My colleague had earlier asked me about my plans for Diwali that night. To which I responded half-heartedly as I was just getting to know him. Had he not been good-looking, I wouldn’t have dismissed him with my explicitly conniving thrall. Work is stressful as equally as its mentally rewarding. In the business of communication, one is entitled to a duty that reluctantly demands your time post-office hours. Who doesn’t work hard and not have to hang back to get things done even till 8PM? The sun swiftly retires from over our heads to under our beds. And there is an imminent psychological change that tethers to oneself when the time comes to wrap-up and go home. It was 7:45PM, just a few hours after he spoke to me and he was just sitting beside for me so I complete my work so we could talk on our way home. As we left office we waited in the lobby for a smoke the receptionist at her desk observed me in a weird way as if I m a psychopath or something. Walking down the street I spoke about the work pressure and achievements where as he was in a very different world of his own speaking about life, travel, hobbies etc. which was an alien language for me now.
I just realized that I am getting addicted to the company of my friend. Oh, man… Seriously I need to get out of this. I hope nobody has observed it.
F**k, I am sweating. I need get out of this cycle. Wait who am I following? Or someone else is following me?
Who is the shadow? Is it in front of me or its behind me? Have I lost it? I have lost directions?
This is weird, I haven’t smoked up in days… This spookier than weed…
I know a place. I think that’s the only solution now.
Now we have to figure it out. We can’t stay like this.
Shit shit… why are you coming our way?
Are we going somewhere?
As lust crept my mind, I heard her say something in my ears.
“I think you’ve forgotten to send an e-mail to the client.”
That’s when I realized that it’s THE client who was after me since the past week for a way forward plan. But I did send that mail! What if it was still in my Outbox?
I heard her again – “You have to go back to office to check your mails.”
I hurried back. The office was locked. Thankfully I had the keys. Oh wait, there was no one in the office. No one. As I realized this, I felt a trickle go down my spine.
Was it planned? Empty room, solitude, darkness.
Did this mean something?
I quietly tip toed into the office… there was strong feeling inside me that there was someone there, right there, waiting for me. I switched on the lights, pressed the switch thrice, on, off, on, there was no electricity! I switched on my phone torch, went to my desk, switched on my laptop. It was dark, my face was blue with the light from my computer.
Tip… tip…tip…
Ugh damn it, the leaking tap! it was so more freaky at this moment. Anyway, I opened my mail; there it was, in the outbox. I re-sent it.
Drrrrrr, my phone vibrated, Client calling… I apologised and said that the mail just got sent. A sigh of relief, but the leaking tap was irritating. I shut my computer, switched off the wifi; but I HAD to close the tap, it was too annoying.
I went to the washroom, it creaked open, I turned the tap around and closed it and ran to the door. There was no one around. I locked the door and turned, there he was.
Standing in a black suit, tilted head, a smile plastered on his face.
“Long-time…”, he said.
I thought, WHO IS HE?!
May be this is an illusion, I thought to myself. Or is it my colleague playing a sick prank. I can see a tall figure blending with the darkness.
I am frantically looking for the switch board, damn it, it’s okay, breathe. I assured myself.
“Who are you?” I asked with a confident tone, He or ‘it’ should not sense my desperation.
“I am your worst fear, I will cause you great angst”, he said.
I could feel him smiling at me, moving closer and closer.
At this moment I am scared beyond belief. I jumped back, startled and anticipated for the worst.
I hear trickling of water, I can’t move or breathe. I could feel the darkness overtaking my soul.
This is it, I thought to myself. This is my end.
Suddenly my alarm bell rang and I woke up with a jerk.