text: _*The "Switch"*_ I lied down to sleep. Tomorrow was my school play, but I was not at all excited. The unfortunate day came in my memory as I closed my eyes. It was the worst day of my life. Nothing sadder can happen than what had on that evening. On that evening, my twin brother had been dragged away to death. It hurts me as I think about it. I wish I had been able to save him, even if that meant I had to sacrifice my life. Next morning, I awoke to the call of nature. I heard the chirping of birds, the warm sunlight that entered through the gap between the curtains. I got off the bed. Everything seemed a little higher that usual. The table, window came up to my shoulders. Or was it that I had shrinked? "What time is it? Don't wake me up so early..." I spun around. Sleeping on the bed was my brother, William. He was just like I remebered. But how was he alive? I looked at the clock. I was deceived by my own eyes! The date it showed was 2 December, 2014; five years back! How was that possible? Then I realised. I was really in the past. And this was the day of our school trip to a zoo. I might be able to change the past and save my brother! I quickly packed my things, without forgetting "it". I was ready. Ready to save William. The school bus came to pick us up. After a while, we were at the zoo. It was just like I remembered. First, the monkeys, then the giraffes. After that were there reptiles -alligators and crocodiles. And finally- The Tiger. It was the cage, I remembered. The cage had a broken part due to rains and heat. And the Tiger had taken advantage of this opportunity to escape. Finally, the Tiger had got freedom. Freedom to kill. It was on the loose and our group was not aware of it. But I was. I told them, "Hey guys, the Tiger in the cage is out! We should go somewhere safe." Of course no one believed me. Then the announcement came: "Dear tourists, please exit the zoo immediately. The Tiger is on the run." Everyone started running helter skelter. We began to run in the other direction of the cage. My brother was in the front. That's when the Tiger came out of nowhere, right in front of William. All of our group started backing away, slowly. But I wanted to save him. William was trying to act ferocious, barring his mouth and growling. I got into action. I opened my backpack. I pulled out the expandable metal rod. I banged it against the ground and advanced. The Tiger looked at me. He growled and put a paw ahead. I got in front of William. I whispered, "I got this brother. Now, without showing your back to the Tiger, back down slowly." I hardly thought he would listen. He was too scared for that. But he managed to keep the Tiger in front and descend... I waved the rod above my head, while shouting at the Tiger. He looked at William, and growled loudly. That was it. Williams's could only hold on his own so long, and he began to run. The Tiger started to chase after him, completely overlooking me. This was my chance. I took the stance. I held the rod steady. The Tiger came running past my right. I swung the rod hard, like a baseball bat. It hit the legs of him, knocking him off. The Tiger stumbled to the ground, unable to get up. Then I backed away. The zoo officials and the security men came up shortly after that. They thanked me, and took away the Tiger. But I had not anticipated what could happen at that exact same time. * • *The Future* I woke up to the sound of cars and trucks. I was very much surprised and wondered how can there be so much traffic in the morning. I got up, and again to my astonishment William was out of the bed! He is such a sleepy head and he had wound up the bed and who knows where he was. So I too began to get ready for school. Mom was there in the kitchen. "Early today?" She asked. "What? Is there not school today?" "Hey have you forgotten? Today is your school festival and you are in the play?" What!? I didn't remember anything like that. I checked the clock. It showed: 2 December 2019. Five years ahead. This was not possible. Moreover there was this play mom was talking about. "...and then don't bend too much, it would look funny..." While she babbled away, I slipped out in the drawing room, snatching a newspaper. No way I had come give years in the future. This must be a bad dream . . .a bad dream . . . No luck. There was no luck in waking up, if at all this was a dream. Well, I decided I had to play along. See if things take a sudden turn . . . *** "Hey, why are you so sad today?" I looked to my right. Lucy was sitting there on the bench. "I . . .I just . . .am feeling a little weird," I stammered, not being able to say anything else. I had gone to school half an hour before our given time. I clutched the script in my right hand. The play was starting in an hour and a half, and I had barely read the first page, let alone learn my dialogues. I was just praying that someone, or something will take me back to my time. Lucy grabbed my hand and unfurled the script. "Oh I know you're nervous," she said, "but that's okay. It's your first time anyway. Let us rehearse the script. You are the Prince, and I am," she paused, supposedly looking for a good role she could pick up. She was not in the play, while I was. "Yes, I will be Hera." I turned and grabbed the script from her hands so fast that the girl yelped. "What? Hera?" I said, while reading the paper in my hands. I didn't know anything about the play. Hera was a Greek goddess, and I was pretty sure she was the Queen of all Gods. I read the script so quick that Lucy was surprised. "I didn't know you could read that fast." I just shook my head. It was such a stupid play, it wasn't even worth telling anyone. And on top of that, Lucy followed me everywhere like a dog. It was time to ditch her. She was getting on my nerves anyway. I told her to follow me. There was this scene that Hera suddenly appears in a closet beside me. So I took her to the staff room to rehearse. "Now you step into the closet here." I directed her. "Okay," she said, stepping in. "Ready?" "Ready," I affirmed. And slammed the closet door in her face. And turned the key in the lock.