There are things known and there are things unknown, and in between are the doors of perception

-Aldous Huxley

Vidhi was a class ninth student in a reputed school of the city. She was a bright student and always excelled at academics and school activities. Her skills were not the only reasons of her popularity at school, it was her supporting and helpful nature which kept her in the good books of everyone around. Despite of the awareness that at times people take undue favours from her, she never eluded a request for cooperation and support.

It was the time of mid-year exams and everyone was at the edge of examination anxiety. Followed by an intensive study dedicated week, the morning of first exam arrived. All the students were sitting outside their exam rooms and busy doing last minute revisions and discussions with their friends. Vidhi was also keyed up in explaining some topics to her classmates when she suddenly noticed that one of her classmate Shruti came all bruised and wounded and sat in a lonely corner of the school ground. She appeared disturbed and trying to concentrate to control her sobs. Vidhi approached her to ask for her condition. As she was about to reach her one of her friend came and informed that their classmate Shruti met with an accident yesterday and received severe injuries. This explained Vidhi’s observations yet, she was keen to talk to Shruti. When she reached to her, she noticed that she was weeping and was visibly distressed. Vidhi asked her about her injuries and health but, Shruti brushed all the questions. She explained that she wants to give the exam, but due to the mishap she was lost and forgot her revision book at home. She explained that she is in desperate need of this book and can’t go back home which is just a couple of miles away from the school.

Vidhi enquired that if she can send her father as he was a teacher at the same school. Shruti denied as according to her he might be busy with exam in-charge duty. This created a dilemma for Vidhi as her cooperative traits were not letting her to leave a girl in this condition. She checked her watch and it was about an hour for the exam to start. Without wasting much time, she asked for shruti’s address and took the directions to her home.

She quickly took her bicycle and came out of the school gate. She started cycling towards the address notified by Shruti and took the long straight road to her home with a single right turn. During this time also she could see some students still coming from their home. These kept her calm while she was constantly thinking about picking the notebook from her classmate’s home and reach back to school. She peddled faster and soon she was able to see the right turn she has to take.

Just as she took the turn the apartment mentioned by Shruti could be seen easily. Vidhi reached to the apartment and parked her cycle to ascend the stairs to third floor. She noticed that there was something eerie about the air in the area. It was getting difficult to breathe as she was ascending the stairs. The unusual silence of the building made her a bit nervous when she was knocking at the door of Shruti’s house. After five minutes the door opened with a creaking sound and a lady peered through it. Vidhi recognised her to be Shruti’s mother and greeted her. She asked her mom to give a blue coloured register from Shruti’s study table as she has asked for it at the school. Surprisingly, her mother was looking at her in a shocked manner. The lady called her elder daughter from inside and told her something. The shock evident on their face was making Vidhi uncomfortable.tthey were staring at her as if she was not making any sense to them. Not wishing to waste more time she addressed the girl as she could recognise her as the alumni of her own school. She repeated the request she made to the mother and promptly asked them to let her take the leave. The girl went inside and brought the register and silently handed it to her. Vidhi greeted the lady again and came down the stairs to take her cycle. She was inevitably getting a feeling of something not right. She ignored the sensations of chill and desolation present at the place.

She quickly rode her bicycle and came back to the school. Once she was inside she checked the time  and with twenty minutes still in hand she decided to find Shruti and handover the register to her before resuming with her last minute revision. She was hastily walking out of the cycle stand when she saw Shruti standing at the corner of prayer ground. She could feel the same chill down her spine as she felt at the apartment. Once again she took control of her body and wheeled herself towards Shruti. Suddenly, she heard one of her friend calling out her name and telling her to be in the classroom. For a fraction of second she turned to listen to her friend and when she turned again Shruti was gone to be seen nowhere. A little annoyed Vidhi decided to go to her exam room and wait for Shruti to come and take the register herself.

When she reached to the class corridor she observed that all the students were inside the rooms with fifteen minutes left for the starting of the reading time. In haste she entered her exam room and was surprised to see that everyone was looking sad and there was no sign of examination instructions and guidelines given by teachers usually. She remain quiet for a few minutes hoping for some change but then the curiosity got better of her and she nudged the girl in front of her to ask what is wrong and why the exam has not been started.

The reply received by her made her heart skip a beat. The girl informed her that their classmate Shruti met with an accident yesterday in the evening and she succumbed to her serious injuries early in the morning. Blood drained out of her face and her throat become dry. She could not believe this news as she just saw Shruti waiting for her near parking. Soon the teacher on invigilation duty came on the class stage and announced the sad news. He urged students to observe two minute silence for the demised soul.

The exam was postponed and all the students were then instructed to leave. Vidhi was feeling suffocated and she rushed out of the room. She began to sob uncontrollably and her body was shivering wildly. Her friends surrounded her and asked her about her well-being. Someone handed her a blue register and told her to explain the words written on the last page.

Vidhi grabbed the register and saw some words written in neat handwriting at the last page. She read

 “I was lost when I joined the school and you helped me to gain confidence, you offered your selfless hand of friendship and guided me well. I shall be grateful to you and your support forever. Keep the goodness in you intact across the turns of life.”

Your friend

Shruti

Vidhi could see a smiling Shruti walking across the corridor gazing towards her. She closed her eyes and prayed for peace.