My first attempt to write and submit for a competition for Times of India. Unfortunately, I was not among the top 10. I don't know if it was even shortlisted or not. Anyways, since this story didn't make it anywhere... I thought, I will post it in my blog.... Maybe I will improve this later....as I know this could have been better... much better.... So here we go...
Chapter 1 – Bloodied Knife
She sat in the Starbucks cafe,
sipping her coffee and staring out of the window. The blood stained knife lay
next to her handbag, covered with her blue silk scarf.
A tall heavy built man with a
neatly pressed suit, a long overcoat and a black akubra walks right next to her
and places a briefcase on the table with a loud thud which startles her so much
that she drops her cup over the table.
Without a flinch, he takes out a hankie and extends it over to her…
Still shaking by the shock of his
sudden appearance, she extends her trembling hands to collect the hankie and
ask him, “Are you sure, you are going to do this?”
He doesn’t speak but picks up
the knife, wrap it up in the scarf and places it inside his briefcase.
“I asked you something? They
don’t know about you? Do they?” she says
Without a word, he looks
straight into her eyes and says “Yes” and starts looking around the empty café…
“I got the keys from Kamal,
the café opens at 11 and it’s still 9… I told him, that I wanted to work on my project
without disturbance. He knows about the work going on near my home hence he
bought the story and handed the keys… so don’t worry, I have got that covered…”
she says
With an unyielding face he
nods in approval, takes a heavy sigh and says “Don’t trust anyone!!”
“Not even you?” she asks
Without answering her, he
closes his briefcase and with a rigid face and stern voice says “if everything
goes as per plan, you will get to know soon… and again… STAY OFFLINE!!” sending
shivers down her spine.
“What if they don’t believe
you? I mean who will trust someone with bloodied knife in hand” she asks
“I got that covered…” he says
“Will I ever see you again?”
she asks
He doesn’t say a word and he walks out of
Starbucks as she watches him vanish at distance wondering if she will see him
again. He was a mysterious help that
arrived at her doorstep when was scared like a wet kitten and needed a friend. She
feared being thrown to prison and humiliation to her family. She was so scared with the interrogation that
she contemplated suicide until he arrived and proved her innocence in front of
them. As she was pondering over these
thoughts and turns to pick up her handbag and the cup from the table, someone
enters the store stealthily.
Disha’s life had changed
drastically after her first breakup at the tender age of 19 years. From being a
girl of every man’s dream to becoming a 24 year old lady with bad temper, she
had lost contacts with almost everyone.
Her sudden burst of anger was unbearable for most of her genuine friends
who walked away from her life. Her
mother used to find prospective grooms for her daughter to settle down but Disha
always had a reason to reject them.
Her virtual life had provided
her an escape route to recover from her devastating relation. She felt happy
when people used to like her selfie and comment on her. Of all the jerks she had met online, Uday
seemed most gentle and genuine. While
most of them wanted her in their beds, Uday wanted to know if she is interested
in marrying him. He had introduced himself as a 28 year old NRI who had made a
small fortune out of his restaurant business in UK and looking for an Indian
Bride.
Disha was instantly smitten
when she saw Uday’s pic and fell for him after couple of chats over next few
days. The friendly chats soon became
intimate to the point that Disha started intimate video calls with Uday whenever
he asked her to.
One day, Uday lands in Mumbai
and updates Disha that he will be flying down to Bangalore in 3 days. On the night before he was supposed to fly to
Bangalore, he asks Disha to make out with him once again before they meet in
real life and go on to meet her mom to get her permission and blessings for
their marriage. Disha was on cloud 9 and she readily agree to make out with
Uday!
As Disha playfully teases Uday
while removing her top and throwing it on the floor and dances to the tune of
his favorite Bollywood flick, Uday stops her in between “Disha Stop… something
is not right!!”
“You don’t like my dance,
Uday” asks Disha still in her playful mood
“No love, it’s not that… I
love it but something is not looking right… I think I am not alone in the room…
wear your t-shirt… I will be back… love ya” he says and ends the video call.
Disha now worried about the prospect of being
seen nude by someone else starts trembling with fear of shame… What if her video appears on social media,
what if Uday is playing with her? After
all she doesn’t know much about Uday apart from what little information he has
shared. She doesn’t have any contact info of Uday except the mobile number he
gave when he landed in India. As these questions
start brewing in her head, she starts losing her temper and calls Uday to
counter him… He doesn’t answer the phone… With every passing second, her heart
rate increases and new fears raise in her head.
Not able to control her nervousness and anxiety she starts calling him
repeatedly and every time the call goes blank…
“Hey Di, Surprise!” says Nisha
Like her sister, Nisha is very
beautiful and outgoing. Being younger of two sisters, she aspires to be a
police officer. Still studying, she is a close confidante of her sister. She
knows everything about her elder sister except for her latest troubles.
Disha visibly surprised,
sprints towards her sibling and hug her.
Without her notice, tears starts rolling down her face.
“What happen Di?” asks Nisha
“Nothing… it’s just that I was
not expecting you… it’s been so long… how are you? How did you find me here?
How’s momma?” asks Disha smiling trying to hide her emotions
“Called your mobile, you did
not answer… checked with Kamal and he said that you here… Momma’s fine, she
sends love to ya and yes I am also fine” says Nisha
After exchanging initial
pleasantries, Nisha couldn’t help but notice stress on Disha’s face… She speaks
“Di, I am sorry for dropping
in unexpectedly but Kamal called me in… He told me that you are very upset from
last few days and are not telling him anything…
What’s the matter Di? Is everything alright?”
Disha laughs out and says
“That Kamal…he gets worried even if I sneeze and call an ambulance…”
“Di, I know he cares for you…
but you are not the same from last few days… you hardly call us anymore.. Is
this related to your friend who was supposed to meet us? Kamal said that you keep on meeting a freaky
looking guy… is he the friend you were referring to?” asks Nisha
Now the chat turning serious,
Disha gets angry over Kamal being possessive and starts swearing at him… but
Nisha counters her
“Di, he just cares for you…
relax and tell me what is going on… you know I can catch you when you are telling
a lie… at this moment you are trying to hide something… tell me what it is or I
am calling momma right away and ask her to give us a visit too”
“C’mon Nisha stop blackmailing
me for nothing” screams Disha
Nisha surveys the café and sarcastically
says… “Now that’s so romantic, a spilled coffee cup with a matte true red
lipstick… I am sure that’s your lips going by the shape and a hankie which I am
sure doesn’t belong to you… So who could this hankie belong? To the weirdo that just passed me, I am sure Kamal
was referring to him… is he the one you are trying to hide from me?”
Getting worried if Nisha knows
more than she is supposed to, she tries to argue with her sister for some time but
being emotionally stressed, she couldn’t control her tears which roll down her
cheeks once again… she finally gives in and says “Okay fine, let’s go home… I
will tell you everything!!”
Just then Kamal enters… “Hey
Nish, thank god you are here… I was getting worried about my angel… you got to
know what’s bothering her and who is that man who is coming in my way?” and
winks at Disha
Disha already upset on him,
shows a birdy and walks away.
Nisha laughs at Kamal and says “you are in trouble Mister!!” as she
watches Disha picking up her handbag and storm out of the café.
Once Disha is out, Nisha thanks Kamal for
calling her at the right moment. Kamal,
shocked at Disha’s behavior says “take care of her and let me know if I could
do anything” and goes inside as Nisha follows her sister outside.
Once both the sisters back at
Disha’s home, Disha starts to open her heart out. She starts sobbing while telling Nisha about
Uday, how she met him, what happened between the two up to the point of the
last contact with Uday and start crying miserably.
Unable to console her, Nisha
suddenly realizes something and starts searching for it online. Soon she stumbles upon few articles about
Online Scams and affirms her theory of someone blackmailing her sister for
money.
She starts “Di, I know what has
happened next… There was no man named
Uday… He was no NRI, he has seduced you and took your pictures in compromising
positions and now blackmailing you for ransom or for some other sinister
purpose… right? Read these articles…
there are so many documented cases of how people trap others online through
promises of Jobs, Lotteries, Love Scams etc.,”
Disha confused and starts
going through the articles; steel weeping but trying to control her tears…
Nisha continues her theory “I
am sure that son of a bitch was not alone… there must be a gang that is
blackmailing you… is that weird looking guy that I saw and Kamal was talking
about Uday?”
Disha says “No” and she
continues reading the articles
“Ok, I was correct… it’s a
gang operating… now that they have your nude pics, they might be asking you to
give them money, or do drug trafficking or kill someone or OH MY GOD, they are
not asking you to become an escort… are they?” asks Nisha
Nisha doesn’t say a word while
Nisha now super excited to have solved the crime says “Don’t worry Di, you know
my friend Arpita right? Her dad is Cyber Police. He treats me like his daughter
and has shared many cases where women have lost so much to such scams and
finally gone to police… We can take his help Di… I am sure he will help and get
those sons of bitches behind bars”
“I don’t want to go to police
Nisha…” says Disha now completely sober
“I know you will not listen to
me, that Uday used you because of your innocence. He knew you will get scared and hide… I am
sure he might have done similar things with other innocent girls also… How on
earth can you strip on cam when you see so many videos getting leaked and girls
committing suicide because of that? I
don’t know how people can become so dumb to trust some stranger online and
reveal all!!” yells Nisha trying to coerce Disha into agreeing to go to police.
“You know nothing Nishu…
Nothing!! Please let us stop it here… I know I was dumb… You cannot trust most
of those whom you meet online but that applies in real life too? Isn’t it
Nishu? You don’t know Kamal but you trust him… I met Kumar 5 years back, I
trusted him, you know what happened! How can you judge whom to trust and whom
not to?” counters Disha
“I agree Di, but this is a
clear case of scam… That bastard Uday is blackmailing you… Why are you scared
of going to police?” ask Nisha
Losing control, Disha shouts at
her sister “because Uday is dead!!”
Still defensive of her theory,
Nisha says “Oh Yeah expected, it is such a common fear tactic … can’t you see
it Di?”
Having enough of it… Disha
continues “He is dead… do you think I am so dumb? Look at this news report!
This is Uday… He was killed by someone the day I last spoke with him… Police
found my number and reached out to me… He never stored my pics nor recorded any
videos… However, he had told his friend Shyam and his parents about his visit. I spoke with them as well. They took my statement. Uday was shot by someone who had broken into
his hotel room to rob him…”
“Oh Shit… I am sorry Di…” says
an apologetic Nisha and hugs her sister to console her… but soon asks “then who
is that guy Kamal said you are meeting? Is he the same guy I saw back at café?”
“He is Shyam… Uday did lie to
me… He is no NRI, he is from Hyderabad and he had gone to Mumbai for some work…
He was initially playing with me about falling in love etc., but later he was
seriously in love with me… at least that is what Shyam said... Shyam knew everything about me and Uday… Shyam did not trust me too… Since I was the
last person to see Uday alive, he met me to know if Uday had told something
strange” says Disha
“Oh, now it makes sense Di… I
am sorry… but life has to go on Di… Again I say, it is difficult to trust
strangers whom you meet online… You were lucky to have found a genuine person
but not many are so lucky Di… Stay away
from strangers you meet on social media” says Nisha
Without listening to Nisha’s
advice, Disha continues “Uday had sent a package but asked me not to open it
until we meet. It was a promise I kept
until his death but when I opened it, I found a bloodied knife wrapped in
plastic. I told Shyam and he revealed that Uday had known something which got
him killed… Shyam knows the secret now and the knife is one of the evidence he
has. He will reveal the secret shortly in front of everyone and hence he took back
the knife today morning!!”
“Nisha, until that’s done… we
have to keep this a secret!! Promise me
sis, you won’t tell this to anyone!” insists Disha…
“I promise Di… It’s a secret!!” says Nisha still
skeptical.
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