The further we go in this story, I must tell you one thing, this story is not a part of my imagination, it is real, it is as real as my death.
As this day progressed, I was losing more and more pieces of my memories, things I see, I hear and feel weren't registering with me. More so during recess, when Shobhit again came to our class and invited me to his birthday plans.
The whole conversation sounded like an alien to me, like a language that I knew but didn't know the meaning of those words and expressions. I saw Arushi staring at me, she was staring as if I am doing something wrong as if I am listening to things that I shouldn't or maybe I am supposed to say something like a yes, to agree. So, I said yes and for a moment they all stopped and looked at my face, to be honest I didn't hear what I said, whatever it was, it was muscle memory.
In the canteen we were having lunch together after a very long time because I skip lunches and consume energy bars during lunch breaks or in between classes. Shobhit started acting uneasy and wet patches of sweat were visible all over his shirt, his face dripping with beads of sweat which were rolling down from his hairs. He said he is feeling hot and sick for some reason and poured a bottle over his head to cool.
But it didn't work because I saw the chilled water turn to steam as soon as it touched his head and he shouted in pain with burn marks forming all over his face. I didn't know why everyone was calm because I jumped out of my seat, the skies had turned from gray to pitch black and everything around seems broken, destroyed, abandoned.
The surroundings seemed infested with some kind of rot, things looking corrupted with some kind of shadow. I saw Shobhit vomiting some kind of black sludge which was moving on the ground, hands started growing from the sludge clutching his clothes, legs making him bend over it. The sludge slowly started devouring him, tearing pieces of flesh off his face, stomach and chest and retrieving back to the sludge. He wasn't even able to shout as the sludge hasn't stopped slithering out of his mouth.
I fell back when I saw a shadowy face trying to come out of the sludge towards me. I ran from there as fast as I could, stumbling on the way. Across the darkness I saw red eyes glaring, jumping from here to there, crying and laughing at the same time.
They were following me, chasing me from one end of the hallway to another, finally I entered the physics lab and shut the door behind me, hid under one of the tables. My hands and legs were trembling from fear as I heard them breaking the glass windows above the door and falling in the physics lab, the fear caught me and I passed out scared.
When I woke up, I was resting peacefully, with Vivaan standing straight on me, as soon as I moved, he spoke. I knew something was wrong with everyone today, I am just glad you weren't poisoned.
In a state of shock I questioned, "poisoned?", to which he replied yes food poisoning apparently the poor fellow got food poisoning on his birthday he was vomiting blood and seeing that you passed out, the canteen has been closed and a number of hospital staff is making sure everyone else is okay. I think I will leave and you should rest."
To which I immediately replied "as if I will rest today", we both broke up in laughter.
When Ishita came, he left in a hurry, asking me to inform him if I decide to go home late.
Ishita had this worrying look on her face but if you look closely, it would seem as if she was worrying for all the wrong reasons. Something in the air changed and I saw the sun finally giving us a peak before settling. I realized that the last period must be going on.
I was scared by a scream and turned toward Ishita with worry but she disappeared from there without a trace and I was left all alone in the room.
I rested there for more than an hour and saw the evening sun set leaving the sky all maroon, it happens sometime in the summer, if you are lucky you get to see it.
I decided to get out of the bed and go to the badminton court to burn off some steam for one last time with my badminton mates.
I went by the class before going to badminton court, where I saw Arushi sitting in the first bench staring at wall, her face looked tensed she was clutching her cross so I thought she was praying for Shobhit, the poor fellow, so I let her be. I took my things and silently left for the changing room.
In the changing room I was greeted by Rohit who congratulated me for some reason I didn't understand and assumed it was for not being poisoned.
Opening the buttons of my shirt I replied back to him see you on court. When he left, I saw things phasing out and steam coming out from one of the showers, I thought the person must be crazy to take a steam shower on this sweaty summer evening.
My judgment was broken when Vivaan entered the room, things phased out again, as soon as he came, he started throwing his clothes in the locker room and getting into his football jersey excitedly.
I taunted him by saying that he looks very excited for someone who is having his high school farewell match.
He looked at my face and said just inform me if you decide to stay till late, I think I should accompany you today till home.
I said OKAY, and then he left for the ground and after tying up my shoes, so did I leave for the court
You know what happens later, I have already told you that.
But for reasons I don't know I was having nightmares and forgetting them as soon as they were over, only left with a feeling that something has happened.