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Adaptation of "The Boy Without A Face" by Ruskin Bond

In a small town, tucked into the deep woods at the foothills of the Himalayas, there lived a fearless boy of 11 - Rahul.

Within the outskirts of the town there was a road that was intended for long distance travel, but used by none.

A Part of its wall had been broken down with debris scattered all over and moss enveloping the wall. This gave way to a mysterious jungle containing cartoonishly green flora. The jungle was so unrealistically packed with trees that the townsmen believed it hid something supernatural behind it ; they never dared venture near it.

Rahul who was new to the town decided to hike through this jungle, to debunk the supposedly irrational fear of the townsmen.

He started walking, trying to avoid the debris of the dark road, and under his breath he made it to the jungle.

As he stumbled over the clutter of the moss, dead leaves and crippled branches, he found a boy around the age of seven. With his dim headlight he could make out that he was sitting under a grey, leafless and mostly lifeless tree on the crumpled dry leaves.

The boy appeared to be sobbing, with his palms hiding his face. Rahul was shocked… But fearlessly approached the boy and questioned him.

“What are you doing here? It is quite late and there are wild animals on the prowl… Do get up. Stop crying…” he asked anxiously repeatedly.

The boy paid no attention to Rahul. Vexed, Rahul aggressively strode away. After he had taken a few steps he heard the crunching of leaves and footsteps.

“Thank you… Now just tell me-“, Rahul stood aghast. The boy had taken his hands off his face.

He had no facial features. Completely blank. Lacking eyes, eyebrows, nose, mouth, or ears. He just stood there, his face blank like a white sheet of paper.

He steadily started advancing towards Rahul. His screaming filled the air and Rahul knew fear for the first time in his life.

Rahul ran like the wind, round the bend till he came to the gates of the Sharma’s mansion. The watchman of the mansion was a good friend of Rahul’s.

Puffing and panting, his cheeks the colour of Shimla apples, he waited for the gates to be opened.

The watchman Ramdas enquired why he was out at this time of the night.

Rahul narrated the entire incident. Ramdas gasped. “What do you mean he had no face?” “I’m telling you truly, he didn’t have a face…No eyes, ears… Nothing!”

There was a tiny lamp, dangling near Ramdas’ leg, flickering with the wind. Rahul was in a disturbed state. Ramdas suddenly spoke.

“You mean no face… Like this?”, he asked and put the lamp nearer.

He had no face. It was blank. And the wind blew the lamp off.