The attic door creaked open. Walking into the dark, it took a while for my eyes to adjust. The small room had a musty smell, which was quite suffocating. In the dim surroundings, I searched for the window and opened it. Sunlight burst into the room and revealed a dusty trunk snuggled in a corner. This was the object for which I had entered the dusty attic.
Shuffling through the various articles in the trunk, I looked desperately for the book. I had borrowed the book about three years back from my friend and had forgotten to return it. In the meantime our house was painted and so everything was messed up, bundled and dumped into the attic. Now, after three years, Sulagna wanted her book back desperately and had finally coaxed me into visiting the garret.
I finally found the book hidden under a wall clock whose hour hand was missing. As I dusted the book, a ring stuck in the mouth of a three-legged earthen frog caught my eye. I picked up the ring, but before I could examine it closely mom yelled from the dining room to inform me that lunch was ready. I put the ring into my pocket, closed the trunk and window and slammed the door behind me as I ran down the stairs.
“That’s strange,” remarked Sulagna, frowning at the peculiar ring. It consisted of a horrible face whose mouth had a greenish stone embedded in it. The eyes had a reddish tinge. “Why?” I asked. “No, actually I had seen a similar ring in some book on Chinese myths,” she replied. I raised my eyebrows questioningly. “It said that if you wore this ring then whatever you wished for would come true.” I looked at her suspiciously. “I don’t know. That’s what the book said,” said Sulagna, shrugging her shoulders. “Okay, let’s try it,” I said and grabbed the ring from her hand and slipped it down my third finger. “No, don’t,” protested Sulagna feebly. “Come on. Don’t worry, nothing will happen. If I wish for the Nimbus 2000 bicycle, will I get it? Don’t be silly.” “Still,” she said in a still weaker voice.
“Surprise!” exclaimed mother as she flung the front door open. I walked in and stopped dead in my tracks. There in front of me stood a brand new Nimbus 2000! “This is your birthday gift, as I had promised to give you after your exams,” said mom planting a kiss on my cheek. She was more excited than I was. I was, in fact, more bewildered than excited. I glanced at the ring fearfully. The green stone twinkled in the fluorescent light.
The history class was on and half the class had been put to sleep by the soothing voice of our teacher and the mind-numbing history of the Mughal Empire. “This is so boring,” sighed Sulagna. “Sure it is. I wish the school gives over now,” I yawned back. Just then a man entered the class and gave our history ma’am a notice and left. Mrs. Ghosh gave a puzzling look at the notice. After a minute of silence, which seemed hours to me, ma’am announced that the school would give over after the period because of some rally. Within the blink of an eyelid, the whole class was sitting up straight ready to take on the remaining Mughal Empire. Sulagna and I fixed our eyes at the ring on my finger. “You shouldn’t have done it,” whispered Sulagna.
“Why did you do it?” she asked furiously. “What?” I replied, trying to look innocent. “Why are you still wearing that ring?” “What happened today was just a mere coincidence. Yesterday it had been announced that today there would be a rally,” I tried to justify, “The ring has nothing to do with it.” She let out a sigh, a sign that she had given up. I took out the ring and stared at the monstrous face. As I marveled at the ring I held, she warned me, “Be careful, lest your wishes come true.” I so wish she wasn’t here, I thought frustrated. After I had finished my examination, I turned around to see that she had left.
I stood still outside the door to my room. I raised my arm and looking at the ring, I said, “I wish the door opens for me.” I stared at the door expecting something to happen. Nothing happened. Letting out a sigh, I opened the door myself and entered the room. I sat on the bed gazing at the ring. The magic has worn out, I thought sadly. I slipped it off and tossed it over into the wastepaper basket.
The phone rang disturbingly. I got up from my study table and ran for the phone. I picked up the receiver to hear Sulagna’s mother’s tensed voice. Sulagna hadn’t returned home yet. I looked at the wall clock to see that it was eight o’clock in the evening. I informed her that she had returned from school with me. Instead of comforting her, this made her more panicky.
Putting the receiver down, I sat down on the bed, worried. I tried to recall the last time I had seen Sulagna. Suddenly, to my horror, I remembered the wish I had made unknowingly when Sulagna was with me. In an instant, the dustbin was upturned and clean and the ring was in my hand. Wishing that it would work, I held my hand at the level of my eye and chanted, “I wish Sulagna is back home.” I said that nine more time as if to strengthen the spell. After waiting for about five tensed minutes, I rang up Sulagna’s mom, ready to hear the good news. But the situation had worsened. She nearly broke down on the telephone. Her father still hadn’t come home and her mom was feeling helpless. So did I.
I collapsed on the floor, my hands covering my face. I felt more sad than guilty. What have I done? I thought desperately, I wish I hadn’t asked for that dreadful thing. I wish she were here. Suddenly, I heard a rustle in my room. Raising my head, I saw the loveliest sight in my whole life – there she was standing at the door in her school dress, just as I had seen her the last time! Sulagna looked questioningly at me. As I slowly stood up, my mouth wide open, she started firing away, “What am I doing here? Is that the time? Why am I still in my school uniform? Why were you sitting on the floor? Are you crying? Will you tell me what is going on?” I smiled weakly at her, relieved and replied softly, “You wish!”
