"Materials which allow electricity to pass through them are conductors of electricity. Insulators do not allow electricity to pass through them. Yes! Finally!" Madhav let out a sigh of relief, closing his science textbook and the notebook he was writing it. After hours and hours of studying he successfully completed learning all the potions required! Now he can peacefully watch the match! He glanced at the grandfatherclock that hung beside the mantelpiece. 8:00 PM, it displayed. 

Footsteps echoed through the room as Medhavi walked in and plopped in the chair next to his. 

"Well? Finished studying?" She asked giving him a look.

"Yeah, by my own effort. Everything. What about you, Dadi?"  Madhav asked her, smiling too sweetly.

"Yes I complete- WAIT A SECOND WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME!??" Medhavi glared at him.

"I just called you what you are." He shrugged smiling innocently.

" I'm not a Granny!" Medh whined stamping her foot on the ground and crossing her arms. 

"You do act like one though." Madhav said, trying to control his laugher. 

Medhavi simply scrowled at him. She opened her mouth to retort, but lucky for her brother, her phone rang just it time and she picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Hello! Av!" Called the voice from the other side of the phone.

"Car! What's up?"

"The usual. Did you do that homework Physics Miss gave?" asked Carolyn. 

"Yes, do you need the answers?" 

"That would be nice! While you're at it, can you say what Bio Miss said today?"

"Oh I don't remember. You know my brain simply shuts down by itself when she starts to talk about all that. And she do talk a lot." 

Her friend chuckled from the other side. "Yeah yeah. I'll just ask Ash then. I'll forward if he sends anything. "

"That would be a great help, thanks Car!"

"Same to you! Bye!"

"Bye"

The call disconnected and Medhavi kept the phone on the bed.

"You said you studied everything?" asked Madhav with a raised eyebrows. 

"I did! Bio is an exception. I can't write whatever I want, can I?" Medhavi snapped.

"Fine, fine, fine!" Madhav raised his hands in mock surrender.

"The match would have started. Who's gonna bell the cat?" Medhavi spoke up, looking at her brother expectantly. 

"Not me!"

"Then who? Me? Ofcourse not!"

"Why don't we go together? You go first." 

Medhavi raised an eyebrow at that. 

"What? I'm not trying to trick you!"

"Very well, why don't we go then?" 

"Coming, coming"

Ten minutes later, the siblings could be found in the living room, their eyes glued to the television. 

"Did you see that!? Ashwin just missed by a minute angle!" Madhav suddenly said.

"Yeahh...if Abbas isn't out soon, we're doomed! Just 20 more runs to win."

"I hope he does....yeah he's bowling now..." Madhav trialed of for a second before jumping. "Yes! He's out! 1 more wicket is there though. They really will have to try hard wouldn't they?" He turned to his sister for her response, but it did not come.

Didi, are you listening?" He turned around to look at his sister only to discover her looking, no, staring out of the window intently.

"Didi, are you okay?" He stood up, walking near to his sister, and keeping his palm on her shoulder. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"I saw- there- I-" She spoke frantically pointing a shaking finger at the window.

"Didi, relax. What did you see?"

Medhavi took a deep breath before speaking. "A person, I saw the silhouette of a person there, he was right there now. I'm sure."

"Are you sure Didi? Maybe you're thinking too much? Maybe your eyes had played tricks on you." Madhav looked at her concerned, and in disbelief. 

"No, no, no! I saw him! I'm sure I did!" She turned to him with a panicked look. "Why-Why don't we go out and search for him? Please it won't do any harm! We might find him! Yes, we might!" She bobbed her head nodding vigorously and her hair swayed from side to side.

"Didi, please think. Look, why don't we rest for now and search in the morning? Mother won't appreciate us going out when it's this dark either. You might have just seen an illusion. If he really was there too, tomorrow we can find some clues in the daylight? Please?" said Madhav. He hated seeing his sister like this, but there was little he could do.

Medhavi nodded, forcing a calming down a little, and her usual calculative look was back. "Don't tell mother." She whispered to her brother. At his questioning look she added, "She'd think I'm crazy and being ridiculous, she'll only stop us. Please." Madhav slowly nodded, letting it sink in. 

Madhav switched off the TV and the two walked into the dining hall.

With a calculative look Medhavi turned to her mother. 

"Maa, can we go out for a few hours in the morning? Just a bit for playing. We already completed our homeworks and tomorrow and the day after are holidays. We also switched off the television quickly. Besides, we can take our phone with us so we can contact you quickly. Please??"

"Fine. Go at 10 and come back at 12 sharp. Since you two are free, I've got a bit of work for you after you come back and there's not escaping. Okay?"

"Ofcourse Maa" The siblings spoke in unison.

The mother failed to notice the twinkle in their eyes and the way her daughter was looking at her. But that didn't mean she was completely ignorant. 

'The kids must be upto something. They haven't asked to go out and play for months. Maybe I'm overthinking. They might have just been tempted to play.' The mother shrugged and shook her head walking towards her room. After all what could happen if the kids go out for 2 hours?

Little did they know about how deep the choice they made was, and how much the events that follow could change their lives.....