THE UNBARRED CASEMENT

That day was awesome for Keerthi.

After dinner, they went to study for the next day’s test. Keerthi and Amrin decided to study together. Keerthi felt quite happy because she has got a study mate. They studied till eleven forty-five pm and slept later. Keerthi slept with great satisfaction because she has finished studying all the answers for tomorrow’s test. In that school, everyday teachers would give certain questions for daily tests and the students must read all those and write them, the next day.

That day was awesome for Keerthi. She felt that she has got a best friend. Because that day for the first time in that new school she did her test successfully. For her disappointment then came big, sad news. “Adapter method” that is, students who have scored above 95% in their secondary level board examinations will have a separate tutor who would notice everything regarding their studies and give them good training. Keerthi didn’t get an adapter as she got only 91% in her secondary level board examinations. Keerthi became totally sad for the partiality the institution was showing on its students. Keerthi cried in her room. It was Amrin who convinced and took her to dinner. Keerthi was totally broken down, and she couldn’t concentrate on her studies. She again began to cry after the study hours thinking that she couldn’t perform well in the next day’s test. Amrin again convinced her to sleep saying that they could study in the morning.

It was nearly midnight everybody in the room was fast asleep. Keerthi heard some murmuring sound, but she refused it and turned thinking that it could be a sound from her dream. Then after a few minutes, the sound increased and she could clearly hear a voice reciting the Ohm’s Law same as Bathu recited, a few days before her death. That voice wasn’t new to her. But she knew it was neither of her roommates’ voice. She began to sweat. She tried to turn and she spotted a white figure sitting beside Amrin. Amrin was sleeping in a corner of her cot and the other half of the cot was occupied by that white figure. It seemed like a human. But it was not. There she also spotted the same physics book that she found on Bathu’s cupboard. “Amrin, Amrin” shouted Keerthi in a loud voice. Everybody in that room woke up. Monica put on the light and Shalini asked “what happened?”. As soon as Keerthi shouted, the figure disappeared but before that, it saw her and smiled. Amrin asked, “what happened Keerthi?”. “Nothing” replied Keerthi. She got up, took the physics book that was on Amrin’s cot, she said, “Please sleep I’m sorry friends” as she switched off the light. Amrin didn’t lie down. She seemed to be angry. “What’s the problem? Why did you call me?” asked Amrin. Meanwhile, before switching off the light Keerthi opened the first page of that book and saw the name “Meera”. Keerthi kept the book under her pillow and said “Amrin let's go to the washroom”.