Batch of 1999

  How it started

  1999

  It was a normal day of the school and everyone was supposed to do normal things in a normal environment. That is how things are expected to run around. That is how it starts. Things went from ascending to descending order. It is the rule of the universe. Nothing stays as it is. People think that circumstances can be controlled. Well, no one knows the actual truth.

  Class of 30 students of arts section was ideal in behavior. They were all between 16 to 17 years of age and happy to study here (because they got no other choice). White convent was a school of good reputation and scorers. This was going to be easy. Parents were happy and kids were happy. Everything was according to the structure and following the path of definite.

  Today, there was going to be a tour of chemistry lab as an introduction to the science. Though, all of them knew that it would be of no use in the future or career so everyone was in a playful and boring mood. Boys were hitting on girls and back benchers were playing with the colorful things of the lab, which got the looks of showpieces. Few were saying funny things about the cricket match that happened yesterday (India lost). Teachers were talking to each other and complaining about management. It was a scene of a party or something. Students were joking about the chemicals inside the test-tubes and the burner. They set burner on fire and started scaring each other with that. Everything was a game for them. They discovered lenses. They brought a mouse from the biology lab and threw chemicals on it to see the effect then burned it with lenses and sunlight to see the dance of life. Teacher told them not to do this and it acted as a booster for them instead of lowering their spirits. They killed the mouse finally by hitting it on the wall so hard. And then they were disgusted on the mess from the rat’s stomach. It was just the start.

  Arts section was famous for its hustle and chaos. No student could come out of the art section without getting ragged in some humiliating way. You wouldn't want to go inside their room. They got the reputation as agents from hell. Every other kid was scared of final year arts class. But that was not the end of it. Art section brought most of the trophies and most of the complaints from the parents of other students and nearby areas. You could find every category of student there. Rich, poor, studious, dull, lazy, sportsman, genius, blacklisted and painters. Class was situated on the top floor of the school in room no. 59. Right after the sports-room. Room was painted in white and was decorated with charts and graffiti. There were 26 benches taking in mind one bench for two students. Its windows were giving a nice view of the backyard of the school and buildings that were situated in the east of the city. Somehow, it was distinct from the rest of the school. No one knows how and why? It could be an architecture fault or symmetrical, but there was something eye pinching and irregular. For the kids studying there, it was the best place to rule the school. They were reputed for colors they conspire.

  Students, who took arts as freshers were bound to give attendance to the senior year. It could be in the form of item numbers and pranks with occasional pole-dance if a senior was in royal mood. Final year used to stand talk and smoke outside the school after and during the classes. They used to do many things that were normally forbidden for students. And today, they were in the lab just for fun again. Principal gave the permission for the labs only because it was a kind of old tradition. Like a tour or picnic after the terms or like an occasional function, because it was mentioned in the school prospectus.

  No one would ever know what actually happened that day but legends have it that one of the art student came running faster than the congested place could allow. And struck the glass cabinet so it fell down over a gas cylinder. For a few seconds, the student kept looking there with guilt of damaging the property of the school for which he might be punished. But it turned out to be worse than that when the cylinder burst open.

  No one remembered a thing after that but rest was going to be the history. All the 25 students present in the lab woke up at the hospital after unconscious stage. Doctors told Dheeraj Muneem (the principal of the school) and parents that it was nothing serious as the students were all right without a scratch and it was proved, when one by one, they started waking up and started recognizing their guardians. Parents were happy, doctors were praising themselves and teachers were taking deep breath of relaxation.

  Everyone was happy except the principal. He went through the corridor to the reception. It was busy so he had to wait before his turn. He wanted to make a call. He wished that telephone would disappear as he was waiting. Telephone and kids and his whole school would disappear. Wishes don’t come true.

  “Hello, Jagat. I have to meet you……………….. Yes, you are right………… All the arts section was in chem. Room and went down faded……… That thing you gave me for protection has vanished in gas because I couldn’t find it and I think that all the kids intake it through breathing……………….. Listen, I know it would be something important if you had given it to me and I kept it where no one could reach possibly but the whole stupid glass cabinet fell down……………..if it is about money we can see to it. Just tell me how much I owe you…………….. What?..... Okay……. I should look inside the lab again……………… Students? What about them?................... Ow! my gawd…. Could anybody ever figure out……….. Then we should keep quite about this. Because now there isn't much to do anyway. I don't want press to arrive at my school and convert it in a circus…………… No, government would seal my property and everything if the news would come out. For the old days sake keep your mouth shut…………. I didn't know that I was allowing you radiated neuro-toxins in my lab. You told me that it was some rare oil or something which you had to put in a controlled environment…………. God, you have any idea what happens here. A whole section is laying there in the emergency ward with their guardians and relatives ready to grab my collar on any hitch or sneeze from a single kid. What have you put me into?............. Yes, that would be good for you and me…… now I am hanging up the phone. God help us.”

  Dheeraj walked towards the ICU again.

  Radiated neuro-toxins his thoughts repeated. Name had it. Now he could figure out what had actually happened in the lab. His friend’s words were playing again and again in his mind, dissolve the arts section and send everyone home. Or what close the school and start a hotel in that place (his friend didn't laugh at this while saying it and it was making principal angry. Very angry.

  Jagdeesh told him that it would affect the whole life of every student present in the lab at that time. It hits the mind his friend's words.

  He went inside the unit and saw that almost every student was conscious now and it amazed him that they were looking fresher than the morning.

  Perhaps it was all just a thought of his friend. But Jagdeesh wasn’t a person of air-talking. He had known Jagdeesh all his life. Even Jagdeesh was the person who advised him once to open a school. Now he was advising to close it down. What rubbish!! Everyone was looking fine here. Even better than before, why the hell? Everyone was talking and some were even cracking jokes. These arts students. Nothing had happened to them. They were great. Perfect! Even if Jagdeesh was right, there was nothing much to do but to wait and watch for the bad-luck to come. Because in front of destiny everyone is just a puppet. So, if nothing could be done then it was an ideal situation. This time he didn't know and didn’t even want to know what the words “it hits the mind” meant exactly. He went to a bed on the corner and there was laying the topper of arts section. Aniket smiled at principal with respect. Principal rubbed his hairs and said a silent prayer for him. Not because he was a topper but because he was looking at him unquestioningly with all the trust a student can have for his teachers. Principal wanted to forget the words of his friend. He knew that he could.

  Nothing was going to be the same
from now on. Nothing was normal in that room. Everyone was happy and everyone knew that something was just not right. But they couldn't figure it out. Soon, they all got discharged. They went home with courtesy of principal through school buses and his personal cars. They were playing and singing again in the buses and few were looking out of the window as if nothing had happened in order to make the atmosphere alive again and to show the spirit of moving on. Few were so quite and they were sitting separately from their parents. They were feeling a kind of cold in the back…… a kind of chill that was soothing when it reached to the head.