Chapter 3

Saturday Morning 9:45.

The bus departed from the school bus stop. Some passengers stepped down from the bus and some got in.

" Teacher". Someone called from around ten feet away. The teacher didn't hear.

" TEACHER". This time in a raised voice. The teacher stopped and looked back. It was the class teacher of the standard two of the same school. She had a handbag on her right shoulder and she was holding her abdomen with her left hand and carefully walking towards the teacher.

" Good morning". The teacher greeted her when she came close to her.

"um". The other one replied with a fake smile.

" ohh!! Why did the Head Master call us to come today? He didn't say anything clearly. More over I took a booking for the seventh-month check up in the hospital for today". She explained to her.

" Mashi is Missing". She spoke in a depressed tone.

" WHO? MASHI! Your favourite one??". she asked tensely.

" Mm". The teacher's face paled and she was in the stage of the burst.

" Hey, Cheer up. I didn't know about this. She will be fine". She consoled her.

Teacher dried up her wet cheeks with her saree. They walked into the school together.

They both didn't utter a single word then.

They reached the school verandah. Two ladies came opposite to them. They were in a very normal saree and they carried broom sticks, waste baskets, soap oil, brushes and all. They smiled very pleasantly at the teachers and greeted them happily which shows that they didn't know about the matter yet.

No rooms are opened in the school except the office room and the staff room. They both headed to the staff room. Almost all teachers and the PTA members have already occupied the spaces inside the staff room. Their discussions and talks can be heard outside. Two of them got into the room. The teacher didn't attend to anyone. She moved to the very end of the bench and sat very silently. She didn't look at anyone. She supported her head with her hand and looked down. Her breath appears to be too warm. She often wipes her tears and squeezes her nose. Head Master entered and all stoop up but not Mashi's class teacher. She still keeps her eyes down. Some of the staff looked at her and the Head Master simultaneously. Head Master winked at them and gestured to take their seat. Head master started to talk in a very low voice.

" I want to inform you about a piece of bad news. Our third standard student named Mashi was missing yesterday. She didn't reach her home on the last day. Yesterday itself we informed the police and searched in every possible area. But there is no positive result at all. We didn't leak this incident to the public and other parents yet. So, we have to take care of this matter so carefully. First we must enquire in our own way plus police also help us as they can. Make sure it won't affect her family and herself." He paused.

Mashi's class teacher still sits looking down like she is not present in the room and she has not utter a word.

" What about their parent's condition?". PTA member asked.

"Well, I contacted them yesterday. They are in such a depression. So I couldn't ask them many questions. First of all, we have to take further steps to find the girl along with them. Our police department also tries its level best. They will come to our school for their inquiry. All of you please co-operate with them in all possible ways. Every single second is valuable for us. Above all, we have to console her parents and give them confidence". Head master added.

" Does her class teacher have anything to say?". Head master asked.

She turned like a statue by then, a statue who could only breath but could not respond! She didn't even hear what the head master told and asked.

A thin warm air from her nose and a pair of heavy eyes are the only things she can feel now.

" Teacher!". The head master came close and called her once again.

Teacher boggles from her virtual world. She gazed at him very pathetically. By words, she didn't reply anything but through her tears she did, it rolls down unconditionally. The whole room became pin-drop silent !!!

* * * * *

" Ram, Can you please unlock the bathroom?". The pregnant teacher asked him.

" It's already open. They are cleaning it ". Ram replied to her.

"Oh Okay!". She replied and stepped towards the bathroom.

" Teacher, I am also coming". Another teacher called behind and joined her.

" I can't face the teacher. She is too much attached to that girl". The teacher told her.

" Ah yes, She always talks about Mashi when we were waiting at the bus stop and inside the bus too". She replied to her.

" Such a smart girl! ". She said desperately.

The ladies started to clean the toilets already. There are two seperate bathrooms for the teachers only. They entered the bathroom.

" We pour the soap oils in the toilet. Please take care". One of the ladies told them.

They both entered nearby doors. The ladies went outside and waited. The other teacher came out soon.

" I'll wait outside". She told her.

"Okay Okay" She replied inside the bathroom. She kept in her saree and stepped out slowly. Inside, the teacher came out from the bathroom. After she stepped one or two she slipped on the floor once and quickly held on to the wall with the right hand and pressed her abdomen with the left. She felt some inconvenience and stood there for a few seconds. The other teacher talked with the ladies outside and she didn't notice her. She tightly held the abdomen and moved very slowly. She could hear their conversations from the verandah. She again paused after some steps. She looked down to her abdomen and ran her palm on it. She thought about the condition of Mashi at the very moment once.

" Where have you gone, Mashi?". She asked herself.

Suddenly Ram walked across the bathroom and he noticed the teacher.

"Are you okay?". He enquired about her. The question regains her reality.

" Ya, Iam Fine". She replied with a smile.

" What happened?". The teacher asked from outside.

" Nothing, I slipped slightly. Iam Okay Now". She told her and walked out.

Ram opened the student's bathroom by then and he left.

" We can wash this toilet after applying the soap oil in the student's bathroom." One of the ladies told and they entered the other bathroom.

When the teacher stepped out from the bathroom a boy of about nine ran fastly towards the companion teacher and was clinging around her.

" Don't run. You will fall. The floor is all wet." She runs her fingers through his hair.

"I saw him in the staff room with you. He was busy with the colourings". She said and winked at the boy. The boy smiled back to her.

" Ah yes. Today is school off, no? No one is at home to take care of him. So I brought him along with me here". The teacher replied to her.

They talked and moved slowly to the staff room. The police reached the school for the inquiry and the Head master is talking to the SI infront of the office room.

Suddenly a screaming was heard from the bathroom. The whole school shook and everybody froze for a second. The SI ran quickly to the bathroom the very instant. The head master and some other teachers also followed him. Some have stayed wherever they were.

A few seconds later the SI carried Mashi in his arms and flew like a bird towards the jeep. The teacher who stood infront of the staff room with her boy covered his eyes and wrapped him in her arms

" CALL HER PARENTS". SI shouted and got into the jeep. Other policemen also quicked in. Head master, peon and three more teachers followed the police jeep.

All occurred in a fraction of seconds. It took minutes and even hours for the people in the school to get back to reality. Half of the problem is solved!

The boy hops through the verandah after this heavy storm. He stopped infront of the bathroom. The master door is still opened. He saw many muddy footprints here and there on the floor. The boy ceased at a pairs of clear footprints which seemed to the SI' s. He followed it with enthusiasm. He jumped on one and on another and so on and he reached inside the bathroom by following it. He suddenly paused by hearing something. He stood in one leg like he was flying. He listened carefully. The sound is increasing, but he didn't get it from where. He hold his breath and listened again. He gazed forward, it's from the last bathroom. He walked very gently towards the door. He is very careful about his foot steps. Unexpectedly the door forcefully opened, he is just two or three feet away from it now. He stoned, his legs gripped on the floor. He collected all the strength and moved on. He held the centre of the door and pulled back. He stepped forward. He was shocked! He couldn't either stay or leave. A girl is tracing some pictures on the wall, she is panting heavily as well as she felt difficult to breath. She stopped her hand, from moving for an instant, paused for a moment, turned her head and stared sharply at him... MASHI !!!