Saru spent the entire day figuring out how to ask his mother for money. The thought kept running through his mind that if his YouTube channel took off, he could greatly improve his family's financial condition.
Saru was lost in these thoughts when Maya's voice suddenly broke his concentration.
Maya (Angrily, in gestures): "You are going to take too much time with this! How much longer do we have to wait?" Maya looked very frustrated; she clearly disliked Saru's slow-paced plan.
Saru (Gesturing for calm): "Look, you waited 1300 years. Trust me and wait a little longer. I will take you to that place one day."
Just then, there was a knock at the door. Saru got up and opened it. It was his mother, Reena.
Reena (Entering the room, with a suspicious look): "Who were you talking to? Was someone inside? I thought I heard you asking someone to be quiet."
Saru was less panicked this time. He laughed and said: "No, Mom! I was just... trying to hum a song. You know, I have strange hobbies lately."
Reena gave Saru a searching look but then smiled. Saru took his mother's hand and spoke affectionately: "Mom, I need to talk to you about something important."
Reena (Concerned): "What is it, son? Is there any tension?"
Saru was fully aware of his family's poor financial state. He knew his request might not be fulfilled, but he gathered his courage and told his mother: "Mom, can you get me a good smartphone? It will be useful for my studies and online classes. And... if I make some decent videos and upload them on YouTube, I might even earn some money."
Reena replied with a slight disappointment: "Son, whatever savings I have... might not be enough for a good smartphone. I barely have around six thousand rupees."
Saru (With a rush of hope): "Mom! If your bank account history is okay, we can get a smartphone on EMI!"
Reena spoke with a worried tone: "You can take the smartphone, but if those EMIs aren't paid on time, you might have to leave your studies and get a job."
Saru (With great confidence, holding her hand): "Don't worry about that, Mom. I will definitely do this."
At that moment, Maya's voice reached his ear: "That's the spirit! Now the work begins."
Launching The Ghost Hunter
After this conversation, Reena and Saru had dinner and went to sleep.
The next morning, Saru went to the bank with his mother. Taking the money, he went to a mobile store and bought a decent smartphone on EMI. He would have to pay the installments for the next 12 months. The phone had a reasonably good camera. Saru also purchased a SIM card.
Saru returned home and immediately created a YouTube channel. He downloaded several editing and AI apps. He named his channel: "Maya The Ghost Hunter." This name would keep his personal identity hidden while still advancing his mission.
He selected a location at his old school—a place where he frequently used to see spirits.
While watching videos on "how to grow a YouTube channel," he communicated with Maya in gestures:
Saru (In gestures): "Tomorrow night, we will go to my old school and go live."