We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind,    Isaiah 64:6, the Bible.

Ahmedabad; new city, new ambitions. Success was the only thing on my mind. I wanted everything; I just wanted to own the whole world as early as possible. People were just my means to achieve what I wanted.  Disha; I had first met her when we were working on a project together. Sweet, ambitious, caring and very soft spoken, she was just like that girl next door. I had never thought that I would get related to her in anyway. But that night of 13^th January, it altered two lives forever, mine and her’s. It’s really strange, we can get away from anything, it’s easy to evade any law, and it’s easy to cheat people. But we can never get away from ourselves.

13^th January, it was four in the morning. My shift had just ended. The next shift would start at six. Well, I was done and planning to go home and sleep for the rest of the day. I stretched back in the chair, removed the headphones and massaged my forehead. This job was taking its toll on me. I needed a smoke desperately. I got up and looked around. There wasn’t a soul in there. Everybody had rushed out. Hell. I packed my belongings and moved out. The peon who sat by the elevator wasn’t there. The whole place seemed totally devoid of life.  I pressed the button for the elevator and waited there.

“Ajay.” A lucid, feminine voice echoed behind me.  I turned around to find Disha standing right behind me. Wow, she did remember me. She had beautiful intense black eyes, well protected behind her specks. She was damned gorgeous.

 “You wait here so late? Workaholic huh?”  She winked at me; perhaps I had a chance with her.

Workaholic my ass.

“Nothing like that, I don’t like to travel by the company car.”

“Really?” There was a mystique tone in her voice. I loved it.

“Yeah. You tell me. What’s up with you?”

She pointed her forefinger above, like an umpire declaring a batsman out in a cricket match, “Got a date with the boss my friend,” she said eyeing at the elevator.

“Guess you are gonna be screwed.”

“Fingers crossed.” She blinked an eye sheepishly as she got in the elevator.

“Good luck. Anyways, Singhania is a bastard.”

          

           Those were the only words that escaped my mouth as I saw her nodding her head and the elevator door closing.I wondered where the bloody peon had died.The corridors were dimly lit. Don’t know why but I decided to wait for Disha. The peon had shut all the lights except the one above me. It flickered in the gloomy darkness as if it was about to die too. I sat on the wooden stool and thought about my chances with Disha. I had thought she would have forgotten me long back. I lit a cigarette and sat there wondering. Perhaps I was lucky; perhaps Ahmedabad won’t be that boring after all.

       

           I checked my watch, it had been twenty-five minutes, and the indicator of the elevator hadn’t even budged a bit. Maybe she had taken stairs and was probably gone long back.  Hell why was I thinking about her. I got up and pressed the button in the wall to call the elevator. Few moments passed by in the silence as I stared at those numbers descending in the indicator.  The elevator doors opened, I stepped in and pressed the button for the ground floor.  And right at that moment I heard a voice. It wasn’t loud, like someone arguing desperately. I knew that voice, it was Disha. The door closed and the elevator moved downwards. Disha, maybe I was hallucinating, maybe I was hearing voices due to this weariness. But I did hear Disha’s voice. That was unmistakable. The elevator door opened, I moved out towards the parking lot. The parking lot was almost empty. There were only three vehicles parked there. My Pulsar, Singhania’s Audi and… and Disha’s black Activa. I stood there thinking for few moments.

Something is fishy. Hell.

I backed off, got into the elevator and pressed number seven. Maybe I was just daydreaming after all. The door opened and I got out of the elevator. The corridor was empty, totally devoid of life. It was totally dark except for the momentary light of the elevator. I stood there as the elevator door closed and the alley once again plunged into darkness. Singhania’s cabin was straight ahead on the right side. The door to the cabin was slightly open, bright light escaping through it. I walked towards the door. Something like an argument going on. Scratching of the heels of boots on the floor, flies buzzing around and those two distinct muffed voices. Barely audible noises were becoming more amplified in the obscure silence.  I could feel adrenalin rush through my veins. I didn't know what to do. I calculated the pros and cons.

 Fuck it. I took a deep breath and moved towards the cabin.

To be continued…