CHAPTER 6

Sarah stood as chilled and gazed at the broken clay house. She sat on her knee and moved her right-hand fingers through it. it is still wet! She could not conclude anything. She got up and ran her eyes around. To assure her, she once again searched behind all the possible areas. She moved to the fence. This was the third time she went there to search for Mashi. But how much she tried hard, she could not find any symbol of Mashi.

' I saw her...It's true... Did I talk to her ??? Yes, I was. We both remade the clay house together. But... but how is it broken again... ??? It's not a dream at all...It's sure...and... and... I am sure she was here a few minutes ago... Then how could my mother say so... How she could stay here and there at a time... But where was she hiding now?' She looked around furiously. 'There were no other places to hide here for herself. I looked everywhere... Oh, God! What is this!! What's happening here? What are these all about?". Sarah felt much discomfort and as well as she tried to convince her mind with positive thoughts, even though it was hard.

She sat on the step of the verandah. She placed her palm on her chin and was involved in her thoughts. She got fully confused. Anyone could read it from her face. She got up quickly and ran towards the fence again and watched around for the sake of hers. She came out of the fence and looked at both sides of the lane.

" Nop... She is not at all here! Has she gone? Then why didn't she tell me?". She returned to the verandah full of confusion in her mind. She sat again on the step and placed her palm on her cheek this time. She felt something on her face. She rubbed her cheek. The dust of mud fell down. Sarah thought for a moment,

" YES ! Mashi applied this on My cheek when we were running. So she came here!". Half of her life gets back to her. She breathes out heavily.

" Sarah". Someone called her behind with a very low voice. She quickly turned.

" MASHI !!! Where were you? I searched for you everywhere... Where have you gone?? uh?? Why are you...". Sarah expressed a mixture of emotions.

" Hey Calm down Please... Calm down... I was here... Not gone anywhere, Why are you getting this much upset uh?". Mashi held her hands and came beside her.

" Then, Why couldn't I find you? I looked for you everywhere". Sarah replied angrily.

" I know... I know... Be cool first. Don't raise your voice please. I want to tell you something". Mashi said in a low voice.

" What? What do you want to share? Say, What's going on here? I am so confused, at least you tell me, if not...". Sarah almost burst.

" Sarah... I want to say something very serious. Listen carefully, lend me your ears...". Mashi stared at Sarah for a while. The atmosphere became totally silent!

* * * * *

" When did you leave the school yesterday?". SI asked the peon.

" We had only the first four periods yesterday. We dismissed the school at 1 o'clock. All the children and...".

" No no no... When did you leave the school?". SI interpreted the peon.

"Well, all the students and staff left the school soon after the bell rang. The headmaster and I stayed here for half an hour more. Then he left, and around 2 o'clock I locked the school gate and went". Peon replied.

" When did you lock the bathrooms?". SI asked suddenly.

" After the last bus had come". He replied.

"It was Mashi's bus too, right?". SI asked the peon.

" Yes, it was". Peon said desperately.

" Didn't you check inside the bathroom before locking the doors?". SI enquired him.

" It rained heavily and usually I don't enter the girl's bathroom to check. I used to call from outside to find anybody inside". He said.

" Then didn't you do so on that day?". SI asked him.

"No, There was no sign of anybody there, the corridor was empty and moreover the rain got strong and I locked the door quickly and ran back to the office". He said.

" Mm okay, What about the climate condition when you got out of the school?" SI enquired.

" Better, there was not much rain after ". peon replied.

" Okay, What about the school buses? Did they come at the right time?". SI asked.

" Yes, they were. Not delayed". Peon replied.

" Won't they check the number of children before the departure?" SI asked the peon.

" I hope so, It's up to them, I am not well aware of it". Peon replied to the SI.

" Okay, Did you feel anything wrong anywhere"? SI inquired.

" No, not at all. The atmosphere was drowned in the deafening sounds and roads and lanes were almost blocked plus the people were rushing to escape from the rain." Peon replied to the SI.

" Okay fine, Were there many people who participated in the assembly conducted by them?". SI asked.

" Not huge in number, but yet they took a big portion of the road to arrange the chairs and they built a temporary stage and kept big boxes in different corners of the stage as well in the roads. So, obviously, there were traffic blocks. Drivers and pedestrians had much difficulty using the roads. Moreover, all other sounds were blurred before the boxes". Peon explained.

" Mm, okay. You came here again yesterday evening, no? Did you remember the time?". SI asked.

" Yes, it's around 5:15 or 5:30. Anyway it was after 5". Peon replied to the SI.

" Okay, How long did it take you to reach the school after the call?". SI asked.

" I was the one who had reached here first". Peon replied.

" Where were you when the call came?". SI asked him.

" I was driving my bike home". Peon replied to him.

" What were you doing for that much time then?". SI asked him.

" I listened to the speech of the politician for some time and then went to meet the DEO for a correction of a paper related to our school...".

"Who sent you? ". The SI quickly asked.

" Me Sir, I sent him". The reply came from the headmaster who had been listening to them for a few minutes before.

" Then why didn't you go earlier?" SI asked the peon.

" DEO told the headmaster that he would be there only after 3 ' o clock". Peon told him.

SI looked at the headmaster and the headmaster shook his head indicating it's true.

" Okay, then?". SI asked the peon.

" I turned back to school at the very instant". Peon said to him.

" Okay fine, I know the left. " He said.

SI kept silent for a while and others kept mum.

TICK!

SI wakes up from his thoughts along with the clock strike. SI looked at the clock.

"oh, it's 1 o'clock". SI said to himself.

" Can I have a patrol around the school?" SI asked the headmaster.

" Oh Sure, Why not?". Headmaster said to him,

" Okay, Thank you". SI tied his hands back and walked around the school compound. The other policemen followed him.

Headmaster and Ram stood at the office door frame and their faces were not pleasant. They could see SI and policemen discuss something regarding the case. When they vanished from their sight, the headmaster and Ram went into the office and occupied the chairs.

The second needle of the clock placed on the wall runs fast, but the hearts of the people inside the school run twice as fast as the needle. After some minutes a department jeep entered the school. The Headmaster and Ram stood up from the chairs. Some policemen stepped out from the jeep. The SI reached there and talked to them. He walked towards the headmaster rubbing his forehead.

"Sir, Any news about Mashi? How is she now?" Headmaster tried hard to hide his tension.

SI replied in one breath.

" Mashi is in the Coma stage!".