By now it had come closer and was bigger. There was even a star visible in it. No. Many stars, Chandu realised, and got to his feet as a wave of excitement swept up his spine.

Soon the triangle of darkness was only a few feet from where Chandu stood, overjoyed. He crept up to it and peered in on all sides of the triangle to find stars and more stars in it, glittering like gems. Some were blue-white, others reddish, and some even yellow. Quite amazed at what he was seeing, he realised that like the eagle he could walk through the stars now. As he was deciding whether he should walk in further or not, he noticed a young woman standing at one corner of the black triangle.

Instead of feeling frightened of the stranger, he felt relieved. She was standing on inky black nothingness and yet not falling. So why couldn?t he? He took one step into the darkness, then another, and he didn?t fall through. ?Who are you?? he enquired looking at the young woman.

She smiled and replied. ?My name is Daa.?

?Daa! Daa! Ha! Ha! What a funny name to have,? Chandu laughed.

?And yours?? she asked.

?Oh mine?mine is a very good name ? Chandu.?

?Would you like to come with me, Chandu?? she asked him.

?Oh no? But there? No?no?I have to get back to Luniyas, my village with my father?s sheep? Where will you take me??

?Just a little further to see where the stars come from,? she replied looking very earnestly at him.

?Really!? Chandu exclaimed. ?But no? I can?t go. My sister will be bringing my rotis any moment now. What will she think? She?ll go home crying when she doesn?t find me.?

To be continued

Manu Mahadevan’s short story, Black Hole first appeared in the children’s magazine Target edited by Rosalind Wilson. It was later published in the short story collection, The Carpenter’s Apprentice, by Katha, a Delhi-based non-profit organisation and publishing house