Payel stepped off the escalator and onto the platform — bone weary and exhausted. The station was almost empty — five past ten — only one more metro before the services stopped for the night. The station was empty except for a few stragglers, students returning home from long tuitions, a few dedicated office workers who stayed extra long at work — all eager to return home to end the day.
The strong draft blowing through the station sent a shiver down the spine of most of the commuters — though it was still toasty warm compared to the chill outside. Everybody said that this was the coldest winter they remembered in Calcutta in a very long time — and with temperatures sliding down to the single digits, it only promised to get colder.
Payel walked along the platform, careful to avoid walking along the edge — keeping to the centre of the broad walkway — a habit borne out of a fear of being knocked onto the tracks by some rash passerby which was formed early in her childhood and never quite went away.
It was easier now, in an almost empty station compared to the peak transit hours when the station was filled to the brim and even getting on or off a train could be a challenge. Now, the scattered seating provided in the station was almost all empty, mostly everyone preferring to stand close to the large vents blowing hot air through the station, in a desperate bid to coax that extra bit of warmth.
Payel headed to the far end of the platform — a good hundred meters walk from the entrance — just next to the guard room and the barriers which blocked the work gangways beyond. She wanted to get on the first carriage in the train — it was always less packed compared to the rest of the compartments; moreover, when she got off at her destination, she would be right opposite the exit escalator — a trick she had learned over time to avoid the long queues which always seemed to be filled with grumpy pushy passengers who at the end of a long day at work, and a longer commute, all wanted to get out of the station first.
She had her earbuds in, listening to a new playlist on her phone. She had found a new indie band who had just released their first album and they had some of the most amazing original beats she had heard in quite a while! She was tired — the day at work was especially long and brutal today — gruelling deadlines to be met for submitting the articles she was working on, while following up with the stringers to keep a tab on a few different new stories she had in the works. A meeting with the editor on her story about the critical power shortage in the state for the coming summer lasted way longer than it needed to and had given her a migraine which was still hammering away inside her head.
As every woman using public transport tends to do, Payel was generally keenly aware of her surroundings. Every single day, there was a new news blurb about an incident of some sort or the other which involved a woman getting harassed while going about her own business. She had learned long back to be conscious of what was going on around her at all times — especially when she had to travel late in the evening on her own. She had made sure to share the location of her iPhone with a few trusted friends and colleagues, as well as installing an application on her phone, which would make a loud warning noise in case of an emergency, at the touch of a button.
Payel knew that all her precautions seemed obsessive and paranoid to a lot of her friends and even family. Her own father mocked her at times, accusing her of extreme pessimism and manic and perhaps even a bit overly dramatic about security. But Payel had covered enough stories and read enough wire bulletins over the years at the newspaper to know that you could never be too cautious as a woman traveling through the city alone. You never knew what lurked around the corner — and could never be too prepared for what may come your way.
But today she was tired, exhausted after the long, seemingly never-ending day at work and wasn’t really paying attention to her surroundings as she normally perhaps would have done. So she gasped in panic and almost hit out at the woman who suddenly came in front of her, as if appearing from the shadows next to the guard room and standing right in front of her with a slight smile and a calming gesture from her hand.
Payel shrieked, in absolute panic, backing away from the woman.
She was short, maybe 5 feet compared to Payel’s 5’4” — a bit rounded, and very well covered against the cold with a pair of high boots, tight jeans and a faux leather jacket with a single button open. With a beret perched on her thick bushy hair, the woman looked like an athlete out of training — well built and well insulated against the cold.
She now held her hands up in the universal gesture of peace, ‘I am sorry — I didn’t mean to startle you at all miss!’
The woman had a deep strangely guttural voice, as if she was trying to disguise her real speaking voice or trying to adopt a baritone.
Payel was still backing away, looking all around her to see who was close by or if someone in the vicinity was paying any attention to her and this woman. The only person on the platform close by was a man leaning against one of the pillars a good few feet away. He was casually leaning against the pillar, with his head resting against the stone without any apparent notice of what was going on around him.
Payel turned back to the woman, about to ask her what she wanted, when the woman spoke again, ‘Look, I really am sorry! I didn’t mean to startle you at all! I was just sitting there — over by the bench next to the guard room door, waiting for the train on the south line, minding my own business, when I saw you coming and standing there. That man, who is now standing so nonchalantly leaning against the pillar, without a thought to spare towards you, was following you — first with his eyes from when he saw you pass by and walk towards here — and now, not seeing too many people around, he was about to steal over here and …’
The woman trailed off, her words carrying a deep dark innuendo, definitely suggesting nothing good would have happened if that man had actually had a chance to walk up to Payel — all alone and vulnerable at the end of the platform.
Payel gasped, quickly turning and taking a look at the man again. He still held the same position — resting — a weary traveler waiting for the last train to take him home in the suburbs after a long tiring day at work. No one who saw him at repose would have thought that he was stalking a girl — rather was about to stalk one.
Payel turned back towards the woman, her voice sounding as shaken as she felt at the sudden intrusion and then the dark revelation by this woman.
‘I don’t know what to say! I am normally very careful when I travel, especially when I need to take the metro late in the evening. But it has been a long and tiring day and I guess I just wasn’t paying attention! Thank you!’
The woman in front of her smiled — a cold, calculating smile, which never seemed to quite reach her eyes, ‘I know exactly what you mean. I have been in the same situation so many times myself, that now I try to keep an eye out wherever I am! Even then you’re lucky that I caught the pervert! I was bored — my phone has run out of battery and I was bored — the only reason I was paying any attention to anything happening on the platform right now is because I am not fiddling with my phone right now!’
Before Payel could respond, the overhead PA system came to life announcing the arrival of the train on the South line — the last train for the night — after which the services would only resume at 7:30 the next morning and the station would be soon shutting down for closure.
Payel smiled at her personal samaritan, ‘Thank you once again! Who knows what may have happened otherwise!’
The train clattered into the station, tooting its horn to signal its arrival.
Payel boarded the train, careful to keep her distance from her would-be stalker. She had to admit though, the man played the part of a tired, carefree passenger, just trying to get home after a bone weary day perfectly. He didn’t even glance towards Payel, or anyone else for that matter, and seemingly dragged himself onto the train, crossed the breadth of the compartment, leaning against the door on the other side, pulling his large overstuffed backpack in front of him and closing his eyes.
Payel leaned back against the front panel of the train compartment, looking through the length of the train. The train wasn’t too crowded, quite a few empty seats still left for the taking, though they would probably be filled up before long. A few — like her — seemingly preferred to stand holding on to the handrails provided not too infrequently along the compartment.
Payel closed her eyes for a moment, sighing in relief and still recovering from her shock from a few moments ago. You never know what lurks behind the next corner and who is after you — just on the flip side, you never who is going to offer you a helping hand when you’re most vulnerable either. Somehow that girl was alert to the dangers out on the streets and she had been kind enough to alert Payel to the danger which she was evidently in. Payel smiled — this is what was important to keep in mind when you were in the dark and trying times — as most of us where most of the times — there were still good people out there in the world, willing to help complete strangers.
She opened her phone, browsing through the playlist, not in the mood for a rock song anymore. She killed the music, mindlessly browsing through the phone, flipping between apps — restless and bored.
She put the phone back in the pocket of her jacket, instead looking up and looking at the crowd in front of her. A few more passengers had boarded the train in the last couple of stations, but the train was still relatively empty.
Sitting in the row right in front of her where an old couple — who looked to be well into their seventies, if not a little bit older. Well wrapped against the elements, the wizened duo looked happy — content in their own little world. Leaning against each other, they were happily discussing something — perhaps a fun memory, or a kind thought which they had really enjoyed! The old duo were happily tittering away, talking with each other in whispered tones, nary a care for anything beyond!
Payel suddenly smiled, the obviously happy couple reminding her of the wondrous journey of life, to find the right partner, to live a content life and drive off into the sunset with each other, enjoying every small blessing which comes your way! Such is the wonder of life! She wondered when she was destined to find her true love! She had been in love plenty of times, each time the relationship had soured — she was so sure going in to the relationship that this was the one — but invariably after a period — sometimes a month, sometimes a few weeks — the blossoming bud of the romance was nipped with ferocity. Sometimes she felt that true love ..
Her chain of thought was painfully broken by a sharp pain in her ribs — she gasped and turned sideways to see the woman from before — giving her an exasperated look.
‘Do you want to be harmed by unknown strangers in the middle of the metro?’
Payel just gaped at her — her side still stinging from what had to have been a strong poke from the woman — ‘What do you mean? I didn’t see you board the train?’
The woman leaned back against the steel bulwark of the train, ‘I was following your stalker, wanted to make sure you were okay — you should be thankful that I did too! You seemed to be lost in thought while that lech keeps on staring at you while planning what must be unimaginably vile things to do you!’
Payel glanced at the man, who seemed to be completely lost in his own world — without any care or concern — apparently too exhausted to have a bother about anything in his surroundings. He definitely didn’t look like someone who was lecherously staring at women — and Payel was no noob — she was street smart and savvy enough to realise who possessed a threat to her and who likely didn’t.
She felt foolish and a bit confused.
The woman in front of her sighed, ‘Look, I have dealt with such obsessed stalkers a few times too many in life — they always act as if they’re not interested and then when you least expect it — that’s when they catch you! Trust me on this! You look like someone who is street smart and capable enough to take care of yourself — but even you just cannot imagine this guy to be a threat! But I am telling you — he is — a threat of the worst kind!’
Payel nodded — even though she had been on her own and faced a lot of catcalling, letching and different form of verbal and visual molestations in her life, there could be something to what this woman was saying. After all, didn’t she always believe that the men who come across as the most non-threatening were generally the ones who had the worst behaviour and the worst intentions?
She sighed, ‘Thank you — sorry if I acted disbelieving or I didn’t pay enough attention!’
The woman smiled, a peculiar wolfish smile which she quickly disguised with a laugh, ‘Don’t thank me just yet! Just think of me as your good samaritan who is here to save you tonight! My name is Asmita.’
Payel smiled back, ‘My name is Payel — I really must thank my lucky stars that I got to meet you tonight Asmita! Truly — someone up there must be looking out for me to have sent you here tonight!’
Asmita smiled, a cold hard smile which somehow didn’t really reach her eyes.
She stood next to Payel, leaning back against the bulwark, ‘It must be the fates for us to meet like this. Normally, I am not someone who thinks of myself as an avenging angel or a good samaritan — my motto in life has always been ‘Put Asmita First’ — I mean, why wouldn’t I? No one else seemed to!’
Payel quickly glanced towards her, startled by the viciousness in her voice. But before she could react, Asmita turned towards her, ‘Which station will you get down in? I am going till Gitanjali.’
Payel laughed, forgetting her shock from a moment ago, ‘Well this truly must be fate working at its finest! I will get down at Gitanjali as well!’
‘Then I can complete my duty as your protector tonight and get you home safe and sound!’
Payel smiled, genuinely happy to have a companion and yes, a protector. Because now she felt thoroughly scared of the man who stood a good twenty feet away, who filled her with dread and despair, despite never even seeming to turn an erring eye towards her.
‘So my good friend of the night, where are you coming back from this late in the evening?’ Asmita asked her.
‘Oh it was a dreadful day at work. My office is near Beadon Street and I normally get out of work around 7ish every day. It was just a mad scramble today with a hundred deadlines and missed annotations and all. Anyway, don’t let me bore you with my office drama! Where are you headed back from?’
‘Well, there’s a small not very well known place on the banks of the Hooghly river. Not many people know about it and even fewer people go there — especially in this bone chilling winter. But I find those weather worn steps, the flow of the river in front of me and the teeming lights on the opposite bank to be oh so soothing to my soul. So whenever I get a chance, I head over there. It helps me rejuvenate and recharge like a deep breath of fresh air.’
There was a wistful tone to Asmita’s voice. A longing, a quaint call of a happy memory which was very different from the crusty exterior which Payel had seen so far. She smiled to herself, maybe her ‘angel’ wasn’t necessarily as tough a soul as she tried to act but had a wonderful softer side to her as well.
The train suddenly jerked, coming out of the tunnel near Tollygunje, the relatively newer stretch of the tracks coming up now. It seemed to awake Asmita from her reverie as well. She turned towards Payel, giving half a smile, ‘Sorry, I somehow always get carried away whenever I talk of that place. I go into a world of my own in my mind and that won’t do! It won’t do at all!’
She gestured in front of them, the compartment much emptier now as only a few stragglers remained for the last stretch into the suburbs.
‘You never know who lurks, who is a wolf among these people all dressed in sheep’s clothing! If there is one thing which I have learned in all my years, is that constant vigilance is the only way to survive! Be it on the street, be it in conversations or be it in relationships, that is the only way you can save yourself from being cut, emotionally or literally!’
Once again, Payel was taken aback by the impassioned zeal of her new companion. Surely the woman had saved her from a possibly unpleasant experience, and Payel herself believed in staying vigilant and on your guard when travelling alone. But still, she wasn’t as paranoid about it as this woman sounded. And she was way too forward and apparently prone to over-sharing than Payel liked.
She made her mind up to get rid of this strange and enforced companionship the first chance she got. Somehow, there was an uncomfortable and creepy vibe from this woman which she couldn’t shake.
Payel was startled by the sudden flash of lightning outside followed by the booming roar of the thunder. Within a few seconds large drops of rain started to splatter the moving train, pelting the steel roof with an uproar while the wind raged outside.
Asmita and Payel both glanced outside, barely able to make anything out in the strong wind and the heavy rain. The glass had misted over, making it even more difficult to glance outside. The icy wind was making its way within the rapidly moving train, lowering the already cold temperatures even further.
Payel was worried, it was anyway difficult to catch an auto from the station to her home late in the evening and it was really late now. Plus with the cold and now the unseasonal thunderstorm, it was going to be impossible to find something till she walked the few blocks till the main road.
And the road from the metro station to the road wasn’t the most well lit or the most crowded at the best of times — and today of all days she didn’t want to make the walk alone.
Payel was so caught up in her own worries, that she didn’t catch the first time Asmita called her name. When she reached out and snapped her fingers in front of her face, Payel looked up — startled.
‘Come on, the station is here.’
The two women made their way to the gate, ready to get down. The whole train was now almost empty. Only a few people remained and even fewer were standing at the gates now to get down. One of them, was the man from earlier.
Asmita sneered, nudging Payel and gesturing towards the man. ‘Thank your lucky stars that I am here for you. Your stalker is ready to get down at the same station.’
By now Payel was thoroughly confused and not a little bit scared. No matter how street smart or savvy she was, she felt the most vulnerable she ever had. The constant fear mongering of Asmita had got to her. And now that she was about to get off the train well past 11 at night, on a cold winter evening in the middle of a thunderstorm, the fear was becoming more and more real every second.
The train stopped with a jolt, Payel and Asmita stepping down onto the rain lashed platform along with a handful of others.
The escalator to go down to the ground level wasn’t working — so the cold, tired passengers trudged down the muddy, wet staircase. The lights of the main atrium were turned off. The security guards waiting for the last passengers to step out so that they can close the station for the night and get out of the miserable elements.
Payel and Asmita were the last ones to step out to under the awning outside the station, providing scant protection against the elements. As it happened every single time it rained, there was a pool of water outside the station, the drains clogged with something or the other.
The man who had been their unwanted travelling companion right from the beginning of this dreadful night, took a look around, turning towards the two women and smiled. Payel shrank back, by now thoroughly cowed and chastened.
However, instead of trying to address or approach the two women, the man reached into his backpack, taking out a foldable small umbrella and offered it to them.
‘If you want, the two of you can share this.’
Before Payel could react or respond, Asmita almost snarled at the poor, unsuspecting stranger, ‘Not needed — thank you!’
The man was taken aback. Suitably chastised, he reached down, and folding his trouser legs to save them from the waterlogged mud, opened the umbrella he had offered so graciously a moment ago and stepped out from under the awning.
Payel stared after him, thoroughly confused.
Asmita laughed, ‘Did you see his latest trick? Am sure oh so sure that you would have fallen for it if I hadn’t been here to save your skin!’
Payel looked at her, expecting to feel relieved that the man whom by now she convincingly believed to be her stalker was parried away with so much ease. But somehow, in the back of her mind, there was a nagging annoyance. A feeling of something not being quite right.
Asmita turned towards her again, ‘So Payel, what do you think now? Saved your skin tonight, didn’t I? Everyone looks at me, glances at me and barely notices. The short, stocky girl. She doesn’t matter. She is a nobody. Always! But what would’ve happened to the swan like angelic gorgeous Payel today if I wasn’t there?’
Payel stepped back, coming against the locked gates of the empty dark desolate station. She was shivering now, the cold wind having somehow reached inside of her, and turning her insides into ice.
‘What are you talking about?’
Asmita whirled back towards her, her hair in a disarray in the pouring rain. Her face was contorted in rage and despair, eyes blazing.
‘What am I talking about? Really? What am I talking about?’
Payel shrank back further against the locked steel gates, well and truly scared now.
She tried to dodge past the increasingly agitating Asmita, but the small woman was too strong for Payel. She shoved her back against the steel grating. Payel grunted in pain, her shoulders striking the impregnable barrier behind her with a rattle and jarring her to the bones.
‘I first saw you at the Beadon Street Cafe six months back — you were there with a few colleagues — having a refreshing cup of tea after the grind at work I thought. What struck me was your elegance. The poise you had. The way your long hair swirled against your face in the draft from the air conditioner. I was sitting in a corner having a quick sandwich before heading over to the river bank. You never even noticed me. I sat there, engulfed in your fragrance for hours. That was the first time I fell in love.’
Payel was struggling to get free while Asmita held her pinned against the unforgiving steel. No matter what she tried to break free from the grips of the demented woman, nothing seemed to work. Asmita was possessed in the fury of her self-righteous pain.
‘I started going there weekly, then daily. You were there some days, not there the most. I followed you to your office — hoping one day you will turn back and notice me. And you will fall head over heels for me just as I had for you. But no dice. You were too engrossed either in your colleagues or always on that phone of yours.’
Asmita reached up, grabbing the taller Payel by a clump of her hair and banging it against the steel grating. Payel shouted out in pain, the cold hard steel breaking skin. She was nearly blinded in pain. The only reason she didn’t faint was perhaps the fear of the hysterical woman confronting her now. She tried to pull back but to no avail — Asmita was possessed with some demonic strength in her ire.
‘I was about to give up — perhaps our love was one that was not to be. I spent hours at the riverbank this evening, willing away the pain and the feelings with the tide of the river. But then I saw you — at the station, dressed to the nines, your radiating beauty making me feel warm inside even in the shivering cold.’
Asmita shook her head, droplets from her hair flying everywhere, a few hitting Payel in the face as she lay cowering on her side, trying to protect herself from this maniac. An awful smile — almost a snarl covered Asmita’s face.
‘But did you notice me? Did little Miss Perfect even notice poor old me? No! No! No!’
She banged Payel’s head against the concrete floor, punctuating each ‘No’ with a bang, letting all her frustration and anger flow out of her and into her hapless victim.
‘I knew tonight was my chance, the only chance which fate would give me now. I had to make you mine. I saw that ignorant sap standing there and made up the story that he was following you. I had to get close to you. Touch you. Feel you. Talk to you. This was my chance!’
Asmita shivered, her voice full of agony and anguish, ‘Did you notice me still? You gave me a perfunctory thanks, and went back into yourself, into your perfect world.’
‘I am the only one here Payel, the only one here for you. We are meant to be — don’t you see that? Don’t you see what you mean to me?’
Payel lay still — curled up on the concrete floor — drenched from the splattering rain. Unmoving.
‘Answer me Payel — or are you still too good, too precious to be mine?’ Asmita shook her muse, desperate for an answer. Some response — anything.
A bolt of lightning struck nearby, throwing the awning into sharp relief.
Asmita looked down at Payel, who lay there — lifeless — her life’s blood slowly flowing out from the gaping wound on her head. Gone. The love of her life — the one who was her true soulmate — gone. Gone forever.