Chapter 1
It was a very cold and rainy evening in Bengaluru, I was happy in my home, a 1RK. It was sufficient for a bachelor; it had all needed amenities and I added things that are needed for my work. I worked as a freelance Graphic Designer which gave me sufficient and more than what was needed. As I did not have any known family members, whatever I earned is for myself, no commitments and no need to answer any requirements. I usually kept to myself, ventured out only when needed, like going to the grocery, to get my hair cut short and so on. I usually cooked my food, but that night I decided to get food delivered to my home and I ordered a McD Big Mac meal. After placing the order, I went to browse the web.
After just 15 minutes of ordering, I heard a knock on my door. I was happy that the order came so fast, but when I opened the door, I realized that the person who stood opposite was not the delivery agent, but rather some passerby who was there to collect money. He was taller and muscular than me with a well-built body. He was fair but was calm. He held a slip on his hand which he thrusted forward. I was in no mood to give charity, but I took the slip and looked at it, but it had nothing, it was just blank paper. Just when I looked him up, he pushed me in with might and locked the door behind him. He had a knife which pointed directly at me.
I was shocked and was looking with fear at the man who held a sharp blade just a few inches away from my face. His face was calm, it was rather too calm for my likeness. With just the flick of his hand he could cause too much damage to me, but he kept his distance. He motioned me to turn around. Once I faced the wall, he grabbed both my hands and pulled them behind my head and locked them together with a metal. He turned me back again to face him, this time, he grabbed my face and pushed my mouth open with his left hand and stoved some clothes into my mouth and using a tape closed my mouth shut. This was just to keep my mouth shut from making noise. Just then, someone rang the bell. I was happy, because I knew I could do something now, but he had other ideas. He opened the bathroom door and pushed me in and locked me inside.
When the bathroom door opened, he stood with the food that had ordered. He motioned me to come out and stand in front of him, as I had no other option. I obeyed him. He sat on the only chair that was in my room, keeping the food on the table.
"Hello Aj" he said with a sharp and clear voice. I was taken back; he knew my name somehow and that was not a good sign. I made my skin prickle.
"I know more about you, so don't worry about your name," he said with a smile.
My mind was racing to find answers for questions that rose inside it, "what does he want? if it was money, he would not be speaking to me like this, he would be searching the home before coming to me" deep thoughts were taking my brains energy.
"Don't work your brain yet," he said with a smile. "I am not going to harm you, and money is not what I want."
I looked him in his eye, he was very calm, but he had clarity and focus.
"Now, I want your cooperation, if you want to be safe!!" he smiled again. "I am going to remove the gag from your mouth, but if you make any noise or speak without asking too, then be assured, you will have a hell of a bad time." with that he stood up and moved closer to me, with his tall body, I was like a scared rabbit. When I nodded my head, he removed the tape and pulled out the cloth from my mouth. I was grateful for that.
He sat back again on the chair, took out a photo from his pocket and held them up for me to see. My mind snapped back in time, the photo was of a girl, whose photo I had edited long back. Memories of guilt flooded me.
"I am sure you remember her, don't you?" he asked.
I nodded me head, "sorry" I said.
"Sorry is of no use" he smirked, his face now was raging, "do you know what happened to her?" I shook my head in denial. "She is no more, she went away too far from me, and you are the reason for that" he said, his voice fiercer and his face redder raging with anger.
"I am sorry. I...I... I am really sorry, it was not intentional, I just did as what was asked..." I tried to reason with him, but his face was still burning with rage.
"Nothing is intentional" his voice was like thunder, "what you did has consequences, will you do the same to your girlfriend?"
I put my head down in shame. "I am sorry" was the only thing that I could tell him.
He stood up and faced me, his face barely a few inches away from mine, but without even a faint notice, he slapped me hard, knocking me down to the floor.
When I got up, he was still standing, with the blade in his hand.
"I am sorry," fear started to drain my energy and I realized how strong he is and how vulnerable I am.
"The punishment for this offence is death" he said with a smile.
I started begging, fell on my knees and begged him with all I could, I was afraid and did not want to get killed.
"I will do anything, please don't kill me, please" I said as a last hope.
He looked at me, with his fierce eyes, "anything" he repeated.
"Yes anything..." I spoke.
He sat back again on the chair, took a sip of water. "Stand-up" he ordered, and I obeyed without hesitation.
He took another picture from his pocket and held them in front of me. My heart skipped a beat, I was motionless.