considered Anupam a smart child. He was also. Smarter in studies, better in sports and spot answers. Only the mother-father and the younger sister Kumkum knew the secret that her pompom would ring as soon as nightfall. Anupam was very afraid of the darkness. 

Fear is too much to leave alone in the dark room, even the dim light made him nervous. Because of that, they could not see any film in the cinema hall for a long time. Between Mummy-Papa's bedroom and Kumkum's room was Anupam's beautiful, airy room. Still, he used to sneak into Kumkum's room to sleep at night. Kumkum used to get very irritated with Bhaiya, because Anupam would keep a big bulb lit like a night lamp all night.

Anupam too would have been angry at this weakness. He himself could not understand what is there in the dark that he is afraid of. Monsters ... lions ...? No. He knew that all these were found only in stories or in the forest. 'I don't know', 'Don't ask me anything', that would have been the answer. While returning home from the office on Saturday evening, Papa brought a telescope project. On Sunday morning and afternoon, Anupam and Papa sat together and made a complete telescope with a box of spare parts.

Anupam was enjoying it a lot. He had no idea that this telescope would become his problem as soon as nightfall. He got his attention when after having dinner, everyone agreed to go to the terrace to see the stars. This meant Kummi also knew about this plan. Anupam was angry, but the fear of the darkness grew even bigger than that. Dad took him to the roof with his shoulders. Papa thought that Anupam would be lost in seeing the dark world of the moon, stars and constellations and his fear would go away.

But nothing of this sort happened. Anupam's eyes were searching the surrounding darkness more than the views of the sky. The tall sky of neem trees were shaking from the air. Peepal leaves were constantly being laughed at. 'Papa how is this rustle?' Anupam asked. "A chameleon may be walking because of lack of sleep," Papa said with great ease.