Respecting Mr. Ravi

CHAPTER EIGHT: The Storm

On a stormy Saturday afternoon, Alex, Daisy and Henry visit Mr. Ravi to learn about India and Cricket for their Multicultural assignment. Alex finds it difficult to be around Daisy because of his feelings towards her. While they are all sitting around the kitchen table, Mr. Ravi curiously gets emotional when talking about the rain.

The four sat around the kitchen table and chatted all afternoon. Henry asked great questions while Daisy took notes. Alex tried his best to overcome his frustrations and focus on the project, but it was still too hard.

“I used to have a cricket bat signed by a very famous cricket player in India named Sachin Tendulkar.” Mr. Ravi got up and looked through a couple of boxes. “He is easily the best cricket batsman to ever play the sport. The bat he signed was actually used in a match.” “I can’t do this,” Alex muttered. “Pardon me?” Mr. Ravi pulled out a plastic cricket bat from a box and turned to Alex.

“I can’t. I can’t focus.” Alex glanced over at Daisy. He blinked a few times, holding back the tears building up in his eyes. He pushed out his chair and scurried over to the front door. He pulled out his phone and quickly texted his mom.

“Alex? What are you doing?” Henry asked. “I wanna go home,” Alex replied. “I just wanna go home.”

The tree moaned outside, followed by a blinding light.

A hollow blast shook the house, like a heavy mallet pounding a bass drum. Glass exploded into a million pieces, shooting out of the kitchen and into the hallway. A screaming rush of wind-powered through the giant hole in the door. Leaves bullied their way inside, scattering around the walls and ceiling.

Alex shot up to his feet and sprinted to the kitchen, stopping in front of the glass. A dark, menacing branch wrapped its arms around the sliding door. Jagged splinters sliced the wooden table and chairs.

“Mr. Ravi!” Alex shouted, eyeing the sharp glass scattered all over the tiles. “Oh my god, Mr. Ravi.”

Laid out on the floor, under a stack of boxes and tangled wood, was Mr. Ravi. He grabbed his side and head. Paper blew about, slapping Alex in the face. Henry stepped in behind him, pushing his way through the tangled mess and over top of the glass.

“My chest, my chest.” Mr. Ravi rolled onto his side, avoiding another blow from the branch. Its giant structure swung through the kitchen again, still attached to the base of the oak tree in the yard.

“I need to get my shoes!” Alex shouted. “I don’t want to cut my feet on the glass.” He rushed out of the room and into the hallway. For a moment, the deafening sound blended into a single hum. Alex stopped at the front entrance and reached for his sneakers. He flopped himself down on the bench and slipped them on. His fingers shook, tying the laces into double knots.

Through the chaos and screaming, a calming sensation took over Alex’s body.

The sounds faded into nothing.

The aching pull inside his chest let go.

A cool breeze brushed over his face.

In the living room, a shadow drifted over the floor at the top of the stairs, stopping at the first step. The outline of a person’s body slipped around the wall, reaching its hand on the railing.

Alex let go of his laces.

The shadowy presence lowered its leg to the next step. White light splashed through the windows, blinding Alex for a second or two.

Torn paper and leaves quietly danced through the hallway. Old newspapers floated around a pile of plastic bins and wooden crates. The smell of lemons snuck into Alex’s nose. He lifted his head and sat upright, focusing again on the top of the stairs. The shadowy figure was no longer there.

“Alex!” shouted a voice from the kitchen.

“Get some boxes!”

Another blast shook the floors. More glass bounced off the walls.

Alex took a breath and closed his eyes. A tranquil chime, like a tiny bell on a bicycle, rang softly in his ears. All the stress, the fear, the panicked sounds that stirred the walls of Mr. Ravi’s home, was gone. All that remained inside Alex’s mind was emptiness. He slipped off the bench and folded down onto the floor. His eyes clenched shut.

“Alex!”

A giant hand rattled him moments later, pulling him by his shoulders and lifting him up to his feet. Alex opened his eyes to find Henry screaming in his face. “What are you doing? What happened to you?”

Alex didn’t respond. He swallowed, letting the sounds return to his ears. He followed Henry into the kitchen. Mr. Ravi sat upright, leaning against the kitchen counter. Boxes and a large lazy-boy chair blocked the shattered window. Daisy knelt down, tending to Mr. Ravi’s cut on his head.

The door swung open at the front entrance, and Alex’s mom scurried in. She hurried over to Mr. Ravi, with a towel and a medical bag. “I got here as fast I could,” she said. “Daisy, what happened?”

“A tree branch smashed through the window and knocked him in the head and chest. He’s cut pretty bad.”

“Okay, keep applying pressure on him,” Alex’s mom asserted. She pulled out some gauze from her bag and wrapped it around Mr. Ravi’s head.

Alex stood over his mom. His hands trembled. “How did you know to come with your medical bag?”

Alex’s mom turned back to him for a moment and shook her head. She looked up to Henry and pulled on his sleeve. “Get another towel; roll it up so we can lie him down on the floor. Alex, get a broom and sweep away this glass.”

****

Two paramedics stood over Mr. Ravi, fastening him to a stretcher. His eyes were closed. A large bloodstained bandage wrapped around his head. They lifted him up and carried him through the hallway and out the front door. Red lights from an ambulance in the driveway flashed through the entranceway and bounced off the closet doors. Mrs. Olderfuss, the neighbour, stood on the grass, holding on to Sonny. She waved at Alex’s mom and walked the dog through the side gate and through a stone path.

“Where were you?” Henry nudged Alex on the shoulder.

“What do you mean? I was looking for a broom?”

“You were gone a long time,” Henry replied. The ambulance doors closed. Seconds later, it roared out of the driveway, kicking up stones and dirt.

“I was only gone a few seconds. What are you talking about?” Alex watched the red lights disappear down the street.

Alex’s mom walked over to him. She felt his forehead. “Are you okay?”

Alex pulled away, looking over at Daisy. “Yeah, I’m fine. I’m totally fine.”

“What were you doing upstairs?” Henry asked.

“What? I wasn’t upstairs,” Alex replied. “Yeah, you were. When the rain eased up, we could hear you clanging about up there, talking to yourself. I thought you were having a conversation with the broom or something.”

Daisy tucked her computer into her bag and zipped it up. She hovered beside Henry, holding back a smile.

Alex’s body tightened. His throat narrowed. “Can we go now?” He stomped toward the front door and put on his coat. “I was trying to help. My mom needed a broom, so I was looking for a broom!”

Alex’s mom closed the door behind her and locked it. She placed the key under the flowerpot and followed Alex to the car. She stopped at the top of the drive and pulled Alex to the side, under the garage’s overhang. “What’s the matter with you?”

Daisy and Henry looked over before opening the back doors. They smiled at each other and stepped into Mrs. Thomas’ car.

“What do you mean? I’m fine. Why does everyone keep asking me that?”

She reached for his face. “Alex, I can imagine that it was very difficult for you. I won’t push it. I’m sorry.”

“It wasn’t difficult.”

“Well, it was courageous of you to send me that message.”

Alex shook his head. “What message?” Mrs. Thomas looked into her son’s eyes. Water rushed down the street behind her. “My sweet, you sent me a message telling me Mr. Ravi was in an accident. You said to come straight in and that the key was under the flowerpot.”

Sonny’s faint bark echoed through the trees. Alex looked at his phone and opened the message. “That doesn’t make sense,” he said. “I sent this before the branch smashed through the kitchen door.”

****

The rain finally stopped when school started on Monday. According to the Channel 8 News, it had already been the wettest year on record. When the announcement came through the PA system, there would be recess outside that morning, an eruption of cheers filled the school.

“Okay, class, I’ve marked your spelling tests. I have to say, most of you have improved a great deal this week.” Mrs. Oxford stopped in front of Alex and placed his test on the desk. She eyed the class a moment, sharing a weak smile with everyone. She slid Alex’s test toward his hand and frowned. “Well, most of you.”

Alex crumpled up his page and lowered himself in his seat. A dense cloud crept over the yard, casting darkness through the classroom window.

Henry turned over his page. He bobbed his head and tucked the perfect ‘twenty out of twenty’ mark on his sheet into the black binder decorated with spaceship stickers. Turning his colossal shoulders around, he faced Alex. “Hey, Daisy and I thought we could work in the library this recess on the project. Are you up for it?”

“Are you serious?” Alex flicked his crumpled page onto the floor. “No, thank you. You and Daisy can work on it, but I’m going outside to play.”

“What about Mr. Ravi? It’s due next Monday.” Henry’s eyebrows twisted.

“Who cares? It’s just a dumb project.” Alex stood up as the bell rang and pointed to the window. “No rain, man. I ain’t staying inside.”

The heavy clouds hovered low over Timpleville Public school that morning. The odd water droplet slipped through the sky and pecked at Alex’s arms and face. He wandered aimlessly around the playground, kicking stones along the way.

“Hey, kid, come here,” called out a familiar voice. It was Damian Dermite.

To Be Continued: Tuesday, February 16