The clock struck 4:20 pm. Mashi's mother opened the window and looked out. She looked at the clock once again. Suddenly she heard a horn outside. She quickly came to the door expecting it was Mashi but in vain. She started to walk to and from the verandah and often she looks at the time every single seconds. Every single minute seems like an era to her. Ten more minutes passed. She stepped to the gate and looked at the road for the third time. Her faces seems tense and she walks here and there in the yard. When she was about to look towards the gate she saw some children pass across the road. They are in color dresses and in their hands cricket bats, balls, stumps, etc can be seen.
" Didn't you guys go to the school today?". She asked.
"We did Aunty, but the school left at noon because of the unexpected strike ". One of the boy replied.
" What about the primary students? Are they still in school?". She enquired.
" No Aunty whole classes dismissed at noon. No one has classes". the boy replied and left.
Her senses all imply stopping functioning. She was frozen and rooted herself where she stood. She couldn't understand what's going on around her. She could hear her heartbeat like a drum playing. She wanted to move but her legs were heavier than ever before. She looked at her home once. Only faded things could be seen. However, she starts to move with some gentle steps. Then it turned to the fast, faster and fastest one. Two drops of tears slipped down through her cheeks from both eyes along with the steps.
She hits the door and is about to fall. Somehow she entered the home and searched for the mobile phone. She leaned on a chair and dialled the school number. She held on, each ring took away her breath. No one attends the call. Again she dialled with a little hope, but no fruit. So then she dialled the number of Mashi's class teacher. She took the phone in the third ring. Half of her life got back to her.
" Good Evening. May I know who you are?". Teacher asked.
" It's Me Mam Mashi's mother". She replied quickly.
" Ah yes. Speaking". Teacher asked her.
" Don't you have classes today? Are all students going home?". She asked in a panic.
" Yes". Teacher replied.
" Uh... uh... Pri.. Primary class ???". Her throat trembled while asking.
" Yes. All had gone. We, the teachers and all students left the school after the morning sessions". Teacher added.
The whole world appears to be blank ! Her throat sears and not a single word comes out of it. She froze like half dead there.
" Hello... Hello... Can you hear me?". Teacher calls her at the other end.
She has nothing to respond to. The mobile dropped from her wet hand.
* * *
" And that's all about the agenda of our meeting today's ".
" Well done Yadav! Good Job!".
" Thank you Sir".
" Now it's time for your discussion. Go ahead".
Phone rings...
" Say, Iam in a meeting". He moves to a corner of the hall. He pauses suddenly.
" What happened to her? Stop crying dear. Say what happened to Mashi?". He became tense.
" Whaattt! ... Okay... okay... Keep Calm. Iam coming... Nothing dear... Iam coming". He disconnects the phone and runs his eyes at colleagues.
" What happened Sir ? Are you okay?". One of the colleagues asked.
" I have to go home right now. We can continue our meeting the other day". He said in panic.
He left there as soon as possible. He took his bag and stepped down furiously. He cannot see anything. He slipped the step and he managed himself from falling. Somehow he reached his car.
" Bloody Shit!!!... Key!". He runs back to the office.
When he was close to climbing the steps a colleague called him from upstairs.
" Sir, you forgot your key". He extended his hand while coming down.
" Ah yes yes... Thank you so much". He grabbed the key and ran quickly.
He moves with a heavy heart full of thoughts.The assumption of many things tears his heart. Mashi's face flashes in his mind as he moves on. He offered prayer to all of God to make his assumptions wrong.
All of a sudden his car fell into a pit. Due to the rainfall, the roads were all messy and the tire got stuck. He accelerated his car to get out of the pit. He made it on the third try. He moved again. The rain started to shower slightly, but inside his heart, a downpour and thunderstorms took place already.
The car decelerated when he got to the gate. He stopped the car in the yard. He came out of the car and walked in. He sees many sandals and he can hear murmuring inside. He stepped in and went straight to her. She burst out at most and hugged him hard.
" I don't know where she is... I called the teacher... she told the school to leave at noon... she won't go anywhere alone... l...l... ". She can't complete it.
" Okay... Okay... We will find her... She will be somewhere... Don't worry...". He kissed her forehead and hugged her so tightly.
" Can we go to her school?". Mashi's uncle touched his shoulder.
" Have you checked nearby places here?". Father enquired.
" Yes we have". Uncle's said in a low voice.
Father kept silent for some seconds.
" Then okay fine we can go to the school, Come". Father consoled her and went out with her uncle.
He saw two policemen outside.
Uncle said," I informed them".
" Hello,Sir. A Public meeting of a political party takes place in front of the school. So, so many cops are already on duty there. I informed the SI. So they will help you to find the girl. We passed her photos and all on social media and we are trying our best in every possible ways. So no need to worry. We will find her soon". The policeman said.
" Yes, Okay Thank you".
Father and uncle get into the car. Uncle is in driver's seat. He turned the key to start. He looked at Mashi's father. He is sobbing too badly. His cheeks shivers and he closes his eyes tightly. Tears are competing to jump out from his eyes.
Uncle didn't say anything, he sat calm and pattef the fingers on the steering. He sighed heavily and he patted his back after a while.
" Nothing will happen to her Brother. Stop crying and be bold". Uncle held his shoulder and said.
" Yes yes... Iam okay. Let's go". Father replied while wiping his eyes.
They hurried to the School.
They could hear the shouting of the leader from a long distance. Their car was blocked in the rush. They move like a snail through the road. The bursting sound of the leader penetrates their ears.
" What the HELL is this. I can't bear this sound". Father agitated.
They see the SI and police team at the school gate. The peon also came there. Half of the gate of the school opened.
" You go brother. I'll park the car somewhere". Uncle told him.
Father got out of the car and walked to the gate.
They shook their hands.
" WHAT SIR??? " Father asked.
" WE HAVE TO SEARCH INSIDE THE SCHOOL". SI said loudly.
Their conversations are taken away by the big sound boxes as well as the vehicles passing through.
Half of the road is covered with chairs. But only fifteen to twenty people in the audience occupied the seats.
SI gestured to get in. They entered the school and started to open the classes one by one. Each door possesses a ray of new hope to the Father.
Uncle came in a few minutes.
" Where is SI? ". He asked the father.
" They went upstairs. Ground floor is over. I can't bear it anymore. So I didn't go with them.". Replied in a depressed tone.
" Okay. Stay here. I'll go " uncle said and rushed upstairs.
Father moved to the bench in the verandah and sat. He touched something, he took a look, the mud is still on the bench but it dried now!
He couldn't sit there long. He got up and looked upstairs. No, they are not coming.
He moved to the stair and stepped one or two steps.
" Oh God, I can't". He came down again and moved to the very end of the verandah. He is fully out of mind now. A strong wind blew. He heard a thud sound and turned to have a look. The lock of the bathroom is moving along with the wind. He moves towards the door, comes close to it, and holds the lock.
" Brother". Uncle called.
He woke up from his lost mind and looked at him full of hope.
He shook his head negatively.
"Now I handover Mike to the secretary. Thank You".
Audience is applauding outside.
" Come Brother. We have to leave". He came beside him and pulled him. He unheld the lock, it again started to move!
SI, policemen, peon, uncle and Father crossed the school gate.
The peon pulled the gate. It closed with a creaking sound. He locked the gate, father gazes at the lock like a lost soul. The sounds are still ecoing from the boxes...
FRIDAY ENDS... MY CHAPTER TOO!!!