The time machine

For a week after the water bag, Anand didn't dare try anything new. Then the family watched the film *Back to the Future*, all about a time machine. "Well, that was the end of peace and quiet in the house!"

The family knew what was coming. Papa locked his tool box and hid the key. Ma kept a wary (careful) eye on her oven and mixer, because when Anand is on an inventing spree, he takes apart every gadget in the house for parts!

The noise was huge: hammering, sawing, clattering. Anand's room, next to Anita's, became a network of wires, springs, levers and bulbs, with a huge panel for the control switchboard. Anand looked wild; when Ma wasn't watching, he didn't even comb his hair.

He let nobody into his room. After a fortnight (two weeks) of frantic work, the time machine was ready. "We can try it out tonight," he announced at lunch.

"I don't know what you've been up to, but you're not trying out anything new," said Papa firmly. "But it's a time machine! I invented it!" "When I say no, I mean no!"

"Poor boy," said Ma, seeing Anand's crestfallen (sad, disappointed) face. "At least let's look at it." Papa sighed: "All right, but if the house falls, it's your fault."

But they couldn't try it that day anyway. The next day, Papa and Ma were going to Kharagpur, a few hours from Calcutta (now Kolkata), for a wedding. Ma worried, but the children said they were old enough, and Sharma Aunty was next door.

"But promise me you won't touch that time machine till we're back," said Ma sternly. Anand promised half-heartedly, offended that nobody respected his creation. Anita breathed a sigh of relief.