It was a quiet evening, and Era lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling of his room, lost in thought.

“What should I make for the school exhibition?” he muttered to himself.

Era, a twelve-year-old boy, didn’t want to do something childish like a simple drawing. He wanted to build something different, something that reflected maturity and meaning.

“I can’t make kiddie stuff... Maybe I can sculpt a model? Hmm… How about a military man protecting a family? Yeah, that sounds cool!”

Inspired, Era jumped up from bed and walked out of his room, heading toward the living room where his mother, Yumi, was watching TV.

“Mom! I’ve figured out what I want to make!”

“Oh really? What is it?” Yumi asked, not taking her eyes off the screen.

“I’m going to sculpt a military man protecting a family. I’ll use clay and paint it myself.”

“Hmm, that’s actually a good idea,” Yumi smiled. “How can I help?”

“I need water... and money,” Era said quickly.

“Money? Why?”

“For colors,” he replied.

Yumi chuckled and pulled out her purse, handing him a ₹100 note.

“Thank you!” Era beamed and rushed out the door.

It was around 8:00 PM and already getting dark outside. Era jogged down the street until he found a shop and bought the watercolors he needed. On his way back, he stopped in the garden and collected clean soil, carefully placing it in a bucket. Once home, he called out:

“I’m back, Mom!”

“That was quick,” Yumi replied.

“I got the colors, and I also collected some good soil. Now I just need something to mix them in.”

“Hold on,” Yumi said, heading to the kitchen. She returned with a bucket of water.

“Water? Thanks, but I still need something to mix them together in.”

“Use your brain! You already have two buckets – one with soil and one with water. Just pour one into the other.”

“Oh! Why didn’t I think of that?” Era slapped his forehead.

“That’s why I call you a little idiot sometimes,” Yumi teased.

Era laughed inwardly.

“And I’m the one training four kids in mental development,” he thought with a smirk.

“Okay, thanks, Mom! I’ll do the rest in my room.”

“Just don’t make a mess. If you do, you’re cleaning it up yourself.”

“Got it!”

Back in his room, Era shut the door and poured the soil into the water bucket. He watched as the mixture began to thicken, slowly forming a clay-like texture.

“Now I just need to wait five minutes.”

After five minutes, the soil had soaked up the water perfectly.

“Nice! Now to add the white color.”

He emptied the entire white paint bottle into the bucket and began mixing with enthusiasm.

“Mix it up! Mix it well!” he sang to himself as he stirred the thick clay.

Eventually, the mixture turned a soft, light white.

“Not pure white… but good enough for now. I’ll finish the rest tomorrow. Time to sleep.”

Leaving the materials aside, Era lay down and drifted off to sleep.

The Next Morning

Era woke up early, washed his face, and returned to his workspace. He carefully took the moist clay from the bucket and placed it on a cardboard sheet atop his table. With steady hands, he began sculpting.

First, he formed a strong military soldier holding a gun. Behind him, he sculpted a little girl and a teenage boy sitting in fear. Facing the soldier were three other enemy soldiers aiming their guns at him, creating a tense protective stance. The scene symbolized the heroism of one soldier standing between danger and innocence.

In the background, Era added a few trees, some stones, and grass for realism. After an hour of intense focus, the sculpture was complete.

“Finally… done! Normally this would take 3 to 5 hours, but thanks to my mental training, I did it in just over one hour.”

Era left the sculpture to dry for a day and then walked to his sister Taniya’s room.

“Didi, are you free tomorrow?”

“Why?” Taniya asked, eyes still glued to her phone.

“I’ve completed my project. It just needs coloring. You’re really good at that… will you help me?”

“Why not now?”

“It’s still wet. If we try now, the colors won’t set properly.”

“Alright. Tell me when it’s ready, I’ll help.”

“Thanks! Also, where’s Mom?”

“She went to the mall for shopping.”

“When will she be back?”

“No idea. Your breakfast is in the fridge.”

“Okay.”

“Anything else?”

“Yeah…”

“What?”

“You didn’t tell Mom about the event! I’ll get my revenge for that!”

“If you get the chance, try it. You’re still my little brother. You can’t outsmart me.”

“Don’t underestimate your little brother!”

“Yeah, yeah, we’ll see.”

“Same to you!”

[Chapter 4 – End]