White Lie

This is the story of a girl who can't tell the truth, and a mother who cannot stand liars. 

It was a pleasant morning. Josie was playing in her bedroom when her mother called her from the kitchen.

"Josie, come here. I need to talk to you."

"What is it, maa?"

"Do you know who ate the cakes?"

"Ummm.... No maa, I don't know."

"Did you eat the cakes, Josie?" At this point, Josie started playing with her fingers, clearly nervous. "Josie, I am your mother, and I know when you're lying", her mother said, "a liar starts the day by lying, but eventually the lie is caught and the liar is punished. Do you get where I'm at?" Josie couldn't control it anymore. She starts sobbing. "I'm sorry maa, I ate the cakes. I'm sorry." Her mother pats her back, and while trying to calm her down, she said, "It's okay Josie, it was just a white lie but I don't like lies or liars. Promise me you won't lie again?" Josie wiped her tears and said, "I promise maa."

This promise was kept for 3 long years until one day.

Josie's mother adopted a child just so that Josie never felt alone. It was a 3-day old boy, and they named him Luke. Josie was now to become a responsible elder sister, protect her younger brother, and take care of him. Josie was very happy, after all, she got a new playmate.

Initially, it was fun having Luke around, but then Josie got bored soon. She got tired of hearing the baby cry day and night. Her mother was with Luke most of the time, so she thought that her mother had stopped caring about her (that's what all siblings feel at a point 🙃). One fine day, she couldn't stand it any longer and decided to talk to her mother. Hearing Luke cry again, instead of talking, she rather squawked, "Maa can you shut Luke up! I can't concentrate on my studies!" Her mother tried to calm her down, saying, "we can't do anything about it, Josie. Luke is just a baby, he can't understand anything."

"It all goes back to Luke and him not understanding anything. When do you even have time for me anymore? I also want your time, I also want to come with you to the supermarket, I also want to play with you in the park! But all you care about these days is Luke!" Josie yelled. At this point, her mother was incensed. She said, "Josie that's enough. You're big enough to do all of them yourself. Don't you talk to me like that! Now keep quiet and go to your room right now!"

Josie stormed to her room. She didn't even go out for dinner, she was busy ranting about Luke. Time passed, soon she dozed off to sleep. She had a nightmare.

Josie was playing with Luke in the garden. Luke was crawling around, plucking the grass. Josie saw a shovel lying near a bush. She took it, and no, she didn't hit him. She dug a small hole and buried her brother alive.

she woke up, sweating (as I said, I was a nightmare). She was terrified, shaking. "Maa was right," she thought, "I am his elder sister, and I shouldn't be thinking about anything like this again." She was about to go back to sleep when she heard her mother screaming, "Josie come here right now!" Josie rushed out. She saw her mom frantically crying and pacing around the kitchen.

"Josie, where is Luke?"

"I don't know, maa."

"Josie don't lie! I warned you about lying."

"I really have no idea maa. I don't know where Luke is." Josie was now scared. According to her, it was just a nightmare. She started playing with her fingers. Her mother yelled, "Josie, I know when you're lying. For god's sake, where is he? Look me in the eyes and answer right now! What did you do to him?" Josie broke down to tears.

She didn't know that nightmares come true. Sobbing, she pointed at a small area in the garden. She didn't, or couldn't say anything. Her mother, shocked, was unable to register it all. She started ululating, "I can't believe you were so desperate for attention, that you killed your own brother! I hate you. You killed a baby!" She started choking her own daughter.

"I didn-t-t kill hi-him, maa." Her mother was furious, she pushed her daughter so hard that she hit her head against the kitchen platform. Josie's lifeless body lay on the kitchen floor, as her mother went to get Luke.

She ran to the front door. She opened it to dig Luke out, but her view left her aghast. Their neighbours were at the door, they said, " he was at our doorstep. He must've crawled out of the bed." They had Luke in their arms.