Love-Struck: Part 4

You know what is the most lethal weapon of all?  It’s human brain. And knowledge it possesses.  

Rahul felt completely foggy and out of his senses. He just laid there on recliner with no strength left to move his limbs; let alone speak. He couldn’t make out what was going on. His consciousness barely there, about to lose battle against strong urge to sleep.

Suddenly, lithe form of Priya hovered in front of his eyes who was brandishing the same knife with which they had cut cake in her gloved hands.

“Let me explain you the rules in your last ecstatic moments” She said.

Rule 1: Information and Knowledge

Get as much information as you can of your target.

Rahul was always on my radar since I joined the college. In fact, I was not meant to be here in same college but I knew I have to find him. So easy to scrap through all the bullshit Rahul spread about himself if you already knew the person well in advance. I was relying on your approach-studied so well-that once presented as beautiful, vulnerable and simple girl; he himself will dig his grave. Revenge is sweet.

With that, Priya removed the “I LOVE YOU” message card from flowers and kept it safely in her bag for later discard.

Rule 2: Deception

Never reveal your true personality. Take as much care as you can to hide the track of the past. You need to create a false aura which is visible to all.

Rahul needed easy bait, also not that much easy that he would smell the fish cooking. I had provided ample information of my background so that Rahul would catch the bait. Background which was carefully constructed to suit his need. Though never do it overtly. Its fact that my parents are there at my home town. It is also fact that I had one elder sister. But she never worked in IT. Though I could afford a car to drive daily, I had to opt vulnerability; something like middle-classed choice: Scooty. Smoke screen has to be transparent to see beyond but not that much that everything is clear. And last but not least, you have to spend time in preparation of proper cyber persona.

Priya took out other paper from her bag and crushed it under her fist. Then again let the paper unfurled on the table. Rahul blankly staring to all the deeds without having any clue with his eye-lids getting heavier by the second.

Rule 3: Preparation

You have to be careful, very careful in laying out all with utmost precision. Go through your plan as many times as time permits. There must not be any plot-hole which will compromise everything and have critical consequences. At any point if something goes wrong, make sure that nothing leads to you.

I knew what your plan was from start when you invited me for such secluded celebration. In fact, the best chance you have given me to plot my revenge. What do you think; only bad boys like you could only get hold of narcotics like Rohypnol? I have my own means. I already sedated the piece of cake which I romantically guided you to cut and eat it too. Sedative is powerful. And also untraceable. And by the way, once people see the loner losing out the romantic battle in this secluded flat with denial note crumpled besides, delivered through flowers, they would not like to investigate further on murder angle. I, poor girl, will confirm severing relationships due to personal reasons. Though I had courtesy to end it with flowers. And yes you also have your fingerprints on knife. By the way, body spray was purposefully manly as not to trace any female presence.   

Priya arranged everything as if Rahul just got depressed with denial note from Priya. She arranged his body face down on recliner with one of his hand dangling.

Rule 4: Strike

Wait for opportune moment. It will come. It must come if you have prepared well. And that is the time when you must complete what you seek for since such a long time.

Let me ease agony of dying person’s confusion. You knew Seema? A simple girl fall for you in the first year of college and you played your love-card on her, the way you done with me. She was soft and weak. It was not break-up which proved unbearable for her but shattering of her ideal sense of true love. You didn’t even thought of sympathizing with her and choose to flag her as cheater, saving your gentleman image. You do remember that she left study in between after such incident and returned home; just to hang herself and die in the close vicinity of her family. And there was her younger sister shocked and traumatized for whole of her life. I am not Seema. This is nothing but little payback from my elder sister.

With such last words Priya slashed the dangling wrist of the Rahul, carefully put the knife around his second hand, dumped cake into garbage bag to dispose far away and arranged champagne glasses to reduce suspicion of second drinker.

With tearful eyes she threw last glance at unconscious Rahul bleeding away to death and slammed the door shut behind her.

The End.

Previously…..

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Love-struck: Part 3

Rahul had just finished arranging champagne bottle in steel tumbler, filled with ice cubes along with slender champagne glasses for the occasion when doorbell rang with a loud and continuous clang; showing the anticipation of the person other side to enter the house. It was Priya dressed simple but with lots of elegance. Rahul was just stood there with his mouth open, completely blown apart to see the transformation of Priya from simple college girl to modelling fashionista.

“Are you not going to invite me to house?” Priya gently put forward in soft tone.

“What!!! Oh…. Yaaa, sorry….You look so gorgeous that for a while I felt absolutely numb.” Rahul getting back to his own replied with charm, “Please, come in”.

Priya settled down on recliner admiring the surroundings. Drawing hall was sparsely filled with expensive furniture. A large recliner was covering most of the space along with glass top tripod. Priya noticed antique mantelpiece made of sandalwood adorning one of the wall with tall tower clock. Kind of shown in horror movies all the time. But here it was looking beautiful and, for sure, expensive.

“Have a look around and I will prepare something to drink and then we can talk and decide about dinner.” Rahul knew that he had to make Priya comfortable before making any advance. With that he popped open champagne and poured out two glasses.

“Rahul, I don’t drink.” Priya protested on seeing what Rahul meant for drinking.

“Oh… Come on. This is just champagne. One glass; for me. For our……Love??!!!”

“No please. I have to drive home.”

“I will call you cab or arrange something. Don’t spoil the ambience. Ok. Take one sip and if you really don’t like than I will not force you.” As Rahul was saying it in mild “lover’s tone”, Priya was not aware that he was putting a pill of Rohypnol, infamously known as Date Rape drug with his back towards Priya. Rahul knew that even though girls resist, they always had enjoyed his “company”. He had just provided means or in other words “courage” to initiate “the relationship”. Like other girls in the past, Priya will also feel foggy next day but he would blame it on first time drinking. Priya will never go against Rahul as she wittingly had chosen to accept his invitation in name of Love. In most cases girls themselves moved away after “the incident” leaving Rahul as “heart-broken victim”. Otherwise Rahul always had some other means to severe the ties. He was not meant to be with single girl.

Priya saw Rahul approaching with two champagne filled glasses. He offered one to Priya like offering a cold-drink bottle in very casual manner. Priya hesitated. She was not sure if this could be the correct step.

“C’mmon. What are you waiting for? OK, I promise I will not lose my mind and never let you be in harm’s way also.” Rahul knew from nervous biting on the lips of Priya that she was contemplating. She was in dilemma whether to forget about whole world and not letting these moments sleep away or rather not slipping to the temptation in these fickle moments.

At last with palpitation, Priya accepted the glass,” Ok. As you wish. How could a girl resist an offer “you can’t refuse”? But let’s celebrate this first with cake I specially order for us.” With that, Priya took out the cake she brought all along with her from decorative wrapper box. She fumbled in her purse for something.

“What are you searching? Candles?” Rahul couldn’t wait to get it done with and carry on with his purpose.

“No silly, I think I forgot the cutting knife.”

“Ok. Wait I will bring the chopping knife from kitchen.”  Rahul hurriedly went to kitchen while uttering those words.

He quickly picked up one knife from brand new set, still unused, wondering why on the earth they had furnished kitchen if no one was going to be there for using it for long while.

“Here it is.”

“Cut the cake with your own hand” exclaimed Priya.

“Let’s do it together”. Rahul was ever ready to impress.

While Priya softly holding Rahul’s hand, guiding the cutting of the cake, Rahul leaned bit closer to Priya and strong scent of her perfume showered the nostrils of Rahul. “uuhgggg…. What kind of perfume is this?”

“You didn’t like this!!!! Oh…. I thought these expensive ones must be good. It’s new body spray I tried.”

“It’s bit manly. Don’t you think so? Anyway, Forget it. Let’s proceed with cake cutting”

Priya cut a large piece and offered it to Rahul with most loving smile she could conjure up after that “body-spray” fiasco, “This is for you.”

As soon as Rahul opened his mouth she stuffed it up with whole piece lovingly, giggling all the time.

She cut one more piece for herself which Rahul made sure that Priya ate with his hands, reducing the physicality as much as possible.

“Let’s celebrate now.”

Previously……….

Part 1

Part 2

Love-struck: Part 2

Rahul was pacing eagerly in the drawing-room which was sparsely furnished due to still ongoing interior work. Not all the flats were occupied due to still construction work around; precisely because of which Rahul invited Priya to his secluded flat. Not sure why he felt such eagerness when he was very much aware of the future outcomes. He couldn’t believe his luck that girl like Priya got trapped so easily. Rahul went into trans-stat, talking to himself; musing on his “achievements”.

“She looks clever to me. In fact she is much cleverer and well above those other girls of the past. But I know how to tread on risky waters. People think that this is easy considering my stature and personality but it’s not. You need to strictly follow some rules.”

Rule 1: Information and Knowledge

Get as much information as you can of your target. Knowledge about your prey is much important to avoid critical situations to occur. I searched and gather as much as I can about Priya before advancing. What she like, what she dislike, what’s her routine, what could be out of routine, what’s her vulnerabilities, what’s her strength….. Everything. As much as you can.

Considering Priya joined as fresher and being emotional type, she will be vulnerable enough to fall for “Love-thingy” on first place. She is having parents at her home-town. I also heard about her elder sister working in IT firm. Good, at least she will have emotional support once I finished toying with her and execute my most famous emotional break-up “ploy”.

Rule 2: Deception

Never reveal your true personality. Take as much care as you can to hide the track of the past. You need to create a false aura which is visible to all. It must be impressive enough from Priya’s points of view and at the same time must look authentic. Spread you fallacy before any truth spilling out from somewhere else which eventually going to be the case. Especially take care of your cyber persona.

Already I have spread my image in this college as down-to-earth idealistic guy. I know Priya will not fall for someone who is much higher above her social class as she will not approach the first step out of inferiority. I need to put her on ease. I need to present myself as someone who can be so good that I can pay no heed to other classy girls and fall for simplicity.

Rule 3: Preparation

You have to be careful, very careful in laying out all with utmost precision. Go through your plan as many times as time permits. There must not be any plot-hole which will compromise everything and have critical consequences. At any point if something goes wrong, make sure that nothing leads to you.

Most difficult task was to get noticed. Luckily I have few advantage, due to my false propaganda but important part is you need to get your first strike at conversation. Don’t try to rush through it. It’s like cooking. You need to time it perfectly with heat. I observed for few days when she left alone and I found out that best time was at parking lot while leaving. One day I tweaked little bit of her spark-plug and made myself present at right moment. Need I have to say that I was well aware of her late labs on that day?

Rule 4: Strike

Wait for opportune moment. It will come. It must come if you have prepared well. And that is the time when you must complete what you seek for since such a long time.

Once past formalities of the budding love relationship, you need to forward slowly and steadily like a spider preying its bug. Wait for Valentine’s Day and propose what Priya always desired the most: promise of lifelong true love. I can sense that Priya is completely charmed by me and she is about to reach to my lair of sins.”

At the same moment, doorbell rang and Rahul found himself be presented with flower bouquet full of red roses. But why she sent a delivery boy? Was she not coming? After delivery boy went away, Rahul picked out the message on scrap of paper hidden among roses.

“I LOVE YOU.

Can’t wait to meet you.

Will soon reach to your home.

• Yours Priya “.

Rahul was greedily smiling with comfort that his “hard work” has not been in vain.

Previously…….

Part 1

Love-struck : Part 1

“Priya, I fall for you when I first saw you. I was waiting for Valentine’s Day since our first meeting. Would you like to come and celebrate with me?”

Priya was never so much happy before. It was that exceptionally odd feeling never experienced before. Why shouldn’t she? After all, her desires were coming true. She couldn’t believe her luck. How easy all things falling into pieces. She never intended to follow the path of love and all that movie propagated feel-good factors; especially after “that” horrible incident which left her and whole of her family in grief-stricken state for so many days. She still knew that all is not well with her family. They will never going to accept her after this. She herself started to hate the word “Love”. But she knew deep within her heart that love itself could be the only path which will provide soothing effect to their grief. Love is the way. And she was the key. To relieve out of “that” trauma.

And how could you not fall in love with Rahul. Yes, Rahul whose inviting words were continuously ringing in her ears. Heart-throbbing and sensational. Charming and handsome. He was always favorite of the girls. Priya never knew that whatever shown in the movie could really be happened in real life. But Rahul was such persona who can turn your dreams into reality. He was in the final year of Arts, while Priya just started her college career in Science stream in the same college.

Currently heading towards Rahul’s new flat residing on outskirts of city, Priya was feeling anticipation mixed with excitement. She was dressed in elegant turquoise Salwar which was perfectly doing its job of alleviating her curves and at the same time not giving too much away. With thick of black hair, curls at the end falling to shoulders, big brown eyes accompanying long slender nose and full lips forming the natural pout, she could definitely compete in beauty contests. But she felt nervous today. Valentine’s Day was not helping her out to ease the feeling. Strawberry-pineapple fruit cake lying beside her for upcoming “special” celebration. Nowadays, it is easy to fix date on this special day but ridiculously hard to secure flowers and cake. Also she was not prepared when suddenly Rahul asked her to meet her at his new flat on this special day. Both aware that what was going to come was inevitable.

They say Love needs time but that was the only factor which was left out in Rahul and Priya’s love relationship. It was fast and quick matching the pace and necessity of fast digital life. It has been only 6 months when first they met on college campus. Priya had recently joined the college and was getting popularity in terms of her looks and brevity as “new batch arrivals”. Everyone knew that seniors had their keen surveillance over new girls. Boys from entire last year class of art were aware of Rahul’s influence. So they had already settled down to wait for his approaches and then picked out other girls to escape from heart-break afterwards. Everyone knew that Rahul’s charm was irresistible. He is handsome and rich. Soft-spoken and down-to-earth though. He chose not to mingle in any kind of so-called “amoral” practices. He could be the very embodiment of prince who is the sole objective of dreams of every girl. But Rahul had never taken advantage of the situation or so people say. Even though envy had its way of spreading rumors.

Anyhow Priya was never affected by rumors from the very first day when they met. It was the day after late evening lab that Priya was struggling to start her Scooty. Rahul was about to leave when he saw Priya in parking. He approached and offered help. After bit of spark-plug cleaning and mechanical knowledge showdown, he accompanied her to main road. They met a couple of times after that in parking area while leaving the college and exchanged numbers and IDs; voluntarily agreeing that it’s better to accidentally meet in cyber-space rather than bland parking area all the time.

“What do you want, madam?”

Priya suddenly realized that vendor was awaiting her answer. She got off at the florist at the corner. She bought few more roses. She was feeling a fluttering buterflies in the stomach. Her heart was beating like drum. She had to send the message to Rahul and she was going to do it in old-fashioned way. She was planning to send letter to Rahul with whole of her heart poured out with flowers, but she resisted herself to put that in flower bouquet. What if delivery boy lose it in haste?  What if delivery got delayed?  No!!! She could not afford to take risk. So she just slipped “Love you” card and asked the florist to deliver the flower bouquet on time on Rahul’s new flat address. She knew even though there will be no one living there as flat was not completely furnished, Rahul will be there on time waiting for her. For that special moment for which he invited Priya alone to such remote location. And Priya also couldn’t wait to see her emotions come to fruition.

Literary Lion: Bleeding

Fight is like trapeze artist performing well-rehearsed act. Nimble body is much more powerful than stronger one.

He was about to approach exit door when suddenly it flew open in his face, knocking him down to white parquet floor of the operating room accompanied by white washed out walls. When he gained the focus he observed the abomination of human body in terms of size and muscle blocking the entire doorframe. He could not make out his exit without fighting this giant. Next moment, giant brought down his sledgehammer; thudding and cracking the tiles from where he slides away seconds before. Enraged, spittle flinging about everywhere with thin strands of saliva gleaming like cob web, Giant got frenzied; whizzing and cracking whatever lay in front of him. He dragged, shuffled, slide across floor; avoiding blow after blow till something rubbed against his arm.

He took hold of scalpel rubbing against his elbow and got hold of himself from defending position to attacking. Upon witnessing the mockery of weapon against his own, big monster smiled. He smiled in return. Giant swung the sledgehammer in wide arc, He backpedaled, swiveled gracefully like a dancer and with one quick jab made long incision on the back of giant. Big guy didn’t flinch at all and continued flurry of attacks. But he was prepared. He was like feather floating in air; feet barely touching the ground. Circling around out of reach of hammer; Swirling with scalpel glinting in delight of taste of blood; vaulting over to jab a puncture at back; sliding under the downward arc of hammer and between the legs to slice the massive thighs; almost kissed but never to be touched by sledgehammer. And this waltzing continued for a while.

Another swing. Miss. One more cut.

Swing. Miss. Stab.

Swing. Swing. Swing. Cut. Jab. Nick.

And then he waited. Moment by moment swing of the hammer got reduced until there was no more swing. Giant rested both his hand on hammer, kneeling down with no strength left to land one more blow.

“Please. Kill me.” Giant uttered. His massive body oozing out large amount of blood through countless numbers of incisions and cuts.

“I already did.” With those word he made exit; leaving giant bleeding to death.

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Thanks Laura Gabrielle Feasey for initiating such a lovely flash-fiction where one needs to come up with less than 400 words write-up on given topic.

Flash Fiction word: Bleeding.

Literary Lion: Escape

I need to kill the target before I leave for that marriage function I have to attend.

No one should know about this. I have to plan and execute without fail.

I crouched beside peripheral bush, tracking movements of each patrolling officer.

Two at the main gate. One patrolling inner courtyard. I can spot two more at portico guarding the main entrance. There might be possibility of another at back courtyard.

Few more minutes elapsed. With every move and kill planned in mind, I moved along the shadows of shrubbery when I heard something which froze my blood and body same time.

Was it barking? They have dogs. This changed everything.

Before I took out my Beretta with suppressor in ready position to fix the situation, Rottweiler had pranced in front of me out of the bush.

I had to put bullet before this beast raise the alarm.

“C’mon. We are getting late. Shut the thing off.”

I was compromised. Slight distraction and Rottweiler jumped on me with all its might and took the arm cleanly off.

I put down the controller and got ready for my social duty unwittingly.

“Don’t say anything at the function like you play games.”

“Why not.”

“Don’t embarrass me please. What do they think of you? It’s not the age. ”.

“Why do they release 18+ titles if they intend for only kids.”

“Whatever but don’t say it.”

But that is what I do best. That is the world where I could be absolutely top of my game. That is the world which has done more good than this social gatherings. At least that imaginary world has decency to reward those who have the potential to progress ahead, those who master through hard-work and learning. How could they laugh at me when they don’t realize how difficult and calculating all the stuff when you go for tactical combat. When you choose to invade nation without proper resource planning. Though I interact, eat, sleep and drink, that is the world where I live. It’s not escape. This is my brief respite and escape before I return back to my own.

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Thanks Laura Gabrielle Feasey for initiating such a lovely flash-fiction where one needs to come up with less than 400 words write-up on given topic.

Flash Fiction word: Escape.

Literary Lion: Story in the Woods

Hunter and Prey

He was part of nature. He was the limb of the trunk atop which his mast perched.

Stand-still. Not the slightest movement or flinch of a muscle.

Only sound was Himalayan cold breeze ruffling leaves of dense tree generating sweet lullaby music. With utter darkness shrouding the woods and not a single soul to accompany at night, one could only fell asleep in moments. But Jim was not like others. He knew opportunity will present itself at any moment. He was not allowed to flinch or twitch or even blink; just to make sure that his hunting rifle and hence himself not fail tonight.

Goat tied to the peg in small clearing patch agitated after hefty meal of green grass. Poor soul. Not aware that itself presented as hefty meal to something else and oblivious of its own demise. After a while Jim also grew agitated. May be beast had found some other prey and not going to visit the easy little meal like previous three nights. Jim was considered veteran in hunting trade but this time he found his match. Perfect enemy squishing out every inch of skills and character out of you.

Everyone needs such opponent. To grow. To identify own hidden potential. And Jim knew that both aware that whoever win other going to lose life.

Jim heard muffled bleating before it was replaced with bone snapping and crunching while beast was trying to get away with its prey with rope still intact. Two large eyes shining green are almost mistaken as fireflies. It was large and all muscle. For a while both hunters locked the stare; both aware of presence of other. Perfectly within range; Jim knew this was the moment he was looking for from last three nights in the woods.

Suddenly there was uproar from nearby village. Beast ran away with its prize clutched in its fangs in brief moment of distraction. When Jim returned from the woods, an Indian man came running to him informing that Men-eater had attacked the village and got away with poor villager.

“Why didn’t you kill the other one?” Asked one of villager once the situation settled down.

“I don’t kill nature only the monsters. Let’s go to woods again for new trap” Replied Jim calmly.

Thanks Laura Gabrielle Feasey for initiating this lovely flash-fiction where you need to come up with less than 400 words write-up on given topic.

Flash Fiction word: Story in the Woods

Literary Lion: Space

Loop

“Before the thing out there kill me I have to testify my theory.”

Running through dark and claustrophobic corridors of his high-tech advanced research lab, David can only conjure up image of him being caught and lost in some alien spaceship. It has been two weeks when something has invaded their research lab and killing everyone. No one had chance to identify or whoever done that was now no longer alive.

They were so near to success. Only obstacle was to clear that space-time continuum drift problem. They couldn’t manage to come with solution even after so many genius minds involved. Being labeled as “secret research” they did not have comfort of having external help. They were about to throw the towel when David had this sudden spark of tweaking some variables involved. Precisely at that moment series of unnatural death has terrorized this little scientific community.

AffiEmbed Review

Even before someone could spread the word or get the news out, everyone was efficiently picked and dispatched except David. Now facing sudden death any moment, David could only think of applying his solution which would be his pinnacle achievement and might present way to cheat death. He entered one massive lab space mostly occupied with large contraption sat in the center of hall. He tweaked few dials, entered few commands to the super-computer attached, entered into one human-size pod and prayed for his success.

“If this thing works than I can still get what I always wanted. Time-machine was always my brainchild. I was the one who initiated the project. I should be the one who end it. More than prize and praise, I will hold ultimate power with invention of this Time-Machine.”

One large flash and everything bathed into bright blinding light. Somewhere space-time fabric tore. David could sense passing through space filled with dark matter.

When he opened his eyes he was there in his lab but he could hear sound of others celebrating something. While silently observing the milling of his fellow scientists he could perceive his own image there among them. This was two weeks back. David can remember it. With devilish thought forming in his mind he deduced the success.

“Now only thing I have to do is kill everyone one by one except me.”

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Thanks Laura Gabrielle Feasey for providing inspiration and cause to put up my writing skill on run from it’s initial lazy state.

Flash Fiction word: Space

Pingback: http://ismithwords.com/2015/06/03/space/

For your eyes only…

“What could possibly be the factor which still makes you madly in love with her? “ posited by one of the invitees on Silver Jubilee Marriage Anniversary-raised for small group of closely related friends- with purpose of not getting the conversation swayed to politics and cricket.

“Yes, please tell us your story. How you met? When you realized that it’s really love ? “Asked other.

With that question my eyes traced back to where she was mingling with her group, chatting away womanly matters, away from us in the center of drawing hall. Still that first meeting was so clear in my memoirs, when I first saw her siting opposite to me in the bus. It was my regular route to work. But she was always there in the bus before me in same spot, maybe securing seat from bus depot. Her picture of always staring out the windows, sometimes absorbing the traffic and skyscrapers outside, sometimes just feeling the wind with closed eyes burned in to my memory as it was just about few days back. Always in same posture, elbow resting on window sill, supporting the chin with her palm, with face facing the window, lost in her own thoughts, ignorant of the busy bus interiors.

Before I answer, one more question fired at me from the group: “Forget all this, just tell us what you still liked the most about her? This’ll wrap up very soon then.” Even though I could not make out, I was sure from the mischievous intent lying under the question and the way it was put forward that it must be from “Bully” – little fellow by stature but like to impose his personality through sardonic sense of humor.

“Most I liked about her is ………………”

I never felt bus travel could be so attractive after her first sight. There was sudden life change as some invisible wand had turned my day-to-day transport affair to energetic grandeur and happiness. Time kind of flew by from my station to work location. So powerful was the urge to secure seat opposite to her that I fought with people to get the head start and get the seat. But I never noticed she looked at me once. Always staring out the window. With valentine’s day approaching, I decided to gather my courage and express my feelings for her.

That day I bought beautiful roses of different colors from the florist with sole intention of presenting my feeling. As soon as I tried to get my seat opposite to her usual place, I noticed there was someone else sitting beside her, a boy almost of my age. She was still looking out the window in daily manner. Her other hand rested beside her on seat which was held warmly by the boy. My entire world turned upside down in one moment. Love has this tendency to grow upon you more once you realized that person is moving away from you. Dejected, I saw towards flowers I brought and determined to present them just as gratitude to the girl for just being there. I skipped my station that day, decided to grab the chance of presenting the flowers. Opportunity came as bus broke down due to engine failure and all passengers had to get down checking alternate ways to travel further. Boy spoke something to her and got off for a while.

I stood beside her. She had retained her regular demeanor; completely ignorant of me. I tried to speak but words never came out. I silently put down flowers besides her and turned back to go away. That same boy was standing in front of me.

“That is some beautiful flowers.” He said.

“Yeah.” I barely replied back.

“But she can’t enjoy the colors of the flowers as she cannot see from birth. I am her brother and today I decided to drop her to the college all the way.”

Love has potential to be most powerful force when faced with challenges. It’s not sympathy or pity but unquenchable thirst to be together and support the loved one in any condition.

Snapping out of the reverie, I wrapped up all questions with one single answer with gentle smile.

“Her Eyes”.

The Room – Short psychological horror story

I tried to open my eyes but veil of darkness shrouding my eyes won’t lift up. I realized my mind was working in its regular thinking rhythm, my limbs were bit stiff but still I could feel them. Still, Somehow I couldn’t open my eyes, it’s like omnipresent darkness just pressing the leads of my eyes tightly shut with so much ferocity that not a single photon could creep past it. I knew I was relieving from adverse effect of nightmare, but general experience says that in nightmare you awoke suddenly, with a shock. In my case that was just not happening at all, defining logic, in fact reversing the logic on its head.

I tried again. And again. And again…..And I realized there was something wrong. My eyes felt like red giant bursting with force but to only diminish its existence either through irrevocably collapsing to black hole or bursting out of eye-sockets like supernova, in both cases, leaving only the darkness behind, trapping me in it forever.

I thought I could use some effort with my fingers to pry open the eye-leads. As I tried, there was shocking realization that they were missing altogether. God…. my eyes were already open. I sensed my eye-leads perched atop my eyes like owl steadily waiting for its prey in utter darkness. Hadn’t I blinked all this time? I poked my fingers deep down my eye-ball, swelling it with pain and tear to guarantee the presence of darkness. Moreover, to feel alive. What’s happening? Why couldn’t I trace anything in my room? Was it my room at all or I was somewhere else, somewhere god-forbidden black hole of eternal darkness?

No, it was my room. I could feel it. Anyhow I decided to get up and drew curtains away from the windows to allow some faint light to come in, but to no avail. There was no light source out there somewhere. What happened to the moon? And the stars? Might be it was that no-moon night, major inspiration for all those ghost stories to come into existence. My throat was parched. I tried to go for my water bottle, scrambling my way to find it which usually resides besides my bed. But it was proving difficult to get along easily with no faint outline to perceive anything. Were my eyes still not used to darkness? Am I succumbed to some kind of blindness?

I found my water bottle with bit of effort, rolled away somehow only to be stopped by my computer desk; sitting in the corner of the room since years with composure of “King Vikram” bearing the load of “Betal” perched atop its shoulder: my high-end powerfully configured gaming desktop. Water smelt rancid somehow or did it really smell? Better not to drink this and bring the fresh one, I tried for the door of my room which luckily I knew in which direction lies as the exercise of finding water bottle had pretty much given me the idea of layout and spread of the room. After all I had spent large amount of my life in the same room. My room which became altar of study and then became altar of everything for me. I was so attached to it, spending so many years in it creating ideas, building career, partying with friends, musing alone, escaping from outer world, dreaming about girls, day-dreaming about future and what not. The room ceased to be the non-living entity and became my living breathing friend, accomplice in all my deeds and in all my sins.

I was aware of another side-quest of getting to light-switches lays in path of main quest of reaching the main door. With a little effort I was able to find the switchboard. My fingers played on all switches like an accomplished piano player, but the only sound I could garnered was “tic-toc” out of it, with darkness remaining as it was. Might be the power outage? I don’t understand why power-outage occurred always on this kind of incidental-heavy nights. Only option left for me now was to go for door and check out. I fumbled initially then contemplated and calculated where the door-knob might be. To my surprise, there was nothing there but a stub to indicate the signs of door-knob existed before it was pried out of its position. Should I call out to somebody in the midst of this frightful night? No, what would others think of me if it would turn out to be case of misinterpretation on my side. People already conceived me as secluded lost soul living in my own imaginary world by locking myself in the room all the time. They would be sure by this incident that I lost my mind completely. They were never going to understand that their own incompetency to cope up with my emotional level had pushed me away from general social attachments. Their hypocrite way of socializing had set me apart and took shelter to only available safe zone to me: my room.

Suddenly there was a loud rap on the door, shaking whole door frame. I stepped away from the door with utmost fear. I was scared to approach the door as if it was surged with electric fence. Silence following the loud rap was so thick that I could hear my heart pumping liters of blood through my veins just to keep me alive and to face my deepest fears. I heard dogs barking somewhere upon seeing something which was not meant to be seen by human, baby crying in anticipation of food, late night TV show running with background laughter sound effects. Who the hell was running TV in power-outage? Before I could conceive something, there was second loud thud, than there was third, fourth…..It was kind of beating of big drum with large bamboo sticks. Suddenly there was flash of brightness like lightning in the storm, but I heard no sound of it or might be its sound drowned into cacophony of drumming on door. There was second flash and from corner of my eye I saw something crawling on wall opposite to my gaming desk. It was kind of bug of fist size. Then I realized they were everywhere in the room, crawling on all walls, forming the shape of large face sticking on wall. With raping on door continued I had vague feeling of room was getting alive and laughing at me for some unknown reason.

It came suddenly to my mind, a faint remembrance, happened yesterday, might be before that somewhere in the past, but I knew for sure that was the only reason describing these weird incidents. A remembrance where my friends had called me to go with them on outing just for the sake of fun and I choose my room over them. A remembrance where invitation from my sister to simply come to her house following festival ritual was refused so as to spend more time in Gaming and reading and being there in the room. A remembrance where my parents were pursuing me just to set up a meeting with future prospect partner but my low self-esteem along with my bad social attachment history had compelled me to reject the offer without second thought. There were so many remembrances like these, pointing to me that I always had chosen my room over everything else. I never left my room for others and now the room had decided not to allow me to leave.

As this realization known to it, the Room, it was bathed with white clinical light, stabbing my eyes with sheer white pain. As my eyes adjusted to sudden brightness, I saw my reflection laughing at me from full-size mirror on the wall besides the door. Drumming had stopped. The room looked like more of a surgical room or operation room from where one could only come out without a limb or two or worst as dead. I felt something retching under my face-skin. As I tried to satisfy the urge of scratching, my skin suddenly peeled out. Unknowingly, I held one end of it with my fingers and slowly started scraping out the skin from my face. It was as easy as peeling of boiled potato. I didn’t feel pain, just the tingle of needles pinching my tissue underneath. Surprisingly, there was no blood. Might be somehow I could remove only epidermis and not puncturing blood vessels below. After some time, I was standing with my white face devoid of any skin in front of mirror, having my dead face in one of my hand containing holes where the eyes and nostrils and mouth had been. I poked the white tissue of my face. It felt like sushi. Suddenly, a blood vein embossed out of my temple imitating lightning out of the sky; both in look and speed. And then more veins embossing, creating bloody web all over my stark white face. I could feel and see blood flowing through web of pulsating veins. I screamed with all the strength which only had adverse effect of straining and puncturing all the veins at the same moment, showering my face and mirror in Niagara of blood and…………………….

I found myself sweating profusely in the bed. It looked like it was rare kind of lucid dreaming what I experienced. Sunshine was wrestling with window curtains to brighten my room. First time ever I thought about drawing the curtains right away and let the light fill my hollow, empty room. My CPU was blinking in LEDs, requiring my attention on downloaded material which I kept running whole night. I heard my parents asking me whether I want to attend social gathering held by relative, with pure selfish reason of getting me introduced to “future prospects”. To their surprise, and also to mine my mind instantly replied “Just wait, I’ll be ready and come”. As I left my room to freshen up, I noticed beams of sunlight spreading on the walls of my room giving the feel that room was smiling with joy and happiness.