A Twist of Fate (Slow Updates)

4

It was still dark outside when Ananya woke up from her dreamless slumber. The shadows of the tree branches cast by the light of the half moon, looked like crocked hands on the wooden floor as she sat up in bed. She was thirsty and hunger, she realized, as her stomach gave a rumbling. She looked around for a bottle of water that she had intended to keep on her bedside table but had forgotten to carry it with her when she had stormed out of the kitchen in a huff. Later, with the sole intention to avoid Vikram, she had not ventured downstairs to retrieve it.

She sighed with a heavy heart. She looked around herself and the events of yesterday and the conversation with Vikram played itself like a tape in her mind. Vikram Shroff, in blood and bones, was actually, breathing in the next room. She felt quite odd about it. Moving out of her bed, she slid on her woolen socks over her feet and wore her warm heavy house jacket. Tying the ladle she walked up to the door of the balcony. She pushed the curtains aside and looked out at the moon. All was quiet outside, the sky was clear and the moonlight washed everything in its pale glow. The whole scenery had an eerie touch to it and the whole scenario sent a shiver down her spine. She checked the time on her side table clock, it was 2:12 am. It's been just been 3 hours since she slept. Another 5 hours or so before the sun rises, her stomach rumbled again. Oh hell! I'll go downstairs and have a glass of milk, she decided.

She opened the door very carefully and slowly, not wanting it to make a noise.

'eeeeeeeek' the door went.

Why is it that doors squeak louder at night and never in the morning? Okay, she knew the answer. Why does she ask herself stupid questions when she needs to be quiet and quick? Asking stupid questions always leads to laughter. Oh God! Why did I have to think about laughter? She groaned. She now felt this sudden urge to laugh! No no Ananya, not here. She told herself. She put her hand on her mouth and looked in the narrow corridor. Vikram had turned off the stronger yellow light and turned on the softer yellow lamp in the corner. It gave enough light to clearly see everything.

The kid's door was open and she turned to peek onto Vikram's side. His door was partially closed. Great! The kids were asleep and Ananya moved towards the stairs, quiet as a mouse.

She cautiously moved to the first step, and then the next. She put her foot on the third one and it creaked. The stupid stairs, they always always make noise. Just great! Ananya thought. She stopped for a few seconds to hear if Vikram or the kids moved. No, they hadn't and again, no, he hadn't. Good! Now, to slowly go down the rest of the stairs.

She finally stepped on the floor after a 5 minutes excruciating task of balancing herself on the stairs so to make the minimum noise. She walked briskly to the kitchen and switched on the lights. She went to the fridge and took out the bottle of milk, just as she was about to shut the fridge door and move away, she saw Vikram standing in the kitchen door way. She gasped and jumped.

He was leaning against the door way and his hands inside his pajama pockets and his hair looked uncombed like he had run his hands through them a lot.

"You scared the living daylights out of me!" She admonished him. "I almost dropped the milk bottle."

He simply shrugged nonchalantly. "What are you doing here at this time?" he asked, removing his hand from his pocket to scratch his cheek.

"What are you doing here? Why do you keep following me?" She asked in reply.

"I thought you are going to sell us out, call the assailants while I am asleep upstairs. I have to be very alert where you are concerned!"

"A joke in the poorest sense."

"It wasn't a joke. It's true. I am keeping an eye on all your activities." He said with a grim face.

"What sort of a person do you think I am?" She stared at him in disbelief, convinced he's gone mad in the last 5 years.