A Midnight Cab Drive

The railway station was around 16km from the place where I was staying. And I had to catch the train at 4:10 AM. It was the time of winter and it was rather cold at that place. I had already booked the cab for a ride to station for 3:30 AM.

I got a call from the driver. He was having difficulty in finding the address. So I asked him to wait by the main road and I reached there carrying my luggage on my back.

From the distance I could see the headlights of the cab, piercing the darkness of night.

Since It was the time of midnight, no one was there outside to be seen wandering. Roads were empty, with only a couple of vehicles passing by. No sign of humans, however.

I opened the door of cab, put my bag first, and then I got in. Telling the destination address and the CRN code to the cab guy.

In just another instant when he rolled the keys and pushed his legs on the accelerator, the left door of the car flew open instantly and a girl dropped inside and locked the door.

"Holy Shit! What the hell!! WHO ARE YOU!!! GET THE HELL OUT OF MY CAB!!!!" I began shouting.

 

I was shocked in horror.

First of all, it was a private cab.

Secondly I didn't expect anyone to join me. And that too a complete stranger, popping out of the blue, in the middle of night when I myself inspected the surroundings for no human sign anywhere around.

"I am really sorry to scare you like that," the girl began to explain. She was rather calm and composed and had a silent smile on her face, which was utterly in contradiction to the general rules of human emotions in such kind of hasty situations.

"But I couldn't find a better way to do it. I needed a ride to the station but ran out of money. Besides it was dark and I was all alone out there, couldn't see anyone else. Then I saw you walking with your luggage towards this car. And I am sorry to show up like that," the girl finished her story.

I was however way more out of my mind and frankly scared by the soothingly wierd composure of girl.

"WHATEVER," snapped I, "Just get out of my cab. I can't help you. I am sorry. Please leave!"

The girl however didn't seem to mind my rude behaviour. And she kept looking at me with a pleasant smile on her face.

After a couple of minutes when I caught a little of my breath and regained a little of my cool, she gave me a big smile this time with her expressions delightful.

Slithering a little closer to me she grabbed one of my hands and held it tightly in her hand.

 "Don't worry dear!" said she in a silent whisper, "I am not going to harm you or kill you or suck the blood out of you. Now stop acting like a little kid."

I smiled a little looking at her.

 I wasn't scared anymore.... Well maybe a little.

 But still it was inexplicable.

 There comes a girl out of nowhere. A total stranger… And she acts as if we know each other for million years. I was out of my mind. But It was only her who could explain everything to me.

With a questioning glance I looked her into the eyes. But they were as mysterious as anything about her, not ready to reveal anything. I shrugged off and looked away towards the window glass. The weather outside was too cold. I could see the fog all over the windows. Nothing else could be seen through the glasses. It felt as if I was walking down some mysterious lane, with surroundings dense with white clouds and a mysterious girl accompanying me to the hell. Furthermore, the cab driver didn't seem to notice anything mysterious at all. As if he was just a puppet under the commandments of some darker forces who asked him to summon me.

I began to feel a sharp agonizing pain inside my stomach. Not because of some kind of illness. But may be because of all this wickedly mysterious things.

"Is that a dream?" I thought to myself. And with a little hope I pinched myself harder. Didn't work. Again pinched harder. Didn't work. Again.... Again.. Aah! I gave up.

"What do you think you are doing?" she spoke again in her sweet voice.

I was getting irritated now. "What do you think I am doing?" I am trying to wake up in reality. I know that it is a dream. And the moment I wake up, everything shall be gone.

"Hahaha..." She began laughing, "You really are a little kid. So impatient.. so restless...so innocent..."

A brief pause spread through the space in the car.

Silence filled the gaps between us.

I could here my heavy breathing. Heart pounding at express speed.. slowly getting in normal condition. Moments passed when my breathes turned into normal.

There wasn't any other sounds inside the cab, I wondered. I couldn't hear herself breathing or her heart pounding. She was quite composed which is what began to intrigue me more, than anything else.

"Don't you breathe?" I asked her coldly, suppressing any hints of my perturbness.

"Nopes," said her.

"Whaaat??"

"Yes."

Once again I was petrified. All my fears resurfacing once again.

When I couldn't think of anything what to do, she drew a little closer to me and held my hand once again. In a quiet tone she whispered in my ear again, "I told you. Don't worry at all." With her grip making firm over my hands she said again, "Now try to keep calm and regain yourself." With a little pause she added, "Only if you wish to know everything!"

I could sense a different aura in her presence. And I felt relieved, finally, listening to her sweet containing voice.

Same thought crossed my heart once again that we have met before. And that total stranger seemed to me quite familiar somehow. Perhaps, we have known each other since eternity.

Strange.. Odd.. Stupid.. What was I thinking? How can it be any real?

"So are you ready finally?" she spoke again in a satirical manner, "Or still wanna act like a stupid little kid!!"

I kind of getting angry.

"How dare she mock me again and again?". "Can't she realize that it was a wicked situation for me?" While I was thinking all this with my expressions turning into that of a wierdo. She began laughing once again. And this time louder. Not stopping.

"Alright! Alright!" I ranted out furiously. "I am ready now. Do whatever the wierdest things you wish."

"And for god's sake."

"STOP LAUGHING!!"

To my surprise she instantly stopped laughing. Once again turning into that wickedly calm and composed look of her. She looked me into the eyes. And I figured out that she wanted me to look into her eyes too. So, I fixed my escaping gaze of eyes to her.

She had beautiful eyes. Blue shade. Twinkling. Serene.

There was a strange light into her eyes.

 And as I looked, it felt as if I was travelling... deeper...farther.. into a distant land.. or a distant world.. I got completely lost into her.

"Would you like to have a cup of tea with me?" she asked silently.

I came out of the charm.

"What do you mean?"

"A Tea!"

"It can't be possible. We were travelling in a car. Heading towards some place called....."

What was that place....?

What was what....?

 Where was I....?

I couldn't remember...

Anything..

Only the fainted memories were there..

But she was still there. Sitting beside me. Holding my hand into her. She was still looking at me. She looked more beautiful.

"Dear! Would you like to have a cup of tea with me?" She asked again in a whisper in my ear.

"Yes. I would love to."

"What is this place?" I asked her, puzzled.

"Why don't you look for yourself and find out," She said smiling. And with a light kiss on my head, she began to move away.

As I saw her walking away farther, I realized that the little space where we were sitting had expanded into a bigger one, taking the form of a beautiful house.

 

To Be Coninued……