A Sew Through Time [Bandbudh And Budbak]

4: Ghost boy

Apna school was quiet.

Snapping back the singing sword toy, the white entity flew towards the yellow building and proceeded towards the left tower. It grazed its long fingers on the large door and opened it.

Breeze blew from the underground.

A boy in a red jumper, muddy jeans and soiled shoes peeked out from the chemistry lab. He noticed the playground empty and rushed inside.

It threw away the toy and descended below, treading over rusted rails and moss clusters before arriving near the three tunnels.

Clocking in the centre, it rushed through and halted near the wobbly wagon.

Yuvati's eyes glowed in the dark. Sitting near the orange light, she was knelt on the ground caressing something.

Holding it's gleaming white cape, the entity threw it past his face till it descended behind his purple robes. Skimpy and lean in appearance, the magician looked like a brinjal with a hanging black cape, the inside red, curly moustache, yellow eyes and pointy shoes. After his transformation, he slacked back and rolled around, complaining,

"Those triplets crushed me like a pod in a pea..."

"You mean, them?"

A group of children were sleeping on the floor. Over their faces was a thick layer of dust and forgetfulness.

"Hush!" The magician knelt next to a triplet and poked out his black band, "This boy's a mush!"

It slapped back on Ganesh's wrist.

"The children found the toddler, Khushi from the past. What would you do now, keeper of this stash?"

"How cute" she dusted Badri's grey cheek, "Wanna see a magic trick?"

Before the magician even could comprehend since when did she knew magic, Yuvati scratched the shorter boy's face. Four red lines ran down his cheek, dripping with colour.

The other observed with a magnifying glass.

The lines disappeared.

"Paradoxy shmoxy!"

"Gosh kaboola I'm feeling hungry!"

"Icecream?"

"Yum yum!" Yuvati rubbed her belly, "Awwww! I wish we could hold a party here with lots of balloons, cake and slurry!"

"Out of all timeslips I recorded, the one in the castle is most hoarded" the magician put out his attendance log and reading glasses, "Ought to create havoc, Badrinath, Budhdeb and their little flock"

"Sabina" called the boy, knocking and checking the window, "Sabina"

The door opened inside.

"They're underground"

Rubbing her eyes behind her glasses, Sabina walked out with a gloomy, disheartened look.

"Let's get you out"

They ran past the classrooms and window where inside, several groups of people from different backgrounds sat in semi circles bickering about the country's future. Sabina ignored them, till the boy halted.

"What happened?"

He peeked inside, seeing the splattered floor.

"Is this the room?"

He left the window sill and continued running again, arriving near the classroom where he intended her to go to.

"There's seems to be nobody here" Sabina stepped in the dark.

Something felt slippery underneath.

Stepping back, she discovered a large, red splotch. Medicine, gauze, cotton and a first aid box, was scattered all over the place.

"Sabina"

She noticed Reyansh pointing at the blackboard. Doodles of the sun, trees and clouds were smudged off.

He touched the sun and clicked in.

A portal opened up and sucked in the air.

"This is it?"

"Yes. You need to go now"

Sabina stared on relentlessly, realizing she could neither save Reyansh's future version standing in front of her, nor her past version who now rested under the surface. Guilt pulsed in her throat, "But you...?"

"You will get help didi" Reyansh mumbled, "But, if you don't go now-"

Grabbing the sides of the portal, she turned and whispered with tears,

"Thank you... friend"

Sore.

Scattered, orange light dripped over Sabina's closed eyes. The cold wind pricked her skin and woke her up. She sat up, panting, till she felt the texture of a makeshift couch. Her surroundings were hazy; her glasses were not on.

Loud, garrulous engine slowed down outside, hot tires gargling wet mud.

"Where... am..." she fell back on her pillow, sweating and in pain.

Warm wetcloth was placed over her forehead. Though she could not see who was taking care of her, she was assured she had gotten out of that place. Drowsiness set her to sleep.

A rough, frail hand covered her eyelids. Light turned off.