Purple Sky

The sky was purple. No one knew what happened but the sky became purple. It was not dark blue like you might be thinking, but purple. The red was peeking through the blue. The blue and red melted together to form purple. Everyone was mesmerised, they glued themselves to the TV. No one knew what was happening.

The elders chanted prayers and called gods. The scientists were researching, the intellectuals were shouting over each other on the news. The younger people anxious looked at their teacher and mentor Google for guidance. But it failed to answer.

Hashi was bored of her toys. Her grandmother did not play with her today neither did her mother and father. They were all home too on that day. Everyone wanted to know why the sky was purple.

Hashi did not cared particularly for blue or purple. But she did colour with them in her drawing class. She made the sky different colour every week. Somedays a dark emerald others a muted brown or grey. She had a box of pastel colours with 50 shades and liked to use all of them. She did not like being told what to do. She liked pink bushes and yellow cows and blue people in her drawings. Her drawing sir did not like it. He was scared of Hashi’s mother. But Hashi wasn’t scared at all. Her grandmother calls her the bravest girl in the world.

Hashi decided to run away from home. She wanted to go play outside. She wanted to go to the park near her house where her father takes her sometimes. Her mother and father are busy, they cannot play with her all the time. But she was restless. She did not know what to do. She just wanted to swing in the swing and climb the monkey bars.

She sneaked outside. The park was farther down the road than she remembered. It was empty when she entered it’s gates. There was only a woman staring above at the sky. She was beautiful and looked way younger than her mother. Hashi was told not to talk to strangers but Hashi was the bravest girl. So she asked, “what are you looking at?”

“The sky looks bluer now.”

Hashi stared at her but started to grow bored. “It is purple.”

The woman shook with laughter, “So it is. Do you want to know a secret?”

Hashi nodded in delight, she loved secrets. Like the sweets she ate with her grandmother in secret when her parents weren’t home.

“It was me. I made the sky purple.”

“Why?” adults did not like the purple sky.

“It is more beautiful. Don’t you think?”She looked excited her eyes were shining. “see.” The sky became more red after a twitch of her fingers. Hashi stared in awe.

“Make it green next.” The sky was emerald just like Hashi’s drawing.

“How did…” there was no one behind her. Her mother found her an hour later and was really angry.

The sky was green. The next day it was pink all day long. No one could figure it out. The scientists were running and intellectuals screaming. The Google remained silent.

Only Hashi knew. Her favourite was still green.