The Downsides Of Popularity ✓

Prologue

FATE.

 IT HAS BEEN 20 years since Ms Walker was assigned a child. She kept coming to the Guardian Office every September and sat on the benches alongside other witches of the September sub-coven. But alas, she had to pay for the mistake she had made all those years ago.

Perhaps, fate was ultimately pleased by the punishment it had given to Ms Walker and on the 20th of September 2004, something she had been waiting for so long had finally happened.

***

'All guardian witches to assemble in the Gray Hall for the final results ', the voice of one of the office members echoed across the Hall. A mass of blue-robed witches got up from their seats and bustled into the Gray Hall through a narrow door.

The Gray Hall, like its name, was indeed grey in colour with celestial designs carved into the pillars with white, the only piece of decoration the architects cared to put in the room. Everyone was eager to stand right in front of Mrs Patel, the announcer, as if they would get selected by her, by looking at their faces.

Mrs Patel sat on a high-raised black armchair, embellished with glistening gold patterns. Right in front of her was a rectangular screen that she focused her eyes on through her rectangular glasses, critically reading every piece of information that appeared on it.

Just as the gates to the Gray Room closed, Mrs Patel stood up from her seat, straightening her white, laced with gold robe and said, 'Today the baby count in India is 9,103. Lesser than yesterday, I don't know why but never mind about that.'

'Among them, this coven has been given 5,000 babies to be assigned to a guardian witch. So, all are probably familiar with the system. The blind girl of fate will roll the wheel of fortunes and a baby's name will be paired with its rightful guardian. But we already have the list prepared as the rolling had been carried out before everyone assembled here. I'll call forth the pairings and the respective witches must leave through the Gate of the Guardians immediately. If they wish to deny the baby, then they may leave through the Gate of the Returns. First up, is Agnibha Chatterjee-Ms Ray. Alokita Majumdar-Ms Hope...' and she continued reading out the pairings one by one from the list that appeared on her screen.

Ms Walker stuck to her position at the back of the Room near the Gate of the Return, assuming she would have to walk through it again after all the pairings had been called out. However, her broken hopes were pieced back together when she heard: 'Shweta Roy-Ms Walker'. Her happiness knew no bounds as she delightfully watched her blue robe turn to purple - the sign of a witch becoming a Guardian. Ms Walker couldn't believe her eyes nor ears so she stood frozen to the spot, with a large smile on her face and tears of joy staining her rosy cheeks.

'Ms Walker? If you want to decline the baby then please walk away through the Gate of the Returns-', one of the lady attendants said but was cut in by the voice of the new Guardian, 'What? No no-'

Ms Walker rushed towards the Gate of the Guardians, the crowd parting for the purple-robed witch and, when she entered the light, the Gate led her to, her dreams and aspirations were alive once again.

***

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