The room was still
and two “committed students” did there one night stand for the exams next day.
The biting of nails was all that was heard because they feared the next days’
exam but they were totally oblivious of the impending danger that lurked
beneath one of them. Me, with an effort to tilt my head towards my roomie, who
was inches apart sitting on the right had to take a 180 degree turn to right
but had to stop at 70 degree. I stared in isolation at the 3rd
possible roommate we now had, who came to existence only when he met the domain
of my eyes and there it was with its tentacles drifting apart, numerous legs
walking haphazardly from beneath the bed of my innocent unaware roommate, who
still thought that the life’s toughest task was staying awake for the night. I
decided lets share the fear and I told him in the most soothing way that I
could, “Buddy! There is a cockroach in our room” and I realized that fear is a
relative term. His fear was taller stronger and sharper than mine.one cannot
blame him as it wasn’t just a cockroach, it was a fear that re surfaced which
was hidden behind the male ego that we tend to carry. It was the future
anticipations that we had which ran a chill down our spine. The thought of the
places that the creature could reach while we were sleeping were enough to get
us sleepless.
The exam
preparations were put on hold all possible lights were switched on. We were on
our guard and the decision as to who would be the one to go after it was
pending, I looked at my roomie with hope, but his eyes clearly said, “Don’t even
think”. Here I was convincing myself that go for it, you just have to get alive
out of this. The plan was to let the goose bumps shout and be heroic enough to
initiate the search operation. Every corner called out to me, every crevice was
thoroughly peeped into with a fear that maybe the roach will come out to crawl
upon my face…but none happened. My roomie who seemed to be fully “paralysed”
had enough tongue to suggest what places to look for.
Funny part is, a
person tries to be as organized as he can but due to a miniature the room lost
its charm. Beds were shaken, everything was put on the bed, noises were made at
probable places and sudden shouts of fear filled the room when even a paper
touched my leg, wearing slippers made me feel very safe quite unusually.
“He is not in
the room”, verdict came from the “paralysed” person, hidden behind the covers,
all corners and edges of the covers were forced beneath so that no entrance was
available for that creature. Then a master mind thought popped in…I asked
myself, “Where would I have hidden if I were a cockroach?” This parallelism
brought great result.
There he was, in
a pipe like structure that was kept in my room…thanks to the plumber. We
exchanged looks and the batman-joker moment lasted a bit longer. But how to get
the creature out? You tilt the pipe, it won’t budge, and you throw something at
it you realize not to try aiming games ever. The combat continued…I wanted to
take him alive…but things didn’t work out, we managed to contain him in a
container bammm! I closed the lid.
The world
rejoiced, violins were playing and the army, navy and air force all gaped at my
bravery. There he was…but now it was turn to introduce this villain to our paralyzed
friend. The kind of shouting's’ I received from him for mocking to throw it at
him were phenomenal. I scared him until I was satisfied and then went out to give
the roach its freedom. My heroic qualities applauded at me...it was like people
from all the rooms will come out and stand amazed at my catch. I released him
and came back to the room with a heart pumping less and a roomie shouting more.
When we settled, an hour later this thought came to my mind which was so creepy
…which I shared with my roomie as well, to again make the night sleep less
again, It said
“What if it was
just another cockroach that was in there for days and the real one is still
somewhere beneath your bed or somewhere around…peace was forgotten and fear
revived.”
