A NIGHT STAND

“Please stop…”  Sameer yelled while raising both his hands as he saw the truck coming in his direction.  He was driving the car from last two hours and it stopped moving ahead, exactly at the hilly area away from the main town. The temperature outside was freezing the nerves and the deep, dark valleys around the small subway has made it a suicidal point. After waiting for half an hour in the dark night, now finally he saw the light coming in his direction.

The truck stopped by moving little ahead from his car. Sameer ran towards it.

“Thanks a lot…” he said in the shivering voice. In fact, all his body was shivering with cold. He didn’t eat anything from last eight hours and last sip of his bear has finished around an hour ago.

“Looks like your car have betrayed you at the right place…” Truck driver said while smiling “Get in Sir, get inside.”   Sameer climbed on the truck and moved inside. He sat down for a while without speaking a word and making his throat wet. Truck driver started the truck.

“Thanks. These cars and girls can betray you at any time.” Sameer murmured in low voice. Truck driver laughed and said

“Yes sir you are right. Where do you want to go?”

“Is there any hotel or lodge available ahead? I need to eat something.”

“Sure, there is a Motel ahead. I will drop you there.”

“Thanks.” Said Sameer and lightened the cigarette and handed another one to the truck driver. He held it in his fingers and Sameer lighted it.

“Thank you Sir.”

“What’s your name?” Sameer asked while taking his mobile out from the pocket. He started searching for the number of Priya from contacts.

“Samsher and yours sir?”

“Sameer, Sameer Malhotra.”

He got the number and clicked on ‘Delete’.

“You deleted the number of girl Sir.” Said Samsher calmly by keeping an eye on the road

Sameer grinned wickedly, took a puff of cigarette and said

“You have very keen eyes…”

Samsher smiled.

“Yes, especially when it comes to girls…”

“Hmm…” Sameer groaned without speaking a word further. Samsher continued

“What happened? Has she betrayed you?”

Sameer sighed and said plainly

“Yeah, I was following her from the morning. I can’t believe it… the girl to whom I am going to marry in two weeks’ time has betrayed me. She already has bloody boyfriend. ”

Samsher laughed loudly.

“What’s funny in that?” Sameer asked angrily.

“Don’t get angry Sir. Your fiance has a boyfriend. Look at me, my wife had a boyfriend. ” He said and laughed again loudly.

“What?!”

“Yes sir. I have also deleted her from my life and…let it be sir…” Samsher’s voice suddenly became sharp and eyes got blank like he just had drug.

“You want to take real fun out of these girls?” he asked suddenly. Sameer turned his head sharply towards him.

“What do you mean?”

Samsher smiled mysteriously.

“There is a motel ahead. Girls are available there.”

“Are you serious?”

“Yes I am…by the way what do you do Sir?”

“I am a manager in an Insurance company.”

“Oh I see. Is there any insurance policy available if a girl or wife betrays you, you will get the money from company? After all it’s a future loss, isn’t it?”

Sameer smiled and said,

“You look like a businessman rather than truck driver. Are you insured?”

“No sir…”

“You should do that. Your job is pretty dangerous and these days accidents are happening frequently on the highways. By the way, what were you telling me about that motel?”

“Oh, are you interested?”

“I have never tried that taste.”

“Then you should. Let’s stop there. ”

“Ok.” Said Sameer

Finally they stopped the truck near that motel. It was little away from the main highway towards the forest. The old building was really in bad condition. Few trucks were already stopped around. Both Sameer and Samsher entered inside. Few tables were occupied and the odor of smoked chicken and malted wine was filled in the air. Samsher pointed Sameer to sit on a chair and he moved towards a waiter. He spoke something to him in low voice. Sameer looked towards both of them curiously. After a while Samsher came towards him and said.

“Everything is ready sir. Go with that waiter upstairs.”

Sameer got up from his seat with little hesitation.

“Don’t worry sir. No one is going to be around.” said Samsher and sat on the chair.

Sameer moved upstairs with waiter. He saw the four small doors on that floor in the dim light of bulb. Waiter opened the door of one of the room and went again downwards without speaking a word to Sameer. Sameer slowly went inside through the door. That small room was decorated with lots of artificial flowers. One cot and a big dressing table were present at the one side of the room. And then there was she, neatly combed long hairs, an innocent face with pink cheeks and body wrapped in red salwar which was looking developed more than her age. She looked towards Sameer with her sharp and beautiful eyes. Her eyes were blank and there was no emotion in that. He saw towards her constantly for some time. Neither she spoke a word nor her face showed any expression. She was like a beautiful statute without life. Finally, Sameer closed the door of the room and moved firmly towards her.

After half an hour he came outside the room. Samsher was still there sat on the table. A smile came on his face as he saw Sameer. Sameer smiled back.

“So sir how was the taste?”

“It was good”, said Sameer plainly “I am hungry. Can we order something to eat?”

“Sure-sure…” He ordered the food to waiter.

“Samsher, here is your amount…” said Sameer while giving him the money “It was a fun.”

“Thanks sir thanks…”

“What else can I do for you? This night was like a life time experience for me.”

“Ha ha…no need to do anything sir…shall I order wine?”

“No Samsher…you and I both need to travel further and this valley subway is deadly.”

“Yes that is also true…”

Sameer removed some papers from his bag.

“Don’t say no…this is a policy…I will credit all your premiums for first three years…that’s a gift from me.”

Samsher smiled.

“Ok sir, as you wish.”

“Sign it here. I will be back within few minutes, going for toilet.” Said Sameer while showing him the place to sign on the paper…

AFTER SIX MONTHS

Sameer was just leaving for the office from home and his eyes went on the front side of the street. There was she. Sameer stopped the car near her. He smiled and opened the door of the car. She also smiled and sat inside.

“How are you doing, Raksha?”

She smiled. Her eyes were filled with water.

“Hey don’t cry…everything is all right now.”

She took a long breathe while removing the tear drops came on her cheeks

“Can I call you my brother?”  She asked suddenly

Sameer smiled and said calmly

“Sure…”

He remembered that strange night, that night stand which never happened. That night when he entered inside the room and closed the door, he moved towards her.

“Please stop…” she said. Suddenly she started crying. Her innocent face was craving for some grace which never had shown by any men who entered inside that room, not even by her father who sold her body every night for the money. Sameer heard the whole story of that unlucky girl. Samsher was her father. When his wife left him, he dragged his only child in this ugly profession for money. When Sameer heard it, he felt that someone has kept big stone on his heart and he is not able to breathe.

“How the hell in the world this can happen?” he thought. He decided to do something for her. So he made to sign the paper of insurance policy to Samsher, where a child can get the benefit after his parent’s death. When he went for toilet, he broke the rotating drums attached to the wheels of his truck causing the failure of breaks. He was sure that it will going to be consider as an accident if the truck slips into the valley. Also he took the precaution that driver should not be drunk while driving so that the amount can be claimed without any difficulty. That night Samsher’s truck fell down in the valley and his death was considered as an accident. He made the perfect plan and after few months she got all the benefit of policy. He also called police, anonymously and rescued all other girls from that hell.

“So here is the college. Best luck…”  He said and smiled

Her eyes glittered and a bright smile like a sunshine spread on her face.

“Thanks…” she said

Sameer moved ahead. He was now sure that his innocence has still not died due to the odds in life and he has saved an innocent soul from getting destroyed.

__END__