Soon enough in the college, Nandini's mind was still back to that what happened earlier this morning. She just couldn't digest what she saw. That was too real to be seen as a lie or hallucination. Nandini was totally convinced by it and couldn't move her mind from that. Chalk hitting her forehead makes her come out of her dreamy thoughts. She sees her hulk professor literally glaring her.
"Is the imagination getting too high Ms Matthew? Should we take a break to let you sleep and dream while sleeping rather than with your eyes open?" he asked her sarcastically.
"My sincere apologies Sir. I wasn't feeling that well so I was a bit drifted off. It won't happen again, I am really sorry," she said just to not get kicked out of the class.
"It better don't Ms Matthew. Else I will consider sending you to the dean's office and you can explain your daydreams to him." With that, he continued his class and Nandini tried to focus on what he was saying, writing and explaining.

The class was soon done and the break arrived. After 90 minutes, a break happened of 15 minutes and this went on for all the further classes. Outside of the classroom, Cabir and Abhi, her best friends joined her. Their fantasy connected them, their gender did not.
"What's up dreamer? Where are you lost since hulk's lesson?" Cabir questioned her.
"I can't explain it since I can't understand it."
"Was the lesson so difficult?" Abhi enquired from her, "Do you need some tuitions from me?"
"You won't understand it. So, just leave me alone."

Her walking off with irritation surprised the two of them. They didn't know Nandini as such a girl who could get irritated very soon. She was calm and rather nice to others. Surprised on her behaviour, they walk at her back and speed up for matching her pace.
"Ms Matthew, wait!" She didn't turn because she couldn't hear her professor's voice calling her out. Her whole mind was occupied by the thought of the blue eye inside the speculum and her mother's words. She could swear that the iris had the depth of space. Once again a grip on her shoulder made her come out from the thoughts she had. Nandini turns around to find Cabir.

"Can you stop getting lost each second? Sir is calling you," he said to her. Nandini sees at her professor.
"I think we need to talk!" Abhi just drags her without anything second in talk. He didn't even care about the professor at their back. Abhi and Cabir understood that Nandini's behaviour is really serious. She's deeply disturbed by something that she can't talk out. How often they had faced this? They can't talk their heart out because their heart says magic, not science. They had no interest in the creatures which may destroy the whole world instead of making it up for humanity. Little did they know that those very creatures may play a big part in their best friend's life.

"Nanz, what happened? You have been lost ever since this morning. Is everything fine? Did Aunty say something again to you?" Abhi enquired nonstop. Nandini just sighs in response.
"Shoot!" Cabir ordered her than requesting or asking.
"It's always the same guys. She thinks that I have gone mad. Actually earlier this morning…" Nandini starts telling everything about the blue hole she saw.

Earlier this morning
Nandini was seeing at her mother who was observing the mirror.
"Was it a blue one?" Nandini's heart stopped at that moment. Did her mother know something about it?
"Y... Yes. Mom," Nandini answers in an unsure voice.
"Do you know anything about it?"
"Yes, I know that my daughter certainly needs a psychiatrist," with anger in her voice, her face was Stern. "How many times do I have to tell you Nandini? Stop with this fantasy rubbish. That doesn't exist. Rather focus on your college. You have to pass it and become a successful scientist. That's where our future lies. You are having one of the best opportunities in this college but you are passing your time around with other useless shit. Do you know what this college is? What it means?"
"Mom, please. I have not been lying about it. It really was there." Her interruption got cut with an almost shout by her mother.
"Shut up Nandini. There is nothing of that sort. Here is just a mere blue small dot. Keep your fantasy away and study. I want to see you on top of the positions and at that time you will be thankful to me. Now get ready. You have five minutes." Her mother stomps off the room, leaving her daughter in thoughts.

Back to present
Nandini said all of this to them from her point of view. They just didn't notice their professor standing there.
"Your mother is absolutely right, Ms Matthew." They all turn around to see him standing with his hand folded in front of his chest. "Nothing like this exists. You are anyways famous for daydreaming. Rather concentrate on your studies than this kind of things. That will help you. Maybe you can pass at least from this college. As of now, I see no hope for it and that's why you have to give two extra exams."
The words were no less than bombs. Hadn't they had enough exams that she has to write two more?
"But sir…" Even though Abhi tried to, he couldn't stop the hulk who walked away. Nandini was glaring at his back.

"I told you. Nobody understands it. It's illogical for everyone but my heart knows that my mind can't control me. It wasn't some hallucination. It happened and I swear that it means something…"
"Nandini, breath in. Breath out." Cabir does it along her to stop her. Otherwise, her anger may become out of control.
"Nandini, we do believe you. I know that something can be there but it maybe could be an infatuation as well, right? Maybe reacting at the first time is wrong. How about you wait for a while and don't react to it in front of everyone. If something happens or you see something then you can call us up immediately. What say?" This was a small suggestion from Abhi which let her be deep in thoughts.
"You are right Abhi. Maybe I did overreact on this. Don't worry, I won't talk about it as of now but I will prove it hereafter." With determination, Nandini walks off from that place. Her mind got fresh energy and a new mission. She had to prove that she was right and her fantasy did not influence her. Her fantasy existed and her fantasy was a deep part of her life but it did not rule her life. Her heart had an upper hand on her mind, not another way around. And Nandini was sure. SHE CAN PROVE IT.

At home, she observed the mirror keenly. It was all clean without any scratch on it. Taking pictures of it she went downstairs. Her father and mother were present. It was dinner time. Some regular questions and silence were a continuing tradition on the dining table. Today the time of silence was more reserved than the questions. Her mother was upset over the morning incidence, her father busy in his laptop and Nandini busy in thoughts. Minutes after being done, Nandini ran to her room. She didn't like the science scheme but she had to go through the college else she may be stuck there only. Nandini goes through each of her note but everything passed her head and taking another paper, her thoughts got penned on the paper. Those thoughts got mixed up with her fantasy and a story got created.

The next morning. Nandini went to the washroom carefully. She was expecting the worst since she was prepared for it. Standing in front of the mirror she observes it carefully but then. There was nothing. There were happiness and a disappointment recognizable on her face.
"Nandini get ready. You have 5 minutes."
Hearing her mother's voice Nandini was about to leave from there but a glance at the mirror stopped her. The mirror was all normal but the wall behind Nandini was the same as yesterday. Just this time the hole became much bigger. There was a scene playing. Nandini turns around but there was nothing to be seen. Just a blue paint dot on the wall, as big as the hole was.
"The same as yesterday! This is not some coincidence. Means it is not my fantasy. I will prove this to them." Saying this she goes outside and does the last stuff. Over two days Nandini saw the same things again and again in her small mirror hanging in the washroom. She didn't tell anyone anything but she didn't leave it like that either.

A morning after ten days of the first incident. Since then the holes in her mirror did not stop. Nandini did not tell anyone after the first day and that's why her belief got stronger in it. Friday, in college. Nandini, Abhi and Cabir were all together sitting in the last class of the day which was of the Mr Hulk.
"Ms Matthew, could you answer this question?" Nandini sees at the board to find some circles and some alphabet letters present in them. She couldn't fit them to anything.
"Sir, could you repeat the question, please?"
"Ms Matthew. Get out of the class and show your presence after 30 minutes again." And that's it. Nandini was literally thrown out of the class but she didn't care for it either. Science could never take her interest. Perfectly, after 30 minutes, Nandini was back in class. The professor asked her to sit down.
"So as all of you know. We are going to the Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire for two days. CERN is a European research organization that operates the biggest particle accelerator in the world. It doesn't matter if you are interested in science or you are not interested in it. You have to be there." The last sentence he said by directly looking into Nandini's eyes.

"Science is the only important part of the near future. It's more important than it is at the moment. Science will shape up the whole world to something new, something really better. Science can awaken humanity with facts. Those who can't respect science should really think about their existence. It's really saddening that even a small child understands this but a certain member of your class does not. Science begins with curiosity and often ends with discovery. That's why we reached this far in the world."
"I strongly disagree to almost everything you said Manik sir," cutting him in between, there stood Nandini Matthew. "Science is an important part but not the sole important part of the future. Science will be equally important like all the years before. If science could awaken humanity and we progressed so far then why is humanity still not existing? Concerning our existence, we all are biological processes rather than science projects. Your science didn't ask my parents to make love or it didn't make my father's sperm reach my mother's womb. There are things far beyond science which aren't seen. Each small kid understands it because each small kid is manipulated by all the holy science shit. I progressed my mind far from everyone's manipulation. I don't have the chance to leave out the trip but I believe that everything can grow beyond science and once I am done with what I want to be, then you will believe me as well!" With this, she takes her bag from there and leaves. Her mood was too down for standing there and hearing more taunts.

At home she sees her stuff packed. Her mother did it already since she believed that Nandini after going there would learn something about science and be fascinated with it. Nandini on the other hand realized her blunder but without regrets. Someone had to burst their science bubble which was their pride. Nandini was the first.

CERN was a big name and going to that institute a dream of each and every person. They had the biggest labs all over the world with the best equipment for the explorations. Being in one of the best colleges, they were allowed to peek inside that establishment. Everyone was excited than her. Even Abhi and Cabir were excited. Nandini rather wanted to know about the thing which everyone called fantasy in her life.
"Mom, I am going to get fresh and then I have to leave."
"I hope that you will learn something positive from there!" Nandini rolls her eyes on this statement. As if she's filled with negativity that she learns something positive from there.

In the washroom, Nandini was washing her hands while observing the mirror. Her wait ended with a big hole in the mirror. A hole as big as the mirror itself is. This time neither the mirror was blank nor it had the depth of space. It had a scenario going on. Nandini recognized the place of the scenario as a lab. A huge lab which was filled with different types of equipment and had mutants separated through one glass wall. Those mutants weren't beautiful to see. And then there was a group of scientists. They were talking about something. DNA tests, students, new mutants. Those talks didn't make sense but they held a big secret about science. A secret which may cost one or more lives.

Boom. The hole blew away. Nandini was observing it so keenly that she literally jumped on her place when the hole vanished.
"Who doesn't know this lab? The CERN lab. Is it something with the happenings inside the secret lab? Come on, Nandini Matthew. This will turn out something really cool now. CERN, I am coming. But I will need your companion." A newfound wave of determination surrounded Nandini's heart. This time she's more than sure that Science also has some dark secrets like the humanity years back. For exposing them she needs to know the further things from the mirror and for that, she will need the mirror. A stone cup for the toothbrushes was enough to break it and take a piece of the mirror. Will it work or was it a mistake? She didn't know.

At exactly 10 pm, the 25 students reached there. Nandini was seeing around carefully but there was nothing she could identify from the sweven she had. Further inside they were taken to a big lab. That lab was the same as she saw but the glass wall was not there. Instead, a normal wall was present.
"Sir are there more labs present as such? Means exactly the same?" Nandini asks all of a sudden. Manik glares her for this question which is really stupid according to him.
"Young lady, you are standing in one of the rarest laboratories. This is the head lab of CERN. It's impossible to have such a lab anywhere else. Not even CERN has a duplicate of it."
"Ohh. That's amazing. Thank you for answering my question, sir." In reply, she just receives a curt nod but her mind was on another track at the moment.
"As a part of the check-in, you guys have to give your blood. It will be disposed minutes after you leave," one of the head scientists announced while arriving there. "HE IS ONE!" was the only scream in Nandini's mind. She had freaking seen him in the mirror.
"But sir, why blood sample?" Nandini enquired again. Before he could answer, Manik glared her while replying, "Nandini keep shut. Stop asking stupid questions again and again. Did you get totally dumb or what?"
"I was simply enquiring for knowledge."

Everyone donated their blood and Nandini was forced as well. Off to the rooms, Nandini takes the speculum glass. Thankfully she was alone at the moment. For some minutes she waited and nothing happened. So she decided to enquire more herself. Taking a laptop she searched up what they could do with blood samples and one of the results was the DNA test.
"How intelligent you are Matthew. Hulk should be proud of me but huh. Stupid hulk! But now, let's sleep, baby. Tomorrow morning is going to be a long day and tomorrow is the only day to get your fantasy's importance back. Yippee." With this, she sold her brain's horses and went to a long sleep.

The next morning she went to get ready. As always she was damn late. All of them were downstairs than her. Nandini kept the mirror on the basin. That time there was a movement in the mirror. Nandini sees the hole presenting itself again. She observed it keenly. This time it became more clear. Some men were around her. They were not any random men but clearly the scientists of CERN. She was tied on a whipping chair with a big machine in front of her. Some scientists were working on their computers.
"The final DNA match we needed. Now, the biggest mutation ever is ready to happen. The others can be left free. Make their memories vanish and take them out of CERN premises." This was the order of the chief scientist and the small glass blasted until micromini pieces were left.

Nandini had never imagined this could be done by science. She goes downstairs to see no one present. Nandini went to the empty head laboratory. Reaching THAT wall she tries to open it and with her creative mind, which encouraged fictions and art, she saw the mismatched texture of the top and bottom of the wall. After almost 30 minutes some scientists came there making Nandini hide. They opened the wall and Nandini was a witness of it.
"Their mutation is a clear failure. None of the new student's DNA matches the requirements," one of the head scientists said.
"We have to do something soon for finding the last person with that DNA. Then this project will be a complete success," the other one responded. Better said he just put open his thoughts to his companion. "And don't worry. We still have five students open. Two meet half the requirements so let us check them first. Till then the five last results will arrive as well."
The dirty smirk verified their wrong intentions. Both leave from there after seeing on the mutants.

Nandini goes there to see the mutants. They were in a human body which was developing to the beasts. Seeing her they made sounds like growls. A newly developing mutant could still speak.
"Run away from here. If they will catch you then you will be beside us becoming their new mutant."
Nandini was shocked by this. They said that only animals got mutated but these were humans who spoke even the same language. She felt danger and left from there. She searched for the others but they were nowhere. She passes one of the X thousand labs to find voices.
"This is a 100% match. Find this girl." Peeking inside she sees two head scientists with some guards of CERN.
"Her name?" One of the guards asked.
"Nandini Matthew! I want her in front of me within 2 minutes. Each student of their college is in the space lavatory. Go and get her."
She ran from there to the laboratory. There was everyone but thankfully no scientists.

"Guys we have to run from here." Everyone sees towards her with confusion and/ or anger. Nandini tries to explain but it was expected. Nobody would believe a mere girl with dreams over such big scientists who promised to make their name appear in history. It was known that CERN is working on a secret project but nobody knew that this would be the reality. That is the reason of no one believing her.
"Ms Matthew. If you did not stop all of it then you will be sent back right away." This was the only threat she received before CERN guards and three head scientists appeared there. Nandini seeing the second door ran as fast she could. She ran between humans and mutants who were after her, trying to get her on the chief scientist's order.

"Sir we will get her soon. But maybe she told something to them." He points at the other students and Manik. They were still in a shock of what is going on. Those mutant, the beasts after her were never seen before. Things happened in a fraction of minutes that they could not react. All of them were tied and taken. At the other side, Nandini was running without a break. Her legs were paining but each missing step would get them closer to her. She could not afford that. After a long marathon, she stood to gather her breath. There were silent growls and voices which made her believe that they were far from her. What an awful mixture it was with cold snow surrounding her feet and sweat filling her forehead. And then BLACK. She was lying there in the middle of the snow with her heated body. No time to think, no time to do. Nandini was done for.

Slowly, opening her eyes, Nandini finds herself tied on a chair. Her classmates and teacher were present too. They were deep in guilt for not listening to her. The same scenario of the vision played on, just Nandini had enough time to prepare herself for this. From morning to evening, she could think of what to do if this would really happen and that was enough for the moment. She saw towards Cabir and Abhi. They were seeing towards her in guilt as well since they didn't believe her after calling her their best friend. Nandini ignored their gaze and took the device from her back pocket. All the scientists were busy working on big computers.
"Let's show them, Matthew. Science is stupid and I hate it." With a smirk, Nandini opens the handcuffs and the tie on her legs. The big knife beside her was very helpful at the moment.
"Guys. Science is just stupid. Action, thriller, mystery are amazing!" The scientists were shocked seeing her standing beside the heart piece of the mutation equipment. She stabs through the small device with a big connection in the lab. And next, two big computers were on the floor and the media on the door, taking pictures of all the happenings.

The students were out of the best science lab.
"How did you do this, how did you know this?" Some asked in a union.
"Well my stupid mirror showed me this happening and my stupid mind was around gathering proofs that the hallucinations are right. That's why I have been asking stupid questions about this stupid science. And yes Manik SIR. Having a belief is fine, having a blind belief is totally wrong. I agreed I overreacted when I found out that my mirror got a hole. My fantasy overpowered me but I got my belief balanced which you did not manage to do. And after all this, I am even less interested in your science. I am leaving your college." Saying this she walks off from there.

******
{Unedited since the writer is lazy; 4019 words}

Here it is. Thanks for the support till now. I hope you will like it and enjoy it. If it's worth reading then how about a small share and a few questions about the story:

1. How did you find the story in general?

2. Did you expect the ending?

3. If you could say something to Manik, Nandini, Cabir or Abhi, what would it be?

4. Which genre would you say is this story?

5. How did you like the moral of it?

6. Any constructive criticism for me to improve?

7. On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate this story?

8. IF YOU READ BOTH OF THE VERSIONS, WHICH ENDING WAS BETTER?