POWERELEX01- FARE WELL

I checked the mirror for the twelfth time, grooming my hair again.
“Hey enough , this isn’t your marriage!!” shouted Nigesh impatiently.
“Ya ya I know ; but see I need to comb my hair properly , it always gets……. ” I responded.
“Enough , lets go!!” spoke Nigesh with a commanding tone.
I peeked at the restroom mirror for the last time and came out. Standing in the third floor of my department is like an undreamt dream coming true.
“Only when we leave this college they renovate everything” Nigesh complained . “New floors with new labs , all modern devices and equipments!! We are the most unlucky batch”.
I laughed “Ya! Its ok . IIT delhi has better facilities than this, you can enjoy your experiments there”
He didn’t react and entered a lab leaving me behind.
The corridor is flooded with small groups of my class mates at every two feet. ‘ “Gangism” never leaves us’ I thought to myself.
I walked steadily to the first group ; made myself ready to get bantered . Because its the Gokul gang.
“Hi guys” I wished them.
“Hello!! What happened to your favorite pink shirt”, Gokul said with a face full of laughter.
Other three joined him with their contribution of laughter.
“Kudos Gokul” Gopinath praised him .As usual!!!
I just turned a deaf hear to him . “So when is your joining date in IIM-L” I enquired Avinash.
“Next month” he replied.
Gopi started to crack another ‘three letter happy’ joke ; which coincided with the entry of Arunachalam.
‘Thank God for sending this savior’ I relieved to myself.
“Hey why are we all called here today” Arun questioned with a feverish impatience.
“Oh ! they are going to conduct a test now, only if you pass ,you will be allowed to join CTS ,else have to study the whole four years again” Gokul informed with a serious look such that even any shrewd person is pliable of believing .
“Hey !! really? I dint prepare anything” Arun replied innocently.
I couldn’t help but laugh.
“The material for test is available in Xerox shop, go get it” Sanjeev added to his part.
We all laughed to tears.
M.k who was standing silently beside us came for the rescue , “No man. They have built this new floor and labs, so before we leave college invited us to have a look at them.”
I slowly walked away . Met Kalpana , the short one.
“When is your joining date” she asked.
“In a week” I replied . “So how is your hubby in Trichy” I teased her.
“Shut up” she smiled and moved away slowly.
Four years I have spent my life with these people , some friends and some acquaintances , yet I don’t feel a bit for leaving them. ‘Is something wrong with me’ I questioned myself. ‘no you are being practical to accept the inevitable’ my mind informed me.
I came near the next gang ; the fun-to -be with gang . ‘The Siddarth gang’.
Dubash , the first one to see me coming , said “Hello”.
“Hi” I greeted back.
“Hello Mr. AJOY” Siddarth said sarcastically.
“Not going for treat to spencers now a days” I retorted back.
“Superb” Paul responded to my wit and laughed. Charan giggled with us . But I am not quiet sure , if he understood what I meant.
“I have uploaded a new article in the blog, check it” Charan said.
“Oh fine. Sure” I replied.
Just then I remembered , “Hey Siddarth yesterday I went to Ispani” I paused , “ guess who I saw there?”
Sidd replied puzzled with a grin “Who”??
“I saw…. ” I began to reply , but interrupted by some heavy sound. I was startled , so was everyone there. It seems like thundering , but the fact is , it is the sound of guns firing.
We peeked through the window . All we could see is chaos.
“Who are they?” Prasanna enquired pointing somewhere.
I gazed in the direction he pointed “Oh my God”!!
Hefty men with clothing covering their faces and armed with guns , which we have seen only in movies.
“Something is wrong , we need to run out” I said almost shouting and stated to race to the exit.
“Not so soon”. I heard only a voice before me. A tall guy , one of the masked men ,stood before us. Only this six feet tall probable human stood between me and the exit stairs. I have no choice, so I retreated back.
“Listen . Your college is under our control , so are you all” he said with an intimidating tone . “So keep down , don’t provoke me to fire you”.
‘Oh shit’ I said to myself.
The door of the lab which is right behind where the terrorist stood opened slowly. It didn’t take much time for me to realize its Vairam who stepped out . He has a good vantage point and I am sure he’ll use it to run away.
But bravery become the greatest foe for survival sometimes. He ambushed from behind and got hold of the terrorist around his neck. The masked guy struggled a bit , lost his balance and crouched down. Vairam is no match for this gigantic animal. The terrorist caught him with his right hand and flung him around to the ground and kicked him twice hard in his chest.
“You filthy jerk , acting very smart uh” the terrorist shouted and took his rifle and pointed at Vairam who lay down on the ground.
“No No don’t don’t” we all almost shouted , cant see a friend getting killed.
But the terrorist FIRED HIS GUN.

- TO BE CONTINUED