The boy drew back with shock. He quickly moved along that space as a caged bird got a chance to escape. He felt his heart stop beating and the breath stuck in his throat. Forcefully, he ran outside from there. There is only a short distance to cover the exit. But this time it seems like a mile to reach. He ran with all strength. Yet, he couldn't make it to his calculation, his legs were lagging like someone pulling him from back. When he was about to reach the door,, he distended his hand to clutch on the door. But, instead, he hit on the door-frame and fell down on the floor. Nevertheless, he didn't wither a second, he quickly arose and hastened outside. He couldn't control himself throughtout the way, he hit and held here and there. He saw his mother from far away. She was talking with three other teachers in the verandah. Our pregnant teacher was one among them. She is sitting on the verandah bench, she covered her abdomen with the saree end. He was relieved a little bit the very instant. He paused, took a deep breath, and re-run with double speed. He bounded tightly to his mother and breathed heavily. That's all a mother wants to understand her own child's condition, but here, the mother was completely involved in Mashi, so that she just held him close to her and didn't care for the boy too much. She is still talking with the colleagues about Mashi and their conversations echoing in his ears. The sweat is dripping from his forehead through his ears. His breath is almost stable now. But the fear and anxiety are shadowing in his face. In between the mother noticed him once and unlocked him from his hold.
" Hey , Why did you run too fast? How many times have I told you not to run fast? uh?". She moved her fingers through his hair and wiped his sweat with her cloth.
He didn't utter a word but gazed at her, still panting slightly.
" Tired uh? Come I'll give you some snacks". She pulled him inside the staff room. He refused first and she forced him inside the staff room and seated on a bench. She took a packet of biscuits and unpack it and gave it to him. He refused it. It amazes her.
" What happened? Anything wrong?". She asked him.
He kept mum. She puzzled at his silence. She sat on her knee and pulled his chin up. He breathes in and breathes out deeply but slowly.
" Hey Sweetheart, What the matter? Are you afraid? Nothing will occur to her. She will be fine. Let's have this biscut". She break a piece of biscuit and tried to feed him. He rejected with his hand.
"Are you okay?". She tensely asked.
He kept calm for a while, then he held her wrist and pulled her out from there. She followed him without asking anything. They moved forward. He paused in front of the bathroom door. They both stood gazing inside the bathroom. He loosen her wrist and pointed to the end bathroom. All other doors of the bathrooms are closed except the last one. She frowned at him, and then moved inside. He caught the tip of his mother's fingers and walked along with her fearfully. They both almost closed to it, their footsteps echoed consequently, TIK...tik...TIK...tik...TIK...tik...TIK...!
* * * * * *
tik... tik... tik... Sarah turned quickly. No one is behind.
' I heard a sound, no? Has anybody come behind me? '. She said to herself. She closely observed once again. No, no one !
She looked in front.
" Shittt ! it's all collapsed!". She said desperately looking at the clay model of a little house she had made in her yard. A heap of clay, sticks, coconut shells, a cup of water, pebbles were all placed in front of the home yard for the little architect.
She poured some water into the soil and started to mix it again. She builds her dream home with a humming and she is swaying along with it. Suddenly someone closed her eyes from behind. She fearfully turned and took out the hands from her eyes.
" MASHIIII ! YOU!. She can't hide her excitement!
" Yes, Iam". She broadly smiled at her.
"But, Why are you here? How did you find my home?". She inquired about her.
" It was an easy task for me. It was exactly same as you explained to me before , So I didn't have any difficulty being here". Mashi replied proudly.
" Where are the others? Who came with you? Are you alone?". She enquired surprisingly.
" Yap, I'm alone. No one with me. When I reached home they all went to the hospital. So I wished to be with you. That's why Iam here now". She replied her.
" Ohh, Okay Fine!". Sarah shook her head.
" What are you doing here? What is this all?". She came forward to have a look at the things she placed in the yard.
" I was making a clay house. Uhhhh, forgot to ask, Where did you suddenly disappear, when I was searching for you?". Sarah asked Mashi.
" I was hiding behind the bushes". Mashi pointed to the bushes in front of the wooden fence which is around fifteen feet away from the house.
" Oh I see. Really Iam scared. See My house of clay collapsed! She pointed to her broken clay house.
" We will make it again. Come". Mashi told and accompanied Sarah to make the house for the second time.
They had alot of fun moments in making the clay house. Mashi applied some clay on her cheeks and ran. Sarah followed her to catch her. Mashi ran around the house, Sarah didn't leave her. When they reached the middle of the yard they heard someone are quarrelling inside. They stopped simultaneously. They both are panting heavily.
" It's usual, My Amma and Appa". Sarah pantingly said.
" Oh!". Mashi replied sadly.
" They both love me so much and take care of me as much as they can. But when they faced each other...". Sarah couldn't complete her words.
Mashi came close to her and said,
" Don't worry. All will be fine one day".
Sarah smiled at her while wiping her tears and holding her hand tightly. They are again involved in their play. Minutes passed.
"SARAH..." Sara's mother yelled at her from inside the house.
" Hey , Stay here , Amma is calling , I'll be right back soon". Sarah told her and quicked inside.
Mashi looked at the clay home.
"Oh! it is almost done". She said to herself and patted on the wet clay for the finishing touch. She wiped her forehead and by this time, her face was covered with clay.
" Amma...". Sarah reached her mother.
" Ah!". Amma was brooming the kitchen.
" Why did you call?". She asked her.
" Mashi is your best friend, isn't it?". She asked Sarah.
"Yes, She is My close friend!". She replied energetically.
"Okay, Did she say anything yesterday?". She inquired about her.
" Ah, she said we could meet on Monday, but she is now..."
" No... no... no...". Her mother interrupted.
" About anything else. Like, uh.., any problem, any...uh or something like that?". She asked quickly.
" No. She didn't, She didn't yet. What happened, Amma? Why are you asking these all?". She got totally confused. Amma kept the broom aside and came beside her and talked calmly.
" Your Mashi had an accident yesterday. She didn't reach her home last day. She was trapped in your school bathroom. Today morning she was found inside the bathroom".
Sarah was utterly shocked. She didn't know what to say. She felt, she was in a dream, either with Mashi or with her mother. She prayed it should be with her mother.
" Who... who... informed you...". Her words cut while asking.
" Your Head master called me just before. He told me about her". She replied her.
Sarah feels like she is drilling into the earth. She slowly moved from there. Her tongue seems swallowed inside the mouth. She walked with the slowest steps to have a look outside !
"