Stephen part-4

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The winds from the west were getting severe, summer had gone past and now it was time for rains. As Gracy had promised, she gifted a cute little baby to Stephen and it was a boy. Stephen still remembers the day when a small thing wrapped in white was given to his dad by the nurse. The baby hadn't even opened its eyes. Stephen had touched its hands and looked at his father," His hands are so tiny, how can he ever manage to eat". David had just smiled at him.


Days passed by, the baby became the darling of the family. George was gaining in all attention and care , but someone was losing his grounds. All except Stephen were happy. George's arrival had visibly cut down his significance in the family. None applauded his naughtiness anymore; after all, he wasn't a very small boy . Stephen was finding it hard to maintain his identity in the family. The other day, Gracy had eaten him up for not taking proper care of George. It wasn't the first time he was at the receiving end. Stephen would unload all his anger and vengeance at George by pinching him or showing him faces whenever Gracy would be away.

Stephen was back in his own world of thoughts, Gracy had much to care about George and she didn't notice the transformation that was taking place in her elder son, David was always busy with his work and never had time for Stephen. Stephen was convincing himself that he was an adopted child and he did procure enough justifications for his belief. As moments passed by , he was getting alienated from the family, there was Gracy, David and George and then there was Stephen in the family. He felt he had had enough. No human being can ever withstand the humiliation of his identity. He felt his existence, a liability to himself and his family. He would stand in front of the mirror at his room, swear at it and then would start weeping.

One night, after bidding good night to his parents, Stephen entered his room, and closed the door . He tore a sheet out of his note book, took out his pen, the one his dad had gifted on his last birthday and started scribbling something. He stopped in between to wipe off his tears and continued writing.Once he finished , he opened his drawer and his hands got engaged in searching out his album. He took out the album off his drawer and moved to the bed. He opened the album, turned the pages. He stopped at one of the pages, dropped in something with his pen and put the album aside. Stephen switched off the light and slipped into sleep. His room was bathed in moonlight and in the white light ,the photo in his album was quite clear. It was Stephen dressed in navy blue shirt and black pants. He had put a cross mark in the photo which stole the beauty out of the picture, besides that, he had scribbled some words in not so good handwriting of his,it read "I hate you".

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