(This story is written by Sanaa Shaikh of Shams class at Hedayah Gurgaon. During our discussion in class on the topic of “Controlling Anger” [Lesson 23 – Islamic Tahdib and Ikhlaq] students were given an assignment to write a story about an angry person who got into trouble because of his / her temper)
What is the worst possible way to find out you have magical powers? Accidentally turning your sibling into a duck? Making your teacher’s hair green for a week? Giving the local bully a pigs’s tail? How about a door slam that ends up burning down your house?
Yeah, Rasheed was not having the best day.
He doesn’t even remember what the argument started over- his brother hogging the PlayStation or maybe his Ammi nagging him about homework? That was unimportant. It was followed by loads of yelling and stomping though. A trail that followed him to his upstairs bedroom where he slammed the door hard enough to crack the frame. He thought Ammi would kill him for that. Well, if Ammi knew what was to follow she may have excused him.
Rasheed wanted to punch someone, or something. The loudest, vilest things rang in his ears. His vision was blurry with tears. His jaw hurt from grinding his teeth so much. He couldn’t bear it anymore. He screamed. Then his hair promptly caught fire. Then he screamed some more.
His commotion brought his parents up to his room, who also joined in the screaming fest. Now smoke was trailing him. Everything was on fire. Rasheed fainted.
—
His head felt like an anvil had dropped on it, while it was still hot. Everything was woozy. As his senses adjusted, he saw that he was outside his house. Somewhere in the background his brother was crying, and his mother was fussing over him. His father was engrossed in a very animated conversation with the village warlock, the old magician lady who lived nearby. His apparently very flammable hair was singed and burnt. Oh, also his room was charred black. He wanted to cry again.
The warlock saw that he was awake and walked over to him. She helped him up on his feet then smacked the side of his head. He yelped loudly.
“You are magic. Keep safe. Don’t burn house down. Foolish child.” The warlock was a woman of a few words. Rasheed looked around at his family sheepishly, and apologised for his actions. But there was nothing to do now, except regret.
His brother forgave him and hugged him. Then his parents also joined in. They were just glad to have regular Rasheed and not roasted Rasheed.
The warlock lady checked her wristwatch. “Okay. You better have learnt you lesson.” She waved her hands around and his room was restored. She nodded at him and vanished in a poof of pink light. She did not restore his hair.
“Always remember, Rasheed, anger doesn’t solve anything but can destroy everything” his father patted his back.
– Sanaa