The Mysterious Tunnel by Diya Sarawgi

It was a frosty morning in December. The two twelve-year-old best friends, Rohan and Manav, were very excited to see the long-awaited snow. They both loved playing outside with each other. Even though they both were the best of friends they were the complete opposite. Rohan was very cautious and careful while Manav was unmindful, adventurous and daring.

One day they both decided to take a walk in the woods. They both loved nature. As they went further—while admiring the beauty around them—into the woods, they encountered an old, dirty tunnel. It looked as though it had been abandoned and hid by people. All around it was bushes and grasses.

Manav said, “Rohan, let’s go and explore! It will be fun to try something new.”

“No Manav, I am scared and it is also very dangerous to go on an unknown path.”

“Please Rohan, we never get anything new around here.”

After much talking, Rohan was finally convinced and half-heartedly agreed to do this only for his best friend. Manav started to go inside the tunnel, he observed the leaking walls and the noise of small animals around him. Manav was amazed to see what things may be lying around them waiting to be explored. He got lost in his thoughts and was moving without any sense of where he was going. While this was happening, Rohan was walking cautiously and carefully. He was very scared.

Just then Manav heard a scream! He looked around to see his friend but Rohan was nowhere to be seen. He searched for his dear friend but couldn’t find him. Manav, for the very first time in his life, got very scared. He was afraid, the scream may be his friend. Manav wanted to search more but saw it was already late, he wiped the tears from his eyes and made his way back home on the snowy path. He kept thinking that it was all his fault.

He thought, “If I had not forced Rohan to go and explore and listened to him…he would be here with me.”

The next day, Manav set out to find his friend, as he was not convinced that he died. He swore that he would return with Rohan only and so his search began. Manav made his way to the tunnel and went in, as he went deeper he saw humongous footprints on the moist ground. Manav got a bit scared and horrifying things struck his mind, but he took courage and kept going. As nightfall came near, Manav took a spot, set up camp, and then prayed endlessly for his dear friend. As daylight woke Manav up, he went looking. Manav saw that the tunnel was full of small shrubs and bushes. As he was tired and running out of food and water, he came to a fork.

There appeared a beautiful-looking lady, with sparkling teal eyes.

She said, “Manav, this is the point that decides whether you live or die, so choose wisely.”

“What if I make the wrong choice? I will die and so will Rohan.” Manav thought but did not dare ask the lady. There was calmness on her face and in the way she looked at him which terrified Manav more than the tunnel.

Mana took the path to the left and went deeper. He saw skulls and skeletons lying on the blood-stained floor. He was shocked and frightened. “Maybe I am going to die today,” he murmured but still kept going for the sake of his best friend. He was startled by the presence of a human in a dark corner. He saw a little girl with a terrified face.

He asked her, “Hi, I am Manav, are you lost?”

“No!”

“Then why are you here?” he asked puzzledly.

“To warn you, get out of here as soon as you can and never come back.” There was a particular concern in her voice.

“But, I need to find my friend.” Manav saw the eyes of the girl, the same sparkling teal eyes but this time they were anxious and scared.

“This is a mystery tunnel; you will not find him here. Can’t you see death lurking at every corner? Go! Save yourself!” The girl vanished. Manav couldn’t believe his eyes, he was very confused. He had not even gotten out of his shock when he heard a loud roar. He decided to take the girl’s advice and slowly turned back and started walking. He was very disappointed in himself. Sadly, he wiped the tears streaming down his cheeks. He walked away thinking about Rohan. He stopped as he was fainting but before closing his eyes, he saw something…something that left his body speechless.

Through a small crack in the wall of the tunnel, the light oozed out and so did blood-stained walls. There was a room and there lay a motionless, blood-covered body, which was Rohan!

This horror story is a work of fiction. It is written by a seventh grader, Diya Sarawgi, who studies at Royal Global School, Assam. She has a penchant for writing, speaking, singing and art.

It was amazing to mentor a student of her caliber who could take up an idea and brilliantly weave it into a thriller that keeps its readers hooked till the end. What I find the most admirable quality of hers…she knows what she wants and speaks that out clearly yet politely.