The Smile (1069words)

 

I met Sudhir at a party. Strikingly handsome with a muscular body and curly hair, he caught my attention immediately as I entered the hall. He had not noticed me as he was chatting animatedly with a few young ladies. His smile was magnetic as I could see from the expressions of his listeners.  I moved closer to him to catch his eye but his twiddling thumbs were somewhat unsettling.

For the last few months, I have had no boyfriend since the last one moved away preferring someone else maybe for her money. Though I was dating someone, I had not found the right man. This guy appeared to be a good catch. He dressed well. I liked the dimple on his cheek when he smiled. As expected, he turned and his eyes fell on me. It seemed they froze on me momentarily making me uneasy till I smiled at him. He returned the smile and abruptly left his company to move towards me. Only when he came close I noticed it wasn’t a dimple but a scar. But did it matter when it added to his charm?

After the introductions, he asked courteously whether he could hold my hands for a dance. His lavish remarks on my beauty and the ease of my dancing steps, his whispers and the gentle touch and his winning smile made my legs weak aware that I had fallen for him head over heels. After a while, he took me out to the darker side of the long corridor to hug me and plant his first kiss. Cuddling close, we sat on a cold bench for a long time, expressing our wish to carry forward the friendship further through frequent meetings. A sudden cold breeze swept across and he held me tight. His hands were chilly There was some uneasy feeling when he stared at me with his smiling eyes. I didn’t know why but his darting eyes suddenly reminded me of a viper.

“Why, what happened, Savitha?” he asked anxiously.

“Nothing, the wind is chilly” I replied

“Okay, let us go inside. I will pick you up tomorrow evening from your office for our first date. Be ready” he said.

He was there sharp at 6 pm outside my office. We went to a film and then had dinner at a posh restaurant. He behaved with me very gentlemanly.” Would you mind visiting my room before I drop you at your place? We can have some drinks and some cuddling” he asked

“Why not? I do not mind so long as you behave yourself. From what I have seen you so far, you seem to be a fine gentleman. I consider myself fortunate to have become your friend” I replied

It was a well-kept place and a big day calendar on the wall showed the date prominently 7. The furniture and other things were neatly arranged showing Sudhir in bright light. I was happy and said “I am a cleanliness freak. I think we have similar tastes.”

He wrapped his arm around my waist and drew me close to kiss me. It was the same cold smile of a viper I had seen the previous day instead of feeling warmth as Sudhir’s grip tightened around my waist., I felt a cold shiver run down my spine. My instincts screamed at me to pull away. I involuntarily shuddered in fear and drew myself back.

“Why what happened, Savitha? You did this last evening also” he asked

“It is nothing,” I said

“No, I don’t believe you. You are scared not without justification. Your inner instincts have warned you correctly. I have been an evil man for one year. Have you had a boyfriend? Tell me,” he said

“Why, I did have a few but nothing clicked. I never got close to anyone. It is only you that I have fallen for and it is my wish that this stays for a long time. What evil you were talking about?” I asked

“Don’t get scared of what I am about to tell you. I love you and would not harm you. I had a girlfriend. We were in deep love with each other and were very intimate. We had plans to get married. I made all the arrangements until I saw her betraying me with another man one day.. When pressed she confessed that he was her ex-friend and had been having an affair on the sly. I lost my cool and in a fit of rage strangled her to death. Her man had a short time in prison.

This incident affected me mentally and I have lost faith in women. I befriend young women easily but cannot tolerate when they give an innocent smile to strangers or even waiters or lift operators. I am consumed by suspicion and jealousy. When alone with them, the rage in me suddenly swells up and I in a fit of madness kill them, maybe as a way to remove the bitterness in me. I think this suppressed anger has gone only after I have killed six women and possibly many of them were innocent,” he said without a trace of remorse in his voice or demeanour for his devilish deeds when I interrupted him.

Stunned by extreme fear without betraying it, I said calmly, “Can I go home now, Sudhir? You can tell me the rest later. I am feeling giddy” I said

“Savitha, do not be afraid that you will be the seventh victim. I am no psycho. I am changed. No harm will come to you. I love you very much and wish to spend the rest of my life with you” he said even as he embraced me tightly as if to assuage my fears.

It was then I felt a burning sensation on my back. I tried to free myself from his steely grip even as I saw a patch of scarlet on the floor around my feet, warm and sticky. Oh my god, what has happened to me I feared and looked at him.  He was smiling at me with the same viper-like eyes even when I felt a searing pain and weakening of my legs as I struggled in his arms in a confused state. The brightness around me dimmed quickly to darkness as I crumpled on the floor even as the number 7  on the calendar flickered before me strangely.