The Night of 15th January

While I was working with NIIT, i have been a part of many fun events... 1 such event was a story writing compition where our edmc team of the publishing department was split into two groups and we had to come up with a story... we were all given certain dates when we were to add lines into the story.... the rules were:

1. you can only add 3 lines at a maximum, if you add an extra line, ranit (the coordinator) would delete it and that line cannot be used again.

2. you need to write three lines and pass off to the next person asap.

3. you cannot pass the story in less than 24 hours... i.e. the story cannot change hands in 24 hours...

so here is the story that team a came up with... i had totally forgotten about this 1.... but i found it in a blog called notes-diary.blogspot.com.

So here it is...

Ambika was so excited about her month long trip to the Maldives. She was all packed up, waiting for her taxi to arrive. Her eyes were stuck on that expensive cuckoo clock that hung on that mauve-colored wall in her luxuriously decorated living room. She had to meet her husband, Karan, at the airport. Karan, an investment banker, had an exigency at work and was coming to the airport directly. This sudden development had irked Ambika a bit, but the thought of the pristine beaches and cobalt blue waters they were going to enjoy soon was too exciting to fluster her. Just then, something strange happened. Ambika noticed a shadow of a cuckoo, right next to the cuckoo clock. For a second, her entire body froze.

The sudden awareness that it’s twelve at night and she has to reach the airport alone crossing the old villa, scared her to death. This villa was owned by Karan’s grandfather who died in a car accident. Ambika and Karan left the beautiful villa and started living away from this ancestral house shortly after his death because whenever Ambika used to see a shadow of a cuckoo at midnight, she used to have strange evil hunch about her future, which eventually used to come true. Realizing the fact that she will have to go to the airport alone, Ambika gathered herself. She had a lot to do before leaving for the airport and there was not much time left. She was checking the luggage that was lying in the drawing room when the shrill sound of the doorbell made her jump. With her heart beating loudly, Ambika went and peeked through the keyhole to see who was at the door and was relieved to see a taxi driver standing. The taxi came earlier than scheduled but she did not mind because she was a bit scared being alone in the big house in the middle of the night. She quickly put her luggage in the car and was about to lock the front door of her house when a thought suddenly crossed her mind—how come she did not hear the taxi coming in the silent night. Ambika immediately brushed away her fears realisng that she must be too engrossed in her thoughts to be able to hear the taxi coming. She asked the taxi driver to wait in the car while she locked the front door. As she turned towards the door, she had a feeling in the pit of her stomach that something was amiss, something was just not right…the eerie silence of the night appeared to confirm her fears. With all her courage, she turned and saw the driver beckoning towards her. Gasping a deep breath, she calmed her quivering nerves, moved into the shabby taxi, and left for the airport. Sitting in the taxi, Ambika started feeling a bit relaxed, when suddenly her cell phone rang. It was a call from the taxi provider confirming that the taxi is on its way and will report within next 15 minutes. Her entire body engulfed with fear. Before she could react, the car came to a screeching halt in front of the old villa. Ambika’s worst nightmare came true. The driver, straining his eyes in the dark, looked towards the address plate of the gloomy villa and turned around confirming Ambika's home address. Ambika froze on hearing from the driver, that he was suppose to pick someone from the villa but had by mistake landed at her door. She courageously argued that no one stays at the villa and that he should take her to the airport. Despite that, the driver got off the car, walked towards the villa to confirm the same and vanished in the dark.

Ambika now decided to ring up her husband to know where he was and to tell him about all the weird things that were happening to her. And while she was dialing to connect with Karan, a black Accord made a screeching halt right next to Ambika’s cab. Ambika soon recognized the car and cancelled her call, for it was Karan getting out of the car and reaching her in person. Ambika was so astonished to see her husband that she jumped out of the car and hugged him tightly. Karan calmed her down and told her that their flight has been delayed. He thought of joining her rather than waiting at the airport but when he reached home, he noticed her getting into the taxi and followed her all the way.

Feeling relaxed and calmer on seeing Karan Ambika was shaken from her stupor by the shrill tone of her mobile. It was Karan on the line telling her he was awaiting for her at the airport and wanting to know how long she would take to get there. A dazed and befuddled Ambika could not comprehend how come Karan was there in front of her and at the same time calling her up!

Ambika’s mind was in turmoil and she just didn’t know what to believe. Karan was, meanwhile, saying something to her. From a haze, she realized with a start that Karan was asking her to join him as he went inside the old villa for a round since they anyway had some time to kill. Ambika gathered all her fear and holding Karan by his hand started walking on the pavement that led to the villa’s main door when suddenly her eyes caught sight of the round, huge, old clock hanging from the villa’s wall that struck two. As they moved toward the villa, Ambika gave an admiring glance to the antique piece that shone brilliantly in the dark. Suddenly strong wind started blowing with a heavy downpour; Ambika and Karan ran toward the porch…the door creaked open. As the door opened, Ambika‘s grip on Karan’s hand tightened as she could sense something strange inside the room. Just as they stood, the grand villa went into darkness, but they noticed a beam of light falling at the gigantic old piano.

She realized that her evil hunch is coming true. She looked at Karan in horror as he told her that he is going to sacrifice her to bring his dead grandfather to life. Before she could say anything, or even plead for mercy, Karan slit her throat open (these three lines are my contribution). In the sharp silence of her fading strength, her vision blurred and the shadows grew in her eyes as she fell weightlessly onto the wooden floor, failing to hold on to the cell phone having Karan still on the other end of the line. He could hear her mumbling incoherently to someone, obviously not him! What on earth had come over his wife!

After what seemed like an eternity, Ambika could feel someone shaking her, shouting out her name and saying “What happened?” As she opened her eyes she could see the same familiar beady eyes in front of her and the same familiar room and her husband grumbling “You watch way too many horror movies these days and wake up in the night shouting and disturb my sleep as well.” And he proceeded to go back to sleep after handing her a glass of water.

As she gulped down the water, she glanced into the mirror near her bed. Were her eyes deceiving her? There was an exact mark on her neck like in the dream, with a few drops of blood trickling down. Dazed, she climbed out of her bed and approached the mirror to examine the mark. As she looked in the mirror, she froze; to her horror she saw someone lurking behind her with a shining object in hand. In panic, with adrenaline rushing, she picked up the heavy flower pot from the table and turned around.

She had almost hit the shadow with the flower pot when she realized it was Karan standing in front of her, perplexed to see her in such a weary condition. Karan looked deep into her blues eyes—those eyes which had always been like two mesmerizing sapphires overflowing with love for him—looked so violent and terrified today. There was nothing greater than hers and Karan’s love for each other, and although, tears were trickling down Ambika’s blue eyes, she mustered courage and moved closer to Karan. The shining object that he held in his hand was, indeed, a beautiful ribboned box, trimmed with decorative braids, ornate laces, and flirty tassels. She was caught unawares, when Karan pulled her closer and placed the ribboned box in her hands, which finally, gave her a sense of assurance and comfort that this was reality.

She lovingly pulled apart the ribbons of the box, and inside the white velvet of the box, was a dagger, dripping with fresh blood. She looked into the mirror, and could not see her reflection. The room echoed with Karan’s laughter!!!