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Your desperation to get to your hostel keeps you going. You think of all the things that calm you down and count them off mentally one by one.
Books…
You now cross the signboard directing the students to the LHC, Octa and the boys’ hostels. You can’t help but appreciate the vivid blue of the sign, a little too blue to be as old as the sign is. Weird, you think as you count the next thing off your list.
Food…
You think of the best food you’ve had, and as your eyes skirt to your left, you see the Nestea tea stall, which appears normal, but also looks newer somehow. You can’t quite place your finger on the difference. You are disconcerted, yet you continue to walk by. You think of the next thing on your comforting list.
Movies…
Then you stop in your tracks. There is something terribly wrong. You rub your eyes a couple of times and blink, thinking that it’s probably just your mind playing tricks on you.
However, what you see does not change.
The NITT swimming pool is a but a piece of barren land, with a lone board stating that it is the site chosen for the swimming pool.
You can’t make sense of what you’re seeing, but the urge to get to your hostel overpowers your curiosity. You peel your eyes from the sorry sight and walk further. You finally reach where the Opal shed is supposed to be. You walk by the street and miss it. Thrice.
Why?
Because the shed no longer exists. Puzzled and annoyed, you walk in the searing heat and finally reach the gate. You are greeted yet again by your constant companion from before. Eerie silence. The absence of the blue uniform clad guards shocks you though you’ve at times wished they weren’t around.
To your relief, you find Opal the way it was before; the structural part, at least. The absence of your hostel mates, though, is inexplicable. The silence that is greeting you is more deafening than the din that would generally prevail with them around. You run to your block and make your way to your room. The door is open. Inside, you find all your belongings in place, untouched. After catching your breath and taking a sip of water, you decide that you can’t possibly stay here much longer without going insane. You find your bag and stuff in a few random things which you think might come in handy later. You step out of the room and lock the door behind you. Four rooms to the right is your best friend’s room which you consider checking out for a moment before leaving campus. To the left is the staircase leading to the exit.
