The following morning, the soft rays of dawn gently filtered through the curtains, awakening Rithanya from her slumber at the familiar hour of 5 am. She instinctively anticipated the piercing sound of the hostel alarms, often accompanied by the thunderous voice of the warden, that she had grown accustomed to. However, as her eyes fluttered open, she found herself surrounded by the comforting embrace of her auntie's house, enveloped by the warm presence of her loving family. A relieved sigh escaped her lips as the realization settled in—she was far from the confines of her school. Grinning at the thought, she shifted onto her side, succumbing to the allure of sleep once again.An hour drifted by, and the world of dreams reluctantly released its hold on Rithanya once more. This time, it was a tender kiss planted on her forehead that stirred her from her slumber. Blinking her eyes open, she was met with Dadda's affectionate smile as he leaned over her. "Come on, get up and get ready righ

The night enveloped the hostel room in a heavy silence, the weight of darkness matching the stillness of slumbering bodies. But for Rithanya, sleep remained elusive, as her mind was entangled in the clutches of her recent nightmare. The tormenting memories of that fateful night persisted, refusing to release their grip on her consciousness.Restlessness gnawed at her, each passing moment punctuating the minutes she could have spent studying. Every heartbeat echoed with the weight of the upcoming exam, a reminder of the challenges that loomed on the horizon. Her roommates seemed to have found refuge in the embrace of dreams, their rhythmic breathing contrasting sharply with her own persistent wakefulness.With a sigh, she shifted her gaze toward the window, where the moonlight poured in with an almost ethereal radiance. Tonight, the moon seemed to shine brighter, casting a silver glow that painted the room in subtle shades of gray. It was as if the moon itself was a

It was already Tuesday. The girls rushed to the restrooms before the warden‟s wake up call. There were long queues outside them.“I had put my dresses on the door. How could you get in by pushing my dress aside?” someone yelled at a girl bathing inside. There came a fierce reply, “The room was vacant and so I grabbed the chance to have my bath.”Rithanya did not know whether to laugh at these girls or get irritated by the way they behaved. Diva and Fowzia came in at the same time. They saw Rithanya with her bucket and clothes, standing without any clue about what to do. Fowzia asked, “What are you doing here, Rithu?”Rithanya replied, “Well, I am researching how to build a rocket and land on Mars.”“Relax. What Fowzia meant was, if you cannot find a bathroom, why are you standing here and wasting time. You should probably go to the study session.” Diva pacified Rithanya.So Rithanya went to the study room, found that already many other girls from her class and the neighbouring classe

Rithanya was so mad that afternoon. She sat in the tree shade, aloof for a long time trying to relax her nerves. The timetable indicated that the next day's exam was Chemistry. She rushed to the hostel and got her chemistry notes. “I would like to study on my own,” she requested her chemistry teacher. “Okay, but you must be in the school building and should not go to the hostel,’ the teacher permitted. Rithanya pointed out the tree near the entrance. "Okay, I will be under the tree in the shade. I might go to the hostel to only get water if I need it." “What about your lunch?” the teacher asked. “No ma’am, I am not hungry. I will have some biscuits.” Rithanya showed her a pack of Britannia Milk Bikis. Rithanya rushed to her classroom. Aditi had kept her bag there and she opened it. Aditi had brought her lunch. Rithanya ate it very quickly. She took one idly, laced it with the sambar and wrapped in the food wrap. She put the wrapped piece in her dress pocket and walked down to the

The doctor, Dr. Sharma, emerged from the physician's room with an air of professional concern. His eyes, usually sharp and analytical, now held a mixture of empathy and detachment as he approached Ms. Roopa, the hostel warden, who was anxiously waiting for his assessment of Rithanya's condition.Dr. Sharma cleared his throat before speaking, choosing his words carefully. "Her blood pressure is fluctuating," he began, his voice measured. "I've administered some injections to help her relax. She appears exceedingly weak, as if she hasn't had a proper rest in a long time. Her body is utterly drained, saturated, you might say. We'll keep her on the IV for a few hours, and she should gradually start recovering."Ms. Roopa nodded, a mixture of relief and gratitude washing over her. She appreciated the doctor's competence and the reassurance he provided in this trying situation. The sight of Rithanya unconscious had filled her with dread, and now she was relieved to hear that