The Prank

It was a hot, sunny day and the residents of Park View Street remained indoors. It was a residential street almost filled with apartments. A bus stopped at the corner of the street near a small cafe. 

Two girls stepped out with their bags. They both wore blue jeans. The girl with brown hair wore a beige crop top. The other girl with black hair wore a black t-shirt. They both had tied their hair in a ponytail. 

"Hey, is everything ready?" asked the girl with brown hair, as they walked further inside the street.

"Yes Ri, I have hidden those clothes under the mattress." said the girl with black hair.

"Good. let's be careful this time."

"Don't you think you are going too far this time?"

"Leela, I hate Indian parties and weddings because of our stupid relatives. On the top, even our older cousins are the same. Their mindset is so old. It's about time our parents stop sending us to such events."

"I too get irritated especially when aunt Anita reminds me always that she got married and had a child at our age. It is like she hates our freedom."

"She and her sister both are like that. I don't know how their daughters in law tolerate them. Just a few weeks back Aunt Anita's told my mother to get me married as soon as possible. The reason she told mom was that I wear too short clothes enough to attract men. She said my mom to get me married before any young man takes over me."

"Is she crazy? We don't walk in bikinis. Guys can walk in anything they want but always the girls have restrictions."

"Just because she got married at seventeen, it doesn't mean that we have to as well. Just like how Aunt Radha died after sixty, she too need not die after sixty."

"What?" 

"That's how I will talk if she talks about marriage."

"Oh mine, that marriage talk made you angry."

"I wonder how teenage girls in India deal with such ladies."

"Just check the news women in India are unsafe."

"Yes, but women are not safe anywhere even here in California according to statistics but in India patriarchy rules."

" I am not so sure about that. Nithin just came back after his marriage and his wife is only twenty-five. She is an engineer."

They went inside a tall white building, which was in the middle of the street. Ria pressed the button beside the elevator and stood quietly along with Leela. 

As the doors opened, they both stepped inside quietly. Leela pressed the button for the third floor.

"So what is this party for?" asked Ria.

"Just a small welcome party for Nithin and his wife."

"Oh, I thought they would take a break and spend some time alone."

"Nithin's company wants him back as soon as possible."

"I am waiting for his wife to be grilled by Aunt Anita." 

As they both laughed, the doors of the elevator opened and they saw an old woman in a light blue sari and white shawl, looking at them. 

"Namaste Anita Aunty," said Leela.

Ria turned her head and looked away. She didn't want to greet her this time.

"You both have become Americans. There is no trace of India inside you both." 

"Precisely Aunty, I was born here so I will live like others here," said Ria.

" Aunty, are you going back alone?" asked Leela.

"No, my car is downstairs. I am not feeling well. Nothing to worry about, I can go alone."

They quietly walked out of the elevator towards a door on the right side. They pushed the button for the bell and soon enough a young lady in a long red gown opened the door in front of them.

"You must be Ria and Leela, please come inside."

They both stepped inside quietly. A woman in a black sari quickly came running towards them. It was Leela's mother, Mrs Tanisha Singh.

" Jyoti, we need your help in the kitchen. We have a few more guests coming in."

"Mom, I and Ria can help," said Leela.

"Alright. I thought you both would freshen up yourselves a bit after coming back from school."

"I will come and help Chachi. I need to see for myself how everyone is cooking here," said Jyoti. 

"Have you never cooked before?" asked Leela.

"Oh I was an expert back in India but Nithin was born here and he did not like my food in India. He said it was too spicy."

"Oh my God, how much spice did you add there? Half a bottle?" asked Ria.

"Ria! That's not a way to talk to anyone and Jyoti is older than you," said Mrs Tanisha.

"Alright Chachi," said Ria as she turned. They removed their shoes and kept them along with others near the door. 

As they walked through the hall, they saw many of their relatives, some standing with cocktails in their hands and others sitting on the couch. Blue drapes covered the window and matched well with the blue couch. A television set was moved to the corner of the hall. Leela hit Ria slightly on her back as they reached the spiral staircase on the left of the hall.

"Hey, don't be mean to her. She just came to California yesterday," said Leela.

"She is already worried about cooking. Seriously, almost all the Indian girls we have met worry about marriage and cooking."

"Well, she does have to cook for herself and Nithin. It won't be easy. Nithin likes pasta and pizza. This stuff does not have that kind of spices that we Indians put."

"I love lasagna in its original form but mom loves adding spices. I hate the other version of it with spice."

They walked upstairs and quietly entered a room, which was in the middle of the passage. They switched on the light quietly and changed their clothes.

They both wore white long simple gowns. Leela wore a skeleton mask. Ria, on the other hand, began to apply heavy makeup on her face. 

"I have tomato sauce here. Let's put a little sauce near your lips. I know you love sauce but don't eat it. We don't have original blood. We need it to scare Anil." said Ria.

"Alright. Let's go and scare him," said Leela.

They both picked a small clock and slowly entered the opposite room. The lights were already switched off so they used the torch from their cellphone to look around.

A short young man was sleeping on the bed. He wore a Bermuda shorts on a t-shirt. They both hid behind a table and watched him.

"Our cousin seems to be in deep sleep today. Will, he even wake up?" asked Ria.

"Mom told me in the morning that she is letting Nithin use our guest room because he just was coming back from his road trip. I guess he must be really tired."

"Let's keep the alarm clocks ready and throw them on the bed."

"Ria, I feel nervous today. I feel like something bad may happen. Moreover, Anil gets frightened of even small things. Let's stop here."

"Relax Leela."

Ria set the alarm and threw one of the alarm clocks on the bed. 

"Leela, get ready," said Ria.

Within a few minutes alarm began to ring. The young man got up abruptly and looked around the room. He soon spotted the clock and banged on it to make it stop ringing. 

"Who the hell kept this clock here?" He said, looking at it.

Leela got up and walked towards the young man.

"Anil, your alarm rang. It's time for you to join us," said Leela.

Anil screamed and jumped on the bed. 

"No! Leave me alone." He said as he covered himself completely with a blanket. 

Leela gave Ria a thumbs up, picked the clock and slowly walked out of the room. 

Anil removed the blanket and looked around the room. Slowly he got up and switched on the lights. Looking around, he realised that he was alone.

"I must have imagined it." He said. 

He switched off the lights and jumped back on the bed.

Ria threw another clock on the bed. The moment it touched the bed, the alarm began to ring. This time Anil got up from his bed immediately to switch off the alarm. Ria got up quickly and went closer to him.

"It's time for you to join us Anil." She said.

Anil dropped the clock and ran outside the room. Ria followed him.

"Stop running. You cannot ignore your death," said Ria. 

" Stop following me," screamed Anil.

He reached the stairs just when Leela came out of the other room. 

"Anil, watch out," screamed Leela but it was late. 

Anil had already slipped and fallen down the stairs.