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    The Diary at 11:45 - Siddhant Gupta - Std 8 - 12

    Just as we settled into the old cottage, dust gathered like secrets in corners. Diya, my little sister, and I explored the attic. I found a leather-bound journal; she found a pouch but kept it to herself. Mom let us keep our finds, saying only, “Just don’t wreck the house."


    That night, the diary glowed at exactly 11:45 p.m.


    School was strange but exciting. I quickly bonded with Khushi, always energetic, and Manthan, quiet but strong. Shravan, the silent genius, warned me about Vinay, the school bully.


    Later that day, a stranger stared me down and muttered, “I’ll deal with you later.” That evening, the diary glowed again. A new entry, dated tomorrow, appeared in my handwriting.


    The next day, Khushi was absent, and Diya didn’t come home. Mom thought she was playing, but something felt wrong. The diary had a new entry:


    Ø “The men we encountered yesterday had abducted Khushi. Diya tried to help and was caught. They’re at 14/A Millpoint Street.”


    Shravan and I rushed to the address. Meanwhile, Manthan arrived at my house, saw the diary, and formed his own plan. At the warehouse, Shravan and I were outnumbered—until fireworks went off. Manthan and Ira arrived with our classmates. Khushi and Diya were rescued.


    That night, we formed a team. Shravan was the brain, Manthan the strength, Khushi the fire, Ira the vice-leader, and I became the leader. Diya, sharp as ever, was our backup—often overlooked, but essential.


    For a while, everything felt right. The diary helped us prevent a theft. We trained, camped, laughed. My birthday was coming up, and they planned a surprise.


    But Vinay had other plans. He whispered to Manthan, “They cheer for Sid, not you.”


    Those words haunted Manthan. At my birthday party, he snapped and stormed off.


    Things fell apart.


    Shravan left. “There’s nothing left to fight for.” Khushi stopped coming. Diya left with our parents. Ira kept busy. I was alone.


    And the diary stayed silent.


    One day, I called Diya. Her voice reminded me of why we began. I helped Ira with her work, gave Shravan a new mystery to solve, and reunited Khushi with old friends. Slowly, the team returned. Even Manthan.


    Vinay wasn’t idle. He kidnapped Diya again—not for revenge, but for the ink and quill.


    He had learned the truth: the diary showed the future with regular ink—but let you write it with the original ink and quill.


    By the time we arrived, he had both.


    He stood over the diary, quill in hand. “It’s my turn to write the tale,” he said.

    We fought. He was stronger. Just as he began to write our defeat, Diya—doing her job as backup—knocked the diary and quill from his grip.



    I caught them mid-air. The diary glowed. I dipped the quill in the ink and wrote:


    Ø “Vinay lost all powers granted by the diary at 11:45 p.m.”


    Time froze. The diary shimmered. Vinay collapsed.


    But a shadow rose behind him. He had been possessed.


    “You defeated the puppet. But the book remains open.”


    I faced it. “I’m ready. Bring it on.”

    It vanished.


    Vinay woke up, memory wiped. Manthan stood by him.

    “We’re ready for revenge,” he said.

    “No,” I replied. “Live with your past. Improve.”


    Ira asked, “What now?”


    I said “This is just the end of the beginning.”


    I smiled at the glowing diary and said.

    “Now… I’ve become The Writer.”


    The End


    Meet Siddhant Gupta:


    Siddhant Gupta is a 14-year-old student of Guardian School CBSE whose world is powered by imagination and pixels. Whether he’s crafting stories full of mystery or diving into a thrilling game, Siddhant brings creativity and curiosity to everything he does. Inspired by the magical universe of Harry Potter, the thrills of Final Destination, and his favourite anime characters, he enjoys weaving tales that are vivid, unexpected, and often thought-provoking.


    Though he hasn’t chosen a future profession just yet, he believes in dreaming big—just like his idol, Robert Downey Jr. Siddhant's mind is a whirlwind of ideas, and when he isn’t writing, he’s probably daydreaming about wild plots and powerful heroes. This story was shared to give readers a peek into his world—where imagination leads the way and possibilities are endless.



    About the Story


    This story was submitted by the author as an entry for the BhashaLab Ultimate Story Writing Competition, 2025. We appreciate their creativity, thoughtful expression, and the courage to share their voice with a wider audience. Thank you!


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    About BhashaLab


    BhashaLab is a dynamic platform dedicated to the exploration and mastery of languages - operating both online and offline. Aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Credit Framework (NCrF), we offer language education that emphasizes measurable learning outcomes and recognized, transferable credits.


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