A Whole New Look!!!

Yes!
At last!!

I can’t believe it…can you? I bet you can’t! My friend, Sana, fainted from shock! OK, OK sorry, I’m prone to exaggerating..what can I do? But she was like OHHHH! Everybody (including me) is surprised! Still have to make a few changes (which I’ll do soon) and I know it’s not really awesome (should I change it?) but this will do for now (maybe forever!). People who don’t know what I’m talking about …well, guys, I changed the template. Now, if you’re thinking that I’ve lost my mind or something equally like that, I mean who writes a whole new post about a new layout? (I do!), so if you think, like, you’re totally wasting your time then you can go, I’m not stopping you (but it’ll be nice if you stay and post nice-nice-comments!) and if you think that this just so great then…umm…read on (and comment)!Anyways, the reason I’m so happy is that I’ve finally gotten rid of Snapshot Sable! Do you know it is evil!? No? Really? (Looking aghast) Well, I’ll bring you to light! That awfully awful Snapshot, it put a curse on me! It joined forces with Lady Lazy (which resides in my brain) and ATTACK!!!! I couldn’t get rid of it. Poor me, daily searching for templates and backgrounds and what not! I liked thousands of them, no, make that, millions of them! Would go happily to edit HTML and after some click click click...a whole new template! But then Lady Lazy would knock on the door of my brain
‘Oh come on, sweet!’ Lady Lazy would say in her sickly sweet voice (so sweet that I’m sure you can get diabetes) ‘Open up the door. I live here too!’
Ms. Doubtful who never likes my template (except snapshot) would cast a doubtful look at her brother Mr. OhIAlwaysGIVEuP. He’d swallow and look wearily at the door, thinking: ‘Poor Lazy, standing outside in the dark …I should open the door or maybe I shouldn’t. But if I’ll then maybe she’ll marry me’. Cheered up by this silly thought he’d get up and open the door. Lady Lazy like a race horse (or a bike?) would come running at the centre of my brain and ZzzzzZZzz …meaning, she’d fall asleep! (The nerve of her). Because of her I missed my school van hundreds of times, she’s the cause of those detentions and punishments I got as I didn’t complete my assignments and stuff. She’s the cause I gain weight! Argh!! Hate her!! Ok, coming back to the topic (what was the topic again?...oh yes...) so, when Lady Lazy sleeps, we (me & myself) begin to feel lazy and tired. The new template, that’d need a lot of work and clicks, would look horrible! To avoid it I’d do some more click click click and TADA! Back to Snapshot Sable! (Hate it!!!) …so, now you see how horrible it is! What..? No? You think I’m making up this all?? Wow! Maybe that evil snapshot has cast some spell on you (that’s must be the reason you’re taking its side!) …Beware! You might change your cool (or lovely) template to snapshot. I’m warning you! Well, that was the story of my layout! (What’s yours? *don’t tell me, I was just being polite*)

NOTE: Wait a minute! OK, wait a ‘second!’...Just hear me out, will you? Thanks! I know this is stupid (I do!) …but you don’t have to make these faces...I’d warned you earlier this post is gonna be silly so don’t blame me and now you shall comment….!!!

The Land Of Confusion

The Land of Confusion is a vast land where you’ll find many people having blank expressions on their faces and big question marks dangling above their heads. They look harassed and tensed …a lost look on their faces tells you how hard they’re finding this life! Everybody visits this confusing land once in a lifetime, some people, many times...like me. I’m often there, searching for any clue that’ll help me to find a way out of this land. And the only way out is to make a decision, be it any; right or wrong, a decision is a decision...even if later it throws you back in the Land of Confusion! I’m saying this as few days ago I read a quote ‘Making a right choice is not as important as making the choice. One way or another, the rightness will show up’ so, well, I’m really hopeful that I’d come out all right. I just have to make a choice to get out of the Land of Confusion or else I’d be stuck there forever. But I don’t even know what my problem is. Maybe there isn’t any. I’m confused about my life, like, should I do this or that? Then I think about that quote, I say to myself, do anything. But where are the choices? I can’t see any. And poor me stuck in this Land alone, no friends to console me, they all know what they’re gonna do. I wish I could do anything I like. Fly and touch the sky, twinkle with the stars, take a jump from the cliff and land on the ground with no injuries, eat anything and everything without the fear of getting fat, take a tour of the galaxy and spend a weekend on my favorite planet, Jupiter, swim with the fishes freely breathing in water, and talk to animals like Pocahontas (she talks, right? Or, well, maybe I’m wrong)...and many things I know I can never do!
Sometimes I don’t like my name it’s so common and many people forget to put an ‘H’ in my name which annoys me but it’s not their fault as most people spell it ‘Sidra’ ..Oh well!! I’m totally confused about the meaning of my name. Some says that it means ‘a tree in the heaven’ and some says ‘a fruit of heaven’. I hope it means tree, I love trees. Sometimes I talk to them too (if nobody is looking) and I wish I were an elf! If I could change my name it’d be Juniper (after this cartoon character, Juniper Lee). I don’t know the meaning but I if you do then please tell me (I hope it’s good)

I’m confused why I wrote this. I’m confused about being confused. I’m confused why on earth I’m posting this confusing thing. Hope you’re not confused...I think I just saw some people scratching their heads with their eyebrows raised! I know this is ridiculous! But, not my fault, I’m confused with capital C!

Revolutionary Resolutions

1) Try 2 watch all the movies I bought, lyk, ages ago (including Nim’s island, Definitely maybe, Spiderwick and 27 Dresses)
2) Try 2 stop listening 2 radio as I always send tons of message and finish my balance! (Thank God am too shy 2 call)
3) Stop crushing on Zac Efron n Nick Jonas. They distract me in studies.
4) Stop crushing on current CrushBoy. Anyways, he doesn’t know I exist! He distracts me in the class.
5) Try 2 listen 2 sad songs n dance lyk there’s no 2morrow!
6) Laugh on lame jokes lyk there’s no 2morrow.
7) “Only 5 posts a month” …that shud be my motto
8) Be online only for half an hour n only on weekends.
9) Stop eating Jam hearts as they can make me fat! (only 2 jam hearts a day)
10) Stop sending forward msgs.
11) No missed calls frm 2day!
12) Socialize with people and discuss current topics (discussions on Orkut and Facebook forums not included)
13) Try not 2 whine when I want something badly instead talk 2 mum & dad in a grown up way.
14) Help mum in clearing the table after lunch/dinner and try my best not 2 eat the leftovers!
15) Go out with friends to the mall or something (Sana, u rolling ur eyes?)
16) When go 2 Jumbo’s Book Sale, dun buy more than 6 books ..no, make that 10.
17) Be nice 2 my brothers so that they wud respect me more.
18) Study 4 the test … “Study all day n night” shud be my motto
19) Buy a Zong sim
20) Dun waste money over stupid n silly things lyk an extra sim!
21) Stop praying 2 God that He’d make me an elf. U never know when ur wish can come true …I might regret it later!
22) Be naturally funny..like Bridget Jones.
23) Listen 2 mum when she says ‘Eat ur veggies’ in this way I won’t get fat!
24) Try 2 watch channels other than Disney.
25) “Nobody is thinking abt u as everybody is thinking abt themselves”…shud be my motto (read it in a book called ‘Olivia Joules’)
26) Dun post Blog URL on Orkut Blogger communities daily (I do it lyk 10 times a day)…wishing that people wud come and comment on my pointless posts.
27) Stop giving Blog URl on MIRC ..in this way it’ll also prevent me frm getting kicked or banned.
28) Popularize ur Blog. ‘All is fair in love and blogging’ ..That shud be my motto.
29) Be more optimistic. People will love my blog eventually.
30) Stop telling people that I’ll go 2 Bermuda n solve the mystery when I’ll be 50.
31) Have fun!!
32) Love urself and smile a lot, it’ll make others wonder what I am up to! Smiling is also a good exercise for cheeks muscles.
33) Create a mysterious aura around myself .. that’ll also make people wonder!
34) Stop writing things on the desk lyk ‘bored 2 death’ n my blog URL, instead, concentrate on the lecture.
35) No more resolutions!!

P.S: If I keep the above resolutions, in no time I’ll be organized, rich, talented and most responsible person in this world! Wish me luck!!

Bookworm

I was about 3 years old when my dad bought me my first book. It was called ‘Just so Stories’. I loved it! Of course I didn’t read the stories myself; I’d ask my parents to read them for me. I loved looking at the pictures. And sometimes when my parents weren’t looking, I’d color the pictures too. Seeing that I love books my dad got me another one, Around the World in Eighty days. But the funny thing is I still have not read it. I’ve this feeling it’d be really boring. I still got that same copy which is now old and battered but I don’t have a heart to throw it away or give it to someone else. By the way I’ve seen ‘around the world in eighty days’ Disney version, starring Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy! It was good!
The first book I read all by myself was ‘The Gulliver’s Travels’ ...With a dictionary beside me^_^ …followed by Oliver Twist, The Secret Garden, Robinson’s Cruise, Emma, Heidi, Jane Eyre, Treasure Island, The Tempest, Tom Sawyer (I think Huckleberry Finn is better) ..Ok there are just so many and I just love to show off! I missed those moments when I’d curl up in my sofa at nights, when my noisy brothers would be sound sleep, reading a book and drinking warm milk. Gone are the days when I used to read Famous Five, Nancy Drew, Roald Dahl, Sweet Valley series, The Baby Sitters club etc etc …I also loved to read Sidney Sheldon’s novel. They were oh-so-mesmerizing! I’ve read all of them (told you I love to show off!) Nowadays I’ve become Bridget Jones, Jenny Colgan and Marian Keyes type fan. I’ve got so many books that I could open my own library, which annoys my mum very much as I’ve taken almost every single shelf in my house for books (no place left in my room)
My all time favorite book is ‘The Faraway Tree’ by Enid Blyton. When I read it the first time, I was so fantasized by it. Every second I’d pray to God that I’d get to live in Enchanted Wood and meet Jo, Fanny and Bessie, some elves, brownies and imps. And of course Moon-Face, Saucepan man and Silky! Once I’d this wonderful dream in which I saw that my family and I had moved to a country side. We’d a big farm and a pond. There were cows, ducks and hens (which lay golden eggs) …and in the middle of the farm stood a large tree which was supposed to be the magical Faraway tree. I visited every land by climbing through the cloud (My favorite land was the land of tea parties!) Thank God I didn’t get stuck in Dame Slap’s school!! Well, when I woke up, I was really disappointed to find myself in my own oh-so-boring home! Lol!
And oh yes! How could I forget three such famous and best books! You’re right! They’re Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings and Eragon! I really miss Harry Potter series; I’ve read all the parts so many times that I don’t want to read anymore, want something new! Eragon’s third part will be out in September, I can hardly wait! Something to look forward to….!

Okay, that’s it! Wondering why I wrote all this? Simple...Was BORED, as usual! I’ve this big test coming up in September and I’ve not read a single word yet...But I’ll start studying from tomorrow, seriously I’ll. Honest! (Just hope I’d!)

Holidays; Goodbye!

‘Sidrah! Wake up!!’ someone was slapping me. That hurts! I thought sleepily and covered my face to protect it from further harm. I was dreaming that I was lost in a tunnel and there was a wild boar out to eat me and my cookies. Dreams can be stupid sometimes.
SLAP! Aww! That was painful. I opened one eye and found three faces staring at me.
‘She’s alive,’ Somia looked happy to see me awake.
‘Who’s alive?’ I asked. My back ached and I’d a splitting headache. And yeah, I was thirsty too and hungry, of course.
‘You!’ they saw me in wonder as I sat up
‘Why are you looking at me like this?’ I asked, slightly irritated ‘I’m not some mummy’
‘We thought you died,’ Fat remarked.
‘Oh I was just sleeping,’ I mimicked Fat’s voice, the way she’d said in the train. She pursed her lips.
‘Oh no’ my dream came true, I was in a tunnel as I looked around ‘I thought I was dreaming’
‘I thought that too,’ Somia said. She looked horrible, dirt and mad covered her face, her hairs, which were usually clean and shiny looked dusty and dry. I checked my hands and nails. They were also dirty. Weird. Where are we? Suddenly it all came back; the tunnel trip, boars, cookies, flash lights and Blue.
The candle will be out in about half an hour, I thought looking at the candle. Its flame was getting bigger and bigger.
‘Let’s try to open the door,’ I said getting up. My legs were numb. I sat back hard again.
‘We tried, it was no use,’ Sana said, fiddling with a rock.
Minutes passed by and we talked. The candle burned out and we talked about Zac Efron. Our stomachs demanded food we talked about Boars. Then we couldn’t talk anymore. We’d talked about almost everything.
‘Let’s play a game,’ Sana said ‘I say a thing starting with A, let’s say Apple, and you’ll say a thing with E now, got it?’
Even when we didn’t want to play we’d no choice. We played and played until we were bored out of our skulls.
‘Let’s sing,’ Somia clapped her Hands. We moaned at this but sang anyway.

“We’re all in this together
And it shows…when we stand
Hand in hand…make our dreams come true”

We sounded horrible but didn’t have the energy to laugh. I was beginning to feel hopeless.
We’re all in this together
Once we know…that we are
We’re all stars…and we see …..SQUEAK!
‘What was that,’ Sana whispered. I heard it too, a squeak.
‘Maybe it’s the boar,’ Somia said fearfully.
We all listened quietly. There it was again. Squeak. Squeak.
Suddenly the room was alight. I looked up at the ceiling door and saw Blue looking down at us, looking grubby.
‘Come out now,’ he urged.
‘Yay!’ Fat cheered, we cheered with her and climbed out. It was so bright outside that my eyes hurt. I squinted. I looked upwards and a saw puffy cloud passing through the sky. I looked at Blue. I took a really good look at him. He didn’t look like he’d slept as he’d dark circles under his eyes and his hair wild and uncombed. Our hero, our savior! I’m gonna worship him, I thought smiling happily. Then it dawned on me that he was the one who lured us in the tunnel. Because of him we were looking so ugly right now. And that wild boar! It was a narrow escape. We could have died. My smile turned upside down.
‘Where were you?’ Somia demanded angrily brushing away the cobwebs from her face.
Blue ran his fingers through his hair and looked at his feet ‘Sorry’ he grunted.
‘Sorry?’ we yelled at him. We yelled and yelled and told him all the horrible things we went through and all he’d to say was just stupid old plain sorry? Humph!
He confessed that he escaped through another trapdoor when he saw the boar, he was about to come back to help us but Mr. Sajid caught him. That was his story.
‘What a coward,’ Somia remarked as were going back to the camp. I didn’t say anything but I knew she was upset and fuming inside. She liked him. Poor Somia!

‘Whatever happened to you??’ Sk exclaimed in disbelief and came running to us as we stepped inside the camp. We told her our story and Blue’s. Her eyes were wide open with shock. She thought we were making it up all. But she believed us when we insisted.
‘I told you guys not to go!’ she hugged us. We hugged her back. I was so happy to be alive I can’t tell you.
‘Come on. Get ready. The bus will be going in an hour,’ she said stuffing her things in her bag ‘I packed your bags’ she gestured towards our bags neatly zipped standing in the corner.
‘Thanks’ we washed ourselves and got ready. Mr. Sajid collected our bags from us and told us to wait 10 minutes.
‘Would you guys come with me,’ Sk pointed over the bushes where we’d found Dan-Bug. Sk was carrying the jar with Dan-Bug in it.
‘So?’ I asked when we reached there.
‘I’m gonna release Dan-bug’ Sk said, tears in her eyes “Ms.Orla was right’
‘But first take my picture with Dan-Bug.’ She wiped her tears away and handed Sana a camera. We squealed when Sk took out the Dan-Bug which flew and sat on her cheek.
‘Say cheese, we tease!’ Sana said. Click. Flash!
‘Now go Dan-bug. Be happy,’ Sk shouted as Dan-bug flew away ‘I’ll miss you’
‘We’ll miss you!’ this time we all shouted. After taking some more pictures with Fat and Somia, we went to the bus which was waiting for us.
‘Where were you, girls?’ Ms. Orla barked ‘And why are you so untidy’ we cringed and quietly sat in the backseat. We reached the station after 40 minutes. Farhan laughed out loud when we saw us.
‘So you went, huh? Farhan asked Fat ‘Told you not to go. Now look what happened to you all’ he faked a sad face. Fat threw him a violent look.
God! We must be looking really horrible, I thought, I wanted to go home quickly! What will my brothers say? But I didn’t get to brood for too long as we were quickly ushered in the train by the teachers. We all exchanged numbers. Interestingly Somia lived in our town! Fat was from another but what cell phones and internet are for?! I didn’t hate Fat anymore, she was really fun if you get know her better.
‘We’ll be home in two hours!’ Sana exclaimed ‘I missed my family very much’
‘I missed good food’ I said eating a disgusting chicken roll.
‘I missed Dan-Boy,’ Sk smiled dreamily ‘He didn’t call’ she pouted.
‘I missed my cat’ Somia added and we all looked at Fat. But she was busy watching Blue who was talking animatedly to a girl outside the compartment.
Fat got up and walked towards them
‘Hey Tarzan!’ she thumped him on his back ‘This is your Jane?’ Fat was all cutesy. She was smiling so sweetly that you could get diabetes! Blue went red and his eyes fell on me. I feigned an innocent expression. The girl was confused and walked away. Blue gave Fat something, said something and also walked away.
‘This is for you,’ she handed the chit to Somia. We eagerly watched as she unfolded it.
‘It’s his number!’ Somia waved the chit happily ‘and he says he’s really sorry!’ I hoped Somia wouldn’t turn into another Sk. Farhan came in some after sometime and invited us to a party in the compartment next door. We’d so much fun and we ate some yummy things too. We all exchanged numbers. Blue said sorry once again, this time he looked sorry too. We again told him what happened in front of everybody and forgave him. I don’t think they believe us. The story sounded too far fetched now, even to me. And I think Farhan is kind of good looking. Oh well!
So right now, I’m at home lying peacefully in my warm bed...Chatting with Fat, Farhan, Blue, Camper and Coral. Oh I almost forgot to tell you one thing; I and my family might go to Malta as Jane invited us. I’m looking forward to it! I don’t want to admit it but I missed Camper and Coral!

P.S: Sana, i know the ending is really crap but i got bored!!

An Ode To Friendship!

Just imagine your life without friends. Weird, isn’t it? I take my friends for granted, I think everybody does. But life would be so empty without them. Nobody calling you for hours to talk about random things, nobody there to whom you can tell some juicy piece of gossip, nobody there sharing your joys and sorrows, nobody lending you notes, books, Cds, jewelry and stuff, nobody helping you in studies, nobody calling your name the way your friends do, nobody laughing at your lame jokes, no shoulder to cry on, nobody waiting for you when you go to college, school and the kind, nobody suddenly appearing behind your back, startling you but making you smile at the same time …there’re million, no trillions of good things about friends which we ignore, never taking them seriously, thinking that they’re just small things but in reality they’re the things which make our day.
I don’t have many friends, actually only four but they’re my real friends. I can trust them. That’s the best thing about friends; you can count on them to help you! I never had a real one until I was in class 10th; there I met Maria and Sk. Hey guys! I love you both!! (I know you’re not reading this but I’ll make you. Ha-ha). And then there’s Iqra, my quiet friend, who never tells me her dark secrets! =( but I wish she’d someday! And at last but not the least, yes you’re right, it’s you Sana. I know you were waiting for your name to come along. So there you’re! More about you?? Well ……I met Sana four years ago in coaching. We performed a practical together, exchanged numbers and for two years we never saw each other, just talked on phone for few seconds. Then luckily we got admission the same college and TADA we became fast friends! We still are. Sana, stop grinning. I wrote about you because you comment on my posts and let me borrow your books (so what, you borrow mine too!) …just kidding! You’re my special friend and I’m really glad I met you!! ^_^ ok this is getting corny …
So guys, cherish the moments you spend with your friends. Treat them nicely (but don’t let them empty your pockets). Show them that you love and care; tell them that you’re lucky to have such nice friends (Like I’m doing right now! Sorry, just joking!!) …and never talk about them behind their backs; spare them, don’t make them the subject of your gossip! And never, as in never ever, break their trust because once the trust is broken it’s impossible to fix the bond of friendship (umm... I’m not good at quoting) and two more important things about friends:
* They send you forward sms on Friendship’s day!
* They also comment on your blog making it quite popular! (Thanks Sana!)

That’s it! It’s 2am right now and I’m wide awake. If my mum would see me here sitting on PC so late, she’d have a fit (I’m exaggerating) ….and well, I hope you like it, the post I mean. Bye now!

Holidays; The Tunnel Trip

‘What’s that?’ I nudged Sana, pointing towards the bag she was carrying on her back.
‘My backpack’, she replied
‘I know that! But why have you brought it? It looks heavy’ I explained impatiently.
Sana shook her head and gave me her look which said that I was being extremely foolish and slow.
‘What?’ I asked and tripped over a rock ‘Ouch’ I quickly scrambled to my feet.
‘Be careful’ Blue turned to look at me. Fat sniggered.
‘I’ve to bring few essential things’ Sana explained when I was once again on my feet.
‘Like what?’
“Like maybe a torch, water bottle, cookies, match-sticks...’ Sana trailed off.
‘Oh no’ I slapped my forehead, ‘I forgot to bring my flash light and water bottle’
‘It’s ok, you can share with me’ Sana offered.
‘Can I share too?’ Somia asked, appearing behind us
‘You didn’t bring your torch too?’ Sana asked, giving her a surprised look. I’ve to admit I was also surprised, Somia was such a neat and responsible person; I’d have thought she’d brought everything for everyone.
‘No’ she admitted sheepishly.
‘Well!’ Sana let out a short laugh ‘just hope we don’t need any of this stuff. I brought it just in case, you know’
‘Just in case? What do you mean?’
‘In case we get stuck or something…..’ Sana said lightly. Suddenly I’d butterflies in my stomach. I was excited and afraid at the same time, the feeling when you’re doing something wrong. I saw Blue and Fat talking in low voices ahead, they were moving really fast, occasionally turning around to see us as if they were afraid we were eavesdropping on their conversation. To tell you the truth, I’d have loved to know what they were talking about.
Blue and Fat stopped in the middle of their tracks, they were looking angry. We walked towards them.
‘Hey, you two okay?’ Somia asked, lifting her eyebrows.
They both turned to look at us.
‘Don’t go’ Fat said shortly, crossing her arms.
‘Huh?’
‘I’m telling you, it’s completely safe down there!’ Blue sounded tired.
‘How come then Farhan told me that there are wild boars looming around?’ she said coldly.
‘Mr. Sajid told that just to scare us, Farhan took it seriously,’ Blue winked at her and smiled. Trying to charm her, I gave Sana a knowing look.
But Fat wasn’t like us, she didn’t get charmed so easily.
‘Blue, tell us the truth. Don’t try to be a hero, if it’s not really safe, just tell us,’ Fat argued. She sounded like she knew what she was talking about. And weird enough, I felt she was right. I looked into Blue’s eyes, which were black as coal. He didn’t meet my eyes; he blinked rapidly and glanced away. It was then I was sure Fat was completely right.
‘Come on’ Blue waved his hands ‘you guys coming or not?’
‘Sure we’re,’ Somia smiled at him sweetly. Sana nodded.
Their heads turned to me. I was speechless. Part of me was saying that Fat was right; it was forbidding me to go. But the other part, the bigger one, was shouting ‘Go! Have fun, you silly girl!’
‘Yup, I’m coming’ I gave in and laughed nervously.
‘I’ll come too, then’ Fat said calmly
‘Why?’ Blue asked ungraciously.
‘Just because! Maybe to save our hero’ she laughed which sounded like a bark. Blue grudgingly smiled and started to walk. He was taking long strides; while we were trying our best not to get tangled in the creepers hanging from the trees.
‘That’s the place,’ Blue rubbed his hands, there was a wild gleam in his eyes which I didn’t like. The moon shone above us and dark trees surrounded us.
I looked down on the ground and saw a metal trapdoor. Blue heaved with all his might on the trapdoor. It squeaked but didn’t move an inch.
‘Come on,’ said Blue. We all pulled on the trapdoor. It hinges cracked loudly and slowly it stood open.
‘Wow, that was really heavy’ I panted. My hands were greasy. Sana took out her flashlight proudly and shone it downwards. Blue gave her an approving nod. All I could see was the top of the ladder and then all darkness.
Blue climbed down, motioning us to follow him. Somia went down next, then Sana trying to hold her torch steadily. I glanced at Fat who was tying her hairs in a pony tail and then also climbed down. I put my foot at the wrong place and the next second I was hanging on the rungs of the ladder.
‘Jump down’ Somia yelled at me. I did what she told me, I let go of the ladder and landed on the ground with a bump. It didn’t hurt but my heart beat was so fast that I was afraid I’d have a heart attack. I slowly stood up, dusting off my clothes. It was a small room, its ceiling really low, the room was opening to four tunnels. The room was filled with damp odour. Sana handed me a flashlight.
Fat jumped gracefully, landing beside me.
‘Now what?’ she said to Blue. She was challenging him.
Blue walked towards one of the tunnels and got on his knees and hands
‘We’ve to crawl?’ Somia groaned.
‘Yeah’ Blue didn’t look happy himself, he signaled us to follow him. We all got down on our knees and hands and crawled. The light was dim, I’d trouble seeing things. The tunnel seemed to go on and on. Blue, Sana and Somia disappeared completely. At one place the ceiling was so low I’d to duck down, completely, my face pressed against the ground.
‘Sana, what was that.’ I stopped suddenly. I heard somebody whispering ‘Sana?’ I called out loudly.
‘I think she can’t hear you,’ Fat bumped into me ‘Move on. We don’t want to be left alone here’ I started to move, all ears. I heard it again.
‘Did you hear that?’ my voice wavered slightly ‘Somebody was whispering’
‘Sidrah, it was just the wind blowing through the cracks’ Fat said gently. Yup! Of course, it was just the wind, I was relieved. Whoosh whoosh, just the wind. The tunnel abruptly opened into a place where I could stand.
‘Where are the others?’ I asked Fat, trying to keep the fear out of my voice. Fat got up and looked around; the room branched into many directions.
‘I don’t know,’ Fat said helplessly. I shone the torch into one of the tunnels and saw nothing. It looked like big hole. Then I shone it to the other one.
‘Sana?’ I yelled, my voice echoed loudly. I jumped at my own sound. ‘Somia?’
‘Blueeeeeee...’ Fat also started to yell. Somehow, her yelling didn’t comfort me. I wanted her to remain quiet like always. Then I’d know everything is okay. But it’s not; I said to myself, we’re trapped in an infinite tunnel.
‘Claudia, what are we gonna do now?’ I had almost called her Fat but I caught myself in time, I didn’t want her to be mad at me. Certainly not then. She exhaled sharply and looked at me as if she were trying to figure out something.
‘Let’s sit down and think for a moment,’ I obeyed her sat down, leaning against the wall ‘don’t panic’ I was trying my best not to cry, ‘Switch off the flashlight, we’ll need it later’ I turned it off wordlessly. Darkness closed in around us. It was pitching black; I can swear I never saw such darkness before. And for the first I was fearful, really fearful for my life.
‘Now let’s talk’ I could hear the water dripping somewhere. Fat began to tell me about her hometown. I listened vaguely but my mind was somewhere else. I felt hopeless, we’d come so far that I was sure we’ll never find our way out of the tunnel.
‘It’s useless! We can’t talk about how cute Zac Efron is when we’re stuck here,’ Fat exclaimed after a while. I giggled at this. I giggled a little more and suddenly my giggles converted into laughter. The situation seemed awfully funny, an hour ago I’d have never thought I’d be here sitting in some tunnel with total darkness surrounding me and funniest of all talking with Fat in such a friendly way!
‘Oh Sidrah,’ Fat said worryingly ‘don’t get hysterical’ that made me laugh more. I laughed so hard that my stomach began to get hurt.
‘Sidrah!’ Fat was laughing too. We laughed and laughed until I heard a loud scream followed by a roar.
‘What was that?’ my hands groped in the dark for the flashlight ‘Where’s the flashlight?”
‘I’m looking for it,’ we were dead serious now. The scream sounded like Somia’s. I fumbled for the flashlight some more and found it, I switched it on and shone towards the source of scream.
‘Come on,’ Fat said, running towards the tunnel. I ran after her. We came to an opening and found Sana and Somia huddled into a corner. I open my mouth to scream but Fat put her hand on my mouth.
‘Don’t scream!’ She whispered into my ear furiously. I saw a black animal advancing towards them. Its body was covered in bristles. It roared loudly. I winced. My knees were trembling and my teeth were chattering. I missed sitting in the darkness of the tunnel, it seemed so peaceful now. I looked at them and saw Sana pointing towards her bag which was lying nearby on the ground. Fat saw her pointing too and moved quickly and got the bag.
‘Come here,’ she pulled me back in the tunnel and emptied the bag.
‘Does she have a match-stick?’ she asked looking through the objects.
‘Yes, yes she said she brought it,’ I also started to search. The light was getting dimmer and dimmer. I saw a candle in the pile and put it in my pocket.
‘There it is,’ Fat stood up and took out one match stick from the box.
‘What are you doing?’ I asked her when I saw her going back to that creature.
‘Boars are afraid of fire,’ she smiled thinly ‘take a rock or something and throw it at the boar’
‘Are you mad, it’ll eat us alive’, I was crying now ‘I think we should get help’
‘How?’ she was right. How? I nodded and took a box from the pile and threw it at the boar. It roared loudly and turned towards us. It has red beady eyes and sharp tusks which can rip you apart.
Fat was trembling and trying to light the match-stick. It fell from her hand. The boar was really close now; I could hear its rasp breath. Suddenly Fat stood straight, took a deep breath and then really calmly lighted the match. I was holding my breath. She took a step towards the boar, the match in her hand. The boar took a step backwards. Sana and Somia then very quietly circled around the room and came towards the tunnel. Fat holding the match took another step towards the animal. Unfortunately at the same time, the match-stick burned out. My heart stopped beating. The flashlight was almost dead. In a second we’d be in the total darkness with a wild animal. The candle, you silly girl, the voice said in my head which sounded like Camper’s. My heart started to beat again. I took it out and handed it to Fat. She sighed relieved and lit it again. Then she did the bravest thing of all, she ran towards the boar at full speed. It oinked and ran away. I began to breathe calmly. For a while we didn’t say anything to each other. Then Sana broke the silence by coughing loudly. For a moment we thought the animal was back again and then began to laugh as we realized it was Sana. We went back to the same place where Fat and I were sitting before and blocked the tunnel by putting some rocks against it.
‘Where’s Blue?’ Fat asked, taking a big gulp from the water bottle.
‘He went to check on you. When you guys didn’t come, we were quite worried,’ Sana said checking her backpack ‘Where’s that blue box?’ she muttered
‘Oh, I threw it at the boar. What was in it?’ I told her.
‘It was the cookie box,’ we all groaned and realized we were terribly hungry.
'How did you know boars are afraid of fire?' i asked Sana and Fat.
"Weren't you listening to Ms. Orla the other day' I shook my head 'she told us stuff, useful stuff!' Fat smirked, the type i hated, but I wasn't hating her right then.
‘So where did Blue go,’ I wondered aloud.
‘He tricked us,’ Fat ruefully smiled.
‘But why would he do that?’ Somia looked sad, I knew she liked him ‘We didn’t do anything to him’
‘Oh Somia! He’s just like that. Farhan said he often play cruel pranks on people and thinks its funny,’ Fat gestured impatiently.
‘He told me that he was going to be a Tarzan of Changa Manga,’ I blurted out foolishly.
‘What?’ they giggled.
‘Yeah,’ I rolled my eyes, blushing furiously ‘and he said he might find his Jane here’ I added, looking meaningfully at Somia.
At this point Somia blushed. I laughed at her; she stuck out her tongue at me.
‘What should we do now,’ Sana said, breaking the awkward silence that followed ‘Blue won’t leave us here forever, will he’ she said doubtfully. We had no answer. I began to wonder. We’d be stuck here forever. Eating dirt and mud, sipping drops of water that was dripping from the walls, and later we’d be friends with that boar. The thought was awful. After resting a while, Fat suggested that we should try to find our way out. We agreed with her. With the candle in Sana’s hand we walked the tunnel.
‘Hey, wait a minute,’ Fat stopped and faced us, her face shining.
‘What?’
‘We’re walking! Didn’t you notice?’ she pointed to our feet.
‘Yes? So?’ Fat is losing her mind, I thought.
‘Oh Guys!’ she was already going back to the room ‘the tunnel we came from was really low. We’d to crawl, remember?’
Now that made sense. We ran back to the room and checked all the tunnels, luckily only one has low ceiling. We’d to crawl in total darkness. I closed my eyes as cobwebs brushed against my face. And then we were there. Sana lit the candle again, which was now kind of broken. Fat climbed the ladder and pushed the trapdoor. It didn’t budge.
‘Guys, we’re still stuck!’ she jumped down. We all sat quietly waiting for someone to help us.
‘Sk knows,’ Sana mumbled ‘and Farhan knows too’
‘Don’t forget Blue,’ Somia added.
So there we were sitting in an underground tunnel, with wild boars and one broken candle. Waiting for someone to help us….with no food and water!