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Run

 

In our hostel, though we had our own rooms and study halls to study, during study leave, many had their preferred nook on the hostel campus.

Though I preferred studying in my room, I realized that I would end up sleeping instead, so I too had identified a corner for myself. Our hostel had a nursery school, and on weekends when the school was closed, many of us would convert the doors and window seats of the nursery into our study corners. Some of us found refuge under the shade of a tree, while others claimed the steps of the stairs as their study zone. And then, there were those few who could never stay still—they would walk, jog, or even run while reading.

I was leaning on the nursery door, studying, swatting away insects trying to suck my blood, watching others study, and counting the vehicles passing by the hostel. As I sat there, completely engrossed in my little world, I noticed my friend—my roommate and classmate —whizzing past me at what seemed like the speed of light. While speeding, she said something that I couldn’t even hear. But her speed sent a clear message: "Danger’s coming, don’t wait, run!"

There were two roads leading to our hostel. We, the more cautious ones, took the shorter route but involved climbing a few steps. While running, I couldn’t help but recall the time I had encountered a wild boar. My heart skipped a beat as I feared the boar had reached again. I checked with others, and others checked with me, asking why we were running, but none of us had answers. Finally, we were inside the hostel. We rushed to close the main door, but before we could lock the grilled door, we heard a cry for help.

It was her, the one who had alerted us to the danger and acted like the rotating beacon on an ambulance.

While we all took the shorter route to our hostel, she took the straight road. While speeding away, she turned back and was amused to see all the hostel mates taking the same route to safety. What had chased her was after them now.

She stood there, laughing uncontrollably, when the anonymous decided to take a detour, unable to climb the steps.

It returned and that’s when it saw a lone person standing alone in the middle of the road, laughing over her luck. Eyes locked, head lowered, back arched… on your mark, get set, go! It came charging straight at her

As she was chased, she fumbled with her pants, slipped off her slippers, and tried to run, but it was hopeless. The destination seemed so far away, and the threat was too close.

That’s when she saw her hostel mates closing the final grill gate to the main door. “Don’t clossssssssseeeeeeeeee! I’m coming!”

Like something straight out of a Bollywood movie, the gatekeeper reached out her hand, she grabbed it, and with one last desperate leap, she landed safely inside the hostel.

We all gathered around her, breathless, and with one burning question: What was that?!

She said, "A cow".

Nisha Kurian (O'Rodha)

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