The Huge Step.

It was noon, the summer sun was blazing, no soul could be seen on the dusty road except for Vishal rolling an old cycle tyre with a tattered wooden foot scale. On a normal day Vishal would be on the fields with his father but today father decided to take a day off and this had given Vishal time to practice for the upcoming tyre race. Being short and wiry in stature Vishal always ended up last or was pushed down by the other boys. His only shot at winning was to be fast and skilled with balancing the tyre and for that he needed to practice. An year ago he got to practice his skills on his way to school-and-back but one day father came in with a worried face and announced that Vishal will not go to school anymore and will help him in the fields. There was no opposing father and so his fate was sealed to the life in the fields until today.

As Vishal was playing on the road in front of his shoddy house, from far came a man riding a motorbike on the same road. The bike went passed Vishal and came to halt in front of his house. The sturdy man got off the bike and entered the house as Vishal stood by watching him in suspicion. Mother hadn't told him of any guests that they were expecting today. If there were guests mother always informed him and asked him to get Kokam-sharbat from the nearest store. Hoping that mother would call him to go and get sharbat Vishal ran and stood besides the door.

He heard his father's voice from inside, 'Listen to me Sushila. We have to do this. It hasn't rained properly for the past 3 years. Last year we ran out of all the savings we had and had to quit Vishal's schooling. Now we have sold all of your gold jewellery and are hardly making ends meet. We have our little Amit as well to look after. Vishal has to go.'

In reply came his mother's sobs, 'Why? Can we not g...go to the city. You... you can find a new job there. Even I...I'll work. We... we will skip a meal. Please let him stay.'

'Sushila, please try to understand. It is for his own good. You know I have asked Manoj and he said even the city has no jobs. We have our land here. The rains may comeback next year then we will get Vishal back. Kishore here will bring Vishal home every 2 months. Don't worry. He will be fine.'

Then the stranger inside began in a polite voice, 'Yes bahbhi. I'll get him here along with the salary he will receive. I'm not doing this for my profit. I just want to help you folks. If you say no, then I'll not take Vishal.'

To this father spoke, 'Come on Sushila. You know we have to do this. If there was any other way I would not have done this. So you ready for this?' Mother's sobs continued but there was no reply from her.

Vishal stood there frozen not believing what he heard. Father and mother were sending him away. He wanted to run away but his legs wouldn't move. And then he heard his father calling for him from within, 'Vishu...'. Father hardly ever called him Vishu. Then the voice came again. 'Vishu... come here.' He never knew he would ever listen the words Vishu from his father's mouth. He always had a stern face on the contrary mother would always call him Vishu. But today the miracle happened and this turned his steps towards the door.

As he slowly entered the home, he saw the stranger staring down at him, while his mother sobbed lowly facing the wall on the opposite side. Father was seated on the cot the same stern expression on his face but there was a hint of grief to it today. Vishal knew his father would miss him just as much as his mother. He thought to himself, I have to obey to father. Whatever he decides will be for my own good. Father loves me. Then his father began slowly. He explained their current scenario and the conditions they were living in. though Vishal did not understand most of it, he nodded. And then came the words he didn't want to hear, 'Vishu... you... you have to go with uncle Kishore. Do what he says. You will earn lots of money. More money then I could ever get.' For the first time Vishal saw tears in his father's eyes.

Kishore silently came and stood near father and slowly placed a bundled handkerchief in father's laps and moved out the door. Father did not touch the bundle but looked Vishal in his eyes and said, 'Go make your father proud and always listen to uncle Kishore.'

Vishal wanted to hug father and mother but instead he involuntarily walked out the door as tears rolled down his eyes.

Outside Kishore motioned him to get on the bike. Vishal always wanted to ride on a bike but never had he thought that he would get a chance in such circumstances. He slowly sat on the pillion, with his arms around Kishore's waist and face buried in Kishore's back. The engine fired up and they began to move past the house, the tattered tyre towards the city where a new life lay for him.

PS: Please put down a comment and let me know how you liked it. This could be the first part of a bigger story or this may be it. Your response will decide the outcome.