The Shade of the Old Banyan

April 7, 2026

by Arielle

1 min read

Story Premise 1 min read (136 words)

"Mr. Anil Rao was the class mentor for our final year. He had never married, pouring all his energy into the students of Riverside Academy. He was the last remaining teacher from the school’s founding, fifty years prior. As the April heat intensified, we were made to rehearse for the graduation ceremony in the main […]"

Mr. Anil Rao was the class mentor for our final year. He had never married, pouring all his energy into the students of Riverside Academy. He was the last remaining teacher from the school’s founding, fifty years prior.

As the April heat intensified, we were made to rehearse for the graduation ceremony in the main courtyard. The sun was relentless. My friend Samir and I decided to slip away and rest under the large banyan tree where some others were chatting, believing the rehearsal was pointless.

We told Mr. Rao we needed to get water, knowing he would not allow us to skip the practice. Just as we were about to reach the tree’s shade, he appeared. We repeated our excuse, but he saw through it immediately. We were quietly escorted back to the sunny courtyard.

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