3 SHOT - NOT ANOTHER FREAKY FRIDAY! (2nd shot & Promo updated)

3 SHOT - NOT ANOTHER FREAKY FRIDAY!

3:00 AM

Nandini found herself in a deserted, unknown locality with no clue of how and when she got there. Confused, her eyes shot down. She was still in her night dress - a pair of pajamas and a loose, half-sleeved tee-shirt. Worse - she was far away from the comfort of her cozy bed back home and the protection of her husband, Manik. Had she been sleep-walking?

She could remember bits and pieces of the eerily lit community, broken images that she had gathered in a trance for God knows how long. An hour? Or more?

A chilly gust swept past her, bringing with it distant voices and jeers. And now that the spine-tingling breeze had managed to awaken her fully, panic set in.

She swung around. Her eyes darted around the place hysterically. Her heart throbbed so hard in her throat that she feared blacking out any moment.

The jeers and cackles kept getting closer. Somehow, she had to find her way home. But how? She had no idea where she was.

The hooligans, four of them, were a stone's throw away. Yet, they reeked of cheap alcohol. Their clothes were soaked with a pungent layer of sweat and at several places, were coated with a generous dollop of dirt.

All the horrifying tales of the nerve wrecking, unforgivable atrocities committed against women came flooding to Nandini, and that was enough for her to turn around and start walking as fast as her little legs could take her. She didn't know where it would lead her, but she was determined and hoped that it would get her back home.

"Hey, just check out that piece of meat!"

Nandini picked up her pace as several hoots and howls followed. "God, save me," she chanted under her breath, praying that they would lose interest and go their way. She glanced over her shoulder to check their progress, which she soon realized was a mistake.

From the accelerated shuffle of the hooligans' feet, Nandini could make out that they had closed in on the distance. They were right on her tail.

"Darling!"

Nandini dared not look around. Her legs grew heavy and her lungs ran out of air. She didn't know how long she could keep going. Sooner or later, she would have to give up the flight and turn around to fight. Could she? Or... would she be the next victim?

"Oh darling. Where to? We'll come along!"

Nandini gasped in shock when one of them popped up right beside her. "Just look at us, sweet heart," he teased with a vicious display of his mottled, brown teeth.

"Get off me!" She yapped and slapped his filthy hand away.

"Angry kitty!" Two more came from the other end. Nandini realized with terror, that they had circled her like vultures. Very soon, they would make their move.

With horror, Nandini realized that her exit was blocked. She stumbled a couple of steps back, only to fall straight into the open arms of her perpetrators.

She shrieked!

The darkness caved in on her from all directions and she labored for a breath of air.

Rough, filthy hands, groped her.

Chapped lips that stunk of liquor coursed its way to the bosom of her chest.

It was the end. Here she was, in an unknown desolate place, trapped and helpless, far away from home. Far away from Manik.

... And then, Nandini mustered all her strength and struck out hard, straight at her assailant's throat.

2ND SHOT

An immense wave of satisfaction washed over Nandini as she heard her assailant go into a violent fit of coughing. The wisps of darkness that had engulfed her a while ago, slowly gave way and she cocked up her head to see Manik sprawled over the bed in agony.

"What the---?" She mumbled in confusion.

Manik... here? But I was... how did I get...? Broken questions. A ton of them flooded her confused mind. Then she realized the horrifying truth. She had just had one of those bigger than life, graphic dreams again (as usual) and attacked poor Manik in the bargain. She quickly recollected how the other night, she had put the great Messi to shame by firing a net busting shot right into Manik's shin.

Nandini's face was pale and her sad eyes like gooseberries when she gently stroked him over the chest. Manik still struggled for air. He choked, wheezed and gasped before quickly drifting off to sleep. Or did her blow knock him out? Only morning would tell. As far as the dream was concerned, her feat would have made Bruce Lee proud.

The next day, Manik sat at the table and sipped on his morning cuppa while Nandini served breakfast and threw several curious glances at him. From the looks of it, he had no memory of what had happened last night. Every now and then, he would sniffle, pass a cough or two and bury himself in the Economic Times while chewing onto his breakfast.

Nandini settled down at the table and took a sip out of her cup. She looked up as Manik coughed and cleared his airways for probably the umpteenth time this morning.

He hissed grumpily and voiced his thoughts out aloud. "Why the hell do I have this disgusting cough? Nandini. Do you have something for this? I've got an important deal to close today and I can't be barking like this."

Nandini ogled at him for a good few minutes, as though she were just waiting for that bomb to explode.

Manik raised a brow in question. "Nandini. What are you...?"

Before he could complete, she sprang to her feet and disappeared into the kitchen.

"What the---?" Manik was surprised. Nandini was acting rather strange this morning.

The blink of an eye later, she returned with a steaming cup of strong, peppered coffee. She settled down beside him while he took a deep sip and let out a contended sigh.

"Manik?" She started off meekly.

"Hmm..." He took another sip.

"Last night, I had a dream." She curled the tip of her hair around her finger and bit her lip.

"Uh-huh."

"I was at this strange place," she continued. "Lost. Alone. It was dark. And deserted."

From the corner of his eyes, Manik could see that Nandini was rather fidgety. He lowered the paper and looked her squarely in the eye.

She grimaced at the look on his face.

"Go on," he urged rather sternly. He couldn't wait to see where this was going. Somehow, he knew the ending already.

"And then, three... no. Four guys, came out of nowhere."

"Then?" His jaws throbbed.

"Then... but promise me, you won't kill me."

"Depends," he responded in a husky voice.

"Please..." She whimpered and held his hand.

"Nandini. Tell me about the dream or I will kill you!"

Nandini gulped nervously. She could hardly sit on her chair. "Oh shit. No. Wait."

"Nandini. Continue. Now."

"Okay! Okay!" She was at the edge of her chair now, ready to bound off to safety if needed. "And then... these guys... they... seriously... they were so yuck!"

"Spare me the details and tell me the story, you idiot."

"Yeah. I am. These guys started stalking me. They trapped me. And---"

"And then you unleashed your judo, kung Fu and karate," he concluded. "On me," he added.

Nandini sprang to her feet. "It wasn't on purpose, I swear. I don't know! Why do I even become a terrorist---"

Manik slammed the paper on to the table to mark the end of their conversation. "Enough!"

Nandini watched him as he rolled up his sleeves and gnashed his teeth. "You're so gone, dammit! I'm going to like literally finish you today!"

TO BE CONT'D...

PROMO

Nandini leaned with her back to the door and panted for air. The door knob rattled violently and she straightened up with a tiny little hiccup.

"Open the door," commanded Manik from the other side.

"No!" She responded defiantly.

"I said open the door, dammit!" He snarled through clenched teeth.

"Or else what?" Nandini challenged with a big grin.

"I'll break down this door!"

"Ha-ha! Yeah, right!"

The knob rattled again. Manik was determined to break through. Nandini seemed confident and least bothered, however.

"Ah! Go on! Go on!" She teased and leaned onto the door again.

Manik glanced at his watch, heaving desperately. Time was running out and he had to rush for that meeting.

"Fine," he announced with a defeated pout. "You've got away for now. I'll get you in the evening, just wait and watch."

"Ha-ha-ha!" She replied sarcastically.

Nandini's smile disappeared as she heard Manik's footsteps moving away from the door, followed by the roar of his car's engine on the porch. Wait. He's gone?

She scrambled to the window and peeped out to see his car moving out of the gates and onto the streets. He's really gone! Whew! Thank God! Saved, for now!

The coast being clear, Nandini stepped out of the room and took a deep breath. She prepared to proceed downstairs, when a presence behind her forced her to turn around.