The streetlights drifted away like a stream of sky lanterns
It had been raining all evening, a quite common phenomenon in Mumbai, especially in the month of September. The rain splattered on the windshield while the wipers caused the droplets to commingle into vibrant shapes. Everything seemed so strange during the rain. The lights spreading out like inkblots, the roads glistening like a river of tar, the distant ominous grumble of thunder and the sudden flash of lightening from within the cascade of dark clouds above. Anaya always found herself so strangely fond of the rain. Every time the sky wept onto the dusty sun baked streets of Mumbai and the fresh breath of the sodden earth mingled with the air, she found herself rejuvenated. She sat with her head rested on the glass of the car window, seeing the colours playfully diffuse into one another outside. She turned her head and looked at Indrajit once, his hands firmly set on the wheel, a look of contempt on his wincing face. He hated the rain.
“Goddamn these rains” He said as a streak of lightening momentarily materialised above the bend of the highway.
“Why do you hate the rain so much?” Anaya asked.
“Why I hate the rain? Oh well, maybe because I am the one driving and I can’t fucking see anything. And if that’s not enough wait till you have to walk out of your home tomorrow morning and find the entire street is flooded with sewage water.”
“I love it,” She said with grin, staring outside again.
“You love-wading-water full of human shit?”
“No idiot. I love making you angry.”
“I am not angry and you shouldn’t try that. The brake’s not working properly I don’t know why. So don’t piss me off if you don’t wanna die,” He smirked.
“The brake’s not working properly!" Anaya sat up with a sudden excitement. “Why do you drive this piece of thrash anyway? You are rich and you are famous and you are still driving a Hyundai Eon”.
“I am going to buy a new car damn it. You talk like I was rich and famous since the dawn of time.”
Anaya quietened down and looked out of the window again. She knew his point was valid. Indrajit had only achieved success very recently. After being rejected by three publishers and being pushed to the brink of bankruptcy, his novel had finally been published two months ago. . “What the eyes don’t see” did not gather much momentum in the initial few weeks but had Mr. Shaikh, his publisher not shown such immense confidence in his work, the book would not be flying off the shelves today. Indrajit had quickly capitalised on his success and compiled his stash of detective short stories into a book. The readers loved it even though the critics thought otherwise. But even as the Times hailed his stories as ‘run of the mill gore fest’, he had quickly gathered a respectable fan following across the globe. Facebook groups and reddit pages dedicated to the sinister twisted pattern of his work quickly popped up. Meanwhile Indrajit sustained his presence by writing for newspapers and magazine. However despite the change in his fortune, there hasn’t been much change in his attitude. His unkempt hair, unshaven face and rather ordinary clothing indicated his negligence about his own looks. Anaya loathed it of course. The first time she had walked into his room and discovered herself in a hideous heap of books and furniture abominably spread all over, she had almost shrieked with disgust. One could at least expect a man to attempt and keep his room organised when his girlfriend came over but that wasn’t the case with Indrajit. So she wasn’t surprised that the brakes of the car weren’t working properly, this car probably had not been serviced for God knows how long. But she knew it was most likely a joke or nothing that serious.
The highway descended and merged with the road. They were to pick Ritesh and Amimesh before heading over to the pub. She looked once again at Indrajit. Did he even love her anymore? They had known each other since high school. That is probably they were so comfortable with each other. They could be themselves all the time. Him, the dirty rugged intellect and her, the lazy nagging girl. She wondered whether this was the reason he took her for granted because he knew she wouldn’t ever leave or cheat on him. It was her birthday today. He had arranged for the party and called their five best school pals but even then he looked so indifferent, so unexcited, unmoved. She only wished if he was a little jealous, a little insecure about her, if that changed anything in his demeanour.
On the other side of the crossing, below the green neon lights of a Chinese restaurant, Ritesh and Animesh could be seen standing. Not too prominent yet visible enough to be distinguishable. Animesh clad in a half sleeve T- shirt and military green three quarters and Ritesh in an off white shirt and dark brown pants holding an umbrella above their head.
“There they are,” Anaya pointed out.
Indrajit winced, trying to locate their outline through the rain splotched windshield. The two had noticed him as well and indicated their presence with a wave of hands. When Indrajit could finally see them the signal had already switched to red. He gently pressed the brake with his foot. The car didn’t stop.
A spark of panic spread through Indrajit. He hit the brake again. Nothing. The car still sped forward. A blaring horn sounded from somewhere ahead. He turned. A giant A. C. Public bus hurtled towards their direction with immense speed from the right. Indrajit clenched his teeth and slammed the brake. There was a slight bump but the car didn’t stop.
Anaya noticed the panic and was quick to be engulfed by it. In the distance, Animesh and Ritesh noticed the negligible deceleration of the car despite the red light. Their waving hands quivered with nervousness.
Indrajit was literally kicking the brake now,
slamming into the brake pedal with all his force. Anaya shrivelled back into her seat. Nothing but a shrill squeak of fright escaped her lips. They were no cars in front of them. Just the bus ahead speeding ignorantly towards them with frightening speed. The Eon dashed towards the stop line. Anaya shrieked. With every last bit of force and desperation Indrajit slammed the brake. Animesh and Ritesh backed away with fright. They looked on scared and helpess. A collision seemed eminent.
At this moment a miracle happened. With a resounding screech the car halted to a stop, crossing the stop line by just a few metres. The bus whisked past them with unmitigated speed.
Anaya and Indrajit both seemed to be frozen in their seats, panting for breath, their hearts thumping in unison. They didn't speak till the lights turned green again.
YOU ARE READING
Death script
Mystery / Thriller"It all went along so well, for so long as if it were nothing but the intermingling events of a script. His death script" Indrajit is haunted by the memories of his past. Even when his friends gather to console him one evening, his fears don't subsi...
