A hallucination
Rita was so excited. Finally her examination was over and she was going back to her house. She planned everything from such a long time. It was so frustrating. She was always leading comfortable life. She was so happy in her house with her parents and younger sister. She was always loved by all. She had her perfect timetable. She still smiled when she remembered it. She always used to wake up by alarm of her clock. Then she should to run bathroom. Her Mom was such angel. She always kept every thing ready for her. She just needed to take bath and then she should get dressed. Every thing was ready for her. She needed to just concentrate on her studies. She was never pressured by other things. But still she always helped her Mom in cooking or washing when she came back from her school. Even that work was fun. It was so pleasant. She always loved being with Mom. Then she get ready. Whole time she kept chatting with her Mom. It was such a perfect day. She used discuss different topics. Her Mom used to tell different stories from her childhood. They used to compare their childhood. It was interesting thing. Their childhood always used to show similarities. They used to laugh about them and her Mom used to say " World never change." She smiled at thought. Her Mom was right. World always remained same. She knew that when she went back home all would start once again from point she left. Her same house and her same parents. All was going to be just the same. She just needed to finish her education. Then she would come back. In hostel she felt so alone and lonely. She shared room with a girl. She didn't hate her or harass her but she just always ignored her. She was always too busy in chatting on mobile. She didn't care about anyone. She had made one boyfriend in school and she was so attached to him that she kept talking to him whole time. She didn't care about her surroundings. In her eyes just Rocky existed too. And she loved to discuss about shopping too. Rita enjoyed it when she discussed about shopping. But sadly she did for just limited period. She soon get call then she started talking on that phone again. Rita felt so rejected when she acted that way. She was always loved by her Mom. She was favourite to her Mom. She didn't remember any day when she was ignored. Even her neighbour liked her. They away valued her company. She remembered every day when she came out Auntie from neighbourhood smiled towards her. She loved it. Then they started chatting about something. Her Auntie was nice lady. She started discussing something on TV. She was always telling her about some interesting show on TV. She couldn't talk in morning since she was in hurry for school. But Auntie always gave some sweet to her. She was always concerned about Rita. In hostel no one cared even if she went to sleep empty stomach. They didn't care for her. Rita was so tense every day. She needed to keep smiling while no one returned it. But she needed to keep acting nice. She knew that she needed friends but they didn't need her. From starting those girls who came to stay in hostel came in groups. She was only one who came alone without group. She selected a career which was not similar to friends. In fact every friend went different way. But they stayed in their town but she went away. She wanted to complete her graduation. She was scared at beginning. She still remembered that she cried on last night. But her Mom convinced her that she could come back on vacation. She nodded. She went back every vacation. But it was not enough. Finally she was going back today. She purchased ticket of train which would be just after immediately after examination over. There was just two hours break. She wanted to just return her home. She didn't care much about other things. She wanted to go back. When she reached in her room she began to take out all bags. Her parents had already cleared whole payment so she didn't need to stay. When she was about to go out, her roommate came inside. Her roommate "Where are you going?" Rita started to tell her that she was leaving hostel. But her roommate didn't let her complete her words. " Whereever you are going you must come back soon. Every thing is planned." Then her roommate went out in full speed just same way as she came inside. Rita was upset. It seemed as if she was nothing in eyes of roommate. They just decided everything and she supposed to come running and obey them. She was so upset by this thought. She just took her language and went out of room. She decided that it was better to stay in waiting room instead of that hostel. She began to feel strange sort of nausea towards those rooms. She began to hate them. She just decided to move out of them. She didn't want to enter in them again. She called Taxi on mobile. She started waiting. She was so desparate. She kept watching her phone when she saw finally that Taxi was coming near her. She was so happy. She literally jumped in Taxi. She wanted to go away. She told Taxi driver to hurry up. He nodded. Rita " I am getting late." Driver started Taxi. Then slowly Taxi started to go away from hostel and her heart beats began to increase with positive excitement. Finally it was over. She felt like criminal who finished prison sentence. She was so happy. She kept regretting her decision to moving in this hostel every day. It all looked promising at beginning and then slowly it changed. She didn't like that hostel. She liked those subjects but as days started to move ahead she couldn't even concentrate on her studies her marks started to get reduced day by day. She didn't achieve anything. She felt that her decision to going in hostel was her most worst decision. It didn't help her at all. It took her to totally wrong route. She lost many sides of her promising future. She felt so sad. She was dreaming to become topper now even second class seemed like possible achievement. She worked hard to control her tears. But she couldn't. She started crying slowly. Driver gave her confused look and said " Don't worry Madam we will reach on time. You will not lose train." She smiled and thanked him. But she suddenly started feeling better as soon as she sensed that hostel building didn't have any hold on her anymore. She felt so fresh. She couldn't completely control her fear. But she managed to get little bit better. She sat in waiting room and called her Mom. " Mom I am finally out of that jail." Her Mom laughed and said " Come on it was not that bad. We don't spend so much money just to put you in jail." " Mom you did for education but they had created jail instead of college. No one was there to chat. Mom whole day I use to sit in room and watch wall." " Okay.. okay now it is over. Just come home." She agreed. She smiled happily. It was so nice. She started waiting for train.
Rita was sitting in waiting room. She didn't sense when she fall asleep in it. She woke up when her mobile rang, she shivered and looked around. Her purse was there. She was lucky that thief didn't took this opportunity to rob her. Then she sensed a Police officer was observing her with suspicion. When she smiled, he didn't smile back. Police " Why are you sleeping like this? Don't you read newspaper or watch TV?" Rita looked confused. She forgot to read it in fact she was not much fond of reading newspaper. But then she remembered riots or bomb blast or some strike which took violent turn. It was not common. It was rare in her city. Once in while in fact it happened many years ago when she was school girl but still she couldn't forget her fear. She never showed any interest in newspaper so she didn't know. But few months ago she heard few girls discussing about riots somewhere. She shivered with fear. " I forgot to watch TV today. I mean I forgot to read newspaper. I had just finished my examination and going home." Rita shivered with fear. Police " So you are sleepy because of it. You must had studied hard for few weeks." She nodded. " This was my last year." Rita started feel so scared. Police smiled and said " No need to worry if you are awake like that." She returned smile. She knew that she needed to worry. Since she didn't know if she managed to miss her train. She was sleeping. She looked at watch and it confirmed her fears. Her train was gone and her money was wasted. She felt so upset. She didn't understand how could she miss this train. She was planning it for so many days. But she didn't manage anything. She just couldn't remain awake. It was shocking for her. She wanted to remain awake. She wanted to go home. She said sadly " I missed train." Police " Still you are lucky since you don't lose your lagguage. There are many thieves here. Who keep waiting for people like you." She shivered with fear. Her lagguage had many important documents. Rita "When will I get next train?" Police " You can go and confirm." Police just went away from room. She stood up and started going out with lagguage. When she reached to ticket window, she looked at watch to confirm time again. She was so confused. It showed her train was not missed. She ran to window. She asked about train. Clark said " It will come in an hour." She nodded and sat on bench. She didn't understand that dreams. She looked at watch. It must be a dream. She was sure about it. Then she sat for long time on bench. She was so upset. She decided that she must find some way to entertain herself. She turned her mobile and she was shocked. It was date of next day. She was so confused. She clearly forgot those hours. She shivered with fear. It was clear to that something must had happened during those hours. She needed to find that Police officer. Then she saw another cop. She ran towards him. She told him entire incidence. Finally she said " That fellow was fake Police officer. He must had drugged me." That officer started laughing. Then that officer who was sitting with in waiting room came running towards her. He smiled and asked " What happened?" She didn't understand anything. She turned towards another cop and asked " Did you see him?" That officer looked confused. Officer " Yes of course." That cop turned towards her. But he didn't seem to recognise her. He asked " Who are you?" She said nothing. She just shivered with fear. Rita " You told me yesterday that I must not sleep in waiting room.." Police " Waiting room? I never went in waiting room." Rita suddenly began to look confused. " I was in that waiting room.." She turned and saw that there was not any waiting room. Police "What happened?" She smiled and pretended that nothing happened. " Nothing. I just missed train." Police nodded. She went out of railway station. She immediately called Mom. Her Mom took her call. Mom " Where are you? Your Dad went on station yesterday and you were not there?" She slowly told everything to Mom. Her Mom looked concerned. Her Mom " Took ticket of next train and come immediately." Rita " But I don't know. That train might be gone." Her Mom screamed on her " Do as I said. Come immediately." Rita agreed. She went inside once again. Police officers were looking at her with suspicion now. She smiled and said " I miss my train. I must catch another." Then she went away. That Police officers was looking at her in strange way. Then suddenly he called her. " Madam!! Come here." She came back. Police officer " What happened? Are you stressed?" " No..no I am perfect." Police " I just talked with cleaner. She said you came here yesterday and then spend your entire day in just waiting room. You were just observing sky. She was so scared that you might be dead. She tried to talk with you and you answered in voice of child and said " You want chocolate but granny didn't give it so you pushed her. She died and gave sweet smile." Cleaner was so scared. She wanted to reason with you but she felt scared and you were not doing anything illigal. You can sit in waiting room. Specially when you have ticket in hand. She thought you have some mental trouble so tried to find companion and found none." Rita " I am not mad. I came here away from home in hostel to study." " And in that hostel how was atomostphere?" Rita was confused. She didn't want to discuss her college life with unknown Policeman. " It was fine." Then her mobile rang. Her Mom was calling. Police officer was looking at her with suspicion. She didn't want him to talk with her Mom so she decided to reject call. Her Mom called again. Police officer " Why are you not taking call?" " Nothing. Just advertisement." Police officer " Let me check!!" " You can't demand my mobile like that!!" Police officer looked irritated. He put his hand before her. " Give it to me otherwise I need to take it out of your hand." "You can't touch me. I will scream." Police officer started to look angry. Police officer " Miss we can touch thief!! We can't wait for lady officer everytime specially when we feel stolen mobile is in hand of thief." She was shocked. " This is biggest nonsense. My mobile is not stolen!!" " Fine let me see it." She had no option. She had to give it to him. Police officer " Your Mom is calling. I must talk with her." " No need officer. She will get tense!!" Police officer " If your daughter spend entire day in waiting room without cause and started talking in strange voices you must get tense." Police took mobile. He looked so confused. Police " You are talking with whom? Your mobile is discharged!!" Rita was shocked." But you heard ring too." " No you were looking at mobile so I guessed you sense vibration." Rita was so confused. She heard Mom's voice and came back. She was upset. She took her mobile and ran away from that railway station. She just wanted to go out of it. She went on street. She knew that everything would become normal on street. She started wandering on street. She was so confused. She went to examination and everything turned out in perfect way. Then she went to catch train and everything turned upside down. She started running around. She needed to charge battery of mobile. But she didn't find place. She was so upset. She kept searching.
Police officer Rakesh was so confused. He turned to his colleague Dinesh. Rakesh " I wanted to stop that girl. Something is wrong with her." Dinesh " I know but we can't just arrest her without cause or lady officer." Rakesh " I really didn't like this. I take her picture on cctv and search who is she? We can't let her wander like this!!" Dinesh liked this idea. Dinesh " Perfect this way we can call her parents and our problem will solve." Rakesh nodded. They were about to start calling to some friends for help when a woman entered in station. She was clearly in hurry. She asked " Did you saw my daughter?" Rakesh " Will you discribe her?" She smiled and said " Surely!!" Then she gave description of Rita. Rakesh " You were searching for her. She was here something was wrong with her mental.." " She is mentally sick. We were taking her to psychiatrist." Rakesh looked towards her sadly. Rakesh " I hope you will find her. I might.." " No..no I will manage." That lady vanished. After that Rakesh and Dinesh went back to their work. When suddenly that cleaner appeared, cleaner " Did that girl went away finally?" " Yes but sadly she felt before her Mom could come." " Her Mom?!! She came here from far away town!!" Rakesh and Dinesh stopped eating"Far away town? How did you know that she stays far away?" Cleaner " I just assume since she had lagguage." Rakesh was confused now. A mental patient didn't carry lagguage like this. He was frustrated. Rakesh " I don't like this situation." Dinesh " I feel same way. We must catch her." " But how?" Then they suddenly noticed that she came back again. Rita searched everywhere but she didn't found way to go. She decided that she must buy ticket. She sat in faraway corner and started searching for money. Rakesh came near her with Dinesh and asked softly " Your Mom came here. Few moments ago. You just missed her."Rita was shocked. She knew that he was lying. She was so scared. She knew that her Mom couldn't come here so quickly. She had siblings too. Her Dad could have came if needed. He would have taken leave. She shivered. Two police officers were lying. She didn't like it at all. She started to pick lagguage but Rakesh blocked her way. Rakesh " Stop running like that. You went outside once before. Tell me what is wrong?" Rita said with tears in eyes. Rita " I want to go home but money is missing." Rakesh smiled and said " I will give it to you. But will you give me your Mom's mobile number?"Rita said while crying " Actually I don't remember it. It was in my mobile." Dinesh took mobile from her and said " Let me charge it." She nodded and gave it. Then she sat in waiting room again. Rakesh and Dinesh kept watching her but this time she was irritated. She started moving around without cause. Dinesh " We can't just wait. I will ask people she came in which vehicle." Rakesh nodded. Then Dinesh slowly took her photo on mobile. He was careful that she didn't see it. He didn't want to scare her. Then he went out. At beginning all drivers of hired vehicles looked scared. But when he showed them picture, they suddenly grew interested. They started discussing. Then suddenly one driver said " She came in Taxi." " Will you tell me number of Taxi?" Now this managed to confuse all. No one remembered it's number but then one driver seemed to know that driver. He decided to call him. That driver took call. Dinesh asked to put his call on speaker, he wanted to know all. That driver " Tapan you just brought one girl!!" " I don't drive her I literally rescued her from that girls hostel!!" " What happened?" " That girl was inside gate was locked and other girls were screaming on her. She was crying. They were even trying to tear her clothes or dark her face. But I was passing by. When she saw me, she pleaded. I suggested her to climb on fence. She tried. I pushed her up with putting hands in fence. She climbed up and jumped. I catched her and then we drive away." Then Tapan took deep breath to control anger. " I want to file Police complaint but that girl was not in right state of mind. She suddenly stopped crying and began to tell me to hurry up. She said that she would miss her train. That hostel is strange place. We must tell it to everyone."Dinesh " Don't worry. I will do that. I just want you to come and give statement." Tapan sounded scared now. " Sir I have done nothing." " I know but sadly that girl didn't remember anything." " What? How could this happen?"" I don't know. But did you drop her on railway station?" " Yes." " Then come back to station." Tapan immediately agreed. Then Dinesh went inside. Rita was more upset by then since she sensed her mobile was broken. Rita " This is my worst day." Dinesh gave her concerned look. Then he took Rakesh in another corner. Rakesh heard everything. Rakesh " From beginning I sensed that it was about hostel but she didn't co-operate." Rakesh asked " Which hostel?" Dinesh told name. They immediately called Police station and told lady inspector to go there. Rakesh decided to join her. When they went inside immediately Rakesh sensed that something was wrong. Entire hostel was quiet like deserted house. They started banging door. They waited but no one came. Finally after some time watchman came. Watchman asked " What did you want?" Rakesh showed Rita's picture " Do you know this girl?" Watchman shivered and nodded. " Why you look so scared?" Watchman " Those girls used to harass her!!" " Which girls?" " Few girls!! Not just her. They use to harass one group." " Then why did you remember her?" Watchman " I went away from gate for few minutes. Then I heard screaming. When I came here those girls were trying to tear her clothes and use black paint on her face. She was climbing on fence. She ran away with help of driver. Those girls were planning to go after her. But I raised my stick and sent them back running. I never used stick on any woman but that day for first time I really wanted to hit those girls. If you file complaint I will give witness." " Complaint? Regarding what?" That watchman was shocked. Watchman " She didn't told you." " What?" Watchman " Well I don't know properly but it was something about her roommate." Rakesh looked confused. Rakesh " Where are those girls?" "Actually they returned back to hostel immediately. They didn't want to take risk." Rakesh was so confused. Now he sensed that this woman was not Rita's Mom. He didn't understand anything. He decided to go back.
Rita was charging mobile but nothing was happening. Then Dinesh came near her and said "Why didn't you give address?" Rita smiled and nodded. She liked this idea. She gave her address. Dinesh found landline with help of it. After four rings a woman took call, Dinesh explained entire situation. Her Mom " Inspector this happened due to stress in hostel. She is not mad." " I know." Rita's Mom " Will you sent her here or we need to come there." Dinesh " Well I will send her." Then when Dinesh disconnected call, Rakesh came inside running. He told all to Dinesh. Now Dinesh started to get confused. " Her Mom was talking about her as if she had mental trouble." Rakesh was so confused. He decided that he must talk with someone from college authority. Then suddenly that woman appeared who claimed that she was mother of Rita. Rakesh looked at her and told lady officer to hold her. That woman came ahead. That woman "Don't arrest me sir. It was just college play." " What?" " Let me explain. I am teacher of art. I was planning picnic and play for kids. Richa was supposed to join it. I sent her roommate to call her. But Richa was not interested. Actually Richa always hated hostel. She was going away when we were practicing. They were to harass her roommate and Richa assumed it to be truth." On that point Richa came out. She recognised her teacher immediately. Richa didn't like her. She suddenly felt same sort of fear. She shivered. She suddenly began to remember all. She came out of her room. She didn't jump in Taxi. She decided that she must remember her roommate for last time to say good bye. She started searching for her. She shivered. She remembered that she found her behind college. She didn't want to remember her condition. They harassed her. She knew cause very well too. Her roommate had one rich boyfriend and they wanted to take him away from her. They were cutting her hair. She didn't remain to see further trouble. She suddenly turned to Rakesh. " You must help my roommate." That teacher " Richa you are having attack again. You are imaging!!" " No I am not. I stopped having those fits." Richa was screaming but she was no longer confident. Rakesh sensed her fear. Dinesh felt it too. Dinesh " We like to search hostel. " Teacher was not pleased. " We are getting harassed because of this mad girl. She had split personality disorder. Sometimes she became child." Rita " Yes I , have disorder. Fine just show me my roommate!! And I will relax." Suddenly that teacher began to scream on Richa. " Taking this mad girl in hostel is my mistake. Now I need to call her parents." Rakesh " And we will call her roommate's parents." That teacher looked scared. Teacher smiled. " Sure we will give you number. You can talk with girl." " No I want to see girl." Teacher looked angry " But she is already back in her home. We are not responsible for her now." Rakesh " Sure!! We can't prove anything but police can warn to principal." Then Dinesh called Principal. Principal was shocked to hear this. Principal " I was away on tour. But I will come back. I waited until exam became over. I thought this teacher will close college and majority students were already went away. I don't know about this group of girls." " So you don't know they are planning picnic!! " " No. Our college didn't plan anything like that." " Will you give me number of Richa's roommate?" " Yes. In fact I will return from tour. I don't want this to be heard by trustees. I was not part of this." " It will not matter. First I need to see that girl." Then teacher began to scream " Tell her Richa is saying this. She will immediately change her thinking." Rakesh was confused. But he had no option. He told it to teacher. She started laughing. " Richa is not normal student. She had strange mental troubles. You can't trust her. It is not her mistake but you must not irritate people due to her. She didn't understand logic. She kept telling lies.. I mean she is not bad person but people with mental trouble keep dreaming. Don't they?" Rakesh was so confused. Rakesh " I feel I must send Richa back home first." " Yes. You must." Rakesh turned to teacher " You can go away." Richa screamed " She hurt my roommate. I am not mad person... I mean I act strange on some moment but I am not mad." Teacher screamed on her " Because of you we suffered so much. I am sure that your parents might suffer more. You must have made their life burden. You must have kept them irritating. Child like you is curse for family." Richa started to cry. She remembered all and she might acted like child sometimes during attack but she never remembered it. She never dreamt like this. But she knew that she was burden for family. She shivered. She was feeling so sad. She was confused. Dinesh " Let's just take her home." That seemed like promising option to all. But before going away her teacher said " I will make sure that you will not go unpunished for destroying reputation of college like this." Richa was so nervous. She said what she saw and now she began to doubt her thoughts. She didn't understand how could she make such a mistake. She must not trust what she saw. Then she went with them like good girl. She sat in train. She kept looking out of window. She knew that from childhood she had this problem. It was developed due to her childhood incident. She remembered it very well. Her Grandmother was working. She decided that she wanted chocolate. She started screaming for it when she didn't have she threw toy and her grandmother died. She died due to heart attack. Everyone told her that it was not her mistake. Still she kept feeling guilty. She kept feeling hurt. She decided that her madness was increasing. She decided that she was even daydreaming now. She imagined all. She began to feel so scared. They might lock her in mental asylum. She started looking around. She began to feel death was welcoming than this. Then suddenly Rakesh spoke " Can I tell you one thing?" She looked towards him. He said " Psychiatrist are not that bad. I mean they show sympathy to us lot more than normal people." She smiled. She couldn't help agreeing with him. Her parents might complaint but Psychiatrist didn't. Rita " But they get paid for it. My parents suffer without payment." Rakesh " I don't blame your parents. But I feel they needed to keep faith on you." Richa was confused. " Are you suggesting that I wasn't dreaming?!!" " Well watchman saw it. Driver who took you to station saw it. So if you are talking about group hallucinations then why did it happen?" She was so confused. Richa just nodded. She was suddenly excited about visiting psychiatrist suddenly she felt that she might took her side this time. Finally they reached in her home. Her parents took her inside and started saying good bye to Rakesh but he didn't vanish. Few people didn't invite Police inside but that didn't stop them when they had doubt. Rakesh just came inside and sat on sofa.
Rita's Dad was confused when Rakesh sat on sofa. He didn't understand his attitude. Richa's Dad" Do you like coffee or tea?" " No. I just want to meet Richa's psychiatrist." Her Mom shivered with fear. Mom " She is fine now. She didn't even needed to take medicine now." Rakesh nodded. Rakesh " And I feel she was not hallucinating even on that day. She saw something and her problem came." Mom " Are you saying that they really harassed that girl?" " I think so." Then they called psychiatrist who gave them emergency appointment. Rakesh came there with them. He knew that his uniform was not welcoming for mental patient but he didn't have much option. He couldn't change clothes. It was so frustrating when people saw him with fear he wanted to tell them that he was kind man. He never abused anyone. He was their protector not enemy. But fear was always visible in every eye. He looked around. When he entered in clinic, receptionist immediately took them inside. Richa sat with parents and Rakesh. Psychiatrist heard all " Did you know Rakeshji before." Richa" No." Psychiatrist " Think carefully I am sure you are just dreaming when you saw him. It was strange that you went in that strange trance and you were dreaming with open eyes. But that is what happened!! You talked like child since you were child in dream. It was trauma of seeing suffering of your friend cause it." Richa " So it is not my other personality!!" Psychiatrist " Come on you just spoke one line nothing more." She nodded. Rakesh " But how did she dream me? Without knowing me?" Psychiatrist " What is your last case?" " That was , of college student who killed by his friends due to jealousy." Rakesh smiled. Rakesh " You are saying Richa read it." Psychiatrist nodded. Richa turned her attention to feet and nodded. " They were harassing us. It was just last year so we keep tolerating but I just hope for justice. I feel happiness while reading that case." Rakesh " So college is lying?!!" " No doubt!!" " But do you say this if we do case Richa would survive in court as witness!!"Psychiatrist " Surely. I will stand her. She is normal. Let them go in court." Richa's parents didn't like it. Dad " They will destroy future of my daughter." Rakesh " They are planning it anyway." Richa told all. Then her parents took deep breath and said "Let's do it." Rakesh and Psychiatrist both gave thumbs up to them.
The End
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