Everyone said Room Thirteen in Greenwood School was just a storage room. The door was always locked and the windows were covered with dark paper and even the teachers avoided talking about it. But ever since Rayan moved to the school, he felt something strange. Every   time he walked past it, the air seemed colder and the hallway and corridor, suddenly quieter.

One Thursday afternoon, Rayan stayed back to help clean up after the science fair. He was picking up papers near room thirteen, when he noticed something odd. The door r usually locked was slightly open. Just a tiny crack but enough to see the edge of a dusky desk inside

His curiosity was greater than his fear. He looked around. No one was there. He pushed the door gently and stepped in.

Inside it was quite dark, creepy, festooned with cobwebs and fallen on the floor were some old books. There were shelves full of broken globes and empty cardboard boxes, but in the middle stood a wooden desk with a carving on it Rayen walked closer.

Suddenly he heard a Whisper. It was soft like wind passing through leaves.

He heard a faint voice, “Help me”.

Rayan froze for  a while. The whisper came again  “Please help me.”

Though he wanted to run, his legs would not move. Then he saw it.  On the desk carved under the layer of dust, were the words. Find the hidden note

With shaking hands, he opened the drawer. There was a small piece of paper, inside . It looked a bit crumpled, yellow and folded.

It read :

I was locked in here during a prank. I left the note in case anyone ever came .

The school thinks I moved away. But I was never found.

Rayan’s heart pounded. Was this real? A ghost? Or just an old Prank. He pinched himself.

He ran to the principal’s office with the note.

The next day the whole school was buzzing with the news. The Principal confirmed that years ago a student named Arjun had gone missing and was never found.

 The police reopened the case  – that behind the wall in Room Thirteen they  had found an old school bag with Arjun’s name.

No one knew if it was a ghost who whispered or just the feeling of unfinished truth. He had heard that ghosts never lie and always keep up their word.

Nothing was certain. There are certain things that even science and Math cannot explain.

But one thing was certain. Rayan’s courage  had brought to light the story that was hidden for years – the hidden truth.

Moral :Curiosity is a powerful gift. When we listen to our instinct and stay brave, even during a scary or confusing moment, we can uncover hidden truths and help others in distress in ways one can never imagine. Curiosity must always be used with kindness, courage and and responsibility. Just like Ryan we all have the power to bring to light where there is darkness not by being the smartest but by choosing to do what is right.

When you do what is right, you do not need to fear !!

MOHAMMED AYAAN, grade 6 A

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