“Shit” roared Tarun, as he hit his knee on something and fell down,

face first. He got up and started running again. He couldn’t

remember for how long he was running or even where he was.
Silence and darkness surrounded him . all he could see was the floor
he was running on.
A sense of dread filled his heart, he felt as if something was following
him. He didn’t know what it was but he knew it was after him. So he
ran as fast as he could. Time made no sense here, he felt like he was
running for hours if not days without end. The air around him began
to get thin, breathing had became hard for him. It was then when he
looked back from his shoulder and he saw at the far back in the
darkness something was wiggling, he tried to have a better look and
saw hands, not one not even ten but hundreds and thousands of
rotten blood stained hands emerging out of nothing and rushing
towards him at an impeccable speed. struck with fear, Tarun ran
forward mindlessly, screaming for help. He didn’t realize how fast he
was running but it was of no use for they kept getting closer and
closer with every step he took, until one managed to get hold of him
and pulled him. He tried to resist with all his might yet it was useless
they groped him, all at once, one of the hands impaled his eyes. He
continued to scream with every breath of air left in his body as they
tore through his flesh and dragged him in , leaving only traces of
screams echoing everywhere.

Tarun gasped as he woke up from this nightmare, bits and pieces of

it still flashed in front of his eyes, it took him a second to realize that
he was on his bus to school. The bus roared and jacked as it drove
through the traffic.
“you are drooling” said Debden with an irritated look on his face. His
eyes seemed reddened and tired through his spectacles, an
outcome of his usual late night gaming sessions. He was seated at
the window side, as usual. Tarun cleaned his face, still half confused.

“where are we?” Tarun asked as he leaned forward to have a look

outside. The bus jacked once again.

“we crossed the other bridge just a minute ago” Debden replied.
“what’s up with you?”

“had this weird dream about-“Tarun began but his story was cut
short by a sudden burst of laughter from behind him. Debdan had
already turned his gaze back to the window, so he dropped the
topic.

It was then when he realized just how barbaric his surrounding was.
Shouts and laughter of children form the driver’s compartment,
mixed with occasional shouts of the conductor to silence them
( which they ignored ) pierced his ears. Which followed by the
constant laughter and chatters of girls at the center seats ,added to
it were the speakers right above his seat which played the same
songs over and over at Max sound. Yet all this was put to shame by
the seniors at the back. their continued screaming and shouting
could crack even the toughest of glasses if given the chance. these
noises felt like niddles to his ear. He unwantingly missed the silence
in his dream.
Debdan on the other hand was oblivious to all this. The noise didn’t
bother him for he stared out of the window as the bus dashed past
vehicles left and right. The warm light fell right on his face with the
chill morning breeze, Debdan closed his eyes to enjoy it.
* * *
Some time later the bus went off road and hit it’s breaks ,the
engine died with a commotion and the music was ceased. They had
reached their destination. Everybody got off their seats and lined up
in a single file to get off as soon as possible, they pushed each other
back and forth.

From the window Debdan could see the front wall of the school,
behind which through the patches of gaps among the leaves he
could see the school building standing tall and proud brightly under
the sun light. The entire premise of the school was surrounded by
walls at all directions. Big gates were assigned on both sides of the
front wall. Through these gates led a grey colored path lined with
lumps of concrete made seats, each of different colors on both
sides. The path curved as it led forward until meeting in front of the
main building with KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA NO-2 labelled on top of it.
In front of the building stood a statue of goddess Sarasvati (goddess
of books) to bless the students and all those who come to learn here.
Behind it between the adjoining paths was a garden of flowers of all
kinds and trees of varied shapes and sizes. And a fountain at the
center. Apart from the main building, a primary ( for classes 1 to
5)building was present near the right gate. And another behind the
main building was under construction. It also comprised of a park, a
playground and an assembly ground.

One by one children walked off the bus. The younger ones went
towards the primary building. One of them was the younger brother
of Tarun. They waves at each other and went off on their own ways.
The front gate was crowded with parents waving good byes to their
children.

The school was huddled with children running around and doing all
shorts of things. The security guard was not present in his Booth, so
some students took this opportunity and jumped within the garden,
over the fence to pick some flowers. Behind the security booth was
the cycle stand, where some of the senior students broke in a fight
and everybody huddled around them to either stop them or to see
who wins. Tarun paid no attention to it and walked off, he held his
hands behind his head and started humming a tune.

“Do you think Priyam will came today?” asked Tarun.

“Priyam? I don’t know” Debdan replied as he cleaned his glasses

with a piece of cloth. “When was the last time he came?”

“Friday, I think” replied Tarun. “that was 5 days ago”

“it’ll be the end of the world, if he does today of all days” said
Debdan, suddenly a slight grin emerged on his face. “yet I think he
might have.”

“how come?” asked Tarun confused. Then he noticed Debdan point

forward toward an elevated structure where teachers kept their
vehicles. Behind it was a park filled with children running haywire
over the rides. Outside the park was a crowd of students walking to
and forth when he looked, he saw there among the crowd three
figures walking towards him. Apon closer inspection, he realized they
were his friends. The one on the right with the was Tamal, beside
him was Aditya and on the left was Priyam, he was the tallest among
them. Aditya waved at them.

“the end it is then” smirked Tarun and hit Priyam slightly on his
shoulder. They all greeted each other. Then they broke From the
road and took a muddy path which led through a gap between the
building and the park eventually curving behind by the football
ground.

“Adi” Tarun called “ what was all that last night?”

“ you kept quitting the game” Adi remarked “so I called, I didn’t
know your father would pick up”

“what happened?” asked Tamal and Priyam ,curious.

“last night me and Tarun decided to play a game together” Adi
began explaining and everyone listened closely as they walked. “ but
he kept quitting it while we were in the lobby. So I called him and his
father picked up, both times”

“ that’s because you kept ringing his number. Father had gone out
and he had to come back twice because you called him” interrupted
Tarun.” Besides I quit the game because you kept quitting.”

They all began laughing at this interaction. “ what happened then?”

asked Tamal “what did your father say”

“what else would he say” snarled Tarun trying to hold his laughter.
“he told Adi he wants to have a word with his parents.
How did you deal with it though ?”

“ I told him they weren’t home and hung up” said Adi. They
exchanged glances and burst into an array of laughers.

They took a left turn by the end of the building and the path divided
in two direction, one led straight to the assembly ground where one
by one students gathered and the other took another left turn in
the building. From the back it had 5 separate entrances. The widest
one being at the center which extends to a platform with a tin roof
top. Students and teachers gathered there to prepare for the
assembly. There were two more smaller entrances on each corners
and one in between on both sides. On the other side of the
assembly ground was another path which itself converged in the
assembly.
Tarun and Debdan separated and went in the building. From inside
the building had three sets of staircases, one being at the center and
one at each corners.Inbetween of them laid the arrays of class rooms
beaming with life. They climbed up the stairs.

The assembly ground buzzed with students forming a line( one for
each class), chatting. Children from the primary section joined from
the right side. And teachers walked down from behind the stage to
stand in front of their respective classes. All the while, everything on
the stage was being prepared. Aditya and the rest got back in their
line, there weren’t many students here yet so they broke off and
greeted their friends up front.
“ yo” greeted Adi to Abhirup and Anubhab.
“Adi, right on time. Answer me this” Called Abhirup.
“I can only live when there’s light,
But I die when the light shines on me. What am I?”
“ah..” Adi was taken back by this sudden question. “ um.. let me
think.”
“ a shadow “ answered Priyam from behind.
“makes sense” replied Tamal.
“ did you know you can send a sos single with the help of light.”
Priyam spoke up. “ you just need to flash the three times rapidly and
three times slowly and then again rapidly three times and there you
go. Cool right.”
“I guess” said Abhirup. Just then their class Teacher arrived and
everyone began to fall in line. Adi and Priyam went in the back while
Tamal stayed with Abhirup and the rest.
There class teacher was a women in her late thirties. She was short
in height, even smaller then Abhirup. She walked the line to check if
everyone was in line. Some tried to sneak in but failed. She sent
them to stand with the other late students. The second bell rang and
the attendance was about to start. So she went back in front.

“did you hear that” Adi overhead two girls talking. “ some guys
carried one of the cleaning lady to the nursing room. They say one of
the guys was from our own class.”
“ wonder who” said Aditya. Arijit and Sorya aren’t here yet. Maybe
they won’t come today.”
Just then Tarun and Debdan sneaked their way in the line.
“yo” Adi greeted them “you made it in time.”
“ yeah” responded Tarun panting for air.

“listen” Adi whispered” I overheard the girls saying some guys

carried one of the cleaning lady to the nursing room and one of them
were from our class. Do you know anything about it.” Asked Aditya
adjusting his position in line. The line backed up a bit and everyone
took a hand distance from each other.
“no” Tarun responded “but I think I heard some-“
“SCHOOL… ATTAITION” shouted the announcer. Her voice sparked
full of energy and echoed till far back to the wall. The children
responded with the same jolt of energy while the elder students
didn’t much care. The ones at the far backs chatted nonchalantly.

“STAND AT EASE….. ATAINTION” She continued. “Roll call…1”

Tarun stepped out of the line along with one student from almost
every other line and lift his hand high up for the teacher at front to
mark his presence, then he retreated back to his original position.
One by one she called a number and students responded to it. For
once in a long time the assembly radiated such energy. The sun
greeted everyone with its warm bright light and the chill morning
wind compensated for the heat. It was refreshing.
After the roll call. The announcer gave commands for the prayer and
everyone closed their eyes and held their hands together apon their
cheat.
“ The prayer bega-“ Her voice cracked with a loud shrill noise then a
loud screams burst out. Tarun couldn’t see what was going on.
Everybody ran off the stage in horror. Screams of children echoed
all around as everyone began running mindlessly. Chaos now reigned
this place.
“What’s happening” shouted Aditya, confused himself.
“No idea, but we should run.” Tarun shouted back. Then suddenly
out of nowhere a girl sprang amidst the crowd and bit one of the
boys on his neck. Blood spilled out of him. He screamed with all his
life as she forced her way deep in his throat. She stabbed one of his
eyes with her nails, refusing to let him go. When some tried to pull
her away, she looked up growling, her mouth dripping with blood
and flesh. She screamed and growled. She was hungry. Death was in
her eyes.