when, I realized that I had a real adventure, where I might have been haunted by the dark but those benevolent fireflies helped me return home. The dark may seem gloomy but the wonderful creatures of the dark, make it very gloamy.
On that note, I’ll say… goodnight!! And, sleep tight!!
In the Dark
As I came home,
Last night,
I noticed that there was a pin-drop silence,
In the vicinity.
Occasionally, the gradual call of a night jar broke the solitude.
But except that everything was quite and still,
It was a full moon night,
And many stars twinkled in the sky,
Like a thousand beautiful eyes.
The stillness of the night, and
The quiet atmosphere,
Was not just good but lovely, indeed.
And, Whatever
the others might say
A quiet and still night,
Is always better, than the noisy and playful day.
Arush Dey is 12 years old and has been published in various magazines like Kloud nine magazine, whose chief editor is the famous author Ruskin Bond. Arush's favorite books are those which are written about nature or praises its beauty, like Vagrants In The Valley. Arush would like to travel to Kenya, Vietnam, and Switzerland.
Your poem, "In the Dark" wonderfully captures the magical feeling of a quiet night. What do you like best about nighttime? Why do you think "A quiet, still night / Is always better than a noisy and playful day"?
I love the nighttime because they are lovely, gentle and provide peace, comfort and warmth to my soul and befriend me as if they are my best friend. I do like the day too, but not more than the night because I prefer silence and solitude.
Your story, "My Adventure in the Dark" is full of sensory details—spooky sights and sounds, a drenching rain—that are heightened by the subject of being alone in the dark. When writing this story, how did you decide what images you wanted to use to create a sense of tension and fear for the reader?
When I was writing this story, it was raining heavily outside. I imagined myself, wandering out there in the spooky rain, drenching myself and my clothes fully with the rainwater. I included the idea of a cave in my story to make the story a little more engaging and exciting for my readers, in a manner where they would be able to experience the scenes in a more lively and close manner. I wanted my readers to imagine themself in the situation and enjoy reading my story to the fullest.
What is your favorite topic to study in school?
My favourite topic to study at school is English. Though I love other subjects too, English is the one I enjoy reading the most.
What is the most interesting thing you recently learned?
Recently, I learned in English that a word can have several meanings. This fascinated me, quite a lot.
For instance; The meaning of March can refer to the Month March as well as in these kinds of sentences like; The army is marching down the road
And August can refer to holy or divine or also to the Month of August.
What book are you currently reading or read most recently? Would you recommend this book to other readers?
I am currently reading the book, The Room on The Roof, which was written by my favorite author Ruskin Bond in 1956 when he was just seventeen years old. Yes, I would prefer readers above the age of ten to read it. It's a very good book that can reduce our screen time and help us make reading infinitely more fun.
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