A Saturday

​To six year old Juniper,Saturdays were the best days of the week.The day after was a holiday.So everyone seemed to be rejoicing.There was an entire day of play and fun to look forward to.

This time she and her best friends, Rose and Silvy from the neighborhood, had gathered at her house to treat themselves to her mother,Mrs.Whitton's delicious cooking skills.

" June,sweetie.Did you see your brother?He should have come down to attack the snacks by now",Mrs.Whitton chuckled.

Jerry,Juniper's 16 year old elder brother,was a cute and chubby boy with a love for books and food.Jerry often called her his 'little angel'.Unlike her friends' big brothers she had heard about,Jerry spent all his time at home alone or in his sister's company.Whenever Juniper asked him about his school friends,he would say,"Yes I have many" and then distract her.At times,Juniper felt that her brother hid things from her.For example, sometimes when she went to call him to play with her his eyes appeared red rimmed as if he had been crying.This was especially since Jerry started going to that new school of his.Of course,he had never admitted that to her.Juniper couldn't really get it.She pondered,'Was he crying happy tears like Mom did often?After all,he had joined a really reputed school on a huge scholarship.He must be on cloud nine.'

"No,Mom.I haven't seen him since he came back in the afternoon.",Juniper answered her Mom .

M.Whitton looked at the clock and said," O dear!Looks like the boy fell asleep.June,go and tell him to come down before the food gets cold."

Listening to this,Juniper dragged her two friends along to her brother's room upstairs.Silvy the shy one asked," Your brother won't be angry,right?"

" Nah,it's okay.He won't mind.",Juniper said.Rose said,"Let's knock first in any case.Otherwise it's rude."

Juniper knocked loudly on the door and called out,"Brother may we come in?"There was no reply."Maybe he is in deep sleep.Well let's go in."

Juniper lost her patience and turned the knob to enter.As expected her brother was on lying on the bed facing away from the door."Bro,wake up.",she shouted.But still there was no response.A frustrated Juniper jumper on the bed and shook Jerry.When still he didn't wake up,Rose and Silvy too stepped inside and joined her.But even then Jerry was showing no signs of waking up."June,your brother's hand is so cold.Maybe he is sick?"Hearing Rose's words,Juniper decided to inform her mother.They ran down to Mrs.Whitton.When she heard everything,Mrs.Whitton rushed up to check on her son with the kids trailing after her.

The next thing Juniper saw was her mother breaking down to tears.As her wails grew louder,people gathered around at her house.Their neighbour,Mrs.Reynolds was hugging her mother and comforting her.Soon Juniper's dad had also reached home.It was the first time Juniper had seen tears on her father's face.She was utterly confused.Why was everyone so sad? Was her brother very sick?He was lying there.Then why is her mother screaming that he has gone?

Over the next few days,Juniper heard whispers and bits of conversation regarding 'Jerry','sleeping pills','suicide' and 'bullying'.No one explained anything to her.The only thing she knew was that her brother,her beloved Jerry was no longer at home.It was only later,much much later that Juniper came to know of how the rich boys at the so called 'elite' school tormented her brother.It was then that she finally understood her brother's death was not really a suicide but a veiled murder.Saturdays were never the same...