The X-Files (1)

Jasper woke up groggily. He slowly opened his eyes, adjusting to the dimness of the room. Soon he could make out shapes. To his horror he saw a man crouching next to him. He had an injection in one hand and a bottle in the other. “No, no” gasped Jasper but the needle had already pierced him. As he drifted back to unconsiousness  Jasper saw two more men appear. He wondered what kind of trouble he’d gotten himself into…

                                                                 Chapter 1

Jasper opened his eyes once again and tried to make out where he was. A sickly smell reached him and as he looked down he could see a dark red colour, very prominent against the light blue of his shirt. Not that it looked light blue anymore. It was dirty all over. He was near the sea, he could see the sun setting in the waves. If he hadn’t been in pain and danger he’d have stopped and admired the view for a very long time. His hands were tied very tightly as were his legs. He desperately looked around for anything with which he could cut himself free. He started wiggling around and accidently knocked over a jug. He heard sucffling of shoes outside the door, and stilled instantly, not daring to breathe. He knew if they found out that he was consious, they’d drug him again. But the door didn’t open, and the footsteps went away. Just then a glint caught his eye. There was a sharp jagged piece of glass which had been under the jug. Jasper thanked  his lucky stars and started moving towards the piece of glass. The minutes passed like years. Fortunately for him, his hands were tied in front of him, not behind. His fingers were numb, and dropped the glass atleast thrice befor getting a firm grip on it. He started methodically sawing through the ropes. It took ages, and Jasper cut himself many times. At last the ropes frayed and he used the last of his strength  to free his hands. He scowled as he  started rubbing his hands.Soon he could feel blood circulating. He then started working on his legs. Soon he was able to stand up, not steadily but he was still thought but he still thought that as an achievement. He looked down to his chest, and the amount of blood made him sick. He unbuttoned his shirt to find an ugly gash running down, narrowly missing his heart. He cursed as he buttoned up his shirt again. He limped to the window, finding out that the goons had done something to his right knee too.  He  tried the windows but they wouldn’t budge. Frustated he hit the frame and the window shuddred! He took a closed look at the screws that held the frame. They were weak, and with a little strength, could be pulled apart. As Jasper had no energy left in him at the moment, he decided to get some rest and later escape, before the sun rose.

The Crazy Class Trip (2)

After spending two days and a night in Mysore, we headed back to Bangalore to shop some more.  Stopping at a stadium opposite the entrance to Commercial Street, we were told to get back by 7 pm. That gave us around 3 hours to shop. We spilt up into many groups and went different ways. We all got back to the bus on time and started off for Pizza Hut, to take pizzas so we could eat on the train. After getting the pizza, we started off for the station.

One of the teachers just happened to take a look at the ticket. It was 8.50 pm…and our train was leaving at 9 pm!!! Apparently out guide had though 21.00  meant 11 o’clock. A mad rush for the station took place. Many of us, seasoned travellers tried calling the station. And then we suggested instead of Yeshvantpur, why not go to Bangalore Junction, where the train’ll wait for more time. But no, the teachers were stubborn, and by the time we reached the platform, our train was gone.

Now what would happen normally in a situation like this? Teachers would take charge and calm parents, guardians and students down right? But then my school is not normal. They started weeping!! And our sir disappeared somewhere! I must say that is one time my class was at it’s best. Dividing wordlessly into groups, some started calming the teachers down, two of us contacted friends in Bangalore to ask for tickets, and while I did that I also had the honour of calming down a classmate and calling up his grandfather.

We sat at the station till 11 ‘o’clock, waiting for the teachers to come to a decision. It was 15 degrees C. Two girls didn’t have jackets, and the extra cardigans were greatly appreciated. Phones were switched off to conserve the battery.

My Date with Mr.Potter

At 4.30 in the morning, the air was cool, and I was glad I had a light jacket with me. I stood with my Mom, and my friend outside Modern Book Depo. I had been asked a few days ago to read out a few lines from ‘Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows’ for the release in my city. A huge honor, but also quite nerve-wrecking as at least three major Malayalam news channels were covering the event.

My emotions were too difficult to separate. Nervousness, for I am a very camera shy person, happiness that I was getting such a great opportunity, and fear. Not for myself, but for the characters of ‘Harry Potter’ as they were going to face their greatest battle yet.

It was time. I did not bother brushing my hair, or adjusting my shirt to hide fat. Instead I took a few deep calming breaths as my Mom and friend wished me good luck. As I stepped out of the store room and into the area of the shop, there was a smattering of applause. Quite stunned, I took my seat. Even as I sat, a strange realization came over me. This moment was never going to come again…I had to, had to make it memorable! I smiled a real smile and looked at everyone bravely before reading out the introduction. As I started reading the first few lines, I could hardly hear the cameras clicking and the whir of a video recorder. Instead I was lost in Rowling’s words.

There was an audible sigh of relief as the crowd heard that their beloved Harry does not die, and an inaudible one as I finally finished. I got up and got myself a glass of water, all the time admiring myself for overcoming one of my worst fears- the one of facing too many people.

Sweet and charming...not the chocolates!!

As time grows, so does my affection for him. He is a great guy, one of my many crazy friends, sweet in his own way. Try as much as you wish, he just does not get annoyed. Make plans of killing him in front of him, and he grins saying that he’ll be waiting. Comment that he does not have guts and he will like that.

Tell him you want to attend the recruitment drive and miss your class trip he very honestly tells you he would love having you there but he doesn’t want you to miss your class trip as it happens only once a year while rec drives are a regular occurrence. Tell him you had a bad day at school, that you and a friend had a bad fight, that you are down; he will talk with you till you laugh and feel better.

You say what you’ve written is stupid compared to other stuff on a certain blog; he contradicts the point saying it is better that most of the articles. He wants you to make more friends, so he invites you to a party and makes sure you do not get bored or lonely because you hardly know anyone around. He picks you up and drops you back home. Knowing your love for speed, he goes as fast as he can and promises next time he’ll go even faster.Remebering how you had loved the home made chocalates he had given you, he gives them to a mutual friend so that you can get them.

What can I say? I’m just plain lucky to have a friend like him. :)

The Crazy Class Trip (1)

We started off for the station with plenty of time to spare. It was 2.30 in the afternoon and we had at least an hour and a half’s wait at the station, before our train to Bangalore was due. I started texting as soon as we left school. Many of my friends outside of school had been warned to keep their phones nearby in case I was dying of boredom and needed rescuing.

The hostelites (slang. Meaning students staying in the hostel.) , many of them seeing ‘proper food and drink’ (eg: Lays, Pepsi, etc.) after many days, rushed towards the only shop on the small station.  A minor problem with the zips of two bags was soon solved with a combined group effort. I’m pretty sure we scared all the people at the station with some crazy posing for photos and loads of horrible jokes (most of them made up by yours truly).The train arrived and we all climbed in. It was quite an amusing scene because believe it or not, it was the first time three of the girls were travelling by a train.

I stayed up past one in the morning, reading ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’, because my darling friends were giggling over their respective cells. We reached at 8.30 in the morning and made our way to a miserable excuse for a hotel. After having breakfast and changing we started off for the largest theme park in India- Wonder La. It was quite eventful. A classmate twisting my arm as he thought I was the guy who was annoying him, and then later fainting due to dehydration put me at the top of the ‘Worry, she’s not well’ list.

Shopping at the forum was fun. My friend getting lost in Landmark was funnier. Proving that she was a weakling at Amoeba was the funniest. Oh and then we walked into a shop completely ignoring the ‘Closed’ sign! Well you can’t really blame us. She was high on Redbull and me on an extra large glass of Pepsi (yes I act drunk if I have too much Pepsi or cola.). To my delight the store which sold only candy was still there. We got back at midnight, got one room fiasco sorted out by one, and slept at three, to be woken up at six thirty.

A Peg of Culture

Two days ago, I was accused by a class teacher for not following ‘Indian culture’. This got me thinking about what exactly ‘Indian culture’ was.

 In a foul mood, I asked myself if Indian culture was killing widowed women (sati), child marriage and female infanticide. Could it also be marriages breaking up because the bride’s family could not give the groom’s side the car they wanted or the spacious 4 bed-room apartment in an elite area, costing close to thirty lakhs or more?                                                                                                                                                                      Is it Indian culture to be subdued and not speak up against atrocities? Is it Indian culture to stand by and watch a woman and a child being abused and beaten up? Is it Indian culture to throw out family members who have an illness, who are aged or who express a different opinion? Is it acceptable to kill a couple because they are going out against their families’ wishes?

Before you all think I’m a pessimist, let me tell you this. After I calmed down a little, I started thinking rationally. Indian culture is also languages which are ancient. Indian culture is also dance forms, and music so unique, people from all over the world come to learn or experience it. There are temples, palaces and forts that stun you. One of the Seven Wonders of the World just happens to be in India.

Indian culture was absorbing other cultures, being tolerant and being able to accept.

 Fusion music, certain dance forms are considered ‘bad’. New kinds of attire are not accepted. People label everything and everyone. It is so annoying to go to your class and hear the teachers say “Ah! This class! It has a reputation” with a knowing smirk.

  Even though we have all these great monuments and things, what is the use when people are not a part of it?

After thinking about this for a day, I reached a logical conclusion. What my teacher understand as Indian culture, is just her own, not generic Indian.

Chris (1)

I've been doing this online course, and this was a homework assignment I got and particularly liked, as it was about fiction, and wanted to share it :)

Chris began to question the wisdom of this trip. Sweat dripped down her back, making her t-shirt stick to her. But it did not bother her. After all she loved hiking, and anything that had to do with the outdoors and didn’t mind a bit of sweat, or looking like a mess. No, it was the company that did. She chided herself for thinking that her two best friends, who also were a couple, had actually asked her to accompany them on the hike because they knew that she liked it. Had she been in her senses she would have realized then and there that they wanted her to come along because otherwise there was no way their parents were going to let them stay together for the whole day. A chaperone that is what she was.

She tried it too treat it like any other hike, but it was a bit difficult to as she would go on forward and then have to wait for the two love birds to catch up, as they would be busy kissing each other to notice that the so called ‘companion’ had gone on.

 
She had not really had a problem with couples before. But then her friends started becoming a little too self absorbed. If one had a fight with her, the other wouldn't talk with her either. With a sigh she continued walking, eyes downcast. An avid nature lover, she looked up above at the branches when she heard an unfamiliar call of a bird. She kept walking trying to locate the bird. Big mistake. A branch tripped her, and she fell, all her weight on her right ankle. 
Groaning, she tried to keep a cool head, knowing that soon her friends would find her, but not knowing when. A twig snapped, her head jerked up, alert. A man stood next to her. He knelt and asked ‘Are you ok? That was quite a nasty tumble you took.’ Assessing him, Chris took her time to answer. Dark hair was pulled back at the nape. Warm brown eyes looked at her with concern. He was a mess, but yet breathtakingly handsome. She nodded and said ‘Just a sprained ankle.’ and gave him a small smile.
The man smiled back, a dimple appearing. ‘Are you alone?’ he questioned. ‘No, my friends should be catching up with me soon’ Chris replied with a grimace. ‘Let keep you company till they come then.’ he replied, settling himself down next to Chris. ‘And let’s take a look at that ankle, while I’m at it.’ It was starting to swell. With expert fingers, he gently touched it. ‘Not broken.’ he declared. Chris smiled. ‘I figured as much myself.’ He grinned back. ‘Bulls fan, huh?’ he asked noticing her wristband. ‘All the way!’ she exclaimed. ‘Chris???!’ she heard her name being called. Her friends appeared, gasping as they saw her swollen ankle. She got up with their, thanking the kind man. ‘I’ll see you soon.’ he promised, smiling.