"The possibilities in life are vivid. A century and half ago we built planes to go around the Earth faster. And five decades ago, we built rockets to travel to space. Many mysteries said on Earth, are still mysteries. Believe it or not, we already are or will be in a sci-fi movie scenario soon enough. So, life isn't that boring," a guy said, as a couple of other people looked at him with different expressions.
The guy, he had earthen skin and a chubby face, with hopes of having a 'fun life' as usual. He looked cute, but deep down he was an asshole.
"I still haven't gotten over the fact that you grew taller in such a short time," a tall guy said. "But up in your brain, still a nerd. All you miss is a pair of specs," he said with a grin smile.
All this one was, was tall and with a burning desire to mock the other guy when he got a chance.
"And you are as tall as a giraffe," the girl finally spoke.
She had been listening to the conversation all along, interested in it. She… just used any chance on mockery, on anyone at all. She could proudly say that she was the boss here, even when being the youngest.
"Correction, a bearded giraffe," the first guy laughed. "Did I mention that is why he is called as 'Jiant'?"
"Only a million times, and I've gotten tired of telling that it is not the right spelling. But also, who cares?" said the guy nicknamed 'Jiant'.
"You guys fight like a married couple," the girl said, letting out a breath.
Jiant just glared at the girl and then at the first guy.
"Do you want to re-do the quarrelling we had in tenth grade, Varun?" Jiant asked, seemingly warning the first guy (Varun).
"The one where you both looked like you were making out…? Please do," laughed the spectacle guy sitting beside Varun.
This one had a real bad sight, but surely all his other senses were A-class good.
"Aye Maaz, you too…?" Jiant asked grumpily and scoffed.
"Meh," Maaz snorted.
"Anu, ma'am is looking at you people," said the girl in hijab, she was sitting next to the first girl.
This one was a curious but careful listener. Deep down she was naughtier than the cute face you see on the surface.
"Varun… be quiet," the teacher, staring at the conversation from the front of the class, said.
"Sorry ma'am," Varun said getting up.
"Your sir asked me to look after the class until he can come here. And here you are disturbing poor Maaz, who is trying to read," the teacher said trying to lecture Varun. "Well, just sit down and don't disturb others."
"Right," snorted the guy besides Maaz.
This one was a careful and mysterious guy. The girl nicknamed 'Anu' didn't know this one very well.
"Ma'am," Varun said without commenting back to his friends or sitting down.
"Yes, say Varun," the teacher said.
"Can I go to the wash-room?" Varun asked in the lowest of tones, the teacher seemed to hear it.
"Fine, go. But return before your sir comes," the teacher said grabbing a book from a nearby table and focused more on the book.
Varun walked out of his bench (the third of the row) and to the front of the classroom. He seemed normal but his friends knew otherwise of how he feels when he needs to go to wash-room, mid-class.
Varun walked away and Anu could see him one last time through the window as he rushed faster towards the wash-room.
*
There was a lot of silence for a long time now. The teacher had sat on the chair besides the table, still into the book.
This teacher used to be the social teacher to this exact class, two years ago. Now she just was like a caretaker of this class, looking after the class until the science teacher came in.
But as their sir hadn't come, Varun was the one giving science classes to his friends, unofficially. With all his science talks and jokes, he was one of the guys who were fun to know, but known to be a nerd.
The guys had moved on talking among each other and the teacher had given up on stopping them anymore. As the class went on without the science teacher's arrival or Varun coming back, there was a slight chill in the air now.
"Varun hasn't come back yet," Anu said to her friend, seeming worried about Varun.
"Yeah, I don't know what he is doing," the girl said.
"I know right Farr-it is colder than usual," Anu said holding and rubbing herself.
"That is too much of cold than ever," Farr said reaching out for something from under the bench. "Here, wear your coat," she said handing one coat and wore the other one.
Everyone in the class seemed to be feeling cold and reached for their coats, sad were the people who had to hold their bags tight. Some even sat closer to each other, just in case and it wasn't too gay, as everyone was taunted by the very cold weather here.
The teacher shut the door close and put on her creamy sweater. Time went on and snow seemed to be appearing outside the class.
"Snow…? That never happens," Jiant said staring straight out the window, in shock.
"Did Varun make an ice machine or what?" Anu asked out loud.
"He is crazy, but he is also saving the evil for his deathbed time," the guy besides Maaz said.
"I wasn't making a point with that, Fahad. He is still out there," Anu pointed.
"We need to go out anyways. So, we will find him," Jiant suggested.
Just then a guy from the back bench to where Varun was sitting, got up finally. He grabbed his jacket and put it on, still yawning.
"Jayke, your friend is missing," Anu said to the sleepy-head.
"What…? Again…?" Jayke asked wiping his eyes.
Sleepy friend of Varun, he knew Varun was always up to some or the other thing.
"How often does he do this?" Anu asked confused of whatever had happened before.
"Well, it's Varun," Jayke said finally sitting straight and eye-contacting Anu.
One could say how fit he was, actually he was crazy about it. And genetics had already given him a handsome face.
"True, so we better search for him. It's snowing," Anu said getting up.
"Well dream came true, but I won't get to sleep. That's a nightmare," Jayke said without even joking about it and got up.
The three other guys and the two girls got up and made way to the front of the class, alongside Jayke. The teacher was worried about the situation and seemed to not mind students walking around, than she usually would.
"Ma'am, Varun is still outside," Anu said.
"I know that, baby. But we can't go outside, it is very cold and this is the first time ever. God knows what's happening," the teacher said, looking worried.
"We can try, if it's too bad we will drop the idea," Fahad said.
"Fine, you people can go but take care of each other. I trust you people on this, don't hurt yourselves," the teacher said.
"Yes ma'am," everyone chorused.
Maaz went ahead and pulled the door, it didn't budge even a bit. He was confused and turned towards the others, who were just staring at him.
"Ok, it's not opening. And I did pull," Maaz said.
Jiant went forward and tried but it didn't budge. He pulled as hard as he could but that just scarred his hand and he stopped.
"It is a pull door," Jiant said shaking his hand hard.
"What, the door like froze due to ice?" Jayke asked mockingly.
"Seems so," Anu said.
"I was mocking. However, let us all try together," Jayke said.
"Yes, that's better," Anu said stepping forward.
"Whoa, I meant only the guys. The door isn't big enough for all of us to hold anyway," Jayke said.
"I'll pass," Jiant said raising his red-hand.
Maaz, Fahad and Jayke held the handle and pulled altogether. The door opened with a loud thud and was followed by a cold breeze on everyone's face. They just tugged themselves and made way towards the stairs.
Everything seemed to be frozen or covered in ice on the way to the stairs. But not only the fourth floor, they were in, but the whole campus and even outside the gate, everything was covered in snow by now, as far as they could see.
"Which floor would he have gone to?" Farr asked.
"Options are first and third, but also he is afraid of a haunting in first floor," Fahad said.
"We know a new weird thing about that guy every time," Jiant sighed.
"That's Varun, he leaves little bits in everyone's mind. Once we know all, we understand him. Hence none can understand him completely. Double hence, we can't really know what evil plot he is planning. Someday I think we must deeply put together all we know and solve it. To save the world," Maaz said.
"That is the longest sentence you have spoken in four years Maaz," Anu said.
"Things sure are surprising this day," Jiant said.
"You don't say," Anu sighed.
They were near the wash-room and the girls stopped.
"You guys go ahead and look for him. We'll wait," Anu said.
"Of course, the forbidden place," Jayke snickered.
The guys left behind Anu and Farr and went ahead into the wash-room. The girls just waited for good news about their friend being safe.
"What do you think could be the reason for this?" Farr asked.
"I don't think I know. But it could be climate change," Anu shrugged.
"Yeah, but snowing is one thing impossible here. We don't live in the Himalayas," Farr scoffed.
"We do live southwards to it. This world is weird," Anu sighed.
The guys came out of the wash-room, altogether and without Varun.
"What?" Anu asked.
"He isn't in there. Also it is not a very big place," Fahad said.
"He couldn't have bunked, that is the last thing he would do," Farr said.
"Yeah, we all know that point," Anu sighed.
"Well, we could just all go home. I don't think the teachers would still want us in here for classes," Jiant said.
"Think again," Jayke suggested.
"We all need to leave this place and get everyone out of their classrooms. And in the process, we can find Varun, he couldn't have left the building," Anu said.
"Well, but how to go back to our homes?" Farr asked.
"Vans and drivers are part of the things available," Jayke said pointing to the ground of the campus, where vans were parked.
"New things everyday people, new things everyday," Jiant sighed.
*
The search team of Varun were now at the closed gates of the school and joined by two new guys now, but still no sign of Varun. Some students were still getting onto the vans and the drivers were ready with their hands on the wheel.
The gates opened as the eight of them moved out, as Maaz was still talking to one of the new guys.
"But Maaz, Varun…" the guy said trying to make a point.
"He would want you to go too. Me and the others will look for him more carefully," Maaz said.
"Still, I can't miss this," the guy said.
"It's not his funeral, Rishab. He'll be fine," Maaz sighed. "Besides, your mom must be worried."
"Yeah, Rishab, you better go," Anu said.
Rishab nodded and hurried towards the bus whose engine just started. The seven moved out to make space for the bus to go from. The bus just then started and there was a loud howl heard from the building's upper floor.
"What in the world was that?" Anu asked.
There was silence and the driver hurried the bus outside, before the other guy could follow Rishab into the van. Something pounced from around the third or fourth floor and landed in front of the bus which had just passed the gate.