New Admission

Ms. Ruchika stood up and slammed the book down on the iron table. The book read, The End of Your Life Book Club. "Attention gentlemen and gentlewomen, this is our new library mate, Akash Gupta; he'll be near the 'Suicide Comics and Novels' catch him anytime."

She patted his brown Judith Leiber bag and instructed him to have a seat. He glanced around the room. He saw Akruti reading Down and Across from 'Study Pressure Novels'. She pushed her glasses aside with her index finger and fixed her black curls gently behind her ear.

Saurabh had curled up under a wooden table near the 'Animals Eating Humans Novels' shelf. He was reading Shark Attacks. 

In the darkest corner sat Ananya, perspiring heavily as she read "Imaginary Friend" from the 'Death by Fear Novels' section.

Soham slouched, with creased eyebrows, reading If I Stay from 'Accident Novels'. 

Others were too far to locate.

Soham closed the book. "Good book,'' he mumbled to himself. He carefully placed the book back on the shelf and headed towards Akash.

Soham cheerfully whispered, "Hey Akash, Soham here."

They shook hands. After Soham studied Akash from head to toe, he said, "You look like a rich boy. Why did you commit suicide?"

Akash pursed his lips and replied, "Um…..actually my girlfriend married someone else ...couldn't help the depression, that's it, anyway, how about you?"

Soham shrugged and began, "Mine was an accident. No one was ready to take me to the hospital as it was a police case. Then a tall, meek man carried me to the hospital… I lost a lot of blood and didn't survive." Soham sighed and forced a smile.