The Wednesday

On that particular Wednesday, Raj finished school and was filled with joy as the next four days were going to be a holiday. One of his favorite activities was riding in an auto rickshaw, a three-wheeler, with his neighbor Umesh whenever it was rented by passengers. Umesh, a hardworking young boy, had left school after high school to support his family by working as an auto rickshaw driver. Raj, a bright seventh-grade student with a deep interest in automobiles, often accompanied Umesh on his rides, especially during the nighttime. Umesh appreciated Raj’s company since he would otherwise have to ride back alone after dropping off customers, sometimes through forest routes at night.

Despite Raj’s enthusiasm for learning to drive at such a young age, it did have an impact on his studies. However, being a diligent student, he always managed to maintain good grades. Coming from a poor family background, Raj had no access to television or any other form of entertainment at home. On that Wednesday, Raj informed his mother that he would be late as he planned to spend time with Umesh.

As time passed, Umesh completed a few local rides, and by 10 pm, only Umesh and Raj remained. They decided to wait for the last bus of the night to see if they could get any more passengers before calling it a day. When the last bus arrived, a few passengers disembarked, and one of them wanted to hire the auto rickshaw for a destination beyond Umesh and Raj’s house. Umesh felt delighted as it would be a long ride, which meant they could earn more money. Raj was particularly thrilled because Umesh allowed him to drive the vehicle at night, knowing that there were very few vehicles on the road during those hours. Despite the ride taking them through a thick forest, Umesh mustered up some courage since Raj was accompanying him.

After dropping off the passenger, they began their journey back home, with Raj now in the driver’s seat. While Umesh counted the money they had earned from the ride, Raj enjoyed the thrill of driving. As they entered a dense forested area, Raj noticed a flickering light, akin to a kerosene lamp, emerging from the forest towards the road. He thought someone might be in need of a ride and started to slow down the vehicle. However, Umesh, from the passenger seat, shouted, “Don’t stop, just go!” Raj caught a glimpse of a shirtless young boy holding the lamp, running towards them. But by the time the boy reached the road, their vehicle had already passed him. When both Umesh and Raj looked back, there was nothing but darkness.

Being too young, Raj couldn’t comprehend what had just happened, but Umesh began feeling an unsettling chill. By the time they arrived home, Umesh had developed a high fever and was unable to speak. It took a week for Umesh to recover, but he never spoke about what he had witnessed. He chose not to discuss it further, but it was evident that whatever he saw was far from ordinary. Some inexplicable power had emerged from the forest, and something within Umesh had warned him not to stop the vehicle.

After that incident, Umesh stopped driving the auto rickshaw at night and eventually changed his profession. Raj couldn’t fully understand the impact of that night, but he still ponders the image of the shirtless boy running towards them, wondering if he had needed help. It is left to the reader’s discretion to interpret what they think happened.