The Sound

10 December 1992
Dear Diary,
It was not a good day. Dad caught me again with the Nancy Drew novel which I was reading hidden inside the Maths book. He came into the room so suddenly that I had no time to cover up. He slapped me, took away the novel and asked me to sit in the bedroom where mummy was lying. Mummy...that is another reason why I do not feel good. She is having fever since the last 4 days and is no fun. She is sleeping all the time.
In the school Mihir, got a scolding from the Math Maam' because he was trying to cheat in the test. She took him to the Principal. Good for him...for the next 3 periods he sat quietly without bothering me-I hope he stays that way. Parul was again absent so there was no one to exchange tiffins with....
Have to go now and study for the Physics test tomorrow. Bbye.
-Sanchita

12 December 1992
Dear Diary,
Mom seemed a bit better yesterday but today again she is down with high fever. Papa took her to the hospital and doctor uncle said it was probably the cold wave that is showing its effect. Hope she gets better soon. I like working in the kitchen but not when mamma is in bed. :(
I did not go out to play in the evening. Papa seemed tired and there was no end to people who were coming to see mummy. First Sinha Uncle came, then Mayank's dad and mom and while they were still there Rashmi aunty and Sudha aunty turned up. I prepared tea for them...everyone liked it and they praised me...Yeaaaaaaaaaa!!!
Please God, get my mom out of bed soon...I want to play games with her. Ritesh is no good..he is cheating all the time!!
Sanchita
PS: Got 9 out of 10 in Physics and 20/20 in Maths despite Nancy Drew :)

13 December 1992
Dear Diary,
Mummy isn't well. But that is secondary...there is something else I want to tell you about. Today evening I was sitting with mummy in her bed, right against the window, studying. I heard some funny sound....like that of glass moving in its wooden frame, in the strong wind. The noise was not loud but constant and irritating. I ignored it thinking it was a mouse or something...but then the sound persisted. When Doctor uncle came over to see mom I forgot all about it (he had got me a chocolate) but later after dinner the sound was still there, a bit louder. I really do not know what it is. Asked dad about it and he said it must be the wind banging against the window. I wanted to tell him that the window was open but then didn't say anything- for I knew he would have said that I got weird ideas watching horror shows on TV.
Later when I went out to collect clothes from outside, I noticed that there was absolutely no wind. The sound is still there....
Mummy is calling me. Will write later.
Sanchita

15 December 1992
Oh what a terrible day was yesterday. Mummy was alright till evening but all of a sudden around 6:30PM she started shivering and the fever was as high as 104 degrees. Papa wasn't there so I called Seema Aunty. She came and started putting a cloth dipped in cold water over mummy's forehead. I was at the telephone calling dad when I noticed that the "sound" was still there...it was louder than the day before and kinda creepy....
Anyways, I went all round the house checking if any other windows made that sound...but no everything was quiet. I banged the window of my room to see if any sound came...but none. I checked outside and still there was no wind. I really have no idea what that sound is.
Dad soon came over and took mummy to the hospital. The doctor has her admitted- means she is in a real bad shape. The house is in a mess- I am trying to help out dad but he wants me to study(since the exams are round the corner). How can I explain that I cannot concentrate on studies with mom in hospital and that funny sound in the window.
Going to the hospital now to see mom. Bye.
Sanchita
PS: There is no sound today.

18 December 1992
Mummy is back. She is much better but gosh so many people are coming over to see her...Nothing much to write. I have to study...exams start after 3 days!!
Sanchita

23 December 1992
I feel so sad - mummy is again in the hospital. She was alright till yesterday and then in the evening the fever came- all of a sudden. How is that possible? She hadn't gone out so there is no possibility of catching a cold. She was explaining me the diagram in Bio one moment and the next she was shivering again!!We got her wrapped in 3 blankets but she refused to be still. No one noticed it but that sound was again there in the window. I have been keeping a track of it and it had been absent all along but started minutes before mummy had this shivering fit. I think there is some connection between the sound and mummy's fever.
Later when papa had given mummy some medicines and she was sleeping I tried to hold the window in place so that the sound stopped but it didn't. I went outside on the pretext of collecting clothes to see if I could figure out something...as usual there was no wind, no rats and the most surprising thing was that when I put my ears against the window from outside I could not hear a thing. And still the sound continues....
I was so scared that I slept with mummy and papa. I insisted on everyone sleeping in my room but dad got angry...obviously he would...when mummy is in a bad shape. All through the night the sound continued. once I asked dad if he heard that sound and all he said was "What sound?" I kept quiet but then I could not sleep.
Today morning when papa called doctor uncle he said it would be better to get her to the hospital. No sound since then....
Rest, exams are going ok. I left a three mark question in Hindi. :( Chemistry paper was long but I managed to finish in good time. Have the last papers tomorrow- Conversation and GK.
Bbye.
Sanchita

25 December 1992
Dear Diary,
Exams over...mummy back from hospital but then her sickness is a constant family member. I now have no doubt that there is a connection between the sound and sickness...
Today is Christmas. We got our gifts but then it looks like Santa has been in a real hurry. For there is just one gift, that too unwrapped. Maybe he got too busy or maybe he has not been keeping well. Tomorrow papa is going to Delhi for 2 days on an official trip. I am the kitchen manager for this time :)
Sanchita

27 December 1992
Dear Diary,
Oh, I hate that sound...now when that sound is not there I can still hear it buzzing in my head. Sometimes I think I am hallucinating.....but then...I really do not know what to make out of the whole thing...Maybe you can suggest me something. Here is what happened...
Bhaiya was watching TV till late yesterday night and I was scared to be in my room alone so I came to mummy. She was sleeping and I sat reading my book. Needless to say the sound was there. I tried to ignore it as much as possible, sitting as far from the window as I could. But I could still hear it.
Suddenly around 11PM mummy suddenly started saying something in her dreams. First it was a low note and I thought she would quiten out as the dream would pass over...but then she grew louder and louder. She seemed to be scared so I went over to her and stroked her, but of no avail. When nothing worked I shook her hard and she woke up. The first thing she said on opening her eyes was "Those guys in white- they will take me away...ask them to go...ask them to go. I do not want to go anywhere.." I was frightened to hear that but then I said to her that there was no one around. She closed her eyes back again and it seemed she dozed off again...all in a matter of seconds. As I turned back I saw bhaiya standing at the door looking aghast. He did not say anything but then there was nothing to say. Mummy needs help....is she going crazy? Today morning when I asked her about the dream all she said that she did not remember. But I know she does (from the expression on her face) but does not want to discuss it.
I do not know what to do.....
Sanchita.
PS: Did I mention that while pointing towards the "men in white" mummy was actually pointing her fingers towards the window? I am not sitting by that window again :(

1 January 1993
Dear Diary,
New Year. Not a good one. Mummy's still unwell and I think I will never ever see her healthy again. She has turned into a skeleton in just a period of 15 days or so. And who is responsible? Doctor uncle says all her tests are clear...and he cannot figure out as to what is wrong. Shall I go and tell him that the sound/window is the virus he is looking for?
Sanchita

2 January 1993
Dear Diary,
I told papa about this window thing. Cannot keep it any more with me. Reason: Yesterday, evening our neighbours were bursting crackers and mummy was sleeping. She woke up suddenly and I thought she would again say something about the men in white. But instead she looked at me and asked me to come over. She also asked me to get papa and bhaiya. I called them over and papa literally ran in..poor papa. She said she was going to die in a minute and wanted to say goodbye. Can you imagine that? I started crying and so did bhaiya but mummy continued in a monotone as if she was at some place far far away. Papa first looked aghast but the next moment he was at the phone calling the doctor; even as mummy was saying that "nothing could save her now". As doctor uncle came, papa asked me and bhaiya to go out. We did, even though I wanted to stay right there.
10 minutes later, papa and doctor uncle came out and papa hugged me tight. He said, that mummy was all right. Just that the loud noise had made her heart beat faster and in her weakened state she was feeling that she was going to die.
That was enough..I could not let a cracker take my mummy away from me. Nor would I let her go to those men in white or that stupid sound from the window . So I told him, in the evening while bhaiya was at the computer and he was alone in the kitchen. i told him about the sound and mummy's dream of men in white. I thought he would laugh but he did not. Instead he asked me if I was sure about the sound. I was, of course.He then asked if I still heard it. We tiptoed in mummy's bedroom and yes it was there, the sound. Louder than most days (which meant mummy would be worse tomorrow). Somehow papa still did not hear it. But he promised that he would look into it. Some time back, I saw him standing outside in the garden, checking out the window. I am sure he will set everything all right.
Sanchita
PS: Our results are out. I came second in the class. Kartik is first by 1 mark. I do not feel good right now...shall tell you the marks tomorrow.

10 January 1993
Mummy is finally all right. Ok ok not perfect but the fever has not come in the last 3 days. Nor has the sound. As I had suspected there was a connection between the sound and fever. You want to know what happened?
Well after I told papa about the sound, the very next day he brought over an ugly looking woman. He told me that she was a doctor who would pray to God to set mummy all right. It sounded funny that here was a doctor without medicines but I was ready to accept anything right now. Anyways...the woman performed some funny ceremonies in the darkened room with mummy, as all of us sat watching in a hushed tone. Trust me I was excited and scared at the same time. The scene was straight out of any horror show and the woman also looked more like those witch hunters rather than a doctor. The smell of incense sticks...the small fire that she had burnt, the darkness...it all seemed strange and untrue.
Apparently papa must have told her about the sound because I saw her going a lot of times near the window. The sound was still there...sometimes loud...at other times slow but then when she had done with her praying/curing it seemed like magic that the sound disappeared. Even mummy seemed more alert than usual...she could actually sit up in bed and thank the woman.
Oh and there is this imprtant thing I forgot to tell. After all that praying and hallaboo by that "doctor", bhaiya and me were in the drawingroom watching the cartoon. Mummy seemed tired(but well) and was sleeping. Papa and the lady were in the dining room discussing something. They did not see me- as I went into the kitchen to get some water. The lady was giving something wrapped in a paper to papa and was asking him to dispose it off in the worst possible place (gutter/toilet..etc). Papa seemed a bit scared as he handled the thing so when he was in the bedroom I had a quick look. It was a piece of alum(my guess is it was from the puja that the lady had performed) but what was surprising was that it was shaped like a face...clearcut eyes, a big nose and thick lips... presumably of a lady. There was no doubt in that. It looked scary...so I kept it back. But as I turned I realised that papa was standing right behind me, watching. I thought he would slap me but all he said was "...she says this is the lady who made mummy sick...do you recognize her?" I looked at the alum again, not daring to touch it and moved my head in negative. Papa continued "She says we must destroy the alum and then throw it so as to ward off the evil eye...shall we throw it off in the toilet?" I was scared...so could not say anything. Papa took that as my consent and the next moment I heard the sound of flush...
Sanchita

15 January 1993
Dear Diary,
Its so cold....the school is still closed. What a relief. Even papa took a day off today and we all had fun...mummy included. She is all right now and I know she would be fine...for the sounds have stopped coming from the window. Papa asked me day before yesterday if I still heard that sound. When I said no he said..."you know what...you saved your mother's life...we are so proud of you". I felt good about it but then I am still scared to go to the toilet. What if that alum-lady pops out again? Dad says she will not - but then I think it would have been a better idea to beat the alum into a thousand pieces before throwing...but dad says its bad to kill someone" Kill? How can we kill by beating alum? Well I really don't care so long we are healthy and happy.........
Got to go.
Sanchita