After Dark

Gurgaon. Sunday. Night time.

She was walking through a particularly lonely stretch of road. In her mind she was wondering as to how could a city, which was hustling and bustling throughout the day could turn into such a dead place by night. She could see the glittering malls in the skyline. All glam and glitz personified.

Suddenly she became aware of her surroundings. She could barely see what was ahead. She cursed herself for being out so late. In retrospect she realized that she couldn’t have helped it either. Such heavy discounts in shopping do not come every day. Now she was at a lonely stretch of road. No Street lights, and having her hands full with goods wasn’t making matters easy. Her mobile phone had also discharged completely.

She tried to think positively. She reassured herself that her home was only fifteen minutes away. It was only ten in the night. Definitely not late by city standards. Her friends too would be waiting. They planned to have a party later. Their respective boyfriends were expected too. She just blushed at that thought as to what would happen later.

But however she might try, she had to keep her eyes open in order to walk. And the constant blackness slowly but surely was chipping away at her confidence.

About fifty paces into the pitch darkness and her confidence was wavering considerably.

Her mind suddenly thought that if something were to happen to her, would anybody come to know? She shook her head and chided herself for letting her mind wander. Or was she? She questioned herself again.

From nowhere the thought of the Aarushi murder case registered in her head. Peace to her soul, she thought and continued into the darkness. And what about Nithaari? She thought again. She acknowledged that this whole part of the country was a particularly unsafe place to live in.

Why? She asked herself again. Nothing has ever happened to me. These words immediately registered as a lowly excuse and nothing more.

She realized that if something had to happen, this would be the most opportune (although unfortunate) moment.

What was that? Did she hear the rustling of leaves? Or was it somebody lurking behind the bushes? She looked once, but could find nothing. Now completely in the grip of fear, she started walking cautiously into the darkness. Again.

She started walking briskly now. The unknown fear had taken complete control over her. She noticed that she was breathing heavily, her heartbeat had quickened. Now she fully understood what was it like being afraid. She now understood how a chicken felt just before it would have been slaughtered. She momentarily thought how one can suddenly become afraid and hang on for their dear life whilst there was no danger. None were apparent at the moment.

Her apprehensions unfounded till then were confirmed seconds later.

Out of nowhere a car came from the crossroad just ahead of her. With the high beams, she was blinded for a second. She would have asked for a lift, but it was going the opposite way. She turned her head and followed the car. The chap in the car was a known face. Probably living nearby, she thought. But she froze when she saw an outline of a man which was illuminated by the car head lights just for a second.

She could not make out the face. Just that he was a stocky man and was taller than her. Perfect, she thought. What else could have been left out?

She wondered since how long he could have been following her? Or was he? It would have been quite possible that he would be walking towards his own place. A house came up around the corner. Lights completely switched off. Only a small ray of light came through the window. It was about then that she saw.

As she had walked ahead she noticed that just for a second something illuminated a small patch of road just besides her feet. She swung her head back instantly. And she felt panic when she saw that the source had been something which the man was holding in his hand. It had shone through when that man came ahead and had stepped on to the ray of light from the house around the corner.

Alarmed, she asked herself as to why the man was still following her? And was that a knife or a dagger of some sort which had shone through the light? She felt her heartbeat stop as the last thought registered in her brain.

She quickened her pace. She was in panic when she realized that the man behind her had quickened his pace too.

God no! This couldn’t be happening to me, she thought. She thought about screaming when she realized the futility of it as there was neither a single soul nor a house in sight. Only the devil was behind her.

She thought about running, but she thought better of it. Better to pretend that I have not seen him, she said to herself. That way he would maintain this distance and my house is about three minutes ahead. Just three minutes. She knew that these would be the longest three minutes of her life.

Nothing untoward happened until she made up the guts to look behind and check if the man was still there.

She almost screamed when she saw that the man was still very much there and had closed the lead by half. Just a hundred feet more she thought to herself. She could already make out the bright lights from her house. She could make out giggles and music coming out of their house. She thought it ironical that just hundred feet ahead were my friends who were having a good time and here she was out in the open like a lamb about to be slaughtered.

The last few steps to her house seemed to be the longest. It almost seemed like an eternity. She stepped into her house porch and turned to close the gate. The man was standing right in front of her. So close that she could hear him breathe. The shiny thing was still in his hand. In her morbid fear she realized that she had lost her ability to speak.

“Your knife fell down from your bag madam. I thought of shouting out and give this back to you but I realized that you would probably panic if I did that. So I followed. I am sorry if I startled you”

“It’s ...its o.k.” was all she could manage. She realized that she hadn’t even thanked him.

The man started walking back and then turned his head for the last time and spoke.
“It is late madam. Too late. It’s not safe anymore. You never know who could have put your own knife right back in your heart. Good night.”

Sporting a mischievous grin the man disappeared into the night.

The girl stood there speechless with her life drained out of her.

The noise ensued at the back, but she did not feel a part of the life that was around her. As of now she was as good as dead.