The Holiday

"Why are you standing here? Go and study!" Reeti, who was in classs 8, said to her younger brother Ritesh, who studied in class 5.

- Ruchi Gontia

"Turn off your lousy TV show and switch to the news channel!"

"What good is the news to you?"

"Watching the news increases general knowledge. It might help improve your hollow brain a bit!"

"Don't teach me! Call me Didi, then I'll think about it."

"Give me the remote, otherwise I'll call Mom...Mom!"

"Uhh! Fine, I'll change it!" Reeti switched from her TV show to the news report.

"These were today's top headlines. Now let's move on to tomorrow's weather. As you can see on the weather chart, heavy clouds have surrounded Raipur and the nearby areas. Heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected."

"It's over! Now you can watch your silly TV show. Mom, don't wake me up tomorrow morning and don't prepare lunch either. Tomorrow is a holiday!" Ritesh said happily.

"Why? What's the occasion?" Mom asked.

"There is! You'll find out tomorrow, Mom!" Ritesh said.

The thunder roared amidst the loud clouds and Ritesh smiled to himself.

"Oh, what fun! Tomorrow will be a day off from school. Anyway, tomorrow is Saturday and all the tests will be postponed to next week. I can take my time to prepare! I'll sleep peacefully now.'

It rained and thundered heavily until 7 a.m. with lightning accompanying it. But half an hour before it was time to leave for school, the rain gave way to an open sky and shining sun.