Statutory warning : Try not to consume food while reading this, things might get a little... bloody. 😛
Prologue
"How much longer, Kriya ? I've been waiting for ages." Vishakha whined from her place on top of the counter "We were supposed to be closed ten minutes ago." Easy enough for her to say, it was her parents shop after all. I on the other hand actually got paid to work here, so there was no slouching for me.
"Just this last one. " I replied pointing to the last bundle of currency notes as I took them out of the cash register. Working at the " Bookstore" (original I know) was a monotonous job, but the pay was generous and the lack of activity was a small compromise considering it was the reason I was able to pay for the dance course at the Uni. It was only a matter of months now and I'd be living my dream, and each day brought me closer to the life I'd always wanted. Everything was perfect.
"Whatever just hurry up" Vishakha said yawning, even though it was barely past nine.
"Done" I said stuffing the last bundle of cash back into the cash register, locking it up and throwing the keys to Vishakha "Lets go"
Just as we were about to leave, the bell jingled announcing the entry of another customer, and a rather heavily built man entered. He was wearing a leather jacket a little to big for him and his face was shielded with a hood that only gave a rather difficult view of his, mouth.
I don't know what it was but there was something off about the guy, something that made the hair on my back rise and make me stand straighter expecting an attack any minute. Maybe it just me being foolish, maybe he could just be another of the rather scarce customers that the store had, they could be really creepy sometimes and I'd learnt to deal with them, yet my body stiffened and my instincts ran warning bells in my mind.
"I'm sorry but we're closed for today. Thanks for visiting the Bookstore, we hope we can serve you again. " Vishakha said, pointing to the closed sign already hung on the door.
" Then I guess I'm right on time." he said, his smile exposing rather yellowing teeth that for some reason made me think of a rat.
Before I even understood what was happening, the man pulled out a gun from the jacket, aiming at the camera on top of the counter, and then pulling me towards him in an arm lock, with a gun pointing to my head.
There was a mini can of pepper spray in my back pocket, I knew enough aout the leacherous men in the city at night to always carry one with me, but my struggle to reach it were in vain. I kicked him in the shin hoping to atleast damage him, if this crazy psychopath was going to kill me, but he didn't even flinch.
"Isn't that sweet. Maybe next time you try to kick me, you'll remember I'm the one with the gun" he whispered in my face, and his vile breath nearly made me want vomit "So do you want to do this the easy way or do you want me to use this again" he said turning his face away from me to kiss his gun allowing me to breathe again.
I looked at Vishakha, to find her face almost as white as I was sure mine was, and I could see her tremble slightly.
"What do you want"she asked him, her voice much higher than her normal monotone, indicating just how freaked out she was by the situation.
"The keys" he said, pointing to the cash register I'd been on just ten minutes back.
I watched Vishaka fish out the keys from her pocket, almost dropping them in her haste to pass them over.
"No, Vishakha listen to me. He's bluffing. Don't give him the keys he's bluffing. " I saw her halt in her actions as she contemplated on what I said. I took this in my favour to reinforce the thought in her. There was no way I was going to let this deranged monster win today. " He's bluffing Vishakha, don't give him the keys.
"Shut up" he whispered in my ear as I felt pain shoot through me as he kicked me in the shins making me scream as loud as I can. Pulling my hair, he dragged me over to the corner Vishakha had receded to. I gritted my teeth, almost biting my tongue, to stop the scream that was building in my throat. I would not give him the pleasure of seeing me in pain. This was all he was capable of, he wouldn't try to pull off anything else.
"Take the keys from her " he told me, not loosening his grip on me, lest I attack him.
" NO" I said bringing as much force as I could in my voice and I felt him press the gun harder against my head, pretending to pull the trigger before pulling his fingers to their earlier position on the butt of the gun.
"Do it" he shouted this time and I watched as Vishakha nearly caved in. I had to do something fast, something to make her believe he was really bluffing. It was obvious or he would have pulled the trigger at me a minute back and finished things off.
"You're bluffing. That is it. If you think we'll fall for this you have another thing coming. " I smirked, watching his eyes shrink to slits in anger.
" I'd warned you." he whispered icily and I felt a shiver run through me again. I closed, my eyes, just in case I'd gone to far waiting for the bullet to embed itself in my skull.
I heard the sound of the rifle being shot, waiting for the pain, but none did. Instead there was a dull thud, and I was sure he'd aimed at one if the book stacks to scare us again.
I opened my eyes looking around for the damage, before a piercing scream emerged from my throat leaving me hoarse even before I realised it.
Vishakha lay on the floor in front of me, her face still holding an expression of panic still clear on her face, and a bullet making a gaping hole in her skull.
The man looked at his gun, as if he hadn't really known this was going to happen. His hand left me, freeing my arms before he dashed for the door.
Without the support of the man holding me, I fell to the floor, my jeans soaking up the blood spilling profusely from the back of Vishakha's head. I held my own hands up, which had been coated in blood, almost as if I had killed her, and maybe it really was my stupidity that had.
I felt my head feel heavy, as the sudden rush of thoughts, the growing void of emotions and the physical exhaustion took its tool on me filling my world with a thick darkness that I couldn't pull out of even if I tried. So I succumbed to the numbing, soothing blackness allowing it to surround myself.
The last thing I heard was the siren of the police jeep outside on the street just before I fainted.
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Indian Premier League
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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23