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 6-month 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 to come with you to the supermarket, I also want to play with you in the park, I also want your time! But all you care about these days is Luke!" Josie yelled. At this point, her mother was incensed. She said, "Josie that's enough. Don't you talk to me like that! Shut up 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 in her mind. Time passed, soon she dozed off to sleep. 

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. It 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 shouting, "Luke! Where are you, Luke?!" Josie rushed out. She saw her mom frantically crying and pacing around, like she's all over the place.

"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 and this was the last thing she wanted. 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 came 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. "I can't believe you were so desperate for attention, that you killed your own brother! You killed a baby!" She was shaking her daughter as if it was going to knock some sense into her.

"I didn-t-t kill hi-him" Josie was trying to explain herself, when the doorbell rang. Her mother pushed her and ran to the front door, hoping it would be Luke. Their neighbours were at the door. "He was at our doorstep," they said, "he must've crawled out of bed." They had Luke in their arms. 

She took Luke in her arms and hugged him, thanking her stars. After putting Luke back to bed and calming herself down, she realised that she yelled at her daughter too much. So, she went to Josie's room to apologise but didn't find her there. She searched the entire house but all in vain. She finally went to the kitchen, where she last saw Josie. Her view left her aghast. 

She stared at Josie's lifeless body, which lay on the kitchen floor. She pushed her daughter a little too hard.