Mission undone

She had a folded newspaper in one hand and her slipper in the other. Eyes were searching for any movement it could see and strike. She was confused…whether to act or to call her room-mate. But there was no time as she saw it moving, the lizard could be seen now. It looked as terrified as her. She advanced and tapped the area on the wall where the lizard could feel the alarm…. It was a wrong step as the lizard jumped and landed on the floor and ran to save its life. Oh no!! It was worse she thought as the lizard was right under her bed.

She left the room, it was time to call her room-mate, it was time to discuss this situation for the sake of sweet good night sleep. But before she could leave her corridor she heard a cry, an animal’s cry, she turned and looked for the sound. It was nearby she could tell. Less than five steps ahead she saw the source. It was a cat, a big one, orange and grey. The cat started to cry as she tried to come closer and then ran in the opposite direction. The poor cat was trapped and confused. Drowsy and tired as she was, helping someone in need was a universal fact and law for her to follow.

It was 3:19 in the morning and she had just completed her assignment when she saw the slow lizard with quick eyes. She went after the cat trying to catch the sound of meowing. After crossing another corridor she felt the cat was round the corner. She tiptoed across the empty corridor as if she was a thief and turned right. A loud shriek mixed with two voices. ‘What are you doing Srishti?’ asked a girl. ‘Looking for a cat…it’s roaming in our hostel completely lost and can’t find the way out. You heard her cry Isha?’ said Srishti. ‘No! I went to the loo. Are you done with your assignment? I have not yet started, this is so irritating. Why do they give us ‘Home-work’ are we still in 1st standard or what? I mean seriously. Anyways…have you seen the new episode of…’ Isha’s long voyage of questions ended as Srishti pointed to the cat that ran across the end of that corridor. Srishti dragged Isha along her in the rescue operation.

It was going to be four in the morning and it seemed that the cat was enjoying her game of hide and seek with the girls. They searched for the cat, while Isha talked all along, making Srishti weary of both of them. Too much of anything is bad and it was too much of the rescuing and listening for Srishti. She finally abolished the mission and reminded Isha of her assignment. Reaching her room back Srishti saw her room-mate was there too. She told her about the lizard and the cat. They laughed and soon were back to the daily routine of sleeping late in the morning.

Srishti lying on her bed thought about the cat…where could it be now…was it safe or still scared to find a way out…but cats are very wise animal and she assured herself that the cat will definitely find a window open. She gulped her relief then as she remembered that the lizard was still somewhere beneath her bed or may be on the wall. She opened her eyes to see darkness and then closed it tightly telling herself that the lizard might be more scared than her to wander here and there.

The lizard thought at the same time that it might be safe now.