A Possible Tragedy

It was a usual evening when Sun was showering its last fading rays before it would saunter past below the horizon. I was returning from my office and that 5 minute walk from bus stop to home was the part of routine. 

But that day, I felt something strange which was disturbing in its own way. I turned my head a little sideways to the sound of footsteps coming from behind and it gave me a twinge of fear to find that a man in his thirties was walking just behind me, stark following me hot on my heels. 

More than anything, the scariest thing was there was nobody at my home and I had no clue, what this man has on his mind. The closer I headed towards my place, the more scared I became. Something struck my mind and I entered a cosmetic shop which happens to lie just before the turn leading to my street. 

I had a hope that this man would not enter here and carry on along the way ahead. But to my greatest dismay, he happened to follow me in the cosmetic shop. When the shopkeeper asked him, he shrugged saying, he doesn’t need anything. 

I was so perplexed about what should I do. Should I tell the shopkeeper about this man? But what if he carried arms and situation goes out of control? Stuck between such mingled thoughts and anxiety, I came out from the shop, and unwittingly took the turn towards my home ‘which was deserted’. 

“Should I have not taken the turn? Should I have gone to someone else’s place, or told people about him? Should I scream or run for help and get this man caught by people? “While I was thinking, I was standing at the gate of my house, with shivering hands and legs, and heart pounding in my throat because the man was walking to and fro in the street near my house. He was wearing a leer on his face which was so devilish.  

But still, I was not completely out of mind. Instead of drawing out the keys from my bag, I rang the doorbell. So that he thought someone is coming up, and he walked a few steps away. Making the best use of opportunity, I quickly took out the keys, put in the lock, turned them with the best of my strength. Learning about the trick I played, he ran towards me. In no time, I opened the door with shivering hands and blank mind, strode in, and slammed the door shut with a loud thud. I entered in the room, closed all the doors, and started crying. For few hours, I didn’t dare come out of the room, let alone sneaking a peek from the gate. 

Later that evening, when my mother came, she told me that he was a thief, and had been caught in a nearby place. Some neighbours told her they saw him chasing me. They also told her that he tried to hypnotise me.

I thanked God for saving me from a possible tragedy and laughed at the last joke later.