The Town That Was Too Quiet
It was supposed to be a peaceful vacation.
Ruchi and Kritika were cousins from Delhi, back in their hometown for college break. Away from noise, traffic, assignments, and deadlines.
Slower. Quieter. Peaceful.
One afternoon they went to a beautiful garden. Flowers of different colours, children's laughter, concrete benches under trees. They sat, clicked pictures, laughed about something silly. Just another peaceful afternoon.
Neither of them knew that day was about to change. Later, they decided to visit an old town nearby.The moment they entered, the air changed.
Small, old houses built too close together. Narrow roads twisting like a maze. Very few people. An unusual silence.
Ruchi felt it first โ that prickling feeling of being watched.
From behind a half-broken house, in the dark shadow where the sun didn't reach, someone was standing. Partly hidden. Just watching.
There was a boy, almost bald, with a cut mark on his forehead.
But it wasn't his face that made her uncomfortable. It was his eyes. Fixed directly on her. No smile.
Then he stepped out of the shadow.
He didn't walk normally. He came too close, too fast. His smile was tight, his eyes didn't blink.
And then, he looked her up and down, slowly from head to toe.
Ruchi pulled her jacket tighter. Her stomach turned.
"Hey,"
he said, voice too soft, eyes still on her.
"Are you visiting the town? I saw you when you entered the town. I saw you in the garden too. It was love at first sight. I love you. I want to be with you forever."
There was no warmth in it. Only possession. Like he already owned her.
Kritika stepped in front of Ruchi.
"This isn't love," she said firmly.
"Love doesn't mean following someone from the garden and staring at her like that. What you feel is obsession. You don't love her."
His face changed.
"What do you mean? I love her! I will always love her. I will keep her with me forever!"
There was something frighteningly certain in the way he said it.
Kritika grabbed Ruchi's hand.
"Let's go."
They hurried away. They heard footsteps behind them.
He was following.
They walked faster. Then they ran through the winding maze-like streets, every turn looking the same, until they found their car. They locked the doors. Kritika started the engine.
For a moment, silence.
Then Ruchi looked in the rearview mirror. Her face went pale.
"He's following us."
In the mirror, a jeep had appeared.
------cont.
