The Strange World

Indrini Das

(Student Spoken English – School Goers’ Batch-CCAI)

Oh! What a beautiful atmosphere was there! I am telling about Dalhousi. My uncle lives there. So during the ‘puja vacation’ I went there with my parents and two of my friends. None knew hat there was hidden such a mystery in that pleasant place. The month was October, just before arrival of winter. But there was enough cold in Dalhousi then my uncle himself came at the station to receive us. He was a businessman. He had a beautiful garden of roses. All types of roses including white rose, yellow rose, pink rose were there. I went there after a long days. So I was as curious and exited to visit the place as my other friends Rini and Susnita ware. Uncle Roy suggested us to go out in the afternoon. However we were too much tried, so we agreed with my uncle.

As soon as the afternoon arrived we, means Rini, Susmita and I, went out to enjoy the sight seeing on foot. My parents remained at home. After some times my Uncle Mr. Roy’s friend Mr. Mehera would come. They would gossip with each other. They left us alone as the place was safe and I came there previously.

My uncle’s house was at a remote place. So, there were not many houses. There was no noise. A peaceful atmosphere was present there. As like other houses my uncle’s house was also made of wood. We all three friends walked along the North city road. Two sides of the road where filled with colorful flowers and long grasses. The left side was the erect side of the hill. Off and on some wood made houses beautified by gardens were prying. Suddenly Sunita called us and showed us a cave. It was an old and Deep Mountain cave. The entrance of the cave was full of weeds and bushes. It was clear that for many days none has gone there. The inside of the cave was pitch dark. The mystery of that darkness attracted me very much. That time the sun was setting surroundings were becoming dark. We had no torch or any light. So, we started to return home.

After returning home I at first asked my uncle about that mysterious cave. He becomes surprised listening at me that we went near that cave and forbade us to go into that as it was an omitted mountain cave. But my curiosity grew more and more about that cave. I wanted to witness the inside of cave. At night I expressed my desire to my friends. At first they became wondered but after a few moments they agreed with my proposal. We placed to do our adventure next day. I prevented them again and again to tell our plan to the elders. I am feeling an extreme charm and excitement in my mind. — Let us see what will happen next day.

Next morning after taking the breakfast we all three friends went out for the cave. We brought two torches and a knife as arm with us. Of course we brought those secretly. When we reached near the cave our heart-beat grew at the top. The place was as lonely as last evening. Rini and Sunita looked at me, means I have to take the leading role. I will not tell that I was not afraid them. But an excitement was working in my mind then which lead me to move forward. I put on the light an entered into the cave. My friends were coming just behind me. I knew that the knife was with Rini. I hoped that she could use that in the time of danger. The inside of the cave was clam and compact dark. The floor was dump and rugged. The wall of the cave was full of cobweb. We were carefully observing the path again and again as there was no absence of poisonous snakes and insect. The light of the torch made mysterious atmosphere there and there was an uncanny darkness where the light of the torch was not reaching.

Suddenly Sunita shouted and fell over my shoulders. Her sudden shout made me terrorize and stillnes. But in a few moments I controlled my nerves and turned behind. I saw fearfully a huge snake. It was stared at as gazingly. I tried a lot but could not control my incitation. The torch in my hand started to tumbling. In this situation Rini did a perfect step. She took a stone silently and threw it towards the snake. It become afraid and went into a ditch. We again started our journey. Oh! How deep cave in it was! We were walking and walking but could not see the end. “We should have obeyed the words of our uncle” — Sunita told fiercely. But it was too late to look behind. Suddenly the darkness became fade. I put off the torch and saw that a slight light was coming from inside of the cave. We become surprised and went forward. Gradually the light was brightening more and more. There was no need of torch also. After a few moments we saw a big, golden colored door. It was carved beautifully. We wondered very much when we saw that door. We did not know who had built that. I look at Rini and Sunita who encouraged me to open the door. The door was unlocked. So I easily opened it.

When we entered inside the door we all become like statue due to an extreme amazement. There was a huge place with full of green grasses, beautiful, colorful, flowers and a soft tender light. All the trees contained juicy fruit. Little children were playing in that beautiful garden. Not only that, we witness few cartoon characters like micky mice were also there. How surprising that was! I, Rini and Sunita entered into this joy land with very much wonder and curiosity in mind. Gradually we forgot that we were in a dangerous cave due to the pleasant atmosphere of that dream land. All were happy there, all were enjoying there. We also saw that we could not touch any thing of this world. Rini could not but tried a lot to touch the trees, fruits and flowers there after some time the atmosphere became dark and a huge storm appeared in front of us. I think this disaster is happening due to Rini’s attempt of touching’. -- Sunita cried out in fear. ‘Let us go out’ –I shouted and ran towards the door. When we exited the door we heard a terrible sound. I look fiercely at the ceiling that was started to break down. We immediately started for running back breathlessly towards the exit. We could not get time to put on the torch also. At last when we just got out of the cave the ceiling broke down with a loud noise and closes the entrance of the cave.

There was a known world out side of the cave. The birds were chapping as usual, the tiny valleys were looking as beautiful as like other days. Nothing was there to wonder us or to make us curious. So when we came out of the cave we ourselves become doubt full, if the incident was in a dream or in real. What was that? Rini asked a low voice. Sunita answered, “I think that was a imaginary world, means the imagination of little children. We can never tough the imagination. So we could not touch those also. I told, ‘see friends, there are many thing in the world which are totally disconnected from science. We have invented such a mysterious thing. Rini told piteously, can we not show it any body?’ we could not answer this question. Now the entrance of the cave was totally closed.

That day we returned home in the after noon. Elders were too much anxious about us. When we returned they rebuked us very much. But I did not reveal the truth. I know that nobody could find that mysterious world. That was only store in our mind but how can we show it others?