VOL 4 - A New Beginning
The Silence Before the (Q) – Part 3 (End)
Putting aside their mounting tension, the Video Editing Club's first-ever project began to play on the screen.
"3... 2... 1..."
The video opened with a serene meadow blanketed in vibrant flowers, transitioning smoothly to a towering mountain in the distance. The camera panned over to reveal two young children playing at the foot of the mountain, their laughter echoing in the air.
As the video progressed, the children seemed to grow up before the audience's eyes. The scene shifted to two teenagers standing at the mountain's peak, locked in a heated argument. The backdrop, however, remained unchanged—a testament to the magic of editing.
The teenagers then transformed into adults, their expressions somber. One held a ring, while the other wore it—a quiet declaration of love. The background music, soft and soothing, added an air of tranquility to the unfolding narrative, as if lulling the viewers into a dreamlike state.
But the serenity didn't last.
The scene shifted to a hospital room. The person wearing the ring lay motionless on a bed, their eyes closed. The stillness in the frame spoke louder than words—death had claimed them.
The music swelled, gaining intensity with every passing second. The video cut to the partner crying at a funeral, then to them sprinting down a street clutching a bag, their desperation palpable. The tension in the room mirrored the tension in the film. The audience watched, holding their breaths, while the Video Editing Club fidgeted nervously in their seats.
And then, with a sharp "ding," the video ended.
The lights flickered back on. For a few heart-stopping moments, the room was eerily silent.
Shyam and his clubmates felt a sinking sense of defeat. Had their project failed? But then, from the middle of the room, a single clap echoed.
It was followed by another.
And another.
Within seconds, the theater erupted into applause. The sound of clapping reverberated through the space, filling it with life and energy. The members of the Video Editing Club, overwhelmed by relief and joy, cheered and embraced one another.
In the midst of the celebration, Shyam's gaze landed on the first person who had clapped. Raitha. Of course, it was her.
In that moment, an unfamiliar emotion surged through Shyam. It was fleeting, but it left him stunned. What was this feeling? He couldn't name it, but he wanted to experience it again. He found himself drawn to the way her smile lit up the room, how it stood out even among the crowd.
The applause eventually subsided, and the audience filed out of the theater. Though the Clubs Together Festival had officially ended, one final event remained—the Fire Together Ceremony.
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As the students gathered for the ceremony, Raitha turned to Shyam with a puzzled expression. "Fire Together Ceremony? I've never heard of it!" she admitted, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.
Shyam was surprised but smiled. "Really? It's been a tradition for years!" he said.
"Well, this is my first time attending the Clubs Together Festival, so it's all new to me," Raitha replied sheepishly.
Shyam nodded, explaining, "The ceremony marks the anniversary of the school's founding. On the day this school opened, the first principal accidentally burned a tree during the celebration. What started as an accident eventually became tradition. Now, the current principal lights a ceremonial fire. When the wood is half-burned, the fireworks begin."
Raitha listened intently, her expression shifting from embarrassment to awe. Shyam's knowledge of the school's history caught her off guard.
"You sure know a lot about this place," she said, her voice tinged with admiration.
Shyam shrugged, keeping his tone casual, but inside, he couldn't deny the satisfaction her words brought him.
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The Silence Before the Claps – Part 3 (End)