After that day, it felt as though she was living on borrowed breath.
Archie felt she died at the door that day, and everything else after that moment was on rent. She hated when she cooked a meal for herself or went to the shower or had a coffee by the window. She could feel a shadow on her all the time. She felt that the shadow had more claim on her than she had on herself.
Archie had immediately called Nandan that day who had screeched his car to a halt and taken a traffic-halting U-turn. When he reached her apartment, she was sitting outside looking ashen faced. It was as if she had seen a ghost and now, she was scared to step in. One look at the decoration outside and Nandan was sure what had happened.
He asked Archie to step back, took the pink stool as a weapon of choice and entered the apartment first. Though it was unnecessary. Apparently, no one had broken in. Everything was as it was the morning Archie had left with.
Except now Archie felt filthy.
She wanted to scrub her skin, her brain, reach out into her guts and even scrub her innards. Clean everything out and start anew. The stalker had cast a shadow on her life. And she was his whether she liked it or not.
Every day, after that fateful day, became unbearable for Archie. She let her police friend, Rajat, know about the latest developments. She spoke with him and he was okay to let a female inspector in and take her place at the Rivera meeting. Archie shook her head.
“I need to know who he is and why he has wrecked my life”, said Archie, “I know I am being foolish here, but I am okay to bait myself.”
Rajat didn’t pause a second before he yelled, “You’re insane Archie. And if I didn’t know you better, I would say you’re more mental than that stalker.”
Nandan agreed with Rajat, “I don’t know why you are suicidal here, Archie. Putting your head under the axe isn’t going to save the situation.”
“If he recognizes that it is not me and that someone else took my place wearing the dress, the shoes, the accessories he gifted me and by his good luck – which by the way seems to be favouring him so far – he escapes and this whole plan fails; then what happens to me? He is going to be twice violent because I gave away his “gifts” and that I have involved the police now. And I tried to fool him and get him arrested. You know how stalkers are, right?”
Nandan and Rajat looked at each other. They knew she was right but her lack of faith in the police was a little nettling. So, after too much of negotiation, it was agreed that Rajat and a few of his police friends along with Nandan will go incognito.
***
Archie was bouncing around in her existence. One part of her head was terrified of the situation that was going to unfold in few days. Her mind was consistently numb. Her work was beginning to get impacted. She could not concentrate.
And like some impending doom, or a huge tsunami wave that pulled the water back into the sea, the Post-its stopped. Now, she did not know what her stalker’s mood was or how evil was he intending to get.
The radio silence was unsettling her.
Her behaviour was not hidden from her CEO, Ninad, as well. He had observed that twice. He was speaking to her and soon she was zoned out. And then she would lose track of the conversation and needed to be steered back.
Ninad would smile at her kindly. But he was also worried to see why the otherwise sassy Archie had curled into herself so much that it was difficult to get her to lift her head.
“At least the notes have stopped”, sighed Archie, morosely.
She and Amrita were standing the lobby facing outside with a coffee cup in their hands. It was break, time everywhere and Godavari Techno Park seemed to be full of coffee-drinkers and evening walkers stretching their backs after full day of sitting in their chair.
“Nandan told me what you have decided”, said Amrita, seriously, “I wish I could be half as brave as you.”
“It’s not bravery. It is stupidity. I am going to end up as a lost case in someone’s garage or backyard”, said Archie, shivering as the thought crossed her.
“Can I be falsely positive?” said Amrita.
“Go ahead”
“What if he really is not a bad guy”, said Amrita hopefully, “What if he is a good guy?”
“He is an obsessed guy. Someone who thinks I belong to him, and he can toy with my sentiments and sanity”, said Archie, biting her lip, “That generally doesn’t end well. You know what happened to Nandan’s sister, right? They really should stop romanticizing stalkers.”
Amrita sighed.
Archie continued, “Ever since stories made heroes out of such grey characters, the amount of violence towards women have only increased.”
“That is not entirely true.”
“Maybe not. But you cannot put a criminal on a pedestal”, said Archie, “If he was in love with me, why the hell was he hiding behind Post-its and creepy messages. Reality is far different from books and movies.”
Amrita pursed her lips.
“Do you suspect anyone?” said Amrita.
“I don’t even have theories”, said Archie, “I cannot think of a single person. I don’t even pick fights when someone cuts queue. Who hates me? I keep wondering how bad my public life is that someone has access to it and I don’t know it.”
There was silence as both stared out into the open, sipping their coffees. At the 11th floor of the Techno Park, a pleasant breeze was always welcome. People from the adjacent company passed her and some of their colleagues as well. She was looking at everyone’s face as if like a miracle she would recognize the person who had been ruling her life.
***
Nandan dropped Amrita and Archie at Archie’s apartment on the Friday before the ill-fated Saturday. He accompanied them upstairs to ensure no surprises awaited them. After all, this was going to be the last evening before the stalker-facing event.
Amrita and Archie drew to the safety and coziness of the apartment. Archie could feel at times she got dizzy.
“You need to breathe, Archie. You’ll faint due to lack of oxygen.”
Archie felt her whole life and her entire existence wound up to this day – the day her stalker would finally claim her and kill her. He was the one who had sent good tidings to the sacrificial animal. And she had had willingly stepped beneath the stone.
Amrita was getting fidgety. Archie had shared all her passwords and social media accesses to Amrita. She had with heavy heart told her to inform Archie’s parents if anything were to happen to her and let them know of what transpired. She even shared the “death-folder” of all investments with Nandan and Amrita. Amrita was agitated receiving this information.
“I don’t want this. I want you back alive, Archie”, said Amrita crossly, as they sat at the window eating a pizza.
“I don’t know what the future holds. This is to safeguard. If nothing happens, I will reset all the passwords I promise. And even redo all the portfolio information. But for now, at least everything is cleared I want you to hold onto this. If nothing happens tomorrow but the confusion still is not cleared, we cannot guarantee for the day-after-tomorrow”, said Archie, practically but with a lump in her throat.
She video called her parents and spoke chirpily with them. Amrita’a eyes were wet, but she didn’t break down. It was heavy for her as well.
“To send someone to their doom”, muttered Amrita as she washed the utensils.
The girls sat till late and watched Netflix as they gorged on more junk food, desserts and cozy blankets. Archie lit a scented candle, and they curled up in front of the TV watching movie and talking.
Archie stood up to go to the window. She could see the shadow there,
She shook her head as she pulled the curtain.
Let’s see what happens tomorrow.
******************************************************************************************************
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