"Warning: This article is a work of fiction any relevance to anyone is completely unintentional."
It's the time of the year when our (my) college was planning to organise the 'much-awaited' fest. I'd heard from my seniors that last year some intruders spoilt the entertainment and that's the reason why this time the administration had issued the 'pass-system' where each girl could bring one outsider with her despite the gender.
As soon as the college declared the dates of the 'Reverie', everyone was in full swing of 'happy' emotions. All I heard that day while returning home was who they're taking with them, what they're going to wear and where they're going to buy the 'it' dress.
Back home, I told my parents about the fest and how excited I was about it. I knew to whom I was bringing with me and I already decided the dress in my mind. Everything was going according to the set plan. And that night, I dreamt, how happy I was in the fest with my friends, we're having laughs of a lifetime, and everyone was dancing in the festival's rhythm.
Then came the 6th of February, the day that I'd been dreading to come. I called my friend Neha to get ready and to reach on time. We met at the metro station near the college. We reached the place around 3:30 PM. While entering the campus, I was in awe of the decoration. I was staring adoringly at the beauty of my college. The music was blaring the stage was occupied by the singer, and I could see that everyone was enjoying their time.
A while later, I felt that something was odd, and all of a sudden, the crowd felt suffocating. I turned to my other side but found that Neha wasn't there. A sudden whiff of alcohol whirled my mind, and I felt dizzy. While I was contemplating what was happening, I saw a tall and grim figure looming over me. He did not look like a person who accompanied any of the students. He had a strange aura which screamed danger. The strong alcohol smell from him made me wanted to puke. I was pondering on how to move from there, without being noticed by him. Then, without catching his attention, I made my way to the other side, without his knowledge.
I did not feel right after that encounter. I found myself standing at a place where I was thinking, whether to go back home or stay. The feeling of suffocation was not leaving me, so, I thought it's better to leave this place. I tried to find Neha to ask her to go back home. I never thought finding her would lead me to a hell-hole.
Someone screamed bloody murder, I turned to see who it was but bumped into the same man who was standing behind me a few minutes ago. I tried to run from there, but he grabbed my hand, I was trembling with fear, never had I ever faced such a situation in my entire life. All those self-defence rules blew away from my mind. I tried to loosen his grasp from my hand, but all those efforts were in vain, what scared me more was his smile, the more I tried to resist from his grip the more his smile spread on his face. But some unknown girl came there to rescue me. She kicked him in his abdomen, he cursed the girl, and in that process, left my hand.
I, along with my saviour of the moment, ran towards the crowd of the girls and in between everyone I tried to find a face which was familiar to me, I was finding Neha. And then, I saw men marching towards the crowd of the girls just like a predator runs toward its prey. We were running hither and thither to find a safe haven, a shelter which could save us from those ravening eyes. I couldn't leave the campus, not until I found Neha. I saw more men invading the arena, some were hopping off the wall, and others were joining them from the main gate. They were smoking shamelessly, teasing us in horrible ways, groping girls and grinding their asset to the forbidden parts of the body. What hurt me more was the fact that most of the men were saying 'Jai Shri Ram' like whatever they're doing was in any way but valid. How could Lord Rama be with those men, who're nothing but the cause of pain to many people there? My granny used to read a story to me where Lord Rama, won over the evil of the world, but at that moment, those ominous goons were taking his name from their sinful tongue.
I was horrified, I could hear screams coming from so many places, that at the while I felt that I was deaf. No one was there to help us. The feeling of helplessness was driving me crazy, I want to go back home, to my parents, but I couldn't leave that place. I had to find Neha. I didn't know where she could be, like me she wasn't a student here. But unlike me, she was brave and courageous enough to fight back to these bullies. But what if something happened to her? What if I couldn't find her? I cried and kept on praying to whoever was listening that nothing to happen to anyone. I was hiding in a place that I had no idea was in the college, along with many other girls. Above everything, the principal's cold reply was enough to make me realise it was not a good idea to come here. I should be in my bed sipping a cup of coffee or having a conversation with Neha.
Suddenly, everyone started to leave that place after hearing that the goons had left the main gate so the people could go. I went with them in the hope to find Neha and to get back home as soon as possible, my phone was dead already and had no way to communicate with her or anybody. After taking a few steps ahead, I saw four-five men circled a girl, laughing at her and teasing the way she dressed. Taking a few more steps, I saw it was Neha, they were groping her, and she, with all her might, tried to get away from them. I stuck at my place, I felt like Amir (the protagonist in Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner) who couldn't help her friend, in fear, that they would do the same to her too. My lungs stopped working, and I was gasping for air, losing the ability to breathe. I wanted to scream, but my voice betrayed me. I tried to reach towards her, but I couldn't find my legs. I felt numb, someone came to help me, but I pointed my finger to where Neha was battling, I tried to say something, but couldn't utter a word. And then, I saw black dots were appearing in front of my eyes, and then everything went blank.
It's the time of the year when our (my) college was planning to organise the 'much-awaited' fest. I'd heard from my seniors that last year some intruders spoilt the entertainment and that's the reason why this time the administration had issued the 'pass-system' where each girl could bring one outsider with her despite the gender.
As soon as the college declared the dates of the 'Reverie', everyone was in full swing of 'happy' emotions. All I heard that day while returning home was who they're taking with them, what they're going to wear and where they're going to buy the 'it' dress.
Back home, I told my parents about the fest and how excited I was about it. I knew to whom I was bringing with me and I already decided the dress in my mind. Everything was going according to the set plan. And that night, I dreamt, how happy I was in the fest with my friends, we're having laughs of a lifetime, and everyone was dancing in the festival's rhythm.
Then came the 6th of February, the day that I'd been dreading to come. I called my friend Neha to get ready and to reach on time. We met at the metro station near the college. We reached the place around 3:30 PM. While entering the campus, I was in awe of the decoration. I was staring adoringly at the beauty of my college. The music was blaring the stage was occupied by the singer, and I could see that everyone was enjoying their time.
A while later, I felt that something was odd, and all of a sudden, the crowd felt suffocating. I turned to my other side but found that Neha wasn't there. A sudden whiff of alcohol whirled my mind, and I felt dizzy. While I was contemplating what was happening, I saw a tall and grim figure looming over me. He did not look like a person who accompanied any of the students. He had a strange aura which screamed danger. The strong alcohol smell from him made me wanted to puke. I was pondering on how to move from there, without being noticed by him. Then, without catching his attention, I made my way to the other side, without his knowledge.
I did not feel right after that encounter. I found myself standing at a place where I was thinking, whether to go back home or stay. The feeling of suffocation was not leaving me, so, I thought it's better to leave this place. I tried to find Neha to ask her to go back home. I never thought finding her would lead me to a hell-hole.
Someone screamed bloody murder, I turned to see who it was but bumped into the same man who was standing behind me a few minutes ago. I tried to run from there, but he grabbed my hand, I was trembling with fear, never had I ever faced such a situation in my entire life. All those self-defence rules blew away from my mind. I tried to loosen his grasp from my hand, but all those efforts were in vain, what scared me more was his smile, the more I tried to resist from his grip the more his smile spread on his face. But some unknown girl came there to rescue me. She kicked him in his abdomen, he cursed the girl, and in that process, left my hand.
I, along with my saviour of the moment, ran towards the crowd of the girls and in between everyone I tried to find a face which was familiar to me, I was finding Neha. And then, I saw men marching towards the crowd of the girls just like a predator runs toward its prey. We were running hither and thither to find a safe haven, a shelter which could save us from those ravening eyes. I couldn't leave the campus, not until I found Neha. I saw more men invading the arena, some were hopping off the wall, and others were joining them from the main gate. They were smoking shamelessly, teasing us in horrible ways, groping girls and grinding their asset to the forbidden parts of the body. What hurt me more was the fact that most of the men were saying 'Jai Shri Ram' like whatever they're doing was in any way but valid. How could Lord Rama be with those men, who're nothing but the cause of pain to many people there? My granny used to read a story to me where Lord Rama, won over the evil of the world, but at that moment, those ominous goons were taking his name from their sinful tongue.
I was horrified, I could hear screams coming from so many places, that at the while I felt that I was deaf. No one was there to help us. The feeling of helplessness was driving me crazy, I want to go back home, to my parents, but I couldn't leave that place. I had to find Neha. I didn't know where she could be, like me she wasn't a student here. But unlike me, she was brave and courageous enough to fight back to these bullies. But what if something happened to her? What if I couldn't find her? I cried and kept on praying to whoever was listening that nothing to happen to anyone. I was hiding in a place that I had no idea was in the college, along with many other girls. Above everything, the principal's cold reply was enough to make me realise it was not a good idea to come here. I should be in my bed sipping a cup of coffee or having a conversation with Neha.
Suddenly, everyone started to leave that place after hearing that the goons had left the main gate so the people could go. I went with them in the hope to find Neha and to get back home as soon as possible, my phone was dead already and had no way to communicate with her or anybody. After taking a few steps ahead, I saw four-five men circled a girl, laughing at her and teasing the way she dressed. Taking a few more steps, I saw it was Neha, they were groping her, and she, with all her might, tried to get away from them. I stuck at my place, I felt like Amir (the protagonist in Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner) who couldn't help her friend, in fear, that they would do the same to her too. My lungs stopped working, and I was gasping for air, losing the ability to breathe. I wanted to scream, but my voice betrayed me. I tried to reach towards her, but I couldn't find my legs. I felt numb, someone came to help me, but I pointed my finger to where Neha was battling, I tried to say something, but couldn't utter a word. And then, I saw black dots were appearing in front of my eyes, and then everything went blank.
