Changes

Srilatha felt someone pinching her hand. She came out of her reverie to notice that everyone was standing. She stood up hurriedly to notice that they were announcing the arrival of the emperor. As happens with Royalty, especially the head of a state, the Emperor’s Bodyguard had taken over the venue completely. You could see officers in mufti posing as audience. Snipers had been placed strategically to take out any suspect.

The aisles were completely taken over by the Special Protection Group Commandos or the SPG for short. It looked more like a military barracks rather than an auditorium where a convocation was to take place.

The Vice Chancellor Acharya Saraswathi was already ushering the emperor into the Chief Guest’s Enclave. It was a bullet proof area with plainclothes officers sitting all around in case something unexpected happened. The emperor himself was surrounded by the royal guard ever watchful for the slightest unauthorised movement.

They came up with weird security measures to protect the emperor. They changed them with every visit of the emperor. No one could guess what the arrangements were. For a layman it would appear normal but the security was anything but normal. That was the only way they managed to keep the emperor alive and safe.

“............... It is our greatest privilege and honour to play host to our beloved Emperor, His Highness Ugra Vasantha Raya. Today, ...........” Srilatha tuned out yet another boring speech that she had been forced to hear a hundred times during the rehearsals for the convocation.

The professors had ground their noses very hard making them rehearse every minute detail of the ceremony. It had been very irritating but the Royal Guard were taking no chances. They had practiced every possible detail draining them mentally and physically. Every professor seemed to be on edge during the whole time.

After what had seemed to be years but had only been a month, they had been given half a day off to relax. That had been one of the reasons she had not been able to get up in time.

“.......... will start awarding the degrees to the students”. The long awaited moment had come but she had another two hours to go before her name would be called. The University toppers would be awarded by the emperor first and then he would address the students. The rest of the students would receive their degrees from the provincial Administrator.

Her mind slipped back to the day she had received her first shock of reality.

********

“Mom, it’s time for school!” Sri Latha reminded her mother but she did not seem to be listening. The little girl felt her mother’s forehead. “Mom, are you alright? Shall I stay at home?” the genuine concern in her voice seemed to bring Mamatha back to reality again. “No sweetheart. You don’t need to bunk school. I am perfectly alright.”

“Then why are you sitting like that?”

“Your timings have changed. You still have more than an hour before your school bus arrives?”

“Really?”

“Yes. You can get up a bit late from tomorrow.”

“Yaaaaayyyyyyy!!!”

Mamatha smiled sadly at the girl who was showing a maturity beyond her age. Both mother and daughter knew something was not right but what Mamatha had hidden from the five year old was far more serious; something that had made her apprehensive and wonder if she should take her child away from the school.

Mamatha recalled the letter she had received two days ago from the new principal.

Dear parent,

(the letter had started)

I am ............... (he had written his name in a strange language that she had not been able to understand. ) the new Principal of Vivekananda Public School, Old Club Road, Gunturu.

I wish to inform you that starting 20th August 8858, the school bus timings as well as the school schedule for the girls of classes 1 – 12 (grades 1-12) would be as follows:

Event Boys Girls

Arrival of School bus at the home bus stop 8.00 am 10.00 am

Arrival at school 9.00 am 11.00 am

Morning assembly 9.15 am 11.15 am

in auditorium

1st period 9.40 am – 10.20 am 12.15 pm – 1.00 pm

2nd period 10.20 am – 11.00 am 1.00 pm – 1.40 pm

3rd period 11.00 am – 11.40 am 1.40 pm – 2.20 pm

4th period 11.40 am – 12.20 pm 2.20 pm – 3.00 pm

Lunch 12.20 pm – 1.00 pm 11.30 am – 12.10 pm

5th period 1.00 pm – 1.40 pm NA

6th period 1.40 pm – 2.20 pm NA

7th period 2.20 pm – 3.00 pm NA

8th period 3.00 pm – 3.40 pm NA

9th period evening snacks 3.40 pm – 4.00 pm NA

10th period entertainment hour 4.00 pm – 5.00 pm NA

Start from school 5.00 pm 3.15 pm

Arrival at home 6.00 pm 4.15 pm

Note:

1. Boys will enter through the south entrance while girls will enter through the north entrance.

2. This new schedule is to be strictly followed from the said date. Parents are requested to make the necessary arrangements.

3. Failure to follow the schedule would attract punishments.

Regards,

ABCDF (the signature was as bizarre and incomprehensible as the name),

Principal.

That had been the most enigmatic letter she had ever received from a school. She had tried her best to schedule a meeting with the principal but had been unsuccessful. It was obvious others parents were also clamouring for an explanation. He had also chosen not to be available on the phone. All they got was that the new schedule had to be followed.

The first thing Sri Latha noticed as she boarded the school bus was that the driver was looking tired and serious. Even the bus attendant appeared grim. An unexplainable chill ran down her spine as she saw that the bus had only girls in it.

“Akka, where are the boys?” she had innocently asked one of the older girls and she had felt a smack on her behind. She spun back with tears in her eyes as the bus attendant, who was new, glared at her. “Keep quiet! And go to your seat! No questions!” she had been bewildered and afraid at the unexpected situation.

“Chelli (younger sister) come here.” One of the older girls had called her softly making her sit beside her and calming her. She was about to ask another question but the older girl had placed a hand over her mouth to stop her from speaking.

The journey that day had been the longest since she had joined school. It was as if she was going to jail; there was a deadly silence in bus. Even the driver seemed to be new and dangerous. None of the girls spoke; nor did they dare to look at each other. Everyone held each other’s hands in a vague effort to comfort themselves. It seemed even the girls captain seemed to be afraid.

The bus turned in the wrong direction and moved in a different route. The girls were frightened. Had the bus been hijacked? Were they hostages now? Would they be taken to a dungeon and killed there and their bodies dumped in the garbage bins like they showed in horror movies? Their minds buzzed with doubts and questions which only increased their nervousness and fear. They gripped their seats tightly as the bus passed through a road that was as unfamiliar to them as a foriegn country.

"Try to remember the landmarks". The girl's captain had written on a piece of paper that had been passed to every girl. she had looked at the captain with great admiration and pride for being so cool in such a tense situation. No wonder she had become the School Girl's Captain.

The bus turned into a hastily erected entrance that proclaimed “North Gate”. As she alighted the bus, the sight in front of her stunned her beyond belief.