KHUMAARI- The Nocturnal Beast, PART 1

KHUMAARI

The Nocturnal Beast

“Hate a burden too overwhelming.
There is just one way to get rid of it, the demise of the subject.
And for you to die,
I would have to kiss the death.”

PART 1

Mother Mary Memorial Hostel (Mount Caramel College), Bangalore

Oh god! What should I do with these bozo heads? A girl with short, pitch black hair shouted on top of her voice entering a room.

Uff Ria can’t you speak in normal pitch so that we poor creatures could understand your alien language. Another tall girl with auburn hair tied in a messy bun said coming out of the bathroom while wiping her wet hands in a towel.

Ho ha ha... Garima dear, where did you get that rotten sense of humour? Ria asked sarcastically.

From the same place where you got your hair cut. Ria seethed in anger while Garima grinned mockingly multiplying the anger of her friend. Anyways why are shouting like someone bit your ass?

Because you are not ready yet. Throwing her hands in exasperation Ria explained the obvious. N that sissy Dipti is still scared of a mere party. Give. Me. A. Break.

I am not scared. The originator of Ria’s anger stepped inside the room shoving her already fierce roommate aside. I am just too smart to crash a party-I am not invited  for-and make a fool of myself.

First, see where you are walking. Ria said pulling Ritu’s pony. And please whole college is going there. Nobody knows who is invited and who is not. I am sure Karishma herself wouldn’t remember whom she invited and who the gatecrashers are.

Whatever. Dipti folded her arms in determination. I am not going because you are a fool and am not.

That’s not fair yaar. Ria whined. Why are you throwing tantrums, huh? It the last day of term, tomorrow the vacations are starting and we would all go home. Please it’s just a goddamn party.

Ria’s anger reached new heights and the meter of her temper burst on seeing the fourth member of their group sitting over her study table n reading some book n eating a cake piece oblivious to the third world war going beside her.

What the hell are you doing there? Ria picked up a pillow, took aim n BAM! The weapon hit the target on head.

What? The girl turned her head giving Ria a dirty look n resumed reading.

Call fire brigade, this place is going to blast any moment now. Garima whispered to Dipti making her giggle.

Are you coming or not?

Hmm...

Geeeeet. Ria said closing the book n pushing the plate with the cake away.

Geet covered her ears to block out Ria’s nasty scream. I was studying a case. She complained angrily but encountering the murderous expression of the anger machine, opted for a nervous laugh instead. Did I miss something?

The other two girls just shrugged when Geet gave them a ‘help-me’ call through her eyes.

Exams are over, term is over. Vacations are starting tomorrow n you Ms. Punj, instead of taking part in the serious discussion your friend is dying over, are busy-of all things-with a book, studying a fucking case n eating a cake. Are you mad? Ria said in one breath.

Serious discussion. Dipti scoffed then receiving a death glare from Ria instantly zipped her mouth.

Okay. No books. Geet removed her reading glasses n securely placed them in the case to prove her statement. Now, I am all ears. Shoot!

Fine. You are coming to the party. Ria said composing herself. And do not mistake it as a question. It’s an order.

Oh! And who are you to order her. Dipti retorted.

Please guys don’t start again. Garima said fearing another fight. What’s say Geet? Shall we go?

I don’t know yaar. Geet answered unsure. We are not invited n don’t you think we are young. I mean, to party outside with boys n all. I don’t think papa would approve that.

OMG. Your father is miles away how is he going to know? And if you are forgetting let me remind you we are seventeen n this old chicken is eighteen. Ria reasoned.

That’s because my birthday was last week. Dipti defended.

Aaha so you accept you are a chicken. Before Dipti could retort Ria continued. So where was I? Yeah we are big enough to party outside. Moreover who knows Geet darling you might get lucky n find your... She slipped her hand over Geet shoulder. You know what I mean. She winked suggestively.

Shut up that’s impossible. Geet threw Ria’s arm away.

Ria babes you shouldn’t be studying psychology with us. Dipti stated sarcastically. Go do Bachelors in Lovology.

No thanks for the ‘unasked-for’ advice. Ria batted her eyelashes.

I am going if Geet and Dipti are up for it. Garima said with finality.

Same here, I am going if Garima n Dipti are going. Geet supported.

Okay so technically you both are ready. Only our Dipti Ma’am is left. Ria walked over n held Dipti’s shoulder.

Dipti dear, you are through your first year of college. Develop some guts n enjoy. Geet n Garima rolled their eyes at Ria’s impartment of courage n virtue. Nothing bad would happen. I, Ria Mathur, guarantee you on my life.

Dipti sighed n Ria held her breath. OKAY.

Yay!! Ria danced like a maniac n Garima captured the funny moment in her phone. Hey! You devil. Give me the phone.

No, that my payment for attending the party. Garima stated.

I wish I could have one too. A shadow of sadness came over Geet’s face. She also wanted to have funny, humiliating pictures of her friends with her while she went back home for vacations. After going home she decided to purchase a camera with her savings.

No problem I will mail you the pictures. Garima consoled.

No system and even if I had one, there is no network or telephone lines at my place.

Seriously Geet, do you live at the Great Himalayas with Big Foot. Ria joked.

A heavy sigh escaped her lips. Something approximate minus the Big Foot.

Aaa... Ria you said party would start at 7. It’s already 6. Dipti commented from behind in a meek voice, the idea of going to the party still unsettling.

Oh yeah. Ria said and held Dipti hand. Come on lets go.

Wait a second. Are you all done with your packing? Garima asked because they had to leave the next morning.

Yeah Ms. Hostel prize winner for good conduct. Ria said. Now get ready lets crash the bitch’s party.

They both left for their room while Geet n Garima pulled out their cloths to change into.

No one can win from Ria. Garima said moving towards the bathroom. All the rooms had double occupancy, Geet n Garima were roommates while Riya n Ritu’s room was down the stairs just bellow them.

Yeah no doubt. Geet murmured. Garima...

Yes.

I will miss you. Geet’s said out of the blues and her eyes watered as she stated her feeling. She knew she was behaving like a retard but it was not easy to live with a person for almost a year n then leave all of a sudden. So, she had the right to cry n wail, not like she did it all the time. Generally she was pretty strong-her family never believed that-but sometimes it became hard to contain yourself.

Aww... Garima threw the clothes in hand on bed n engulfed her best friend in a bear hug. I will miss you too. But not much because we would be meeting after two months, okay so don’t be sad.

Yes. She pulled back.

Change fast now or I will call Ria.

Don’t be so mean. You want me dead or what? Geet faked fear then they both started laughing.

That’s better. Garima smiled n went into the bathroom.

Geet gave a look over to her room. Dull yellow walls stared back at her. Two single beds on the right n two study tables across them on the left. A cupboard in the corner with five cabinets, mother of hundreds of brawls considering how Ritu n Ria fought the whole year for that fifth cabinet. Her lips curved up into a smile.

By god’s grace the case was not the same with her, she n Garima rarely fought. Garima gave up on the fifth cabinet on the very first day once she looked at the mounts of books that Geet  had brought. It was not just the cabinet. When they all were childish n could be really irksome, Garima was-most of the times-mature n calculative.

It was funny but Geet, sometimes, saw a mother in her. It happens when you don’t have a good picture of one. She was only ten, balancing on the boundary of adolescence n in need of maternal guidance the most, when her mother died.

She picked her cloths up. Yes, she lost her mother but after that only she found her father. That was another story and a complicated one too, she herself didn’t know the start and end of it and with time had learned to not mull over the fact. For now it was better to just change n enjoy the college’s queen bee’s party she was going to, rather than digging the dead corpses from the past.

Khurana Power and Infrastructure, Bangalore Branch

So gentlemen that marks the end of our presentation. A young girl in white shirt and grey pencil skirt kept the laser pen down on the table.

The lights came back n projector was turned off. In the large conference hall all heads turned for the verdict of the one man for whom the whole thing was organised.

Ahem... Sir. The branch manager sitting close to the man called when he didn’t seem to notice that everyone-including the clients-were waiting to hear his decision.

Can’t you see I am busy? He snapped raising his head. His attention moved back to whatever he was doing on his I-phone.

There was something dark and ghastly about the man’s eye n rumbling voice that sent tremors through manager’s body, others were no different. No one dared say a word.

S...sir the presentation has ended. The manager informed in a small voice. Shall we sign the deal?

He looked annoyed while standing up from his chair at the centre head of the large arched granite n copper skirt table.

I would like to review it once more. The words were spoken as the man dressed in designer suit devoid of single crease exited the hall.

The manager followed hurriedly while his moody boss-throughout the way to his cabin-was drowned in his phone, eyes glued to the screen. The manager assumed it to be some work of great importance as it held the occupancy of his multibillionaire boss’s interest.

I will ask Nivedita to bring the project file. The manager said when they entered the cabin.

No need.

But Sir you said you want to review...

He cut him off. The biggest of wars are not fought with swords or guns but are won with words. Sometimes they mean the truth and sometimes deception is their job.

The manager didn’t understand his puzzled words and started forming his next question or suggestion; it was difficult to plan a simple statement when your employer was so unpredictable.

Previously, his father or cousin brothers used to visit when any big project was concerned and it was far easier to work with them. It was the first time that the heir of Khurana Empire was stepping into the business and the manager was grief-stricken that he had to start with the Bangalore branch.

So what do you think about the project? We should sign the deal or not? The boss asked.

Sir, deal is good, the turnover is also-

Very well, go for it then.

Now the manager was inquisitive. What was in that phone that his boss was not interested in deal that promised thousands of crores. Curiosity killed the cat but he chose to take the risk nonetheless.

Raising on his tiptoes the manager peeked into his boss’s phone over the shoulder. To say he was astonished would be an understatement. Instead of business news letters or some complex details of some future venture, he saw..... cars.

A victorious grin spread across his face as the black car leaped over the finish line. 21 laps and after crashing 34 other cars-most of which were his deliberate doing-the win was bound  to be his. Maan Singh Khurana never lost. He was born to rule and take over the world, then it was just a mere game.

Game!! He was playing a game. The manager was unable to digest the fact, was it a joke? Maan turned around n the manager settled back on his heels, perplexed, what to say and what to do.

Where are you going sir? He asked when Maan started leaving.

What you do when a deal is sealed? Befuddled, the manager just stared at him not sure what to expect. Party!!

Years of wait like a stuck stab in flesh, would sooth. A single touch and the recognition of thy face would be my haven

She exited the noisy inside of the lounge into the peaceful backyard which was less crowded n only the faint traces of the roaring music from interiors were audible.

Geet looked up into the moonless sky where hundreds of glittering stars were unsuccessfully trying to substitute the presence of the natural satellite. Walking ahead she found this place more comforting. No, she was not a loner and also didn’t detested music but crowd and rib-shaking noise didn’t suit her much.

The fire burning in middle of setting there made her feel the warmth just by the view. There were trees around since it was the outskirts of the city but the cold wind didn’t bother her much if it meant she could be alone for some time.

As soon as they had come Ria found her boy friend who was from another college. Ritu met some girlfriends of hers to chit chat about their plans for vacations, leaving Garima n Geet on their own. They both were enjoying each other’s company when after sometime a boy, a rather handsome and decent-yeah, a rare combination-asked Garima for dance.

For a while Geet saw them dancing but then a boy approached her too asking for a dance to which she denied in the most polite manner she could. She didn’t like the attention but boys approaching her were inevitable. It was a party while a girl standing alone was considered available, so she came out where the chances of her being asked to deliver her denial were less.

Well, no specific reason for behaving like a party pooper... she just felt strange, there was a reason why strangers were called so. Other people could do it but she couldn’t. Not just with opposite gender but also with girls, she didn’t felt very good when they were unknown, because unknown was uncertain and uncertain in more or less probability was dangerous. She liked to keep away from it.

Abruptly, a creepy feeling came over her. She diverted her eyes from the fire to look at the people around and found everyone in pairs. All were enjoying the glory of night and privacy between the similar seekers. Her eyes wandered back to the fire. But feeling a pull, a sort of magnetism, she raised her eyes and that was when their gaze locked.

Maan from one of his employees asked about the places for good booze and chicks at night. The incredulous and scared employee told about a number of destinations but a certain lounge at the outskirts of the city caught his interest. It was strange as the place was far and just opposite to the hotel he was staying in but his insides insisted that what he was looking for was there.

The lounge, though, when he reached was hosting some private party still he found himself adamant to go there only. Moreover, he didn’t come this far to go back and thus handed a bunch of thousand rupee bills to the guard and gained entry. It was unfair means, he knew, but who said life was fair and he had done better than this. Or would ‘worse’ be the right term?

The bar had nice stock of wine and almost every girl at the party was ready to fall in his arms taking in his behold-the-lord appearance. Nothing new, he was, conceitedly, used to this attention. He knew how normal humans reacted to his presence. It was natural, fire pulled the moth, drug the sinking addict.

Death and danger not always repulsed the casualty, sometimes it came beautifully wrapped Otherwise there would be no end.

After a while, a girl dressed meagrely walked to him, sufficient enough for a little amusement. Without him talking much she told that it was her party and she clearly remembered not inviting him and was surprised how he entered since he was elder. She looked eighteen and he was... well, in all normalcy, twenty one.

She told him there won’t be any problem with him staying if he was ready to pay her in kind. He would have stayed anyway, one snap of his finger and the whole place and 10 KMs of land  surrounding it would be named his. If the city was on sale, he would have no problem in buying it even. But the girl was offering what he wanted and he had to admit she was pretty good for her age.

They decided to move out to the back of the lounge where arrangements were made for the couples and while going out, the girl gave-what Maan knew-a winning smirk to her contemporaries. They sat on the log across the fire and Maan was in favour of no more talks. He pulled her into his lap and captured her lips; he didn’t like the flavour of the gloss or whatever it was but the girl would do. She tried to match him which was impossible, no harm in trying though.

He pulled her closer and she threaded her one hand into his hairs, the other one moved inside his shirt. Her cold hand touched his warm skin while he smelt something, someone. It was strong not like usual, perky and spicy with floral undertone.

The intensity of the dulcet wisps amplified, overpowering his senses, whomever it belonged to was coming closer. He knew where to find the owner and stared ahead. She came into the view, walking towards him like an angel. Her waist length, dark brown hairs were flowing with the soft wind and she was draped in a red dress which reached her knees.

He instantly raised his eyes, she did too at the same time and their gazes locked. The being inside him growled his enthusiasm and Maan felt a whirlpool of emotions creating havoc inside him.

In between all this array of swirling feelings there was this strong awareness of accomplishment, contentment as though a wandering Vagabond finally found the motive of his existence.

It was scary, the depth of his eyes. She felt she would drown and would never find the surface. The way he was staring at her, held some unknown worth. She wanted to turn her head, tear her eyes off but couldn’t as if an invisible string was tying her gaze to his.

She wasn’t able to see his whole face. Why? Yuck!! Because he was kissing a girl and the girl was Karishma, the college bitch. Double yuck!! Why she didn’t notice before, may be because of his hypnotic orbs.

Karishma tugged at his lips when he didn’t respond for a while. That abstracted his attention resulting in the breakage of their eye lock.

The lips which were pleasuring a few moments ago morphed into an object of disgust. He harshly pushed the girl aside earning a shriek from her and stood up. But that girl was gone, his eyes searched around to no use.

Shit! Instead of turning back and directly going inside she took right. Mind to blame, it had turned into an unresponsive puddle of chaos. It never happened to her before, not just by looking into someone’s eyes, not to forget he was kissing that Karishma. What was wrong with her brain?

She wondered if to go back but then she would have to face the freak again. So it would be better if she went around the lounge and entered through the front door.

There were trees surrounding the thin pavement but faint light was visible coming from upfront. As she walked a few steps something moved, behind her. Instinctively her head whipped around.

She could swear there was a shadow that quickly disappeared in the rear of a tree trunk. Walking faster now, she cursed her mind for being extra imaginative. Although when she had herself fully convinced that it was just her mind conjuring hypothetical circumstances, a twig  snapped.

Her heart almost stopped there and then. Before she could collect her fear stricken, scattered thoughts and use her reflexes, she was pushed harshly into a tree. Her head was saved from crashing but she felt the rough edges of the trunk creating a bruise on her back.

The bruise and pain became a thing of past when she found a hand on her throat. Large and warm, it held the possession of her neck effortlessly. Afraid of what she might see, she raised  her eyes meeting the coal-black ones she encountered a few minutes earlier.

He had no difficulty in making out her features, the darkness never an obstacle. Slowly moving closer he took in her intoxicating aroma in one long breath. Hungrily, he sniffed her hairs, face and all around her neck.

As though snake venom was injected in her vain. She was paralysed. The man’s muscular body was glued onto hers. No matter how appropriate it seemed, given the current condition, she couldn’t bring herself to scream. Perhaps due to the fact that he had her life beneath his palm, a little pressure and she would be dead.

She sighed when he removed his hand from her throat though the relief was short lived because gripping her hair he jerked her head back n she winched.

Sh... He snarled n it was bloodcurdling, almost inhuman. There was no tongue in her mouth and she started trembling.

He buried his face in her neck. She had never been so close to a man before and right now she was really scared.

The one. The words echoed inside him. Do it.

Opening his mouth he licked the side of her neck n she felt the cool wetness.

She didn’t know what he was doing with his mouth but hissed when the sharp wave of pleasure ran through her whole body. Her toes curled n lids closed on their own as if she was  drugged.

His concentration broke hearing the sound of footsteps but he didn’t want to leave.

She was not ready. He looked at her and she was shivering from head to toe. Growling inwardly, he clenched his teeth. Giving her a last glance, he left.

Fearfully she opened her eyes n found no one there, bound to think if everything was just her hallucination. No way, she knew there was someone.

There was sound of people talking and she moved towards them.

Geet, there you are. I was looking for you everywhere. Garima told.

She would have found someone. Ria said swaying from side to side and giggling. See, I told ya Geet.

Oh! God please control your friend. Dhawal, Ria’s boyfriend said trying to make her stand straight.

Uh huh... Your girlfriend. Dipti commented.

Geet we have to go back. Ria can’t even stand properly. Garima said then turned towards Dhawal. Will you please drop us at the hostel?

Yeah sure. Dawal said moving with Ria towards the place where his car was parked. Dipti followed him.

Come one Geet. Garima said and noticed the lines of fear and tension on Geet’s forehead.What happened to you?

There... there was a man. Geet said distractedly pointing towards the tress.

What have you been drinking?

Nothing just coke. Geet answered holding Garima’s hand between her ice cold one.

May be someone spiked your drink. Garima said concerned. We shouldn’t have come here in first place.

No there was-

Its okay Geet, we’ll go home and everything would be fine. Garima pulled her along to where Dawal’s car was.

Geet just stared back. May be Garima was right it could all be her imagination but... he felt so real.

This bud of love by summer’s ripening breath, may prove a beauteous flower when next we meet
-William Shakespeare

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