The Camera

“Please Dad!, can I get a new camera?” Robert asked his dad. He was a 16-year-old boy, who loved photography. “Robert, why don’t you take your grandpa’s old camera and practice? later we can buy you a new one” his father replied. Robert was pleased. He walked to the attic and slowly picked up the dusty box which contained the camera. He took the camera to his room and kept it there. That evening, he went to have ice cream with his
family. He thought about clicking a picture of the ice cream that he was eating. He clicked a picture from his grandpa’s camera. He grabbed the film when it rolled out.

He was shocked! It was not of his ice cream, but of a girl eating a cone ice-cream and standing behind a shop named Yummies! When he got home, he asked his father about the photo. “Dad, do you know whose photo this is?” “Where did you find it?” his father asked him puzzled. “I.. found it in the attic” Robert stammered and replied. “That looks new!” his dad told him. “Umm… anyways, whose photo is this?” Robert asked. “that’s my aunt’s photo. Her
name was Lilly. She died young…” his dad replied, sadness in his tone. Robert asked, surprised “How?”. His dad replied, “The death report says she died due to food poisoning”. Robert thought for a moment and asked “Dad, can I see the death report?”. His dad frowned and said “Why now, after so many years? I’ll show you later”

Robert knew that his dad wouldn’t show him the death report, so he went into his room. He thought about it for few days. Then he clicked a photo of the wall. He waited for the film to roll out and grabbed it. He examined it, thoroughly. As he was reading, a line caught his attention. It said, ‘reason of death- food poisoning, maybe a cold desert’ He pondered over it, but could not make any sense.

A few days passed, and his aunt, Maria visited his family. His mother gave her some food but Aunt Maria refused. “I am observing a fast… just like Lilly….” Her voice trailed off as she said so. It caught Robert’s attention. “What did you say Aunt Maria?” he asked her. “Oh, I am observing a fast” Aunt Maria replied. “you said like someone… whom?” he asked her. “like Lilly, my aunt,” she told him in a sad and low tone.

Robert went to his room, while his parents talked to Aunt Maria. ‘Oh! So, Lilly, my father’s aunt, used to fast!’ he thought. Then he examined the death report once again. He found out that Lilly died on Sunday when she was fasting. ‘If she was fasting, then she must have had only water, and the cold desert’ Robert thought. He told his parents, that he would be out for some time.

Then, he went to the hospital “Healing Touch”, that had issued her death report. He walked to the receptionist and asked her “Excuse me, can I have the death report of Lilly Brown?” the receptionist looked up from her computer and told him “Kid, I have some work now, I will show you the report sometime later”. Robert took out the film, on which the death report was printed when he clicked a photo. “I have a photo of the death report. I want to verify it. Please show me the original death report,” Robert told the receptionist. She narrowed her eyes and looked at the death report. “fine. Wait till I call” she said and dialed a number on the telephone. After a few minutes, she received another call. As she was talking, her usually calm face became astonished and turned pale. She hung up the call. “kid, wait a minute. We have found two death reports. I will come in a moment” Saying so, she excused herself from Robert. She rushed and took both copies of the death report to the head of the
hospital, Mr. Roy. She came back and told Robert “Kid, we will need some time. Go home, come sometime later” Reluctantly, Robert went home.

At the same time, Mr. Roy was surprised. He had newly joined, so he did not know about the reports. He took both reports to his father, who previously managed the hospital. “Father, how do we have two copies of the same death report of the same person” Mr. Roy asked his father. Mr. Roy’s father’s eyes widened, and he said “What!! It’s not torn…!!”. “Why?” Mr. Roy asked, very astonished. “Well… I was paid to do so” his father replied, grimly. “w..w… why?”  Mr. Roy stuttered. He was shocked. “it’s a long story” his father replied.

By that time, Robert had reached his home. He went to his room and closed the door. He thought about the happenings. Then, he clicked a photo. The film rolled out. He held his breath and looked. Printed on the film, were the ingredients that were put in the ice cream. ‘Oh! What should I do with this’ Robert thought. As it was already dark, Robert had his dinner and went to sleep. The next morning, he observed the picture again. He then searched about all the ingredients of the ice cream. Then, he found out that one ingredient may cause food poisoning and lead to death, in rare cases for children. He then Googled for the brand of ice cream, ‘Yummies’. He found out that Mr. white was the owner of the ‘Yummies’. The company had been shut down. Robert then searched Mr. white’s name. It said he owned another ice cream company named “Delicious!” Robert joins the dots and finds out, that the company ‘Yummies’ changed its name to Delicious and was still operating. He then goes to Delicious Company to meet Mr. white. “I want to meet.. the CEO, Mr. white” Robert asked the receptionist who was sitting there.

“What!?” the receptionist asked astounded. “I thought you were here to buy an ice cream ..kid” she continued. “No! I don’t want to die like Aunt Lilly.” Robert replied. “Who dies eating an ice cream child? Go and enjoy one yourself” the receptionist said, bewildered. “No, my father’s aunt did die,” Robert said. “Oh really?” the receptionist said a little roughly. “I have proof” while saying so, he showed the pictures of his father’s aunt’s original death report and the ingredients list of the ice cream. The receptionist was surprised. With shaky hands, she dialed Mr. white. “A kid wants to meet you. someone died eating ice cream… He says he has proof… okay” she told Mr. white with a shaky voice. She hung the call. She turned towards Robert and said “You wait here for 5 minutes. The CEO will be here soon” After some time, the CEO, Mr. White arrived. He went to the cabin along with Robert. He sat down and offered Robert a seat. With a grave look, he asked “Robert, from where did you get all this information?” “that’s none of your business…” Robert replied, frankly. He
continued “Earlier, your company was ‘Yummies’. The ice cream that it sold, had an ingredient that was responsible for the death of many children. Then the company’s name was changed to Delicious…I have proof too…” Robert said and placed both, the original death report and ingredients photo on the table.

As Robert was saying everything, Mr. White’s face flushed red and became pale. “h.. how .. do you k..know all this?” Mr. White stammered. “just accept, that the deaths were caused because of your ice cream” Robert told Mr. White quickly. “No way…! My company’s reputation will be ruined!” Mr. White said, gathering his courage. He suddenly snatched both the photos and put them in a drawer in the office. “Now, you have no proof,” Mr. White said, with a smirk on his face. Then, Mr. White calls the guards and asks them to hand Robert to the police.

Robert smiled,” Police have heard you all and they are on the way to arrest you….look I had already called them and they are on the line, listening to all your words” ”Oh…no” said Mr. White. After some time, a few policemen surrounded him and handcuffed his hands. “Why!? What did I do? Mr. White protested. “Mr. White, we have heard you all,” said police. When Robert reached home, his parents were worried and asked him where he
had been for so long. He excused himself from them and rushed to his room. He clicked one last picture from the camera. It showed their family photo, including everyone who had died.

He tore down the stairs and showed the picture to his father. He explained the whole story, panting with excitement.