Masked Man

‘How should I do it…how to tell her?’ You thought of all those questions as you saw them walking on the street, hand in hand. It was not the feeling of jealousy or hatred that persuaded you to do so but it was a feeling that anyone would have after being betrayed like that, a feeling of sympathy and a feeling to save someone innocent. He had backstabbed you.

‘Just say it…, ' You reminded yourself. You knew that if you would not then he will do it again, he will again ruin the life of some other girl and you don’t want it. You would regret it later when you will see another girl in dismay like you or more than that you would never see her. He was a dangerous man about whom the world wasn’t aware and neither were you until one fateful night he showed his true colours.

‘But how should I tell her…?’ the question rang in your head, ‘It’s not that I could directly approach her, she will be scared. Then what else should I do?’

The sidewalk was almost empty and even roads were silent with only a few cars passing by occasionally. The sky was black but cloudy. Once this evening when you had passed by a TV showroom, you saw the weather forecast which stated that it was going to snow tonight, you remembered.

‘Wasn’t it a night like this…’ you thought as you followed them slowly. Once again the chain of occurred events entered your mind as your thought process started operating. You didn’t want to cry, your throat became dry and painful. A resentful feeling surged in your stomach making it even harder for you to control yourself. 

‘I won’t let you win this time… I will make you regret it!’ Your eyes had become moist and red as you firmly decided to take your revenge. You were sure to become excessively furious.

The next turn they took was right from Leventhal crossroad and it took you less than a second to realize where they were headed to and once again there was a frightening thought that penetrated into your brain. They were going to his house, that place which is worst than hell. 

‘Oh no! Not again!’ You cried in anguish. You couldn’t think of anything, there was a sinking feeling in your gut. The core of your heart seized with panic. You knew that what was going to happen next, what was he going to do, the events were going to repeat. 

‘No…no, no I’m not going to let him do that, I have to save her!’ You rummaged through your mind to find a way to stop him, to find the way to tell her that he was not a man that she thought he was but something bigger he was and something terrible and worst. He had the ugliest face behind the mask he wore.

She walked slowly by his side taking small steps, it was unknown to her that what cruel plans fate has beset for her, that with every step she took is taking her slowly towards her doom! They chatted occasionally but most of the times they just hugged each other looking in each other’s eyes. He had already cast a love spell on her to lure her in his trap and you were in no doubt that he was successful.

‘He must have used those same tricks to entangle her…’ You were sure of that. Then slowly you revived those thoughts, the flashback entered your mind and one by one the pictures of events that took place casted upon your eyes-

He was standing there observing the night sky, looking at the stars that shone brightly and covered the whole sky. He looked so attractive that time with his chiselled-shaped face. It was you who approached him hoping that he was still single. ‘Seems like you like watching stars?’ was your opening line.

If only you would have known that it was not you who did it but he made you do it, it was his treachery!

‘Um…yes! I have an eye for beautiful things,’ he said winking at you. You were already fascinated by his charm unknown of his devilish plans. After that you kept bumping into him, sometimes at the mall or at some grocery shops, even ones or twice you met him on the metro. Every time you met him you thought it was a coincidence but it may be for you because for him it was one of his tricks to lure his prey. Day by day you were attracted more and more towards him.

Then one day when you met him, he looked upset. You inquired of him and he replied cleverly, ‘Today is my birthday and I have no friends to celebrate with, it upsets me.’ You believed him and consoled him by saying that you were going to celebrate it with him and he hugged you warmly and said-‘Thank you for understanding.’ 

It was also going to snow that night. You were so happy that day, you had also decided to finally confess your feelings towards him but who knew that the things were not going to be like what you have planned.

‘What to do, how to stop her?’ These questions made you desperately find the answers to them. They reached closer to the house and it occurred to you that they have increased their pace. You became more anxious. You turned around your head in search of something and then there was a telephone booth that you saw. And suddenly an idea occurred to you.

You saw them entering the house, your body trembled to make it hard for you to move forward towards the booth but you had to no matter what. You tried to calm yourself and started moving towards the booth, ‘I have to do it, I have to save her, I cannot let him win this time!’

You finally reached the booth, you held its door handle and swung it open but before you can enter it you heard it, a loud cry and you knew of whom it was- ‘No! No!’ You stammered. You hurriedly enter the telephone booth, you looked at the floor and saw a coin, picked it up and inserted it in the slot, you dialled the number and it was picked after two rings.

After making the call, you hurriedly moved towards the house. It was silent and that was the worst thing. You wanted to go inside but some part of your brain kept stopping you, you didn’t want to face it again, you were scared.

You clutched the handle of the door tightly, ‘I should go…or not?’ Your memories from that night prevented you from entering but your intentions to save her persuaded you to enter. You turned open the doorknob and silently entered the house. It was dark.

You moved through the hallway into the room. There was a sickening feeling in your gut. It felt so weird. You peeped into the room, they were not there. It made you sicker. You knew they were not downstairs and found the stairs. You looked up. Suddenly there was a loud cry- ‘No! Please, don’t kill me!’ 

You froze, there was a horrified expression on your face. You have no courage left in you to go any further, you were so scared. You felt warm tears rolling down swiftly from your eyes down your cheeks. ‘What should I do?!’ You moved your head from side to side in dismay and scratched your head with fingers.

Again there was a loud whimper from upstairs. Every inch of your body pained. Then you heard it, the sound of footsteps. ‘He is coming downstairs!’ Your hands became cold. You looked around yourself and you caught the sight of something, a knife that was kept on the kitchen table. Nothing more was there to think about, you moved swiftly to get that knife.

As you held that knife in your hand, you saw him. He stood before the desk searching something in one of the drawers. His back was towards you. You moved towards him slowly although you were scared deep within but still your grudge was deep against him which forced you to do it.

You came more closer to him until you were an inch away from him. You held the knife tightly in your hand pointed it at his back, you were about to take action when the front door of the house flung open and the uniformed officers came in hurriedly with guns in their hands. You gasped.

***********************************************************************

It had been a week.

You were in the hospital room. The girl was lying in the bed. She was awake. The police officer came in from the door.

“Ms.Cara, are you alright now? The officer asked.

“I’m feeling much better now,” Cara replied feebly.

“Then can we record your statement, please?” The officer inquired of her.

“Yes,” Cara nodded.

They asked her questions and she answered them one by one. You noticed that her eyes were watery.

“Okay, one last question- did you notice that that day, by any chance, someone was following you or did you meet someone on the way?” the officer asked curiously.

Cara thought for a minute and then said, “ I don’t think so I met someone on the way but I’m not sure if someone was following us but that day there were very few people on the streets.”

“Oh! I see” The officer nodded.

“But, why?” Cara asked.

“Actually, we got a call from a telephone booth near the house who told us about this than only we were able to reach you.” The officer said firmly.

“Someone called…” Cara couldn’t understand.

But you knew everything and a feeling of happiness and accomplishment evaded your mind.

“You were lucky to escape that serial killer. Some people are not that fortunate.” The officer told her.

“What do you mean by that, officer?” Cara asked.

“Yes, like Ms Eva,” The officer answered.

You were startled to hear your name.

“Ms Eva?” Cara asked profoundly shocked.

“Yes, this same person, last month he lured this girl to his house and murdered her. She was not so fortunate.” The officer lowered his head in grief.

“What…?!” Cara gasped.

You stood there, there were no thoughts in your mind and no words in your mouth. Then you remembered the words that the officer said-

‘I was not so fortunate,’ You sighed.