In The Dark Of The Night
Mumbai has always been known as the city that never sleeps but it is snoring tonight, thought Richa as she walked the empty streets.
She had decided to stay back to finish work and tie up some loose ends before her annual holiday started on the morrow, not realizing how late it was when she capped her pen and glanced at the clock.
Locking the office took ten more minutes.
Her car was being serviced at the garage and since public transport was never a problem in the megapolis, she didn’t give it much thought as she stepped out of the building.
Looking for a taxi, she was surprised there wasn’t a soul in sight.
The roads, slick after the evening rain, stretched like a gleaming carpet and the only sound was that of her heels clicking on the road.
The silence seemed to make that resonant sound echo a bit louder.
“Strange,” thought Richa. Though she had never stayed back so late before, Mumbai always had some nightlife that kept it awake. Night-watchmen gossiping with cups of tea to warm their palms, the vada-paav vendors peddling their wares, cabbies waiting for fares to come along, were regular features. Tonight, however, Mumbai was like a ghost town. Even the mongrels weren’t prowling the streets.
An icy shiver ran down her spine as Richa quickened her pace, hoping to hail a taxi soon. She walked for a few more minutes and finally saw one cruising by. She waved her hands wildly and almost broke into a run, praying the cabbie would notice her.
“Bandra,” she said, even before the cabbie pulled up next to her. When she spotted an affirmative nod she hopped in, breathing a sigh of relief. “Double fare, Madam, it’s so late in the night.” the driver said. Richa agreed without a thought. All she wanted was to get home. She didn’t mind paying the extra fare so long as she could get home. The driver gunned the cab forward and with a sigh of relief she lay her head back on the seat to rest a bit.
She looked up with a start as the taxi seemed to stop abruptly. Had she dozed off? Was she dreaming?
“Where are we?” Richa asked.
“This is your destination, Madam. Please pay me, I have to leave.”
Looking around her, Richa didn’t know what to say. She was in a deep, dark forest, with only tiny streams of moonlight trickling in through the foliage. The rich fragrance of roses filled the air even though she couldn’t see any around.
“Where am I? Where have you brought me?” She asked the driver and turned around to realize he was no longer in the taxi. The cold hand of fear gripped her heart as she looked around for him. She got out of the taxi and circled it, calling out for the driver ,but he had disappeared into thin air.
She thought she spotted movement behind one of the trees and walked gingerly towards it, her heels hindering her progress. She peered behind the trunk and realized that there was no one there. And when she turned around, even the taxi was gone! Were her eyes playing tricks on her, or was it her mind?
Walking to where the taxi had stood she looked at the ground intensely, almost willing the vehicle to materialize again. But there was nothing there.
Not even tire tracks. Richa was clueless about it all.
Worse, she was hungry, thirsty, disoriented and very, very scared. She didn’t know what to do. There was nothing except her own instinct to guide her.
She decided to walk towards the right, reasoning that it is always auspicious. Anything to make herself feel better. Heels were not the best footwear for a trek through the forest; she told herself, trying to smile as she gingerly walked towards God alone knew what.
Suddenly something gripped her feet and she felt herself meeting the ground!
When she finally stopped screaming and sobbing, she risked a look behind and there was nothing there. As she stood up, she realized it was the heel of one of her sandals that had snapped!
“Whew,” she breathed a sigh of relief. Removing both her sandals, she tucked them away in her handbag. Her eyes had grown accustomed to the darkness now and she could make out a lot of trees. Too many, even for a forest, she thought.
Making her way ahead, she prayed that she would find someone who would help her. Knowing in her heart that she was hoping for a miracle. She realized the ground was very soft; like walking on a plush carpet. Her feet just sunk into the undergrowth and she felt a moment’s bliss.
Walking on, she thought she saw a pinprick of light. Or, was it her imagination again? She walked faster and discovered that it was indeed light.
Then one pinprick became two. Then three. Then four.
Glow worms, Richa thought, as she neared them. She stopped in her tracks when she found what the lights were.
Eyes.
Just eyes.
Not attached to anything. Just strange eyes. Floating around and multiplying rapidly. Yellow eyes that shone in the dark. Dead eyes that had no emotion.
Muffling a scream she began backing off, as fast as she could, never taking her eyes of the eerie scene before her. As she ran backwards, she tripped and fell.
She couldn’t get up this time.
The ground wouldn’t let her.
Tiny tendrils materialized and held her down, tightening their grip on her as they rapidly multiplied. Richa didn’t know what was happening. She struggled to break free but to no avail. Her body was being engulfed by these.
And there was the smell of roses again.
She opened her mouth to scream but it was a silent scream.
The floating and multiplying eyes had formed a weird screen before her. They emitted a blaze of light now and she could see the forest from where she lay captive. The trees were looking down at her like they had a life of their own. She looked down to see what was holding her down and let out an ear-piercing scream.
Tiny, little baby fingers were holding her down.
Each one with a life of its own. They held on to her like a needy child would hold on to its mother, and refused to let go. With each passing moment, their grip on her increased even as they multiplied.
With tears coursing down her cheeks, Richa was gasping for breath as she lay there, terrified and helpless. She looked up to the partially visible sky, imploring God to help her and felt a drop fall on her face from above.
Water?
Was it raining?
She prayed it would pour, and wash these horrible things away.
Plop.
Another one.
She looked up again, more intently and she sensed the trees had come closer than they were. Or had they? She was too disoriented to think by now.
But yes, they were definitely closer.
Plop.
Plop.
Plop. Plop
Plop. Plop. Plop.
It was some liquid, yes. A dark, vile, foul smelling liquid. Like dark molasses.
Each drop spread itself as soon as it hit the ground and grew rapidly.
Now it was like rain.
Rancid rain that just didn’t flow away. It fell, and fell, and fell.
By now Richa was firmly entrenched onto the ground and the only things she could move were her eyes. She was sobbing hysterically, not knowing what to do.
Plop.
A drop of rain fell on her forehead.
The smell choked her and she held her breath, as it grew and grew all over her face.
She couldn’t breathe anymore and let out a scream. And screamed. And screamed.
Till she woke up. At home. In her bed. Clutching a broken sandal.
This is my 6th post, for Week 3 of #MyFriendAlexa a Blogging Challenge set by Blogchatter
I am taking my Alexa Rank to the next level with Blogchatter.
Current Rank (as on 1st September 2016)
2,828,055 - Alexa Traffic Rank
132,802 - Traffic Rank in India
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Phew! Thank goodness it was only a dream!
I have my share of crazy dreams like these, which sometimes make for interesting morning conversation. But this one? Just super scary!
Was it a dream? Or not?
Thanks for stopping by, MM:)
Thank god it was just a dream and thank god I am reading it now, in daytime. Had I been reading it at night, I sure wouldn’t have slept a wink!
Wonderfully scary, Mayuri! 🙂
So my writing managed to give you the heebie-jeebies 🙂 Hahahhaha. Thanks for reading, Shilpa:)
Seriously scared.Did a great job of giving me goosebumps
I now feel quite evil, scaring so many people!:)
Thanks for dropping by, Amrita:)
This is actually brilliant. I loved it. If anything, I am gonna chide you on the fact that you are allowing these ideas to stay in your head and not writing more frequently (based on the AlexaRank and the ‘archives’ section I can see on your site. 🙂
You have talent… go for it. Write more!
Roshan, thank you for reading my work and encouraging me with your positive feedback. It means a lot 🙂
I am just glad I read this during the day. I don’t think I’d have go teen through it at night. Just need to block it off by nightfall now. Scarily brilliant piece of writing.
Thanks, Tulika:)
You’ve started to churn out these flash and short pieces of fiction with some good frequency now.
Well done, Mayuri.
Enjoying these. Oh, and congratulations on the move.
Thank you, Sid 🙂
This has been my writing since ever since I first started writing, in 2004. This particular story was written on 2006, btw:)
Oh wow!! that was gripping… and creepy… and scary!! Those glowing eyes did gave me scare… thank you now I won’t be able to go to the bathroom alone at night.
The ending is chilling … kept me wondering!! Awesome writing!!
Thank you, Rajlakshmi 🙂
Wow Mayri..You are too good with fictions..this one kept me hooked till the end..scary dream!
My latest post-http://kreativemommy.com/from-the-diary-of-a-blogger/
Thank you, Deepa:)
Awesome gripping and very real… The read was terrific and I applaud you on your sense of flow of suspense. You have a real talent Mayuri… Keep going
Thank you, Shalini. That means much 🙂
I saw that coming but the narration was excellent. Powerful and you’ve done a great work with the fiction!
Cheers
So glad you stopped by, Geetika:)
Phew! Thank God it was a dream. You did a great job in building the suspense and imagery.
Aditi
Thanks for stopping by, Aditi 🙂
Thanks God its only a nightmare 🙂
Nice article
keep up the good work
Thank you 🙂
your blog look is good thanks to sharing
Regard By
Malathi
http://www.superdealcoupon.com
Thanks, Malathi.
Woah! Such a gripping narrative, Mayuri! Dreams can be so scary sometimes! Huff!
How sure are you it was a dream, Saumy?:)))
Thanks for stopping by.
Wow that was one piece of writing.. intriguing and sure did give me goosebumps. the eyes may just haunt me for a longer time to come now 😉 Am i also imagining them multiplying?????just kidding!!!