A Serial Killer

They call people like me ‘serial killers.’ I like to kills the people. Especially the girls that look happy. Nobody has a right to be happy in this world.

The call bell was ringing. I looked at my watch, it was 07 in the morning, time for the maid to come. I opened the door. She was there. She was a young girl and OK to look at, but what I liked most about her was that she always looked sad. A few times I saw her crying and shedding tears. When I inquired she replied that it was her father who used to beat her almost daily. Other times he spent thrashing her mother.

She came daily to do household chores, preparing my breakfast and packing my lunch. In the evenings I generally ate out and called her only on Sundays. By the time I got ready to leave for office, she had finished her work and was ready to leave.

On Sunday, she came at 5 in the evening, her usual time. For the first time I saw her happy and her eyes were full of radiance. She smiled and said, ‘Sir, you know what? My marriage has been fixed today.’

‘Good, who is the boy and what he does?’

‘Boy?’ she laughed and said, ‘he is at least 15 years older than me and works as a carpenter. He paid twenty thousand to my father. At least he is a rich man and won’t beat me so often.’

She appeared to be quiet satisfied and happy and how could I bear this?

‘Let me take you to the market and buy some cloths for you.’

She hesitated only once then we locked the door and left on my bike.

I knew the place where nobody would be there to disturb us at this time. I parked the bike and stood on the small bridge over the water flowing with speed. The place was overgrown with dense trees and it was already dark.

‘Would you like me to stay with you for the night?’ Her eyes were full of meanings.

This triggered something inside me.

‘What about your father and mother?’

‘Oh, my father is drinking non stop and mother won’t mind. I am no longer their burden.’

 I said, ‘Look what is that in the water?’

She went towards the railing of the bridge, leaned forward to look into  the water.

‘Where?’

I was behind her. I lifted both of her legs and pushed her towards the water. There was a brief scream and then everything was still. Water was running smoothly and there was nothing to see. I started my bike and turned back.

-*-

All this started when I was only 9 years old. My father had a big business and my mother was always busy with her kitty parties and card sessions. The mornings started with their fighting and ended when my father left for work. In the evenings it resumed when my father returned back and ended for me when I fell asleep.

One day, when I woke up, the house was very still. My father had already left and I went to my mother’s room. She was lying on the bed, holding a half full bottle of sleeping pills. Her eyes were open and staring at nothing.

After a few days the things turned back to routine. Father started going to work and me to my college. Nobody missed my mother.

I was in the inter final and preparing for the entrance test for engineering, when my father came home a little earlier, one evening. He was with a girl, a few year older than me, and introduced her as Riya. ‘She is my PA and will stay with us.’

I started hating her from the very first day. She was quiet good-looking, but I was a child no more. She left with my father daily and I kept busy with my studies. It was an easy going life.

The things, all of a sudden took an ugly turn. My father left for a few days on business trip and left me in the care of Riya. Before leaving, he informed me that he was going to marry Riya, when he got back.

I am a sound sleeper and slight disturbances do not affect me. But what would you do if somebody clings to you without having even a single stitch on her body. It was Riya. The room was dark and there was only one thing for us to do. Most of the night was spent like that and finally, while I was falling asleep, Riya told me, ‘Don’t worry, this secret will remain with us.’

When I woke up in the morning, Riya had already left for the office. I was feeling so confused that I could not decide whether to feel happy or guilty. All of a sudden the realization struck me that how Riya manipulated me and was cheating on my father.

By the time she came back it was already getting dark. When she came to my room, she had changed and was clad in a flimsy gown. She sat on the bed and placed her hand on my thigh, ‘Life is so full of pleasure and luxury that there is nothing one could want. Don’t worry I will always take care of you.’

I, removed her hand and said, ‘Maid has not come in the evening and there are cloths drying on the roof. There may be rains tonight.’

She rushed towards the stairs and I tiptoed after her. It was completely dark on the top. She started collecting the cloths and when she heard me, she turned back. She rested her back against the railing and smiled, ‘You couldn’t wait.’

My whole body was shivering by that time. I rushed towards her and grabbed her legs.

‘Easy man, I am not going anywhere’ she smiled.

I lifted her legs and the next moment she was flying down along with all the clothes collected, accompanied by a shrill scream. I rushed down, leaving the staircase door open and entered my room. I sat down on my bed and lifted the book already opened on a fixed chapter. By that time I had cooled down my nerves and shivering had stopped.

After a few minutes, there was a loud knocking on the main door and I walked towards it in a normal manner. It was the security guard.  

My father rushed back next day. There was usual police enquiry and gradually the things settled down back to normal.

I got selected to engineering college and shifted to the hostel. Within a few months, my father married again and by the time I completed my studies he was father of two girls. In the mean time he took care of all my expenses and made a few visits, every year to the college. Despite his frequent invitations I never went back to our home.

I passed with good grades and got a decent job in a MNC and got settled comfortably. I never stopped hating my father or his new family.

After two months, a new girl joined our company. Her name was Ann and there developed instant chemistry between us. She was beautiful with well balanced figure and was always wearing serious expression. After dating for a few times, she shifted to my place permanently. It was a life I never experienced before and we were happy together.

One day my father came to visit me in the office and asked me to pay him a visit some time. ‘Your mother always asks about you.’

‘You forgot that my mother died when I was nine.’ I replied bitterly. This silenced him for some time. Then he said, ‘At least come to meet your sisters.’

I was about to reply in the same tone when an idea struck me.

‘I will come on a Sunday.’

‘Please call me before you come. We will eat together.’ He looked pathetic.

-*-

Then I started making preparations for the Sunday meal. I purchased a small briefcase, purchased some more items and started working, whenever I was alone.

If you visit a website, you would find at least 100 methods to make a bomb. And I was an engineer. It took me one week to prepare a reasonably good bomb to suit my purpose, fixed a detonator and attached a timing device. I packed it in the briefcase and all that was left for me to do was to set the timing. And there would be a big blast. I checked it again and again and was finally satisfied. Now I had just to leave it at my father’s place, after setting the time.

I called my father and fixed the lunch on coming Sunday. I reached there at 02 PM as promised. My father came to the door on the first ring and I could see that he was happy to see me. He led me to the living room and settled me comfortably. His wife came out and we exchanged a few pleasantries. We both felt awkward with each other.

‘You came alone?’ My father asked.

I was surprised, ‘You know about Ann?’

‘I know everything about you. After all you are my only son. I hope you are happy with her.’

‘She is the best thing that ever happened to me in life.’ I replied.

Two small girls rushed out and said hello in unison. Then they sat on each side of me.

‘Are you my brother?’ The elder one asked.

‘Yes.’

‘Then why don’t you live with us?’ It was the younger one.

Their mother changed the topic and said, ‘Lunch is ready. Let us not spoil it.’

There was not much talking during the lunch. I was thinking of finding out a way to plant the bomb. The lunch was over after an hour and we retired back to the living room.

‘Next time you would bring Ann to meet us. Or should we pay you a visit?’ It was my father.

‘I would call you.’

My problem was solved itself. The mother said, ‘We have to do some marketing. We would leave you home on the way. I hope, you don’t mind.’

‘Where would you go?’

She named a moll and it suited the purpose I had in my mind. They all went in to change and I lifted the briefcase and put it on my knees. Nobody was there to look at me. I opened it and set the timing device. It would go off at 05PM. I never thought that it would go so smoothly in my favor.

We left at 04.30. I sat besides the driver and placed the briefcase under the seat. My father, his wife and girls sat on the back. The girls were chatting without break and discussing what they were going to buy. I was feeling a little sad for them.

We reached my place at 04.45 and waved them by after promising an early visit with Ann.

Ann was waiting for me with open door. She looked at my face and asked, ‘Would you like some coffee, I am going to make some.’

‘Yes, make some for me too, in the meantime I will take a shower. It is really hot today.’

I rushed to the shower, shedding my cloths and started the shower. After a few minutes I thought that I heard the ringing of door bell, then it stopped abruptly. I was feeling very satisfied. What I wanted was going to be over within few minutes, though I was feeling a little sorry for the girls.

After drying myself, I put on a gown and came out. Ann, just came out of the kitchen holding two steaming cups. She placed them on the table and sat down beside me.

‘Well, how it went?’ There was concern in her voice.

‘Don’t worry, it was OK.’ I kissed her lightly.

‘Why don’t you try to mend up the things.’ She said hopefully.                            

I raised my eyes towards wall clock. Only one minute was left.

‘Who rang the bell while I was showering?’

‘Oh nothing,’ She retorted, ‘You are such a careless person. You left you briefcase in your father’s car.’

‘So?’ I was suddenly very still.

‘The driver brought it back. I put it on the dining table.’

By that time the wall clock had started chiming and announcing 05PM.

I rushed towards the dining table and Ann, by now fully alarmed, ran with me, asking, ‘What is the problem?’

By that time, the clock stopped chiming and there was a big blast.

And everything was over for us.