Two Sides to a Single Coin

Teenagers Ali, Saim and Danial were best friends. They lived in the same neighborhood in a remote village. Danial and Ali were brothers and Saim was their best friend. They adored each other and shared a strong bonding as if they were related by blood, but their families were rivals. Even their ancestors were enemies in their lives. They had to be secretive about their friendship as both their families were enemies.

One day, Ali and Danial were discussing their homework with Saim as he was the most intelligent one among the three. They were studying in an abandoned building as they had to remain undiscovered because of the tensions between their families. They were intensely involved in their conversation about the Science task that their teacher had given to them. A man came and called Danial by his name. Upon seeing him, Danial and Ali were scared to death. They had gone cold as if they had seen a ghost but it was their uncle, Kareem.

“You do not have to be scared!” Said Kareem.

Danial and Ali seemed relieved. “How did you find us chacha? Who else knows about our friendship with Saim? Who sent you there?” Little Ali kept on inquiring Kareem.

“I told you, I mean no harm!” Said Kareem.

After a little while, Kareem convinced them that he had no issues with their friendship. Since Saim was the eldest, and the most mature among the three, Kareem talked his way in, convinced him and won their trust. He started sitting with them on a regular basis., discussing school, occasionally helping them out with their school-related queries, all three of them enjoyed Kareem’s company, as they thought he understood them better than their other family members. They played ludo and other board games with Kareem, and with time, they started getting along and hanging out more than often. 

No one can tell what hides behind the façade of an innocent face. Just when he won Saim’s trust, Kareem started showing his true colors. Saim was crazy for sweets, Kareem noticed. One day, Saim bid farewell to his friends and Kareem gave Saim a box full of Gulab Jamuns just when Saim was about to go back home. It smelled like heaven. Saim was really hungry and it was getting hard for him to stand the sweet aroma from the box that he held. Just a few steps before his home, he stopped and opened the box of sweets. Right when he was about to taste the Gulab Jamun, an old man came and knocked the box of sweets on the ground as he cried, “Do not eat that thing!!!” Saim was shocked, and confused at the same time.

 “What’s your name boy?” Asked the old man with a stuttering voice. After five minutes of their small conversation the old man told Saim about Kareem’s evil plans. The old man was actually Ali and Danial’s grandfather. He was very well aware how venomous Kareem was. The old man told Saim if he ate the sweets, he would have been dead by now. The sweets were all poisoned. It only takes a pinch of this poison to kill a person. Kareem wanted revenge from Saim’s family and wanted his family dead. He hated Saim, because Saim was more smart than both of his nephews, and was more intelligent in studies and sports as well.

Saim thanked Grandfather for saving his life. The next day, he revealed Kareem’s plans to Danial and Ali. Together, the trio got Kareem arrested with the help of Danial’s Grandfather. After some years, because of the boys’ friendship, both the families forgot about their generation-long rivalry.

That day, Saim learnt two lessons side by side; where there are bad people there are good as well. The second one was, good and bad coexist.

Dear kids, always remember, There are always two sides of a single coin.