the haunted house..........

The was a line... they were unhooded.. but garbed in white robes of a strange cloth with many stains...seemingly blood.. but i was unsure...most of the rituals i had witnessed had been a in a dark shadowy place.. this seemed to be throwing me off balance, the corridor being sunlit ... of course, the aura of dark magic lingered around... it was a sunlit room, whitewashed..or rather, yellow-washed walls, pale and not even glimmering in the sunshine,
**
hardly a photographers dream, much less a student's [:D]
**
everyone was waiting for the ringing of the holy bell... one the clarinet would be blown, the door would creak open to reveal the ..horrors within?... i stood hesitently along with the few female worshippers, afraid of having my identity revealed...i didnt want them to sense my fear, or my apprehension... this was after all.. my first time.........
a crystal ringing of presicion and pain.. the holy bell rang... the door was thrown open, with an almighty creak and there.. in the door way, illuminated by the lightning and the flashes... the figure in the doorway was impressive as such but the effects of mother nature's light and sound show improved the appearance...it was, aged, but frighteningly angry... ALBUS DUMBLEDORE? nooooooooooo... it was jaya....a creature feared by all and heeded by none!
**
And then the tubelights stopped flickering and she said "aaaah ulla vaanga"
**
it advanced towards us, making a personal check, calling our sacred names by the order of the law of thier admin system. this was a strange place.. my heart beat increased rapidly as i proceeded to the place where my name was etched... in blood.
** or was it typewriter ink?**
there seemed to be a distraction... several of the followers did not seem to allowed entry beyond a point, seemingly because of the defects in the admin being set right and dealing of severe punishment... i wondered whether who was safer.. me or them...
and thus, the strange apparutus was handed to me and several intsruction dealt out in a low montone... a barely heard rumble... but the point was clear...
*make me cross and you die*
we went marching in quiet meditation to the rocky precipice where the crystal vials were perched. we had to nuetralise several poisons.... and it had to be done just right... for the elder of the admins was seated quietly with an air of dignity and uninterfering, waiting for excellent results from this batch of fuedal scientists and potion makers.
please the elder, and your life was set. *reffering to andy and putting ice for her bahahaha*
the gate keeper/gaurdian/torturer/general flunky if i may, was prowling thru the hallowed halls, making sure nothing went wrong, the crystal vials being expensive and curiously magical.
i poured the crystal clear solution into the long glass tube... keep stirring it clockwise and anticlockwise (this is pure bunkum) and oberserving the colour change... the poison wold be nuetralised only at one point... would i reach it or exceed it...
one of my fellow potion makers exceeded it... he went to report to the incharge .... thunderations! the hall shook with yells and screams... and i turned white with fear, because at that moment, i exceeded it.
howver my life was spared and i was given another chance... i proceed with the this witchcraft...and made a bloody mess of the whole thing...not enough eye of newt i guess or tail of frog..not sure which.
anyway, the terrible ordeal would soon be over... the holy bell was shimmering in the distance...
almost... yes.. it rang... and just as the noose was tightening around my neck, i was free agian. agitated, i ran stumbling back to base... and remembered, my mission is far from over,... every monday, i would have to don the white garb and work for them... neutralising their posions...
what a life i have taken up... i pray.. i escape one day...
until then, i have others.. i have company... lets pray we make it through titrations!!!!!!!
i have to submit my status report tomorrow... and will have to venture to the dreaded place again...i pray for survival. i pray for a pass.
to be continued..............................................
s.vasundhara