Dark Seduction Ch. 01

Pankhudi's peaceful life was rudely disrupted since the dark shadow of a mysterious stalker started hovering over her. He crept into her life insidiously, she never realized until she was too deep into this terror trap. He threatened to destroy everything she was as a person like some slow poison. Incessant fear overshadowed her mind all the time. She was tormented by fear that kept her on the edge, fear that made her notice even the smallest things, like tiny movements in the shadows and slightest of noises; fear that drained her energy, that she couldn't do anything about.

She was never herself since she realized she was being watched all the time. She sat nervously on the couch curled into a ball like a wounded animal as she was talking to her roommate Nisha. Her voice was barely audible as she spoke, "I don't know who he is and what he wants."

"Why didn't you tell me before?" Nisha argued.

"I don't know if you can help me, I don't know if anyone can help me." she said as tears of helplessness rolled out of her eyes.

"Did he hurt or threaten you?" Nisha asked.

"No!" Pankhudi cried, "He doesn't do anything. He just stalks me, watches me all the time." She said this as he handed over an envelope to Nisha.

Nisha found various photographs of Pankhudi in the envelope, taken at various places, all taken without her notice.

"This is what he does all the time" Pankhudi said, "Some of these were handed over to me by random people, and some were sent by post to this address, and there are some more he emailed to me."

"It seems he knows a lot about you" Nisha said in a worried tone.

"I think he knows everything about me! First these photographs, then I started getting calls at my office, then on my mobile phone. At first they were just blank calls, later he started speaking. And believe me, our conversations are not sweet." Pankhudi cried.

"Did you ever see him?" Nisha asked.

"No, not yet" Pankhudi sighed, "But I recognize his voice, it is deep and clear as anything. He has called me several times. Each time a different number or a private number."

"This is frightening. I think we should report to the police." Nisha suggested.

Pankhudi said nothing. She just closed her eyes tightly took a deep breath and handed over another envelope to Nisha. This envelope contained her pictures, taken from the window of her own apartment. Pankhudi was changing her clothes and perhaps a portion of the curtain was left open. Unlike most of those skinny girls, Pankhudi's weight was on the heavier side, she had a beautiful womanly curvy body. The photographs were taken from such a sensual angle that captured the best of each and every curve of her voluptuous body. An admirer of erotic art would appreciate the artistic angle of photography that captured her lovely cleavage of her curvaceous breasts as she slipped down her top and unhooked her bra. There was another one taken from behind that showed her lovely brown legs as she removed her jeans and managed to get a sneak peek at her ass crack showing though her slightly lowered panty. For someone who admired this wheatish complexioned maiden, she might have well looked like a goddess of sensuality as her beautiful long raven hair hanged down her shoulders flanking her naked breasts, with such a subtle expression of purity adorned on her face. Pankhudi was a doe-eyed beauty. Her face was so expressive, it virtually told her story. Her eyes were sad yet so full of innocence. Whatever was visible of her skin in the photographs, looked like smooth satin that would tempt anyone to want to touch and find out what it really feels like.

But Pankhudi was no admirer of her nude pictures taken without her notice and consent, neither was Nisha. Those pictures sent a chill down Nisha's spine as she realized she too was within the reach of this tormentor. She was upset more than angry.

"How the hell did he manage to click these?" Nisha said nervously as beads of sweat emerged on her forehead, "He could have my pictures too!"

"It is possible" Pankhudi said, "But he is not bothering you, is he? He didn't send you your pictures, did he?"

"Pankh this is serious! We have a man stalking you all the time and lurking around our house and you still think we shouldn't be going to the police. Don't you realize he is just as much a threat to me as much he is to you?"

"Please" Pankhudi begged, "I know this is disturbing, but please let it be. I am afraid I am not strong enough to deal with the consequences." She paused for a while and then broke down crying uncontrollably. "I don't know..." she said, "I don't know why he is doing this to me! I don't know what he wants...I've begged him to tell me several times but..."

"What does he say?" Nisha asked out of irrepressible anxiety.

"He says he is getting that he wants" Pankhudi said amongst her tears.

There was silence after that. Nisha hugged Pankhudi as now they both were equally apprehensive.

"As of now" Pankhudi said, "I will stop answering calls from unknown numbers. Let's hope this passes away like a nightmare."

Pankhudi stayed away from her family and she was introvert by nature. Perhaps that had something to do with the fact that she had so much to deal with alone. She could barely find time or energy to socialize. Normally a 24 year old beautiful girl like her would have a boyfriend or even be married. But Pankhudi never found the kind of man she was looking for. She wanted a strong and mature man, who would understand and support her but at the same time respect her for being an independent person. And she wasn't interested in casual flings. There were far more important and serious things in her life that she had to handle.

After the tense conversation, both the girls hit the sheets to get some sleep. But Pankhudi could barely sleep. Her body was tired from the day's work but her mind was still so restless. Still she closed her eyes, and tried to sleep. The night grew darker and perhaps it was the cool breeze or the calming silence; for the first time in many nights, she slept. We lose track of time when we sleep, so it was hard for her to tell exactly when, but she heard a creaking noise. Moments later, she felt a hand moving through her beautiful dark hair spread over the pillow like a dark cloud and then brushing across her skin. She could feel from the touch that it was a male hand. Her eyes shot open. She almost froze in fear to see a man sitting next to her bed, she could barely even scream. It was so dark in the room, she couldn't even see him properly, but his presence so close to her made her tremble.

"How are you, cupcake?" He said.

Her heart skipped a beat as she recognized the voice of her stalker. She wanted to scream, she wanted to run, but fear paralysed her. Tears of helplessness filled her eyes. The man seemed delighted to see a quivering doe lying so helpless before him. There was a devilish smile across his face as he pressed a pillow against her face and began to smother her. Pankhudi could only put up a weak struggle for her life; fear had debilitated her to such extent. With every passing second, she was one step closer to death.

As she was so close to what could be her last breath, she struggled with whatever was left of her strength. And then suddenly, the smothering force was gone, the pillow was gone, the man was gone. She sat up in her bed trembling, all drenched in her own sweat, and breathless. She realized this was only a nightmare.

Pankhudi was an asthmatic. She was having an attack; she fumbled around the room to reach the drawer where she had kept her inhaler. Her fumbling and her wheezing made enough noise to wake her roommate.

"Oh my God, Pankh! Are you alright?" She asked as she hurried to support a breathless Pankhudi.

"Yes" said Pankhudi still gasping, "I just had a bad dream"

Nisha helped her get back to the bed. She was concerned about Pankhudi; after all she was like a sister to her. Nisha was one of Pankhudi's closest friends.

"Please take care of yourself" said Nisha as she hugged Pankhudi and kissed her forehead, "And if there's anything I can do for you, I am always there. You know that, don't you?"

"I do" said Pankhudi, as she was now feeling calm after Nisha comforted her. But she could barely shake off the fear that haunted her all the time.

She slept the night away somehow. Next day the rays of the morning sun came in through her window and awoke as with their kiss. She looked out of the window, a beautiful day welcomed her.

She got ready for her work. As she stepped out on the street, she could see a busy city around her, everyone going about their business. There were so many people around her, she saw some smiling faces, heard some laughter, some people in a hurry, some others quarrelling, the road traffic with continuous honking of horns, children playing, hawkers hawking...there was so much happening around. She took interest in her ordinary surroundings, hoping that it will help calm the storm inside her head.

She didn't really have any close friends at work; she used to keep to herself most of the times. But her colleagues used to like her because she was a sweet girl and never really created any problems. But that had changed due the recent events in her life. She had become a bundle of nerves since she was being stalked. She was running scared of her own shadow, and her rising anxiety was affecting her work life as well. She had been cranky, irritable and had been getting into fights lately.

The day was uneventful. But she'd jump every time her phone rang. She didn't receive any call from any unknown number that day, but her anxiety compelled her to keep checking if she had missed any.

After she was done with her job, she had some time free before her college. She usually would go home after work, but today she didn't feel like. There was a park near her office. She walked in, the beautiful plants, flowers and the laughter of children playing there was soothing her mind. She bought herself a cotton candy, and sat on a bench near a fountain. The wind sprinkled the fountain mist on her. The evening sunlight was spread like a golden robe all around her.

The smell of the cotton candy she was holding brought back beautiful memories of her younger days - how she was a part of a family, with her parents and younger sister; she yearned for those days when everything was so sheltered and protected. Pankhudi hailed form a small town. Her father died of an incurable illness. She was not very fond of her father, but after his death, her family suffered a serious setback as he was the only earning member of their family. There was a loan to repay, and resources were so meagre. Her mother was uneducated; she started working as a housemaid and could barely make both ends meet. Still her mother loved both her daughters and provided them the best she could. But as fate would have it, her mother had an accident that injured her spine and left her paralysed below the waist. Pankhudi now had to take responsibility of her family.

It was the poverty of her family that compelled her to migrate to Mumbai in search of employment to support her family. Pankhudi worked as a receptionist in a construction company and also pursed her education. She was a hardworking girl, the sole bread-winner of her family, but she was insecure and vulnerable as she faced the world alone.

She wished she could have a loving man in her life in whose arms she could rest, a shoulder on which she could cry. But there are always things that we want, but have to live without.

She was lost in her thoughts when suddenly she was startled as she felt someone tap on her shoulder. She looked around, there was no one! Fear griped her mind again. She was sure she felt something, but there was no explanation to it. It pained her to realize how jumpy she had become, to be startled at absolutely nothing in broad daylight.

She somehow gathered herself and left the park. She was pursuing a post graduate diploma in an evening college. That day she attended her classes, but she could barely concentrate in class. Her perennial anxiety wouldn't let her think about anything other than baseless anticipation of harm that might come her way.

She reached home at night. Nisha was already waiting for her. Both the girls were having dinner together. Pankhudi was not even looking at Nisha. She was lost in her own thoughts.

"So" Nisha asked interrupting Pankhudi's thoughts, "How was your day?"

"Good" Pankhudi said as she tried to smile.

Nisha was worried about Pankhudi since she came to know about what she was going through. After dinner, both the girls slipped into their bed. Nisha held Pankhudi in her arms and said fondling her hair, "Don't worry, everything is going to be ok."

"Thanks so much Nisha" Pankhudi said in a sad yet sincere tone, "I don't know what I would have done without you."

"Try and sleep Pankh" Nisha said, "I can't bear to see you in this condition."

Pankhudi nodded and turned around to switch off the lights. She noticed the glow on the screen of her mobile phone. She picked it up and her expression changed instantly. Her hand trembled as she held the phone; the message on the screen read - 1 missed call - private number.

She didn't say anything to Nisha. She just put the phone aside. She was firm on her decision.

A few days went by. They were all uneventful, except that she continued to get calls from a private number. She just did not answer them. She was beginning to feel strong now. Nisha was happy that Pankhudi was slowly recovering from whatever was tormenting her.

Her stalker kept calling her without getting a response from her for a few days. And then he suddenly became silent. Normally one would take it as a positive sign, but Pankhudi's sixth sense was telling her otherwise. If he is not calling, perhaps is busy planning a more ominous move. She ironically became more apprehensive because of his inactivity.

Pankhudi was being more alert than usual because she was anticipating a sudden move from her stalker. Sometimes she would freak out seeing her own shadow or reflection in the mirror. And then one day she managed to catch a glimpse of something that could have been him. She was having dinner with Nisha when she saw a silhouette at her window. She screamed seeing it.

"Nisha! He is right there...he is watching us!" she said screaming.

Nisha immediately left the dining table and ran towards the window. But there was no one.

She went to Pankhudi, put a hand on her shoulder and said, "Relax dear, no one is here!"

"But I saw something I am sure!" said Pankhudi still trembling.

"Pankh, it is over now. Just relax!" said Nisha comforting her, "He even stopped calling you. He'll never come back now."

"I don't know Nisha," Pankhudi said, "I am feeling scared."

"Just relax sweetie," Nisha said, "Have dinner and go to sleep. Everything is going to be ok. I've been invited to a party tomorrow. Maybe you should come along. You need some fresh air."

Pankhudi believed Nisha for a while. She tried to convince herself that perhaps Nisha was right. She tried to believe that her life was going to be ok again. Nisha took Pankhudi along to the party. They had a great time there...it was so much relief for Pankhudi after having gone through such stressful times. She was enjoying the few happy moments of her life.

After the party, the girls returned home. Pankhudi reached into her purse to find the key of their apartment. She withdrew her hand with a scream as she felt intense pain. She noticed a sting mark on her hand. She was in tremendous pain, she was feeling dizzy and for a moment thought she was going to faint.

Nisha quickly opened the door with her key and took her in. She made Pankhudi sit down and switched on the lights and looked carefully in her purse to find out where that sting came from. She found a live scorpion in it. She screamed seeing it.

The phone rang. Pankhudi answered it.

"Did you like my little gift, sunshine?" the voice over the phone said.

Pankhudi panicked as she recognized the voice. She shouted on the phone, "Stop it for God sake! Oh...What do you want...why are you doing this to me?"

"You stopped taking my calls sugar, so I had to give you a wakeup call. This was just to remind you. It's not over." the voice said coldly.

Pankhudi was already in so much pain. She started crying. Nisha understood it was him. She violently snatched the phone from her hand and said to him, "Look you son of a bitch, leave Pankh alone! What the fuck do you think you are doing?"

"Stay out of this if you love your life." he said in a voice clear and cold.

"You think this bullshit is going to scare me? You are a loser and coward, and I am pretty sure you don't have the balls to show your face in broad daylight."

"That you shall find out soon." he said in a threatening tone and hung up. Nisha too put the phone aside.

She then picked up that scorpion with a pair of tongs, took it to the balcony and crushed it. She then went to comfort Pankhudi. She took her to a local doctor who gave some medicines to reduce her pain.

Pankhudi had to rest the next day. She had developed fever due to the scorpion sting. The wound was still very painful. Every time she felt the pain, it made her think of him. It made her realize how much of an intricate watch he kept over her.

Nisha too was disturbed because of the recent events. But unlike Pankhudi, Nisha was from a well off family. She was in Mumbai only to pursue her education. She had good financial and social support from her family. She never had to face any hardships in life like Pankhudi. Besides she had learned martial arts in school. She was capable of defending herself; that made her a more confident woman. She really cared for Pankhudi, she understood her, and really wanted to help her. But she still couldn't get why Pankhudi chose to suffer rather than asking for help.

Nisha was however unaware that her interference had angered this mysterious stalker and now he had become a real threat to her as well. One morning as usual she went to college. But there was something unusual waiting for her in her locker. She found an envelope with her name written in bold on it. She opened the envelope and read the note that was place inside it.

It read -

You think you are one hell of a fighter, don't you? Don't play with fire. Stay out of business you don't understand.

With an expression of disgust on her face she tore the note away. In the evening she told Pankhudi about it.

"If he wants you to stay away...please stay away Nisha", Pankhudi said.

"I am not a coward" Nisha argued, "to desert a friend when she is facing a problem."

"It is more complicated than you know Nisha, I am grateful for your support...but please don't get yourself too deep into this" Pankhudi said.

"What do you mean by more complicated?" Nisha asked angrily, "What are you not telling me?"

"I am sorry, I can't tell you." Pankhudi begged with tearful eyes, "Please stay away Nisha and please don't tell anyone...please..."

When Pankhudi began to cry, Nisha didn't ask her much. She hugged her and said, "How can I help you if you keep me in the dark? Still I respect your wish. But if you ever want to tell me something, you know I would listen, right?"

Pankhudi nodded.

After that day there wasn't much conversation between the two. Pankhudi kept to herself most of the time. She struggled with her fear all by herself.

The morbid fear took its toll on every aspect of her life. She was performing poorly at her workplace, she failed in her exams. It was like her world was falling apart.

On one apparently normal day, Pankhudi was seated at the reception table. She received a call from her boss, who summoned her to his cabin on the top floor.