MEDIA AND VIOLENCE 

 Media plays a very imperative role in shaping our beliefs, perception, ideas, and behavior in society. It is a powerful entertainment and education tool for us in abundant ways; however, media can have a negative impact on children and adolescents and sometimes even on the adults. We watch action movies, horror movies, thriller and fiction which may not have such a huge impact on the adults, specifically educated and sensible people but does have a major effect on the kids and the people who blindly believe whatever is being displayed on the “ Idiot Box”. It’s true that people need to know about everything that’s happening around the world but on the other hand we can’t deny the fact that certain things should not be exposed to the children and adolescents. Nowadays, children and adolescents are very much exposed to violence, profanity and much more in media. To parents, over-exposure to violence in media is seen as a threat to their children’s behavior.

Not just the movies but also the cartoon channels that kids watch everyday play a major role in fueling aggressive behavior and violence. For example – When a child watches an action movie like the “Superman” or “Spider man”, he/she starts believing that even they can have those super powers and can perform difficult stunts very easily.

Therefore, on a concluding note we can say that it’s very important to pay attention on what’s being shown on the television, particularly to the younger people as it may sometimes have a wrong effect on their tender minds.

MOVIE REVIEW: ANOTHER CLASSIC CASE OF STYLE OVER SUBSTANCE-"KABALI"

India's Biggest Superstar, Sir Rajinikanth is back with a movie whose trailer had literally broke all the records before. I was so impressed by that same trailer that I had watched it at least 15 times in a day. 'Kabali', coming after 2 not so successful films of Sir Rajini, had got audience rooting for it beyond skies. Since the first look, marketing has been brilliant and Sir himself looked stunning. Whatever may be the package, all that matters is the content and 'Kabali' falls short of content to say the least.

Pa Ranjith, after directing a successful Tamil film Madras, had signed on one of the biggest projects of India. Though he had a lot to offer, it seems that he had lost the track of it. The first half sails on with no struggle although there are some unnecessary sequences. Second half brings up a real test for the audience. Though the attempt of showing that a Don like Kabali is ready to go any distance to meet her wife is appreciable, the story just drags between all those sequences. Couple of miscasts doesn't help too. Few supporting actors pulls your focus away from the movie and that too not in a good way. The climax is probably the worst part of the movie. Ambiguous ending seems just forced when there is absolutely no need for that.The two female protagonist i.e Radhika apte and Dhaniska have done a commendable job.

Highlights: 

• Rajini Sir, Radhika Apte, Dhansika
• Costumes
• Flashback Episode
• Cinematography

Drawbacks:

• Story
• Second Half
• Miscast
• Screenplay
•  Climax   

Audience reaction:

What does Kabali do best?
               Rajini Sir is a feast to eyes. Kabali is a proof that he's still young and is still got it in him.
What does Kabali do worst?
               Too long! At least 30 minutes of the movie can be chopped off effortlessly. Story seems fresh out of a 60's movie.
What had helped and also contributed to the fall of the movie is marketing. Or should I say false marketing?! The movie was marketed as a movie of Gangsters and the re-rise of a long forgotten Don whereas it was a philosophical journey of a man for his family. That was the first nail in the coffin.

Verdict: An average flick that almost got saved by Rajini Sir!

INFLUENCE OF MEDIA VIOLENCE

Evidence is steadily accumulating that prolonged exposure to violent TV programming during childhood is associated with subsequent aggression. Not only TV programming but all such kinds of media which demonstrate violence affecting a range of individuals.

Research on violent television and films, video games, and music reveals unequivocal evidence that media violence increases the likelihood of aggressive and violent behaviour in both immediate and long-term contexts.

Violent media often portray violent acts and situations but rarely represent the consequences of violence.  it may also desensitise individuals to other violent images and emotional stimuli. This also increases aggression which may result in future conflicts.

 Media violence is a highly complex and nuanced issue. So, there are clearly concerns with regards to violent media content such as age-appropriateness, saturation, desensitization, and instilling fear or unease in viewers.

After all views, responses and research we can conclude that media violence leads to real world violence.

Media violence

  MEDIA VIOLENCE

While violence is not new to the human race, it is an accumulative epidemic that is taking over today’s society. With firearms, ammunition and explosives becoming more accessible, this is resulting into more violent behavior and less serious consequences. Violence in the media plays an imperative role in the etiology of violent and hostile behavior in the world today. While it is difficult to determine which age group have experienced more televised violence, studies have shown that the consequences of aggressive and violent behavior have brought a great deal of human agonizing, suffering, pain and financial destitution to our society, as well as an atmosphere of apprehension, distress and doubt. Research indicates that violence in the media has not just increased in quantity; it has also become more explicit, sexual and sadistic. Most acts of violence in media and on television are laughed off and there are no consequences for these actions. 

In extremely recent current events of this past week the spreading trend has come to pass yet again. In the suburb of Santee, California a 15- year- old high school freshman shot and killed two classmates and wounded 13 others. The shooter, Charles "Andy" Williams smiled as he reloaded the revolver with only revenge on his mind. Hopefully this event, among several others, will spark the call for more gun control for the sake of the children and future generations. Because of the right to bear arms, it is possible for anyone old enough to walk to have access to destructive weapons. Andy had access in his own home with plenty of ammunition. The result is a breeder of violence has been released to the rest of America's children ("Tragedy at Santee" 2001). 

                       

Several precautions exist currently to help with the media violence issue and there are various more things that can still be done. Parental advisory labels, television rating systems, movie ratings, and video game content labels are fluent and abundant. Unfortunately, several items of restricted material are in the hands of an underage possessor due to the lack of enforcement. I doubt that various people take this issue seriously, and the majority of parents are not involved in a child's life enough to know the type of content their child is being exposed to. Parents and adults who own weapons that a child at any age can have access to is just begging for some type of disastrous accident to occur. Future generations need more enforcement and protection from media violence.

The content of television is becoming increasingly vulgar and makes me wonder if all of it is even necessary. Murder, rape, sex, profanity, crimes of all varieties as well as abuse are displayed on television, in movies and in music just for the purpose of entertainment. The media would help the violence explosion by editing content in the things children are the main supporters of. The damage that violent and vulgar content execute on children should not be ignored or denied for one life is to many to lose because of violence. 

In my opinion violence in the media, video games, rated R movies and music has a major impact on the younger generation and something needs to be done to protect our youth. 

- VARSHINI KALKERE

                         

Salman Khan in Dabbang 2

Portrayals of Violence in Film and Television

Media is a biggest source of entertainment mainly because of cinema and television films and shows. These media forms along with entertainment also portrays violence in the form of action scenes and stunts. Some of the action movies like Dabbang 2, Singham and Sultan shows action which influences the media audiences also and they get attracted towards (especially the children and the youth) it. All of these sources seem to have an effect on people in general, however the effect leans more towards children. It has become evident that children are almost becoming a target by the violence for financial benefits through marketing.  Compared to how entertainment was portrayed in the past, there is much more violence out today than there was 50 years ago. According to one study, it was found that between 1993 and 2001 incidents of physical violence increased by 378 %, and television shows in 2001 averaged about 40 acts of violence per hour. With the development and changes in technology there has been more and more violence in media with demand for action and stunt sequences it has resulted in more money for media persons and losses for the normal people. After seeing this media they also wish to be part of such violence things which affects their mental and Physical Stability.

PORTRAYAL OF VIOLENCE IN FILMS AND ON TELEVISION

At a young age, children's minds are sponge-like, absorbing everything that surrounds them, which makes them easy targets in terms of manipulation and victimized by the medias(like films,television etc.,) constant influence. By the time of adulthood, individuals are already under the influence of the mass media. Society appears to have a subconscious fixation with the mass media, resulting in individuals becoming desensitized to violence and to be detrimental effected. Psychologists, sociologists and anthropologists all obtain different beliefs to provide reasons to why violence continues to be a predominant factor in today's culture. Violence is a primary component of several individuals lives, especially in the youth culture, as many turn to the media for a sense of direction, resulting in them resembling the images they view, shaping their behaviours.

Researchers found that those who as children were exposed to violent T.V. shows or Films were much more likely to later be convicted of crime.Researchers said that girls who watched more than an average amount of violence in films and on television tended to throw things at their husbands.Boys who grew up watching violent media (films, tv etc.,) were more likely to be violent with their wives.

Researchers concluded in Developmental Psychology that,"Every violent TV show, Films increases a little-bit the likelihood of a child growing up to behave more aggressively." 

The medias portrayal of violence has resulted in many individuals becoming fixated on violent productions, causing them to believe violence is a key factor within our society. Humanity is gradually accepting violence, due to the mess media desensitizing viewers, who are detrimental effected, but the negative imagery. Psychologists, sociologists and anthropologists all attain dissimilar viewpoints and objectives to why violence persists on being a major aspect in today's civilization. In several contexts, the media can be held accountable for glorifying violent behaviour. If the media continues to use violence as a major element in cartoons, films, music and sitcoms, violence will continue to increase.

The Girl Who Loved Rain..

And even thought it scared others....
The cloud cover made her happy...
Dark, Cold, Windy, as the weather became...
She looked up her lips curved into a smile...
Eagerly she waited for it to pour down and the mud to smell sweet...
She began to walk as it started to drizzle...
And the weather turned bright and crisp...
The leaves began to sparkle as the drops clung to them...
And the air became foggy...
She kept walking in the damp mud as the rain drops tickled her face...
With a smile she kept walking, she felt at peace...
And wished it would never end...

Those Times!

Remember that giddy feeling when we used to sit on the swings and go high up in the air? Those days when we were so carefree. We didn't have anything to fret about. Remember the days when we were kids? The time when maths just meant addition and subtraction and science existed only till leaf. When homework and exams were never a burden.

The time when our goals existed till becoming a doctor or a teacher or an engineer and when poetry meant 'twinkle twinkle little star'. we couldn't wait to grow up. As adults, we crave for our childhood to come back. We want to relive our best memories more than we want to create new ones.

With each passing day we grow up. Not only physically but mentally too. We grow from what we face every quotidian. We grow from the problems we face everyday. We grow from the nature around around us, the thing that surround us. We have to 'THINK' about society and people before taking any step forward.

Weren't those times the best when we could prank on people without thinking about the consequences that followed? The times when we used to hide from our parents and eat Rs.1 cola.

The best times were those when photos were clicked to make memories, not an album on social media. The times when playing meant outdoor games and not on phone.

Why did we want to grow up?
Why did we think of Peter Pan crazy for not wanting to grow up?
Why did we want to become adults? So that we become the ones pushing children on swings instead of sitting on one?

For us back then, problems were counting the stars at night. Little did we know that counting the stars at night won't be a problem but a way of distracting us from the problem. At 3 we wanted to be 6. At 6 we wanted to be 10. At 10 we couldn't wait to enter into the teenage. As teenager's we wanted to be independent. And at 31 we would wish to be 3 again.

We aren't fully satisfied with what we have, hence we fail to make the most of the moment.
There is always 'I WISH' factor.
And when that moment becomes a memory, we yearn to live it all over again.

LIFE WONT ALWAYS GIVE YOU A SECOND CHANCE.. ENJOY EVERY MOMENT TO THE FULLEST....!

Violence in media

 ohh! did you saw Akshay kumars "khiladi" ,what an action ! did you see how fast he was driving the car ? and did  you saw in don 3 how sharukh was able to beat dozen of people together so cool!!!!...seriously this are some of the general statements we use in our conversation related to movies but had anyone seen the stuntman behind all this or the VFX effect ..i really don't guess so or maybe we know ..but still we try to follow their footstep.
“You turn on the television, and violence is there. You go to a movie, and violence is there,”. “Reality is distorted. If you live in a fictional world, then the fictional world becomes your reality.”
Heroes are violent, and, as such, are rewarded for their behavior. They become role models for youth. It is "cool" to carry an automatic weapon and use it to knock off the "bad guys."  vulnerable youth who have been victimized may be tempted to use violent means to solve problems as they must have seen in movies ...how a hero takes revenge from his enemies. Unfortunately, there are few, if any, models of nonviolent conflict resolution in the media. Additionally, children who watch televised violence are desensitized to it. They may come to see violence as a fact of life and, over time, lose their ability to empathize with both the victim and the victimizer.

 There are other, new forms of violence to which children and adolescents are exposed to which we are not able to identify directly such as music videos contain interpersonal violence. Still another new source of violent exposure is access to the Internet and video game
 young children will imitate aggressive acts on TV in their play with peers. Before age 4, children are unable to distinguish between fact and fantasy and may view violence as an ordinary occurrence. 

PORTRAYAL OF VIOLENCE IN TELEVISION AND FILMS

Now a days, entertainment industry has become a powerful means that influence how consumers view themselves and the world around them. And portrayal of violence through media is increasing day by day, as it puts a negative impact on the consumer of media. Violence in television, video games and films promote aggression and destructive behavior. Impact of these media directly falls on children and teenagers.
The two largest media that promote violence are television and movie. The violence in these two forms of media have a very large impact, due to widespread movie theatres and ninety nine percent of homes having one television.
Violence affects how people think, act and speak, in a violent manner, because of  what they have seen or heard. Since it affects the people psychologically, mostly children and youths, they have more tendency to mimic what they see without knowing the reality of television programmes. Thus, many people loose their life because of their stupidity.
Thus, it is very important to know the reality  and be safe rather than forming a wrong opinion on a particular film or programme and performing stupid stunts or acts.
"Be Alert , Be Safe."

POTRAYAL OF VIOLENCE IN FILMS AND ON TELEVISION

POTRAYAL OF VIOLENCE IN FILMS AND ON TELEVISION

       Violence is a component characteristic of many television programmes and unfortunately our lives . Every time you turn on the tv or listen to music you are exposed to violence. Every day it seems that more and more violence is being used in these mediums as entertainment for us. Kind of violence we watch on tv and movies even some songs also encourage us to be violent.

    

  But the main query is how this violence is taken by the audience. from my point of view, it has adverse effects on humans ESPECIALLY CHILDREN. Children follow what they see done. If they see something done on tv portrayed in a good light they would want to emulate them. It also effects human behaviour, people who are exposed to such violence shows are much more likely to later be convinced to crime. And people tend to hold attitude that favour violence. There is a prone to hold large distances between people. Researchers also concluded that “Every violent TV show increases a little bit the likelihood of a child growing up to behave more aggressively.”

                                                                                                          AGRESSION

Usually what kind of violence takes place in a film- there is a main character who is shown very strong as he can beat 20 or more people who seems stronger than him, blood drops plop by plop through his body he is badly hurt, there will be 2 to 3 bullets shot down into his body but the prodigy is he is still alive “oh my god an ordinary person cannot survive in this condition”, I don’t know how these heroes in movies not only survive in this condition but also fights standing steadily. Nowadays fights are more horribly shown. this is how todays youngsters take inspiration from, they also try to show the same kind of slant. This causes many youths to fascinate about violence, eventually experience the fascination of violence for themselves and go crazy. from few years’ child actors in films are shown very glibly they are given negative roles and even they also are involved in crime scenes, they are shown stealing money from their own houses, beating other children badly, arrogantly speaking to their parents, making plans to show someone down and many more negative conducts. not only in film but also in cartoons they show one of the character in dominant role treating others low, or two characters who always fight with each other trying to hurt each other in some or other way. This kinds of films, cartoons and shows really spin through a kid’s mind they really effect their mental stability. Children may feel more fearful from the world and people around them.

 When we talk about adolescents they are much more understanding they accept the difference between a real and a dramatic / virtual world but haan there are some in this category also who compress themselves to virtual world.

Some kind of violence scenes even appear as a nightmare many a times which often disturbs us and becomes a barrier in our work we find ourselves dented to that scene and spoil our state of peace mind .it destroys our beliefs and thoughts and often leads us to darker shade of life. But beyond all these theories there is very important piece left out that is our perspective if we people don’t accept violence shown in films, shows etc. then no other kind of negativity can harm us. It is we who have to open ourselves wide up and forget those negations. My parents always tell me that after watching a movie we should come back to our life don’t try to connect yourselves to such virtual worlds where we have no benefit, they are just a refreshment or a mode of entertainment. so please don’t stay back in virtuality you will gain nothing.

                                                

                                                  - Sai Padmasree Sudabattula

    

                                               

                                              

MASTER THE MIND, BE A MASTERMIND...

        

          The most precious asset and virtue of a human being is his "Mind". It helps a man to conduct himself without ignorance. One who realizes then prodigious power of mind will never let it go astray because, mind alone can ensure his legitimate relationship with his passion. But, mans's unlimited and unreasonable desires lead him into the clutches of his own senses and vagaries, resulting in untold miseries. By belittling mind, humans are dehumanizing themselves and dragging themselves away from their passion, merely unintentionally. Without understanding anything about mind, to blame it, is meaningless and, to sit in meditation is sheer idleness. Therefore, a thorough understanding of the nature of mind is essential. The mind is an adroit substance. Its actions are strange. It is responsible for both happiness and sorrow, good as well as bad, positivity as well as negativity. It is the foremost duty of man to channelize mind in a proper way. Mind is a conglomeration of thoughts. Just as many threads spun together make up the cloth, so also many thoughts make up the mind. No thought, no mind either. We have to eschew bad thoughts and try harboring good ones to lead a better shade of life...

-PRAGYA RAVIKANTH 

VIOLENCE IN FILMS

           

          “He takes a hard look around him taking note of the dozen men surrounding him waiting to pounce. He stares at them with his stony eyes and makes a mental note of the weapons each person has in hand. Sweat drips down his neck as he inhales the musty air around him. He moves a step forward and two men sprint towards him. He raises his fist and, whaam, both the men fall down face first onto the ground. Four other men rush towards him, he flicks the man in front and all four fall down. Punches fly in the air in all direction as he single handedly defeats the entire gang. Dust fills the air and the hero emerges from it looking back at the doom of the men that tried to attack him.”

       Recognize that?  Well my friend if you are into movies, I guarantee that you have seen a scene similar to that in nearly all action packed movies. Almost all movies these days seem to showcase such elaborate and exaggerated scenes where the hero raises his hand and fifteen men fall down all at once. It’s funny how in the entire movie the hero might be a common man, just like us going to a job and everything but when suddenly the heroine get it trouble (god knows why she gets in trouble in the first place) the hero turns into this exceptional superhuman with hands stronger than iron and a threshold larger than that of Hercules himself! It’s remarkable how the hero suddenly becomes the macho man of the year flinging guys in the air that are twice his size. Also the entire boulevard magically turns into a catastrophe even though the fight is going on in one single part of the street.  And the funniest thing, no one expects him to pay for the damage he just caused. He just casually walk away dusting off his jacket. If you even try to do something like that you’ll get shoes thrown and trust me, you don’t have the threshold of Hercules.

Another thing I have a hard time understanding is the cars. I mean what is up with those cars. You see 1987 mustangs, Bugatti’s and Ferraris just blowing up in the air. The hero throws a punch and POW a car blows up, JUST LIKE THAT. What the point of having such a beauty in the act if you plan on blowing it up two seconds into the scene? And did I mention the people that are around? Instead of fleeing the place like sane people they stop to admire the shenanigans of the hero and his satanic friends. And exactly on cue they astonishingly drop everything in their hands to clap at the victory of the hero. They are so flabbergasted that the forget all they were doing just to cheer the hero. Everything is considered ‘normal’ in a movie from expensive cars blowing up to heroic ninjas and unholy destruction of the city.

So the point of building up this never ending rant was basically to say that movies nowadays have become so over the top and dramatic that it is considered mandatory to have at least one histrionic scene, be it any movie. They maybe a little too exaggerated but it’s all good if you take it nonchalantly and not get fixated on trying to become a superhuman, because trust me, (I have tried) you can’t.

-JUVERIA IQBAL 

ALTER EGO

                        

                    You push your hair back, straighten your clothes and face the stranger in front of you. You stare into his eyes as you try to contemplate his story. You observe him as he stares back at you, looking on intently. You notice his flaws, his imperfections and everything that god made wrong in him when something catches your attention. His eyes, you notice the way his eyes gleam as if they were telling you something. You raise your hand trying to reach out to him but you can’t. You try to speak but nothing comes out of your mouth. You move a step back and he moves with you. You try to deny what’s in front of you as you look back at the mirror. A part of you want to forget what you see. You close your eyes trying to escape the reality. A harsh reality you are not ready to accept. You question everything about yourself. You open your eyes and ask your reflection,

“What have I become?”

When did you become so ignorant that you lost your own identity? You got so distracted trying to please the people around you, trying to fit in with the rest of the world that you forgot who you really were. You were so busy trying to please the people around you that you never noticed the person in front of you was slowly fading away. You got lost in the sea of approval. You pushed the passion you had so deep inside, you forgot it every existed. You were living in the world of someone else for so long, that you mistook it as your own. You were told to follow the norms of the society, so you did. Every step you tried to take forward you were pushed back and criticized. So you stopped. You stopped trying.

You take one last look at the stranger in front of you. You look into his helpless eyes, trying to find something to hold on to. Afraid to hedge out of the rules you were told to follow, you give up. You turn your back to your reflection and carry on with your life, pushing your identity deeper and deeper inside.

-JUVERIA IQBAL

Sometimes looking down is not falling behind. Its the time we take before having a flight..

                             

                                WHEN DREAMING IS NOT ENOUGH

There is a gap between idea and action that is hard for many of us to bridge.There are those ideas that are just passing blips on our radar and passing daydreams.We are all born different, some more than others.We all grow with our abilities and differences.Since we are kids, we all have dreams but sometimes having big dreams is just not enough.To make our dreams come true, we need to do something.For instance,if you want to win the lottery,first of all you need to buy a ticket.Even after doing that,there's no guarantee that you will win the lottery.So the more you'll do , the more chances you'll have to win this lottery. 

The truth is, all of us love to dream as it gives us a feeling of satisfaction and makes us feel as if we are living in a better world. A world where all our desires are fulfilled and all the negativity and pain from our lives have vanished.For getting this kind of pleasure, a lot of people spend most of their lives in dreaming big and waiting for the right opportunity to work for their dreams.But while being engrossed in our dreams , we forget to realize that we are wasting our time thinking about an imaginary world rather than investing our time in creating one.

The difference between dreams and achievements is hard work and consistency.So if you have a desire to live in your dream, convert your " DREAM WORLD" into reality.This can be done by setting goals, learning some new skills and applying them in your life and being persistent about your views and opinions. We've got just one life, so wake up and fight for what you want . Only then can you have the pleasure of living a life with zero regrets and lots of peace.

    

                                                        

PINK AND PEARLS

                  PINK AND PEARLS

  Born as a daughter, she is her father's
                            Princess,
     First time he holds her, leaves him
                           Breathless,                                  As she turns four,she dances and                                  twirls,
   On her birthday, dressed in Pink and                                Pearls.
            As she grows to be a teen,                    At home she is hardly seen,
       Fights with her mother over little                                 things,
      She dreams about the day she can                        spread her wings.
      A few more years, pink changes                      shades to Gepe and blush,
       She notices him,she had her first                                   crush,
    Then she feels that the world is fake,
           As she suffers from her first                                    heartbreak.
           Myriad are her experiences,
    Yet she cultivates a mask that no one                               notices,
  She grows closer to her mother and
        Adores her father once again,
 Their advice is no longer a constrain.
      She finds the man of her dreams,
   Who loves her and with his action this                          he means,
  A long way she has come from playing
           With dolls and tea houses,
   She cries as she leaves her father's                                house.
 As the baby kicks, she never complains,
    For the miracle growing in her, she
           Willingly suffers the pains,
 Now it is the time for her daughter to                        walk and twirl,
       Dressed in bubblegum Pink and                                      pearls.
From a daughter to a wife and now a                             mother,
  From a rebel to the one who holds her                      family together,
  Through thick and thin, by her man                              she has stood ,
     She is, like every girl, a Paragon OF                       Womanhood.

STORY

Dr. Grey- The Time Traveler

As usual Edward woke up early in the morning for school. He got out of his bed, went straight to the bathroom, took a shower and wore his uniform. ‘Boring’, he thought to himself. Edward was not just a normal guy. He did like video games but preferred visiting new places and exploring new things over them. He wanted to travel the whole world. Straight from the hot dreary deserts of Abu Dhabi to the cold dry deserts of Alaska. From the Eiffel Tower to the magnificent Taj Mahal. He wanted to capture the whole world in his camera. But he knew it was not possible. His parents were always busy. They did not have time to take him to different places.

Edward got ready, ate his breakfast and left for school. As he stepped out of his home, he felt the light warm breeze touching his face. It was a perfect day. Spring, Sun high in the skylight breeze. All of them made a perfect platter. As he was walking down the pavement, he heard some footsteps. He turned around but found no one. He started to walk again. He again heard the sound of some footsteps, this time followed with the tik- tok of a clock. Edwards’s heart started beating faster than ever! He slowly took out the bottle from his bag pack and turned around. Again he could see no one.

‘Mr. Footsteps, don’t think that I can’t see you, I am really smart!’ Edward said though he was scared. He turned to his original place. ‘AHHHHHHH…..’ he screamed and fell back on the ground. As he was turning around, he saw a tall man, wearing a long white coat, the kind worn by doctors and black trousers. He was wearing horn- rimmed spectacles and looked like one of those evil scientists from the super hero movies. ‘He must be some evil scientist trying to kill me. I must run away.’ Edward thought to himself.

‘Oh c’mon I’m not some evil scientist who is trying to kill you!’ said the man.

‘How did you know what I was thinking?’ Edward asked, still lying on the ground.

‘Well, you know Edward…..’ ‘You know my name!!! Oh God, you must be some murderer who is trying to kidnap me to get money from my parents!’ The man was interrupted by Edward.

‘Well,’ the man said who looked really disappointed,’ I am Dr. Grey. I am a Time traveler. I can hear what you think and do what you dream you dream of.’ He said to Edward with a smile. He looked manipulative. ‘What do you mean, err… Dr. Grey?’ Edward questioned him. He found the man, who claimed to be a time traveler, really interesting. Of course, anyone would find a time traveler interesting. ‘I know you want to travel the whole world…..I can help you with that.’ Dr. Grey said, this time with a friendly smile.

‘Yeah….I really want to travel around the world. Can you really help me with that?’ Edward asked standing up and cleaning his shorts.

‘Want to try?’ Dr. Grey asked. Even before he could answer, he was in some other world. Everything went black; he was being pressed very hard from all directions. He saw Dr. Grey with a stop watch his hand eyes closed. He was murmuring something. In no time he was in the middle of a crowded street. Neon lights were everywhere. Bid billboards covered the glass buildings. Everyone was busy in their own lives. In a matter of time, Edward realized he was in the city of his dreams, New York.

‘Dr. Grey’ Edward screamed with excitement. ‘I Know kid.’ said the time traveler rolling his eyes. There was a click. Again, same background, pressure from all directions and then there they were, in front of The Eiffel Tower. ‘Oh God!!! I Wish I had bought my camera!’ Edward said, unable to control his happiness. ‘Even if you had bought camera, you wouldn’t have been able to click photos.’ Dr Grey informed. ‘Why?’ asked Edward.  ‘Time leaves no traces!’ answered Dr. Grey.

Click! They were standing in front of the magnificent Taj Mahal! ‘Breathtaking!’ exclaimed Edward. ‘Indeed.’ said Dr. Grey. Click! They were in front of the Big Ben. Another click. The Leaning Tower of Pisa. Click and they were in the middle of The Amazon Forest. It was raining heavily there. ‘Oh no! I’m all wet. Mum’s gonna kill me.’ Edward said in a disgusted tone. ‘No worry, you will dry in your next destination.’ Edward looked at the Dr., confused.

With a click they were again time travelling. They were now in Abu Dhabi. The hot winds were blowing in all the directions. ‘Oh we dried up!’ Edward looked up at Dr. Grey and smiled. Dr. Grey smiled back. ‘I told you!’ he said.

With another click they were back to their original place, from where they had started their world tour. ‘It was a breathtaking journey Dr. Thank you. Thank you so much!’ Edward exclaimed with joy. He started jumping up down. He could not express his happiness in words.

There was a click sound again. Edward turned around but this time he could neither see any monument nor Dr. Grey. He had disappeared mysteriously. Edward smiled to himself. ‘Thank you, Dr. Grey.’ He smiled and said to himself.

Edward returned home. Smiling and regaining his memories.

‘How was your day, Edward?’ asked his mom.

Edward turned around, smiled and answered, ‘Great! Amazing! It was fun.’

Edward said and went to his bed. He could not stop thinking about the adventures of the day. He heard a click.

‘Dr. Grey!!!’ he jumped out of his bed. But he realized it was just his clock, nothing else or… no one else!

-PALAK SINGH

IX-A