A Killer Among Us by Ushasi Sen Basu

Author:Ushasi Sen Basu [Basu, Ushasi Sen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Readomania
Published: 2020-03-28T22:00:00+00:00

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12

Friday, 14th September 2014

Ira woke up as sunlight streamed onto her face from a gap in the curtains. She checked her phone. 11.30 am! For the first time since last Thursday, she had been allowed to sleep past eight. Then she realised it was her day off, and in celebration, she rolled over onto her stomach so the sun fell in a warm line down her back and went back to sleep.

She was in the sleep-waking stage where you could consciously propel your dreams in the direction of your choosing. This one had Ayan, touching her hand with a feather light touch, smiling as they walked down the corridor to her door. There they were, courting disaster as Ira leaned against her door and looked up at him, and Ayan leant in and touched his gentle lips to hers. She sighed and smiled. It wasn’t a dream, but a memory―from yesterday afternoon.

She gathered the light quilt to her. It had started to drizzle outside again; the weather perfect, albeit schizophrenic, to dream cosily in bed.

There was a loud banging on her door.

Ira sat up like a jack in the box. Too jumpy, she reproved herself. She checked her wristwatch, 11.45. Time to wake up anyway, the person had renewed his banging.

‘I’m coming,’ she shouted in a fit of pique. People were always so annoyed about her sleeping in and not having a serviceable doorbell.

It was a red-faced Mr Talukdar, looking like a two-in-one strawberry and vanilla ice cream in his white kurta and pajama.

She couldn’t afford to be amused. Her mind jumped to yesterday again. Had Mr Talukdar seen the two of them?

Ira stood waiting for the axe to fall.

‘It is nearly noon, madam,’ he boomed. ‘Do you realise your stinking garbage pail has lain here all morning? Housekeeping has cleared the garbage by 8 am, at least do your part and take your bin inside again! Is it too much to ask? There are clear rules. It is unsanitary for the rest of us; though I realise that you have not much concern about either sanitation or your neighbours. I have guests coming over and would be most obliged if they were not met with the sight of garbage pails lying around outside my home.’

Ira released her breath, which she only realised now she had been holding all this while. He hadn’t seen anything, just his usual harassment! Well, she had quite a few accusations to make of him too! Convincing the night watchman to lie about her, writing sneaky anonymous letters to her landlady. Much worse than a bin that had lain outside a few hours too long, she dared say.

Ira glanced over his shoulder and saw Mrs Talukdar. Sounds of a loud detergent commercial emanated from the depths of their apartment, through the open door where the older woman stood uncertainly. Her eyes seemed to tell her, ‘We know it’s not a big deal, you and I, but you know Mr Talukdar na, he’s like this only. Just humour him and he will go away, please don’t make a fuss.

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