Trapped

Ever got stuck in your college after everyone left? Just imagine you being the last person in college with all the lights out and you’ll have to get back to your class no matter what. So, here’s a story based on true events…

Trapped

It was a Saturday, 6:30p.m and I had to wait in front of the principal’s cabin while he was supposed to be back in an hour. Well, that’s at least what I was told at 4:30p.m by his secretary who left an hour ago. I was probably the last student soul inside the campus at that time of the evening. I told myself that and got spooked by my own choice of words. I was convicted for the crime of not wearing my ID which was actually with the P.T department because I was earlier convicted for not tucking in my shirt. Curse that department for not opening today!

 Bored, lonely and irritated I decided to have a quick text chat and just as I ran through my pocket I found my mobile missing. Of all the days in the calendar I choose today to leave it back in my class in my bag. The classes are usually locked after an hour after the usual timing. The only hope I had was to break into the staff room, get the keys to our class-room, get my bag and evacuate the crime-scene as soon as possible. I needed help and decided to bring my friends who live nearby.  I walked to the security and just as he saw me coming without an ID on me his eyes got a little curious. A bike was approaching the gate at full speed and stopped right next to me. He took off his helmet and god was I glad to see him! It was one of my professors. The very next thing I asked him was, “Sir, is the staff room key with you?” he replied saying, “yes, but why are you even in college now?” I hesitantly told, “Long story! Sir, can I have the key for a minute, I’ve my mobile and bag locked in the class room.” Having the amount of crime reports on my name inside the college I wouldn’t blame any person for being hesitant in helping me but God bless him for not giving a second thought before handing me the key.

I ran to the staff-room and opened it and the loud sound of the old lock opening inside a campus was just the beginning of me getting spooked out. I got in and it was dark. I knew every last detail of the room owing to the number of times I’ve been there for the enquiries and so I reached to the switch board despite the darkness. I switched on the first switch and ‘BOOM!’ a light went on right behind me. It was the light inside the HOD’s cabin and it wouldn’t have scared me as much even if he was actually inside the cabin! I decided not to look back at the cabin and reached out for the key. I accidently dropped all the keys and that almost gave me a heart-attack. The keys got mixed up and I had to take them all to the class and try every last one of them. Grabbed all of them and tried them one by one. One of them worked and it was again a huge sound when it opened. I ran to my seat and found my bag. The very next thing I searched for was my mobile and it was just as I predicted. ‘GF 1 missed call, Mom 12 missed calls’. It was getting late and my professor was waiting for me to get back with the key. I locked the classroom and walked back to the staff-room and saw someone running out of it. A second of thought had me telling to myself, “I’d be blamed for anything gone missing from the room and it’s high time I change myself and try to get into heroic roles.” I ran with all my speed and threw my bag into the staff room on the way. He got down the stairs and I was right behind him. I jumped to catch him and I realised that it went in vain when my face met the floor the very next second.

I was dizzy from the fall and lost track of the culprit. It just struck me then that I kept the staff-room open, again! I ran back to the staff-room and to my shock it was locked, from the outside. I searched for the key and found it missing! I cursed myself and had no clue of what to do next. I took a few steps back and hit something. It felt like a human and it was obvious as to who it might be. I turned with all my guts gathered at the end of my fists and was shocked that it wasn’t the guy I chased and it was even more shocking that it was my professor. He looked at me all restless and sweating and asked me what I was up to. I explained the whole scenario and he gave me a weird look. I noticed that and asked him, “Sir, are you not trusting me?” with a curious look he asked, “How on earth did you open the room with the wrong key?” and then he showed me the right key then opened up the room. I had no clue of what was happening around me all I wanted to do was get my bag and get out of the campus. My bag wasn’t there anymore! I searched my class and it wasn’t there too! I got the shivers and all I wanted to do was get back home with or without the bag! I told him that it was okay and I’ll search for it on Monday and he offered me a lift back home.

I was back home in an hour and the whole cycle of events kept bugging me. I was clear of everything that happened or was I? The fall must have had some effect to my memory. Sleeping was the only option I had. I woke up the next morning when my mom started shouting at me for my missing tiffin-box. My bag and mobile didn’t matter to her. I had a quick flash of thought and it occurred to me, there was only one person who knew more of my tiffin box than me. I called him up from my mom’s mobile and narrated him the whole cycle of events and wanted to solve the mystery of my missing bag and how the staff room locked itself. He silently heard everything and kept the quiet even after I started asking him as to what might have possibly happened. He started talking after a few seconds, “Your bag was never locked in our class in the first place. We exchanged classes with our juniors and your bag was left in their classroom!”

I spoke nothing back and hung up the call.