Do I know you?

             She opened her eyes to darkness. It was abysmal, that feeling of dark that crept over her. The floor was cold and hard against her back. She tried to grope but nothing came into her hands. Her legs felt numb as she tried to balance herself from slipping. She could smell a foul stench emanating from her. 

             That morning, Neha had received a call from Samir. It was unusual for him to call her up so early in the morning. They had agreed to meet for lunch. She had been occupied with her work, but the thought was at the back of her mind. Why did he want to meet her during the day? They had been having an affair and kept their appointments at night. She couldn't wait to see him. They had missed their dates for a week as Samir had gone to visit his parents. 

             Sharp at 1 pm, she reached Rainbow, the place that Samir had called her to. He had already started drinking, which was unusual. Neha had taken a half day leave, hoping that they would spend more time together but one look at Samir had made her doubt her plans. He looked at her without a smile. She pulled a chair and sat in front of him. 

             "Samir, what is this? Why have you started drinking at this time?" she asked him. 

             "Neha, I m not in a mood for your lecture." He snubbed her. 

             "Tell me what couldn't wait till evening?" she was angry at him.

             " I m getting married." He told her without emotion. 

             "Whoaa, what? Wait, are you telling me that you are getting married?" 

             "I m." He replied coldly. 

             "So what have you called me for?" She shouted at him. 

             "Neha, don't over react. We never had any agreement over marriage. It was just an affair which you too enjoyed. Frankly, did you think I would marry you?

             Right. Did she think he would marry her? He had never as much told her about any commitment. He was from a rich and traditional family of Marwaris. She was just a product of a broken marriage. She had spent her early years in hostel and later lived on rent until her biological father died, leaving behind a modest 1 BHK flat for her.

            "So this is the end of it?" She still asked knowing the reply.
            "It doesn't have to end. We can continue the affair. You know I can take care of your needs." He gave her a smug smile and lit a cigarette.
         
            His face, behind the smoke, evoked such disgust which she hadn't known in years. It reminded her of another man who had made her feel so cheap and dirty. Her head was spinning with thoughts which she had buried long back.

                             

            She had made it to the switch board. Panic stricken, she ran her fingers over all switches and turned them on. The lights lit the room. Scared, she looked at the floor. The sight made her insides turn. She retched  on the spot. The man lay on his stomach. The blood was splattered all about the house. 

                

           He had just returned from his office. His wife, as usual, had started bickering about the neighbors. He resigned on the sofa and surfed the television. His wife raised her voice and began nagging him. His blood pressure was rising. His teenager son had shut himself up in his room. His wife was complaining about their son's behavior. 

         "Come home and only watch television. Don't care about your family." She nagged further. 

         His anger had crossed threshold. 

         "Just shut up you bitch. Can't  you give me a moment of peace." He had raised his hand on her. Taking his car keys, he shut the door behind him. 

         He parked near the beach. He let the fresh air get to him and then started smoking. 

         "Hey sexy, all alone?" beeped  his watsapp. 

         Tina. He smiled to himself. The girl always seemed to track his mood. 

         She had first called him by mistake but they had eventually started chatting regularly on watsapp. They flirted openly and sometimes the chats became too intimate. It had been just a week since they  had started sexting. 

        "Yes babe. Want to share my loneliness?"

         He was thrilled when she sent him her pictures. She called him to her home. 

        This is my lucky day, he thought. He turned the car and before going to her apartment, he went to the pharmacy. 

                                 

          

          He had his doubts. When she opened the door, dressed in a peach negligee, it all vanished. She was fair skinned, curvy and had dark eyes. She looked no more than 25. He was 45, balding and with a pot-belly. 

        

        She turned him over. His chest had stab wounds. The knife lay next to him. His eyes were wide open in shock. 

        "This will be our secret. You know I can take care of your needs." His words came back to her. 

 They were all alone in the house. He had run his hands over her thighs and touched her. She had squirmed under his touch, not knowing why she felt so uncomfortable. She had tried to escape from him. He had over powered her in the end. 

        Her mother and step father had gone for a party and left her behind with her step father's brother. She was just 8 year old. She had been sent away to hostel after she had confided in her mother. 

        

       "This will be our secret" she had whispered in his ears. He had followed after her into her room. She played blind fold with him. 

       He could hold himself no longer and plunged for her. She tied his hands tightly and pushed him on the floor. 

       She is a wild thing, this Tina. He couldn't believe his luck!

       She was searching for something in her drawer. He pitched in, "Its in my wallet. I brought it on my way" 

 She smiled in a wicked way and drew a shiny knife. It sent a chill through him. 

      "Wasn't blind fold your favorite game, step-uncle?" She laughed.

      "You, you... "He was terrified of what had come on him. 

      

      His eyes had been wide open as she stabbed him multiple times. 

     She had tracked him down finally. She stalked him like crazy. She knew all about him. She knew about his wife, his son, his fights, his whereabouts. She was waiting for a chance to strike. She befriended him and made a trap of lust. 

              She sat there crying for hours. She did not know how she had landed up this way. She did not know how her dark past had come face to face. The last thing she remembered was coming home and crying until she had been exhausted and fallen to sleep. 

            She cleaned up all the blood on the floor. She had to think of disposing the body, but not now. She would wait for another night when she could hide in the dark. She wound his heavy body in bed sheets and kicked it under the bed. She went to  wash herself. 

                                    

             She saw her image in the mirror. Suddenly she was Neha, stabbing at herself, hating herself. The sad, victimized Neha. 

     She smiled. She had Samir to take care of now.