The Darkest Night

Chapter 1

It was raining heavily, he glanced at his watch, it said 10pm. There were hardly people on the road, Karthik came running, drenched, searching for a place to stand he finally saw a bus stop he ran in and stood under awning, escaping from the rain drops. His eyes caught a girl who was standing in the bus stop all alone. She looked very young probably between 16-18 years. A few minutes later it stopped raining. Karthik was in his late 20s, he was worried for the girl’s safety, he inched close to her and said “this place isn't safe for a girl to stand alone at this time” he did not get any response. Karthik waited for another 10 minutes, “I am not sure if you are new to this place; bus frequency is bad here, my gutt says I shouldn’t leave you alone in such a place, you can trust me, I have my bike. if you can tell me where your destination is, I can drop you”. The girl quietly walked away from there. Still worried, karthik took his bike and followed her, she stopped walking, turned around and glared at him. “Why the hell are you following me?” “I am telling you, this place is not safe. Can i at least drop you in a place where there are people around? ” “I get this place is unsafe but you following me is only making things worse”she said and kept walking. After a few minutes of walk she reached a place where there were few people, it looked like a busy area there was a bus stop and few people waiting. Karthik let out a sigh of relief and said “you are safe now, bye!” and rode away. Looking at him zoom off she thought to herself “Looks like he genuinely cared for my safety , I took him wrong”. She got her bus and reached her place, “I am sorry Mr? Who ever you are? You are a Gem” she said to herself.

Next morning she woke up a little early as she was excited for her 1st day of college. She got ready and started off, she was in her classroom intro session was going on and for no reason she remembered the guy she met last night. A week had passed and she still thought about him every very often. one day she went to the same bus stop in the evening she waited for longer than usual. it started getting dark so she left. The next day she came to the same place but this time she came by 10pm hoping to see him there again, she was a little scared but she decided to wait for him, on the empty road she heard a bike, she quietly stood there with a little fear. A bike came stood right in front of her, it was him. she looked up, he said “this place isn't safe? Please go from here” looking into his eyes she said “I am waiting for bus” “but bus frequency is very less here, can I drop you to a place where there are people around?” He asked. “I’d really appreciate that”, she said and sat behind him on his bike.

He spoke nothing ,she asked “do you remember me?” “Yes of-course just a week ago I met you in the same place and gave you the same warning, but you took me wrong” he said, “I realised how wrong I was later…. i am here to actually apologize”. Karthik stopped his bike abruptly and said “Are you serious? this is a very dangerous place! it is ok if you don't apologize… but just be safe” he said and dropped her in the next bus stop that was crowded. 

Next day again at 10:30pm he saw her in the same bus stop alone, Karthik stopped his bike and exclaimed “you again?!” She said “yes, I came all the way to apologize to you”. Karthik looked at her clueless, “you told the same when we met yesterday” “I will tell you the same thing when I see you tomorrow again”. He laughed out loud, “silly girl…. what is your name?” he asked. "Shreya" she replied with a smile. “Nice…. should I drop you to the near by bus stop?” questioned Karthik. With a smile Shreya nodded Yes. 

Shreya sat on the bike and Karthik started riding, “it's really sweet of you for coming all the way just to apologize but this place is really dangerous many girls were kidnapped, raped and killed here so please avoid doing this again”. Shreya spoke nothing, they reached to the near by bus stop Shreya got down from his bike and said “you rightly said this place is dangerous, this place changed my destiny and of course a hero is here to save all the girls”. With a little smile he said “reach home safe” and started his bike, she smiled “I will see you tomorrow” he stopped the bike to look back at her and she got into the bus waving him good bye, he smiled saying “silly girl” and rode away.