❝ The devil is both, my master and slave. ❞

five || ❛ death ❜

Devika

HE KNOCKS ON THE DOOR, making me snap my head towards it.

Staying still, I watch the door, admiring its plain features. He knocks, again, louder than before. I don't respond. He knocks, once more, louder than the first time, making the latch rattle.

"Devika," He shakes the door, "It is nearly afternoon. Are you still sleeping?" He asks, in an unusually sugar coated voice.

Yuck!

"Get lost!" I yell, gritting my teeth. I have this really strong urge to beat the blood out of him, but I know the moment I look at him, I will be able to do nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

"I ain't deaf, lady. Quit screaming," He complains. "First you mess up the entire house and then you yell at me. Both, for no reason."

I messed up the house? For no reason?

"You..."

Clenching my fist, I move towards the door, standing behind it. "Don't push the blame on me. You messed up the entire house." I bite back the venom in my voice.

"I'm not coming out. You, alone, will have to rearrange the entire house." I reply, crossing my arms across my chest. I wince on realising that I had touched the wound he had given me last night. What a pain.

Sighing, I turn to stare at the ceiling remembering the resolve I had made a few minutes earlier.

I shall regain this freedom soon!

Now then, how do I escape?

There is a house seated right across this building, and from the looks of it, it seems abandoned. Overgrown grass covers its lawn while, twigs and leaves covered the terrace. From what I could see once, only once, there is a dirty white sheet covering something tall, like a cupboard which was enough evidence for me to believe that it was unused for long. Sighing, I turn to a side, staring at the black of the bed.

The howl of a dog pierces the silence surrounding me and I sit up with a start. Rubbing my eyes, I rush over to the window. A smile tugs at my lips as I notice a dog running through the lane.

An idea strikes. But, what if...

Running back, I grab anything that I can fit in my hands and slide the window open. The dog had disappeared, leaving behind some hope for me.

Aiming carefully, I toss the articles out of the window, over the empty forsaken road.

I hope this works.

Soon the road was a terrible mess. It was covered with cosmetics, decorative items, pens, pencils while shards of broken glass glistened against the road.

None of this can go unnoticed.

It shouldn't!

Sighing, by habit now, I kneel and rest my head against the frame of the window, sending a silent prayer to the one up there.

Sitting down with a thud, I lean against the bed and stare at the sky, till it turns down into an empty shade of dark black.

Fear and despair.

I feel them again. They step upon on my freshly sprouted hopes and resolve, destroying everything mercilessly. The crunch of everything shattering shakes my heart and I curl up, letting them destroy the illusion I had been living in.

Maybe, there is no way out except death.

Hungry and exhausted, I fall asleep on the ice of a floor.

* * *

I wake up to the rumbling of my stomach. I should've sneaked the entire kitchen into this room. And maybe the washroom as well.

Groaning, I sit up, my arms resting on my knees. My stomach rumbles loudly and I hold my head, feeling giddy slightly.

He knocks on the door. "Are you even going to come out?" There was a tinge of agony and loneliness in his tone. Does he miss me?

Ofcourse not, stupid!

I glance at the room - mattresses and bed sheets strewn over, bottles placed randomly, and a sweat covered hungry me sitting in a corner.

I may be safe within this room but, for how long? If I stay in, I will perish of hunger and exhaustion. But if I step out, he will find ways to kill me.

This was a die-die situation on both ends. Taking the risk of a faster death, I open the door. I look around, finding no sign of him.

Breathing a sigh of relief, I step out and dash out into the kitchen, grabbing an apple. Rinsing it I take a large bite.

"Ah, what a rare sight!" He exclaims, taking a stand beside me. "Someone has finally realised that there is a world outside their room."

Drama queen.

I do not miss the exhaustion covering his face. It was pretty silent last night. The bruise that I had noticed a day or two ago had become a tardy lighter.

Ignoring him, I walk over to the sofa and settle down on it. He doesn't say anything or follow me. Sitting in peace, I devour the apple while he prepares some breakfast for himself.

Tossing away the remains, I stare at the road. Pieces of glass glint at me, mocking at my failure and foolish hope. I grit my teeth, clenching a section of the grill tightly. Tight enough to let it cut my skin, or so I wanted. There was just a faint mark, with the strong odour of rust. Nothing much.

I shouldn't have even tried.

Yash walks away into his room and I observe him for a while, sitting down on the sofa.

My conclusions after watching him were: he was either in the kitchen or his room. He never, never ever, walks into any other room except when he has to use the washroom. Infact, for him, the room I stay in doesn't even exist until night.

He stays in his room, calm and quiet, reading his book. So unlike the person he becomes at night. At night, he is a complete beast. A beast far from fantasy.

Lost in thought, I realise that I had been staring at the main door for a while. I should try opening it.

Despite having a major part of me telling me that it was a foolish idea, I decide to go with it. I need to escape.

I want to be free.

* * *

The door swings open and I fall back, a small smile budding on my lips. My arms and feet, covered in dust and bruises, sting in pain. My back aches and my breathing is heavy.

Finally. I am free!

Dusting my hands, I slowly get back to my feet. The fresh breeze floating in caresses my face, making me realise about the tears that were, unknowingly, making their way down my cheeks. I wipe them at the back of my hand.

A soft blanket of silence falls, breaking softly at the sounds of insects. It feels different.

Wait. Am I forgetting something... or someone?

The cold touch of metal breaks my chain of thoughts and I shiver, turning around swiftly.

How could I forget?!

In front of me he stood, a grin plastered on his face while the blade of the knife glistened brightly.

I glance at the window - it is night!

I curse myself for not keeping a track of the time.

"My, my! Looks like someone is trying to escape," He chuckles, holding the knife at my throat.

Fear wraps itself around me, suffocating me in its grasp and breaking me bit by bit. A tight lump forms in my throat and I gulp hard, trying to breath easy.

I glance at the room. If I am fast enough I can get in and stay safe for the night.

He lunges at me and I jump to a side, dashing to the room and locking it. He hits the door hard, making the lock rattle in fear.

With trembling hands I pick the torch, flashing it outside. "Someone, please see this." I mumble under my breath. The rattling became louder and soon, the door falls off with a thunderous thud. The torch slips out of my hand, falling over onto the road.

Damn!

"Goodbye, Devika." He grins, lunging at me and I dodge, running out of the house and slam the door shut.

Taking a deep breath, I rest against the door. I am fr...

How could I forget that cursed grill?!

I'm not yet free.

I shouldn't have celebrated early. This grill is a harder task since the entire gallery is empty. How do I escape from here now?

I walk to the middle of the corridor, finding a window on my left. It has grills as well. The door began to tremble.

I must act quick.

Running to the window, I throw it open. Can I scream for help? Would anyone hear me? What if no one did? The torch and everything I had thrown was still unnoticed. How can my voice be heard then?

Shaking my head, I take a deep breath. Noticed or unnoticed, I don't care. I'm not giving up without trying. Even if I don't make it out alive.

Pulling in all my remaining energy, I scream. Over and over again, till my throat decides to give up. My screams fall dead on the empty streets and houses, while the wind carries the residue to a distance where it is reduced to a mere whisper. The entire corridor echoes with my screams but there was no one to hear me.

No one. Afterall, there isn't a single soul in the entire building.

The door falls open. How many doors has he broken down by now?

* * *

Yash

Stepping out, I find her on the left end of the corridor, holding herself against the window.

Her screams echoed through the house before the sound of the door falling killed them.

'She is just wasting her energy at this point,' He chuckles. 'A lost case.'

'Everything,' He makes me grip the knife tightly, 'will end today.'

She stares at me, pale and aghast in horror. Strands of her hair flutter freely, a few sticking to her colourless, fear stricken face.

What an amusing sight.

"Time's up, sweetheart." I declare victoriously, blocking her path. She gasps loudly, tears streaming down her cheeks as she clenches the cloth near her chest. She stands stiff in fear, her gaze trailing down to my hand and then to her own, eyes wide in realisation.

I walk down towards her, twirling the knife in my hand. Surprisingly, she moves forward, a small and confident smile etched on her lips. The panic on her face reduces as she calculates the possibility of something.

What is she thinking? Is she going to try and escape?

Fool.

Avoiding me, she walks to the other side of the corridor. A hollow chuckle escapes my lips. She likes to play hard.

'A foolish move indeed.' He growls.

I step forward, confident of the fact that today will be her last. A triumphant smile curves on my lips as I prepare the knife for the slaughter.

"Do you know the relation between us?" I ask, inching closer.

She shakes her head, eyes drowning in fear.

I like this.

No. I LOVE this!

'I told you. You should've embraced me sooner.'

Soon, I hold her against the wall, exhausting all her means of escape. "It is that of a predator and a prey. I kill and you - die." I reach out for her neck. "I hope you've said your last prayers, sweetheart."

Holding her down with my weight, I press the knife against her throat. She whimpers, coughing and crying.

'Down with her. End her. Kill her.' He repeats, making my arm move at his will towards her palm. Pushing my free hand into the pocket of my pant, I pull out a couple of pills and push them in her mouth.

She'll die one way or the other.

Placing the knife in her hand, I guide it over to her neck, giving her a deep cut on her throat. She coughs and wriggles, screaming in pain. Her breathing slows down. I move away taking joy in her pain.

Her breaths are shallow and noisy, tears rolling her cheeks and her blood soaks the floor. She takes in her pain without any fight, groaning every now and then. She is too tired to save herself.

I smile, proud of my job. Resting enough, I stand watching her struggle. I should've carried a camera with me.

'Good job.' He praises and I find myself holding the blood covered knife in my hand. 'Time for you, to leave.'

The blade of the knife positions itself infront of my stomach. 'Sweet dreams.'

No. No. No.

This isn't the freedom she had promised.

The blade gives me a wrathful grimace before biting me in the stomach. It... hurts. Like it should.

I fall to my knees, coughing out blood. The knife bites me again, over and over again. A stinging pain rises through my being, weakening my senses.

Stop. Stop this at once!

'Enjoy your new life.' He whispers, as I fall down on my stomach, the knife painting the floor red.

Blood gushes out, drawing out a carpet on the floor. My senses begin to betray me. My vision blurs, darkness closing in at its heel. I could feel myself dying, withering away to the unknown oblivion of life.

So much for a new life.