Happy Ending: Part I
This is a story I wrote for my college creative writing competition. I am posting it in two instalments. The first one follows.
The Birmingham University for Research into Psychiatric Phenomena! God, how I had wanted to be here. Only two months ago, I had joined as a lecturer at the Plazvestsia Institute of Telepsychological Studies.
The letter changed everything. "I am engaged in research into the programmability of animal emotion and behavior. Your previous work suggests that I have found the perfect collaborator in you. I hope it won't be presumptuous of me to invite you to work with me." This from Bigg. B. Rain. His shoulders supported the entire reputation of Birmingham University. I muttered and stammered incoherently to Prof. Strucklow about a sabbatical in Birmingham. He was amazed I would ask for it having worked only two months. But, eventually the force of Rain's name convinced him.
I looked at my watch. Ten past nine. Rain was not known to have ever been late for an appointment. His punctuality was legendary. I wondered what to do and started to rise, when the phone in Rain's office rang. Since his door was open, I walked in hesitantly and picked it up.
The voice on the other end sounded hysterically jolly and scared, all at once, like a worm trying to enjoy being squashed. It was Rain. "Sorry, Beatemall," he addressed me, "I can't meet you today. Busy busy busy! Too much to do. No time, no time. I am late. I will be late," he started laughing loudly. I was puzzled.
"You have to carry on my work and try to make sense of it. Bye, son!" he rang off. Weird. I gazed out absentmindedly from the balcony in front of his room. A man zipped past me in the air, not a foot away. Downwards he went, faster and faster. Laughing maniacally. In my desperation, I actually remember lunging with my arms, but he had fallen past.
And then he stopped.
The college building was eighteen stories high. I had seen the sight for the merest instant before turning away but I retched my guts out on the balcony.
For some reason, the nursery rhyme kept ringing in my head... Rain had gone away, and he was not coming again another day. Read rest of the instalment...
The Birmingham University for Research into Psychiatric Phenomena! God, how I had wanted to be here. Only two months ago, I had joined as a lecturer at the Plazvestsia Institute of Telepsychological Studies.
The letter changed everything. "I am engaged in research into the programmability of animal emotion and behavior. Your previous work suggests that I have found the perfect collaborator in you. I hope it won't be presumptuous of me to invite you to work with me." This from Bigg. B. Rain. His shoulders supported the entire reputation of Birmingham University. I muttered and stammered incoherently to Prof. Strucklow about a sabbatical in Birmingham. He was amazed I would ask for it having worked only two months. But, eventually the force of Rain's name convinced him.
I looked at my watch. Ten past nine. Rain was not known to have ever been late for an appointment. His punctuality was legendary. I wondered what to do and started to rise, when the phone in Rain's office rang. Since his door was open, I walked in hesitantly and picked it up.
The voice on the other end sounded hysterically jolly and scared, all at once, like a worm trying to enjoy being squashed. It was Rain. "Sorry, Beatemall," he addressed me, "I can't meet you today. Busy busy busy! Too much to do. No time, no time. I am late. I will be late," he started laughing loudly. I was puzzled.
"You have to carry on my work and try to make sense of it. Bye, son!" he rang off. Weird. I gazed out absentmindedly from the balcony in front of his room. A man zipped past me in the air, not a foot away. Downwards he went, faster and faster. Laughing maniacally. In my desperation, I actually remember lunging with my arms, but he had fallen past.
And then he stopped.
The college building was eighteen stories high. I had seen the sight for the merest instant before turning away but I retched my guts out on the balcony.
For some reason, the nursery rhyme kept ringing in my head... Rain had gone away, and he was not coming again another day. Read rest of the instalment...