The Tales of Unearthly Encounters

Confined

Amayah jerked out of sleep, and as she did so, something or some things fell upon her. This blew up lots of dust. Amayah started coughing because of the dust. Then she rubbed her eyes in order to get a better view of her position.

Three dim grids of sunbeam were peeping through the window above, highlighting the dancing specks of dust in the air. Her sleepy brain slowly started working, and torrents of thoughts and questions hit her.

Where am I?

Why am I here?

What am I doing here?

The memories struck her like a lightning bolt. She could suddenly remember that it was her duty today to help the gardener of the school. The gardener had asked to bring a scissor from the storage. She had entered the storage... and then... then....

She couldn‟t remember anything further. She grabbed her forehead as she felt quite dizzy.

Did I fall asleep? She thought. How the hell did I fall asleep!?

As the word sleep occurred to her, she also recalled that she had to find the scissor. But then she noticed the dusky sunlight, which was seeping through the window.

Oh god! How long was I sleeping!?

She checked her watch. The two radium dials shone in the dark room, notifying her it was 4‟O clock.

Just four yet? But it seems so dark outside already?

She stood up, brushed off the dust and cobwebs from her dark green coat, and then she noticed her surroundings. She found herself in a room full of packing boxes, brooms, ladders, and hardware stuff with which Amayah had no business. The scissor was lying in front of her. She grabbed it up and went for the door.

She hoped that she wouldn‟t get called to the teachers‟ room for neglecting her duties. And she was quite sure that this was not going to be easy, to explain the cause of being late. Her school was pretty strict. After all, it was one of the leading academies of the country with top- notch facilities.

The whole academy was based upon 200 acres of land, on the outskirts of the city. The campus itself was a small city, known as the Emerald Ville, with colleges, schools, hostels, libraries, art galleries, entertainment zones and shopping places. The only source of transport was electric trams, connecting the whole area like webs. This school of hers was also one of those large buildings. Designed in a crescent shape, it resembled more a corporate building than a school. The six floors contained almost everything needed for a high school student.

She twisted the golden colored doorknob and opened the door. The severe silence whirling throughout the corridor startled her. It was very unusual for the school to go completely quiet at that time of the day. Amayah was so used to seeing the corridors and classes bustling with students that the unfamiliar silence felt awkward to her.