Straddling a fault line

Everytime there is a sudden eruption in decibels , it reminds me of the madness that convulsed in the hostel two days back , an incident of whom I am a bonafide victim of . The uninterrupted bangs on the doors , accompanied by an array of angry voices and oaths that swore that the inhabitant of the room will surely be taken out and seriously dealt with , marked the most talked about event of this semester ( which has just begun , and that too , on a very very high note )

Let me take you two days back , right to the scene of the crime . It was past midnight and I was busy trying to make my room look a little human before going to bed . It was precisely when I switched the lights off that I heard a series of raged voices coming from a distance . My instant response was that someone must be having a late birthday celebration ( which is often the case when the birthday boy hides somewhere in order to escape the beating , and later when found , is thrashed over and over and over ) .

I tried to divert my attention from the distant sounds , went to bed and was analyzing the whole day in my mind , waiting for my brain to drink the sweet juice of delirium . The day which was very much like the usual , except the evening scene , which witnessed a fight between few final and pre final year students . In a way , this fight could also be classified under “usual” since my college has very much turned into a wrestling arcade , where everyone thinks that he is the only lion in the jungle , where everyone is hungry to prove his dominance , where a senior is no more a senior and a junior is no more a junior , not for few of them atleast , a few of them who can always be seen instrumenting ways to get into a “scene” as frequently as possible .

Thuddd … Thuddd … Thuddd … Someone was banging at the door just next to my room . The action was repeated quite a few times . By now , I was back into the real world and I knew , I had to again work hard to go to sleep . Furious and irritated , I made my way to the door , ushering the curses to both the parties involved ( both , the person who occupied the room and was being too lazy to open the door , plus the doer of the action who , obviously was parted with his quota of patience off late ) .

Call it my luck , or call it their bad luck . Just when I was about to open the door , my enire room vibrated with the clang of the rod which made a contact with my door . Perplexed , I stood there for a moment or so , trying to reflect upon what has just happened , what could have happened or what would happen if I still open the damn door . BAAANNNGGGG …… before I could come to any conclusion , there came another shot , which was followed by many more of its kind . They were going for the wreckage . They were quite sure that the only way they can get their hands around me is by breaking the wooden partition that stood amidst their WMDs and my flesh .

I was still not sure what caused it . My brain ( which was fully awake now ) was making a quick rewind , trying to collect all the tiny quarrels I got myself involved in , and which one of them could have possibly ignited this . The database which was formulated by my brain was quite intricate and I was as unsure as ever . But one thing that I was pretty sure of was that there behind the door , stands a pack of wolves , thirsty of their prey’s blood , trying everything within their reach to get their prize .

Few minutes had gone by and much to my surprise , I was still alive and kicking . I wondered what was the threshold limit of this door’s endurance , how much beating it could withstand . It was certainly proving its worth and was much stronger than I gave my hostel’s funrnitures credit for . Well right then , when I was marvelling at the sheer strength of the door , I heard another sound , a sound which was not the clanging of the metal . It was something else , something other than the rod . Someone had jumped into my balcony . As a matter of fact , many of them were now jumping into my balcony . I assumed that they had enough of the front door , and had now decided to give the other door a try .

And few moments ago , I thought nothing could be worse . My room was witnessing a two fold banging now and I was waiting there in the middle of the room , waiting to see which door gives away first . By now , I had turned the lights on , hoping that I will suffer less carding than what I would in the dark . I was sitting there , listening to the continous challenges they made asking me to come out and face them .

Few minutes passed by , and the noise gradually decreased . Both the doors of my room had performed exceptionally well in their efforts to save its master . It appeared as if their troops were marching out of the hostel . But I didn’t felt the need to authenticate this fact . I was sitting in my room , as unsure as ever , waiting for the police , or warden , or anyone to come and assure me that I was safe . The assurance came , and thanks to the founder of telecommunications , it came in the form of a phone call .

Wellwisher : Are you all right ?

Me : I think so .

WW : When you switched the lights on , we were scared that you might open the door .

Me : What would have happened if I hade done so .

WW : I think you know what would have happened , don’t you ??? Btw , really sorry about your cooler .

Me : WHAAT ??? ( I checked my balcony . My cooler , which was looking so royal in its position a day before , was gone ) Where is my cooler ??

WW : Well , when they jumped into your balcony , they sent the cooler flying towards the ground . I hope it rests in peace .

Me : Where are you right now ???

WW : We are in X Hostel right now . We saw the entire melodrama from our own eyes ??

Me : Who were they ??? Why they wanted to thrash me ???

WW : No , no . You were not the target . It was final year students . They are angry at whatever happened today in the evening . You were not the only victim . They were going for the rooms at a random basis . You were just unlucky to be at the other end . But I must admit , you are quite elusive . You were very very lucky that the doors didn’t give away .

Me : Hmmm….. I guess so . You all must have enjoyed the show . Haven’t you ???

WW : Naaaaahhh . We haven’t . We were waiting for the ghost to come out of the haunted room for your rescue .

Me : Shut up . ( Disconnected )

Everything was quite clear by now . The final year students were furious at the event that took place in the evening , and somehow decided that beating every third year student that they can , will satisfy their revenge . No one slept that night . After the miscreants were ousted from the hostel and channel were locked , everyone was involved in a Round Table Conference discussing the actions and the reactions .

Lights were broken , bikes damaged and few of us , who were found outside their rooms ( and those whose doors were not strong enough ) were even beaten . In the complete process , the great wardens of our hostels played their part perfectly well , acting as a mute spectator during the scene and in the end , pleading to those good for nothing ******** to leave the hostel . And the security guards …… they are here in the hostel not to provide the security , but only to take the attendance . And the wardens …… they are here just to knock at our door at 9:30 , directing everyone towards the class , nothing else . There is nothing else that they are capable of , at the least .

I am pretty sure that this incident will also end the same way as incidents of these types do . DISCO ( DisiplinaryCommittee ) will be set up . Everyone will be summoned . All the discussions will be made regarding the “evening scene” and none reference whatsoever will be made to the “night scene” . A minimal punishment will be imposed on them and both parties will reach a compromise . And management will try to make it appear as if everthing has been tackled in the best possible way .

In the meanwhile , we have filed a written complaint against the miscreants and by the look of things , the management might take a tougher action against everyone this time around . Mark the word “might” . And all those who have filed a complaint , are waiting for that day , that day when their rooms will be again targetted . Targetted for revenge , by those cowards who found immense courage in holding an iron rod and beating everyone’s door , being a worthless part of the insane mass .