Psycho 1

Coimbatore. Gandhipuram Bus Stand. 11:00 PM.
A light drizzle was falling.
A private bus from Erode pulled into the station. Only a handful of passengers stepped out into the night.
Among them was Arjun. He ignored the rain and walked straight out of the station. His eyes scanned the row of parked autos at the stand.
“Will you go?”
“Where to, sir?”
“Selvapuram, LIC Colony.”
“Two hundred rupees, sir.”
“Fine, let’s go.”
He hopped in. The auto sped away, splashing through puddles. Arjun stared out at the passing walls, looking at the posters. There were OTT release posters for Vijay Sethupathi’s Ka Pae Ranasingam.
“Has Corona subsided in Coimbatore?” he asked the driver.
“Where, sir? It’s actually worse now. When it was low, they locked everything up; now that it’s high, they’ve opened everything,” the driver grumbled. Arjun felt a smirk form under his mask.
As they reached Selvapuram, Arjun prepared himself. He pulled a pair of gloves from his bag and slipped them on. The streets were deserted, the auto’s headlights the only flood of light in the darkness.
“Where to exactly, sir?” the driver asked as they entered LIC Colony.
“Turn right. Second house.”
The auto stopped in front of a large bungalow. Arjun stepped out, paid the fare, and watched the auto drive away. A few stray dogs began to bark at him, but he didn’t care. His eyes were fixed on the bungalow, burning with an intense obsession.
Before entering, he took out his phone.
“Hello, Red Taxi?”
“Yes, sir, tell us.”
“I’m calling from LIC Colony. I need a drop.”
“Where to, sir?”
“Railway Station.”
“What time do you need the cab?”
He checked his watch. It was 11:40 PM. “Send it at midnight.”
“Okay, sir.”
The rain began to pour harder. He pulled on a raincoat from his bag. On the compound gate was a sign: BEWARE OF DOGS.
He ignored it and vaulted over the wall. He stood still for a moment, waiting to see if a dog would rush him, but nothing moved in the dark.
He walked to the front door and pressed the calling bell. A minute later, the door opened. A young woman stood there. Her face lit up.
“Come in.”
Arjun stepped inside.
“You’re quite late,” she said. Arjun didn’t answer; he just stared at her.
“What is it? Why are you looking at me like that?” she asked with a smile.
“There’s a big difference between seeing you in photos and seeing you in person,” Arjun replied. She laughed.
“What will you eat?”
He smirked. “You.”
“That’s for later. Now, what will you eat?”
“What do you have?”
“Chappathi and chicken masala.”
“Super. Serve it.”
She brought a plate, and Arjun wolfed down the food. Meanwhile, she went to change her clothes. When she returned, Arjun whistled. “Wow, you look stunning.”
She smiled. “Did you book the taxi?”
“I did. It’ll be here shortly.”
“Before it arrives… can we have a moment?” Arjun moved closer to her.
She looked at him steadily. “No. The sooner we leave this place, the better.”
“Why are you scared? Your husband isn’t even here,” Arjun said.
“Just be patient. If someone sees us, it’ll be a problem,” she said, stepping back.
“When is your husband coming back?”
“Two days. He’s in Pondicherry on business.”
“Perfect,” Arjun grinned.
“Arjun,” she called out.
“Yes, darling?”
“There won’t be any trouble, right?”
“None at all. The plan is perfect.” He noticed the flicker of doubt on her face. “The cab will come. We go straight to the station. From there, a train to Mettupalayam. From Mettupalayam, a car to Ooty. I’ve already booked a resort in Ooty. You’ll be back home by the day after tomorrow. My friend booked the resort, so we won’t get caught. We aren’t booking the car from here, but from Mettupalayam. Our plan is 100% safe. Okay, darling? Don’t worry.”
She gave him a faint smile. Outside, they heard a vehicle. A Red Taxi pulled up in front of the bungalow.
“The car is here,” Arjun said. She looked at him with hesitation.
“What’s wrong?”
“I’m scared.”
“Don’t be silly. I’m here.”
“No… I feel uneasy. I feel like we’re doing something wrong. Let me go.”
Arjun grew angry. “Don’t be crazy. I’ve done all this work to get here, and now you’re saying no? Come on, let’s go. I’ll take care of everything.”
He grabbed her hand. She didn’t pull away, which gave him confidence. He smiled at her. “The car is waiting, sweetie. Let’s move.”
She nodded. “Arjun, one second.”
As he turned toward her, she suddenly plunged a hidden knife deep into his stomach. Blood spurted out. Arjun’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“Hey…” Arjun tried to speak, but his strength failed. He collapsed to the floor. When he looked up at her, he saw a look of pure, cold madness he hadn’t seen before.
“What did you think? You’d just show up whenever any married lady called you?” she asked, a cruel laugh escaping her lips.
“You want to know something, Arjun?”
He looked at her piteously, teetering on the edge of death.
She whispered, “I’m not even married.”
Leaving Arjun to die, she moved with clinical efficiency. She grabbed her bag, walked out, and shut the front door.
As she opened the gate, the Red Taxi driver smiled at her. “How many people, Madam?”
“Just me.”
“Drop to the railway station, right?”
“Yes,” she said. She sat back in the seat and leaned her head against the headrest, perfectly calm.