The Woman in the Corridor

 

When Suhas finally got up from his chair that night, it was 11 p.m. The rest of the office had already departed. Suhas had a heck load of work today. There would be an assignment coming in from Germany, and in order to fulfill that, he had to fill up a lot of paperwork. Thus, instead of his usual departure at 7 in the evening, he was now leaving – 4 hours later…

As Suhas bolted the door – Mr.Chowdhury had given him earlier – he felt relaxed more than he had been a week earlier. Jesus, the work had exerted a huge force on him – in a certain angle, not perpendicular. He was glad that he was finally going home. He intended to take a 3-day leave…his sister – as he had heard – had mildly got infected by the virus…now ok, but still he immediately wanted to see her…

As he turned to the lane where the elevator was, he suddenly stopped.

Someone was standing over there, looking at him. 

It was a woman – or so he managed to figure out – wearing a white long dress and standing over there, wearing a white-coloured face mask. She was just staring at him…

In the dim-lighted corridor, Suhas felt his brow covered with sweat. He had been hearing about the fact that no one over here wanted to work after 10.30 in the night…two men had died mysteriously, who were working late, and after hours…

‘Madam?’ Suhas called out. A light fog had just risen, making the surroundings look even more dreadful…

The lady turned towards him. Jesus, what a cold stare! It froze Suhas for a moment. He called out again:

‘Is there anything that I can help you with? You know, it’s a bit late now for anyone who is here…’

Still no reply. Suhas now began to feel uncomfortable. Why was she still not responding? Was she deaf?

He moved a bit closer. That’s when he heard it.

Her voice.

A cold, yet a soft voice…

‘Am I beautiful?’

Suhas now got puzzled. What was she talking about? Beautiful?

‘I’m sorry, what?’

The woman just stood there, and called out again:

‘Am I beautiful?’

And this time, Suhas saw the shiny thing which she held in her hands…

A pair of scissors.

Suhas felt the temperature drop. What was going on? Who was this woman? Why was she here?

He then moved closer. Perhaps, she was one of the members of those gangster groups which had now grown in some parts. They would ask you a certain question, and then, whether you give the correct answer or not, they would rob you off everything…

At this thought, Suhas felt a bit angry. Ramlal. That caretaker must have slept off again! He had been repeatedly told to be awake all night, but he hadn’t been paying heed to it…well, the weather has to do with it. December had started off with a chill wind…

Hoping that he got minimal robbed, he approached and faced the woman, who was still standing over there, looking at him with those misty eyes…there was a magnetic nature about them…seemed to attract…

Suhas jerked himself to his senses. He mustn’t. He must not get attracted to her. Female outlaws or criminals were known for their amorous tactics…where the unfortunate – after falling into one of them – would get severely robbed of everything…

But this…this woman was something else. Perhaps she was just a lost soul. Perhaps she lived over here…perhaps…

Suhas opened his mouth, and said:

‘Yes. You are beautiful.’

Then waited. Waited for the reaction. He was bracing himself for the attack. Once she attacks him to get away with his belongings, he would…

But nothing happened.

The woman smiled (her expression seemed to say so under that mask) and then, lifting her hand, she slowly removed the white curtain over her mouth…and revealing a horrific sight to Suhas.

Her face was slashed at the ends! And blood was dripping all over her mouth.

And the eyes? To his horror, Suhas saw the eyes to be now no longer be those innocent, misty ones…but fiery, and was looking straight at him…

‘AM I NOW BEAUTIFUL?’ She spoke, this time in a horrible, rasping voice which made Suhas nearly scream out.

Our hero stood there, transfixed to the spot. He had no idea what to do. He was suddenly shocked by this sudden change of events…

Then, he got an idea.

He went a little bit closer to her left, and then said,

‘No. You’re an ugly, old hag!’

And then, taking out the emergency flashlight he had in his pocket, he slammed it hard on her face!

The woman growled out, showing two sets of razor-sharp teeth which made Suhas froze again for a fraction of a second. Then, he ran off towards the elevator down the corridor. He had to escape…or else…

But as the elevator doors were about to close, he felt a searing pain in his right hand as he saw – to his horror…

His hand had been slashed open! And blood was gushing out uncontrollably from over there!

As he went down in the elevator, he could feel the lights dimming all around him. The scream continued to echo in his ears. He had to move out of here fast…now he knew why there was no late-night shift over here…

As the elevator reached the ground floor, the lights of the elevator suddenly went off…plunging the area into darkness…

Suhas just couldn’t take it anymore. As soon as the door opened, he rushed towards the exit

(the woman oh the horror)

And suddenly stopped. Someone was standing over there, at the exit – with his back towards him, and a flashlight glowing in the darkness…

Suhas immediately recognized him. Ramlal! The caretaker had finally come!

He rushed towards him, panting and running out of breath.

‘Ramji! Seriously, where were you at this point of night? I was literally in danger just a couple of moments ago…’

‘W-why Suhas, what happened?’ Ramlal asked

(wasn’t the voice a bit tender?)

‘A woman, wearing a long white dress and a matching face mask was over there on the third floor…she asked if she was beautiful or not…then, she opened up her mask…Oh! Terrible! Her face…oh, so terrible! It had razor-sharp teeth filled in the mouth, her face was slashed at the ends, and blood was oozing down her lips! Oh, Ramlal, that woman is still…

Then, Suhas stopped.

Wasn’t that blood which was dripping down on the floor?

And, was Ramlal’s voice sounding a bit more rasping than he had heard previously? His head started spinning…something wasn’t right…

And then, Suhas’ face turned white, as he heard Ramlal speak…

‘Was the beautiful face which you saw…was it like…this?’

And then he saw – in the light of the fading flashlight – once again that mouth which held the blood-stained razor-sharp teeth, and smiling at him. Then, she gave out a growl…

‘N-N-NO AH-HHHH-HHHH!!!!....’

At this point, the LEDs fizzled off, and left the place in complete darkness….pierced by the screaming of a young man, and the malicious laughter of a woman….accompanied by…

The clicking of a pair of scissors…

***

M.Macabre

11.12.2020

Dedicated to: The Alienist, R.Escreva