MIDNIGHT

I woke up moaning. I pushed my hair behind my shoulder and looked at the clock it said 1:00. It was still murky outside. I made my way to the kitchen for a glass of water. My brother, Ben's room door was shut. “He must be sleeping like a log, “I thought to myself. Suddenly I heard a noise. It sounded like a thud, but it came persistently. It seemed like it was coming from somewhere far. I looked out of the kitchen window. It was an explicit night. Nothing other than crickets chirping in the silence of the night."It must be dad snoring. He is an expert at that,” I said scoffing out aloud and decided to go back to sleep.

The next morning Ben came out of his room looking very weary. His eyes were very sleepy and he kept yawning. “You slept much last night?" I asked Ben. “No. Not much," he said with a wide yawn. “Why?" I asked." Hmm...I was finishing my Homework". Just then, we heard the school bus honk outside. Carrying our bags, we seated on the bus. Ben rested his head at the seat and closed his eyes. He slept all the way to school! In addition, he had not even finished his homework and had to stand through all the lessons as a penalty. “Why didn't you finish your homework? And last night you said you didn't sleep much because you were completing your Homework. What exactly are you up to" I asked at break time. “I

Forgot and you should focus on your work, not on mine! Moreover, mind your business, Don’t bother about me!" he said bluntly and went away. I stood there completely astonished. What is he so angry about? I had just asked questions.

As soon as we reached home, Ben said, "I have to go to a friend for the evening” and left. I did not see him all day after that. Even mom was looking for him. She came to me at nearly five p.m and said “Stacy, do you know where is Ben?"

“No. He said he had to see a friend." “A friend?" she said," He said that yesterday as well and came back at 8 p.m last day. I don't know what is he up to?"

At night, I saw him entering his room at eleven." Ben?" I asked as he opened the door to his bedroom. he turned to look at me with a skittish expression " what are you doing up so late?"

"I just went to the kitchen for a glass of water and what are

you doing up so late?" he asked in addition

“I just heard a noise so came out to inspect," I said. He

Just shrugged his shoulder and went inside his room shutting the door with a bang.

"Hmm...Something’s fishy." I thought to myself. "I'll have to

Find out."

The next day I heard the phone ringing. I went down the stairs to answer it. “hello?" I said, "um...is Ben here? i want to talk to him in urgent." said a voice. it was Ben's friend Ethan. “no he's not home but if it is something urgent you can tell me I will inform him for you." “Um...No. just tell him to call me back when he comes back home." “OK," I said and put the phone back. Just then the door

Opened and Ben entered. “Oh, there you are Ben. You are here. There was a phone

For you." “A phone call for me? Who called?" he asked. "Your

Friend Ethan. He said it’s very urgent and wants to talk to you as soon as

possible. " “oh OK I will call him back," he said taking the phone. I

stood there watching him as he dialed the number. “What?" he asked. “Nothing"

I said. I made my way to the stairs but I turned back and looked at Ben talking

in a whisper with his friend. What was there that he did not want me to hear. I

Stood at the stairs to catch his words and heard him saying, “I am almost done

with it” As I sat on my bed finishing my homework I thought about Ben. I sat up

and decide to find about his uncanny behavior. The next night as I sat in my

bed waiting to see if Ben came out of his room, suddenly I heard a sound of soft

footsteps. "That’s it!' I thought,frantically. I slowly opened my door and

saw a shadow past through the corridor. I sneaked out behind it. Slowly I saw

the shadow open the kitchen door and walking out. I followed its suit. The

shadow headed straight for dad's workshop where he kept all his tools and

repairing stuff. It opened the door and moved inside. I waited outside the door

when I hear the person inside hammering something. I opened a little bit of

door and saw Ben sitting inside. He had a hammer in his hand with some nails

and a couple of wooden blocks. What was he doing? Just then it hit my mind. Yes!

he must be making him a Wooden robot buddy. He had

asked dad to make it for him but dad had refused to say that it was a waste of

time plus a waste of wood. He had wanted it for fun to show his friends. Perhaps

when dad refused he decided to make it himself secretly. I leaped up and pushed

the door open. “Whoa! What do you think you are doing here right now? I asked,

searching him intently. He looked at me, alarmed and petrified, and hastily said “nothing!" he said. “Well, you are doing something. What’re you doing with the nails and the hammer on that wood? I thought dad said not to waste any wood anymore." he gave me a pleading look and said “I am really doing nothing. Just fixing my uh...Um...” he stammered. “Fixing what? A wooden robot buddy?” he looked a bit shocked but took a deep breath and said, “can you keep a secret?”As he said this I gave him a broad, bawdy smile and winked at him.

THE END

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