Prologue
“I don’t know who he is or what he wants.”
“Stay out of business you don’t understand. If you don't, I will redefine your understanding of the word 'regret'.”
“You still don’t understand, cupcake...this is not about what ‘you’ want”
“What do you mean it is more complicated.....what are you not telling me?”
“My own deeds have brought this upon me....I deserve everything that he is doing to me!”
“This is my game, and its rules have already been made very clear.”
“Stop pretending that you care about me! Stop pretending that you are even a human being!”
“When you are living a nightmare, it is hard to tell the difference between reality and bad dreams.”
“The most important lessons of life are learned through pain.”
“There is something strangely familiar about this darkness.”
Chapter 1 - DARK SHADOWS
Pankhudi’s peaceful life was rudely disrupted since the dark shadow of a mysterious stalker started hovering over her. He crept into her life insidiously, she never realized until she was too deep into this terror trap. He threatened to destroy everything she was as a person like some slow poison. Incessant fear overshadowed her mind all the time. She was tormented by fear that kept her on the edge, fear that made her notice even the smallest things, like tiny movements in the shadows and slightest of noises; fear that drained her energy, that she couldn’t do anything about.
She was never herself since she realized she was being watched all the time. She sat nervously on the couch curled into a ball like a wounded animal as she was talking to her roommate Nisha. Her voice was barely audible as she spoke, “I don’t know who he is and what he wants.”
“Why didn’t you tell me before?” Nisha argued.
“I don’t know if you can help me, I don’t know if anyone can help me.” she said as tears of helplessness rolled out of her eyes.
“Did he hurt or threaten you?” Nisha asked.
“No!” Pankhudi cried, “He doesn’t do anything. He just stalks me, watches me all the time.” She said this as he handed over an envelope to Nisha.
Nisha found various photographs of Pankhudi in the envelope, taken at various places, all taken without her notice.
“This is what he does all the time” Pankhudi said, “Some of these were handed over to me by random people, and some were sent by post to this address, and there are some more he emailed to me.”
“It seems he knows a lot about you” Nisha said in a worried tone.
“I think he knows everything about me! First these photographs, then I started getting calls at my office, then on my mobile phone. At first they were just blank calls, later he started speaking. And believe me, our conversations are not sweet.” Pankhudi cried.
“Did you ever see him?” Nisha asked.
“No, not yet” Pankhudi sighed, “But I recognize his voice, it is deep and clear as anything. He has called me several times. Each time a different number or a private number.”
“This is frightening. I think we should report to the police.” Nisha suggested.
Pankhudi said nothing. She just closed her eyes tightly took a deep breath and handed over another envelope to Nisha. This envelope contained her pictures, taken from the window of her own apartment. Pankhudi was changing her clothes and perhaps a portion of the curtain was left open. Unlike most of those skinny girls, Pankhudi’s weight was on the heavier side, she had a beautiful womanly curvy body. The photographs were taken from such a sensual angle that captured the best of each and every curve of her voluptuous body. An admirer of erotic art would appreciate the artistic angle of photography that captured her lovely cleavage of her curvaceous breasts as she slipped down her top and unhooked her bra. There was another one taken from behind that showed her lovely brown legs as she removed her jeans and managed to get a sneak peek at her ass crack showing though her slightly lowered panty. For someone who admired this wheatish complexioned maiden, she might have well looked like a goddess of sensuality as her beautiful long raven hair hanged down her shoulders flanking her naked breasts, with such a subtle expression of purity adorned on her face. Pankhudi was a doe-eyed beauty. Her face was so expressive, it virtually told her story. Her eyes were sad yet so full of innocence. Whatever was visible of her skin in the photographs, looked like smooth satin that would tempt anyone to want to touch and find out what it really feels like.
But Pankhudi was no admirer of her nude pictures taken without her notice and consent, neither was Nisha. Those pictures sent a chill down Nisha’s spine as she realized she too was within the reach of this tormentor. She was upset more than angry.
“How the hell did he manage to click these?” Nisha said nervously as beads of sweat emerged on her forehead, “He could have my pictures too!”
“It is possible” Pankhudi said, “But he is not bothering you, is he? He didn’t send you your pictures, did he?”
“Pankh this is serious! We have a man stalking you all the time and lurking around our house and you still think we shouldn’t be going to the police. Don’t you realize he is just as much a threat to me as much he is to you?”
“Please” Pankhudi begged, “I know this is disturbing, but please let it be. I am afraid I am not strong enough to deal with the consequences.” She paused for a while and then broke down crying uncontrollably. “I don’t know...” she said, “I don’t know why he is doing this to me! I don’t know what he wants...I’ve begged him to tell me several times but...”
“What does he say?” Nisha asked out of irrepressible anxiety.
“He says he is getting that he wants” Pankhudi said amongst her tears.
There was silence after that. Nisha hugged Pankhudi as now they both were equally apprehensive.
“As of now” Pankhudi said, “I will stop answering calls from unknown numbers. Let’s hope this passes away like a nightmare.”
Pankhudi stayed away from her family and she was introvert by nature. Perhaps that had something to do with the fact that she had so much to deal with alone. She could barely find time or energy to socialize. Normally a 24 year old beautiful girl like her would have a boyfriend or even be married. But Pankhudi never found the kind of man she was looking for. She wanted a strong and mature man, who would understand and support her but at the same time respect her for being an independent person. And she wasn’t interested in casual flings. There were far more important and serious things in her life that she had to handle.
After the tense conversation, both the girls hit the sheets to get some sleep. But Pankhudi could barely sleep. Her body was tired from the day’s work but her mind was still so restless. Still she closed her eyes, and tried to sleep. The night grew darker and perhaps it was the cool breeze or the calming silence; for the first time in many nights, she slept. We lose track of time when we sleep, so it was hard for her to tell exactly when, but she heard a creaking noise. Moments later, she felt a hand moving through her beautiful dark hair spread over the pillow like a dark cloud and then brushing across her skin. She could feel from the touch that it was a male hand. Her eyes shot open. She almost froze in fear to see a man sitting next to her bed, she could barely even scream. It was so dark in the room, she couldn’t even see him properly, but his presence so close to her made her tremble.
“How are you, cupcake?” He said.
Her heart skipped a beat as she recognized the voice of her stalker. She wanted to scream, she wanted to run, but fear paralysed her. Tears of helplessness filled her eyes. The man seemed delighted to see a quivering doe lying so helpless before him. There was a devilish smile across his face as he pressed a pillow against her face and began to smother her. Pankhudi could only put up a weak struggle for her life; fear had debilitated her to such extent. With every passing second, she was one step closer to death.
As she was so close to what could be her last breath, she struggled with whatever was left of her strength. And then suddenly, the smothering force was gone, the pillow was gone, the man was gone. She sat up in her bed trembling, all drenched in her own sweat, and breathless. She realized this was only a nightmare.
Pankhudi was an asthmatic. She was having an attack; she fumbled around the room to reach the drawer where she had kept her inhaler. Her fumbling and her wheezing made enough noise to wake her roommate.
“Oh my God, Pankh! Are you alright?” She asked as she hurried to support a breathless Pankhudi.
“Yes” said Pankhudi still gasping, “I just had a bad dream”
Nisha helped her get back to the bed. She was concerned about Pankhudi; after all she was like a sister to her. Nisha was one of Pankhudi’s closest friends.
“Please take care of yourself” said Nisha as she hugged Pankhudi and kissed her forehead, “And if there’s anything I can do for you, I am always there. You know that, don’t you?”
“I do” said Pankhudi, as she was now feeling calm after Nisha comforted her. But she could barely shake off the fear that haunted her all the time.
She slept the night away somehow. Next day the rays of the morning sun came in through her window and awoke as with their kiss. She looked out of the window, a beautiful day welcomed her.
She got ready for her work. As she stepped out on the street, she could see a busy city around her, everyone going about their business. There were so many people around her, she saw some smiling faces, heard some laughter, some people in a hurry, some others quarrelling, the road traffic with continuous honking of horns, children playing, hawkers hawking.
“I don’t know who he is or what he wants.”
“Stay out of business you don’t understand. If you don't, I will redefine your understanding of the word 'regret'.”
“You still don’t understand, cupcake...this is not about what ‘you’ want”
“What do you mean it is more complicated.....what are you not telling me?”
“My own deeds have brought this upon me....I deserve everything that he is doing to me!”
“This is my game, and its rules have already been made very clear.”
“Stop pretending that you care about me! Stop pretending that you are even a human being!”
“When you are living a nightmare, it is hard to tell the difference between reality and bad dreams.”
“The most important lessons of life are learned through pain.”
“There is something strangely familiar about this darkness.”
Chapter 1 - DARK SHADOWS
Pankhudi’s peaceful life was rudely disrupted since the dark shadow of a mysterious stalker started hovering over her. He crept into her life insidiously, she never realized until she was too deep into this terror trap. He threatened to destroy everything she was as a person like some slow poison. Incessant fear overshadowed her mind all the time. She was tormented by fear that kept her on the edge, fear that made her notice even the smallest things, like tiny movements in the shadows and slightest of noises; fear that drained her energy, that she couldn’t do anything about.
She was never herself since she realized she was being watched all the time. She sat nervously on the couch curled into a ball like a wounded animal as she was talking to her roommate Nisha. Her voice was barely audible as she spoke, “I don’t know who he is and what he wants.”
“Why didn’t you tell me before?” Nisha argued.
“I don’t know if you can help me, I don’t know if anyone can help me.” she said as tears of helplessness rolled out of her eyes.
“Did he hurt or threaten you?” Nisha asked.
“No!” Pankhudi cried, “He doesn’t do anything. He just stalks me, watches me all the time.” She said this as he handed over an envelope to Nisha.
Nisha found various photographs of Pankhudi in the envelope, taken at various places, all taken without her notice.
“This is what he does all the time” Pankhudi said, “Some of these were handed over to me by random people, and some were sent by post to this address, and there are some more he emailed to me.”
“It seems he knows a lot about you” Nisha said in a worried tone.
“I think he knows everything about me! First these photographs, then I started getting calls at my office, then on my mobile phone. At first they were just blank calls, later he started speaking. And believe me, our conversations are not sweet.” Pankhudi cried.
“Did you ever see him?” Nisha asked.
“No, not yet” Pankhudi sighed, “But I recognize his voice, it is deep and clear as anything. He has called me several times. Each time a different number or a private number.”
“This is frightening. I think we should report to the police.” Nisha suggested.
Pankhudi said nothing. She just closed her eyes tightly took a deep breath and handed over another envelope to Nisha. This envelope contained her pictures, taken from the window of her own apartment. Pankhudi was changing her clothes and perhaps a portion of the curtain was left open. Unlike most of those skinny girls, Pankhudi’s weight was on the heavier side, she had a beautiful womanly curvy body. The photographs were taken from such a sensual angle that captured the best of each and every curve of her voluptuous body. An admirer of erotic art would appreciate the artistic angle of photography that captured her lovely cleavage of her curvaceous breasts as she slipped down her top and unhooked her bra. There was another one taken from behind that showed her lovely brown legs as she removed her jeans and managed to get a sneak peek at her ass crack showing though her slightly lowered panty. For someone who admired this wheatish complexioned maiden, she might have well looked like a goddess of sensuality as her beautiful long raven hair hanged down her shoulders flanking her naked breasts, with such a subtle expression of purity adorned on her face. Pankhudi was a doe-eyed beauty. Her face was so expressive, it virtually told her story. Her eyes were sad yet so full of innocence. Whatever was visible of her skin in the photographs, looked like smooth satin that would tempt anyone to want to touch and find out what it really feels like.
But Pankhudi was no admirer of her nude pictures taken without her notice and consent, neither was Nisha. Those pictures sent a chill down Nisha’s spine as she realized she too was within the reach of this tormentor. She was upset more than angry.
“How the hell did he manage to click these?” Nisha said nervously as beads of sweat emerged on her forehead, “He could have my pictures too!”
“It is possible” Pankhudi said, “But he is not bothering you, is he? He didn’t send you your pictures, did he?”
“Pankh this is serious! We have a man stalking you all the time and lurking around our house and you still think we shouldn’t be going to the police. Don’t you realize he is just as much a threat to me as much he is to you?”
“Please” Pankhudi begged, “I know this is disturbing, but please let it be. I am afraid I am not strong enough to deal with the consequences.” She paused for a while and then broke down crying uncontrollably. “I don’t know...” she said, “I don’t know why he is doing this to me! I don’t know what he wants...I’ve begged him to tell me several times but...”
“What does he say?” Nisha asked out of irrepressible anxiety.
“He says he is getting that he wants” Pankhudi said amongst her tears.
There was silence after that. Nisha hugged Pankhudi as now they both were equally apprehensive.
“As of now” Pankhudi said, “I will stop answering calls from unknown numbers. Let’s hope this passes away like a nightmare.”
Pankhudi stayed away from her family and she was introvert by nature. Perhaps that had something to do with the fact that she had so much to deal with alone. She could barely find time or energy to socialize. Normally a 24 year old beautiful girl like her would have a boyfriend or even be married. But Pankhudi never found the kind of man she was looking for. She wanted a strong and mature man, who would understand and support her but at the same time respect her for being an independent person. And she wasn’t interested in casual flings. There were far more important and serious things in her life that she had to handle.
After the tense conversation, both the girls hit the sheets to get some sleep. But Pankhudi could barely sleep. Her body was tired from the day’s work but her mind was still so restless. Still she closed her eyes, and tried to sleep. The night grew darker and perhaps it was the cool breeze or the calming silence; for the first time in many nights, she slept. We lose track of time when we sleep, so it was hard for her to tell exactly when, but she heard a creaking noise. Moments later, she felt a hand moving through her beautiful dark hair spread over the pillow like a dark cloud and then brushing across her skin. She could feel from the touch that it was a male hand. Her eyes shot open. She almost froze in fear to see a man sitting next to her bed, she could barely even scream. It was so dark in the room, she couldn’t even see him properly, but his presence so close to her made her tremble.
“How are you, cupcake?” He said.
Her heart skipped a beat as she recognized the voice of her stalker. She wanted to scream, she wanted to run, but fear paralysed her. Tears of helplessness filled her eyes. The man seemed delighted to see a quivering doe lying so helpless before him. There was a devilish smile across his face as he pressed a pillow against her face and began to smother her. Pankhudi could only put up a weak struggle for her life; fear had debilitated her to such extent. With every passing second, she was one step closer to death.
As she was so close to what could be her last breath, she struggled with whatever was left of her strength. And then suddenly, the smothering force was gone, the pillow was gone, the man was gone. She sat up in her bed trembling, all drenched in her own sweat, and breathless. She realized this was only a nightmare.
Pankhudi was an asthmatic. She was having an attack; she fumbled around the room to reach the drawer where she had kept her inhaler. Her fumbling and her wheezing made enough noise to wake her roommate.
“Oh my God, Pankh! Are you alright?” She asked as she hurried to support a breathless Pankhudi.
“Yes” said Pankhudi still gasping, “I just had a bad dream”
Nisha helped her get back to the bed. She was concerned about Pankhudi; after all she was like a sister to her. Nisha was one of Pankhudi’s closest friends.
“Please take care of yourself” said Nisha as she hugged Pankhudi and kissed her forehead, “And if there’s anything I can do for you, I am always there. You know that, don’t you?”
“I do” said Pankhudi, as she was now feeling calm after Nisha comforted her. But she could barely shake off the fear that haunted her all the time.
She slept the night away somehow. Next day the rays of the morning sun came in through her window and awoke as with their kiss. She looked out of the window, a beautiful day welcomed her.
She got ready for her work. As she stepped out on the street, she could see a busy city around her, everyone going about their business. There were so many people around her, she saw some smiling faces, heard some laughter, some people in a hurry, some others quarrelling, the road traffic with continuous honking of horns, children playing, hawkers hawking.