KATHA

30 KATHA - TWINS

The night wrapped around me like a velvet cloak as I locked up the shop, my senses on alert. A chill ran down my spine and my exhausted body went stiff. It'd been three days since Kalki left for Hyderabad and three days since I'd been feeling eyes on me. Another stalker because that was what I needed to live a peaceful life right ? I sighed. It was late so the streets were deserted and I kept my eyes on the shadow as I walked towards the parking lot. I sighed again. I'd already had my stalker. I didn't need my nights tainted by this one.

I whirled around and grabbed him by the collar with one hand and slammed him against the wall. He was taken aback so he didn't put up much of a fight. That and maybe because my gun was pointing between his eyes. The bastard was taller than me, muscled and handsome in a rugged way. His features were finely set but with rough edges.

"Why are you following me around like a creep ? Do you wish to die ?"

He laughed like his life wasn't at the mercy of my trigger, "Creep ? Well, that's a new one. I usually go by the name 'Master of Mischief.'"

I narrowed my eyes. "Master of Mischief ? Are you auditioning for a circus ?"

He feigned shock and gasping, dramatically pressed a hand to his chest. "Madam, I'll have you know that I'm quite the crowd-pleaser. The circus would be lucky to have me."

"Why. Are. You. Following. Me ? If I have to ask again, I'll kill first and do it later." I pressed the gun, digging it into his skin.

His face transformed into that of a psychotic demon's. "I always knew I was a trouble magnet."

My finger pressed a little on the trigger as my face remained blank.

"Wait ! Bhabi Ma wait ! I'll tell you !"

My eyes went wide and heart fluttered. A warm, fuzzy, homey feeling surged through me and I tried hard to suppress that smile threatening to curve my lips.

Bhabi Ma.

Sister-in-law. Mother.

"Bhabi ?"

"I'm Ikka Bose. You can say Kalki's brother. He'd asked me to make sure you reached home safe every night. Don't tell him I got caught though, he'd kill first and ask questions later. Your style." Then he winked. The audacity.

"He has to be alive to do that, no ? Bastard ! How dare he ? I'd make sure he reaches his maker safely." I said through gritted teeth and Ikka burst out laughing, unbothered by the gun pressing into his head.

"Don't you worry, Bhabi. I'm your friendly neighborhood stalker. It's all in good fun."

I couldn't help but chuckle, his carefree attitude contagious. "Friendly stalker ? That's a new one." The first one I'd ever had had the intentions to unravel my darkest desires, rough me up and inflict pain that bloomed into a pleasure thousand fold more intense.

I let go of him and stepped back. He leaned against the wall, striking a pose that would make any actor jealous. "You see, variety is the spice of life. Why not add a friendly stalker to the mix ?"

I smirked, looking at my gun, a silent testament to his epic failure. "You did it well."

He pressed a hand to his chest. "My work here is partly done. My job description is to make sure you're not abducted by aliens. You never know when they might develop a taste for sarcasm."

I laughed, which seemed to have caught him off-guard and he looked at me with what seemed like utter reverence. "Aliens, you say ?"

"Someone's got to watch out for the mysterious galaxy, right ?"