Reckless highway monster 👽
Ranjith, checked the petrol indicator, the needle was about to touch the empty level, it alarmed him, and he shouted “Otha...Are you kidding me ?”. He prayed god " kadavula, kadavula.."that petrol station should be open, as it was the only station in the omalur. If the car got the fuel in the petrol station, then he would easily for him to reach the police station, and so they would escort him safely to his home.
Yaar intha ranjith? Why he is rushing ? Whom he is running away? Is the rest of the story. Intha story romba interesting ah irukum. Read till the last word, I am sure it will kept you hooked.
He wished that day had to be a working day for petrol bunk. In a few distances, he would reach a petrol bunk after then there won’t be any until he reach salem.
If there someone in the world who would have helped him, it would be his dad. But the thought of his dad leaving him and his mom, made him more aggressive and pressed the accelerator.
Every story needs a flashback. Unfortunately, this story also need a flashback.
Ranjith, an engineering student, was studying in the Sri krishna engineering college, Bangalore. He is smart and average boy who is 20 year old.
Since when everything was normal, his father worked as a branch manager in nationalised bank and his mother is a home maker. They lived in Salem, Metropolitan city. Like every other parents, his parents also aruge for everything. They thought after childbirth things would sort out smoothly, however, that didn’t end as they planned. Over a course time, they fought every day.
Dreams
Sometimes he dreamed of coming late to home, when he opened the door everyone in the house cheering for him, he was stunned, his father took him with his hands and kissed him in the cheeks and everyone around him cheering, clapping and shouting “ happy birthday”, he was very happy and hugged his father. His father walked him to the table where the cake was placed and the room was decorated with balloons were tied up on the walls and the ceiling, colour ribbon from the top corner of the room connected to the top chimney light. It was his favourite chocolate cake, as there were eight candles stickup on the top of the cake, burning candle were sparking in the room. And in the center, happy birthday Ranjith 8th anniversary written boldly, as everyone sing the happy birthday song, he blew the candle fire, and took the first piece of the cake to his father and then to his mother. His dreams disturbed by the noise in the hall.
Suddenly, he awaked up in the middle of the night he could heard the his mom crying, he tried to close his eye and to get in to his dreams, but the crying sound of his mom never stopped, immediately, he rushed to the door , but it was locked outwards. Then he heard voice of his father, “ I don’t want you anymore. You don’t excite me anymore" scolding his mother, as he could not take that any more, he started banging the door. Then he heard voice of his father saying, “Sign the divorce paper or I will kill you”. He did not waste a second started banging the door continuously and shouting “Mom. Open the door. Open the door”. As soon as his mother opened the door, he rushed to her and hugged her. He said “What happened ma ?” as he saw her face soared in red colour with his father’s hand impression. He said “Did he beat you ?” touching her face. She told “Nothing. Nothing. Let go sleep” and took his hands from her face and kissed his hands. His mom locked the door inward, and she puts him in the bed. She covered him with the blanket, and she sat beside him, and gentle patted his body. She thought he was sleeping, but he kept thinking about the birthday celebrated in his dreams.
Next day he got up early, everything was normal like before but when he checked the dad room, his dad was not there, his mom was busy with talking with someone. From her tone, he thought something bad had happened. He did not want to talk about dad as she already had enough trouble with him, so he left the school without eating breakfast. Even at the school he was disturbed, did not listen the teaching, his thoughts were lingered about the absence of his dad in the morning, but he consoled himself that his dad would be in the home when he returned. After he got out of the school bus, he rushed towards home and knocked the front door, saying “ Daddy-" , he was surprised to see his grandfather and grandmother sitting in the front room, with an a serious concern face. Mother took him to the bedroom asked to be ready so that they would go to the Salem. Few years later, his father legally divorced his mother and married another woman, who worked in his office, and they moved to Delhi leaving us behind.
Ranjith was staying his mother in Salem. Eventhough his father left him he would call him on his birthday, who was the first person to wish. Few years later, his father did not even contact with him. Later he knew that his father’s second wife gave birth to a girl and they lived a happily. He was angry with his father for leaving him and his mother, and then he understood nothing would change his crisis, and he accepted his life.
Unlike his father, ranjith would like to be a faithful husband to his wife, and he promised himself that he would never leave his wife under any circumstance. Raising a child up, without a father was very tough phase for his mother. Society did not respect her, as she was divorced. His mom was insulted in her work places, relatives, and others.
She worked very hard. Being a single mother, she gave importance to him and to her career, which was a tough situation. She would buy anything, he wished. She raised him that he would never need the presence of his father in his life anymore.
Ranjith got admitted in the famous school in Salem, as she was ready to spend any amount, so he could have a normal life like others, but it didn’t happened, most of time, he felt depressed and would not be attentive in the class. Unlike like his previous school, he got few friends only in the new school, and rarely goes out with them. His grades were very low, but his mother won’t shout at him. She understood his feeling for his father.
His fellow classmates bullied him for not having a father. He did not tell that to his mom, which would affect her emotionally. Every day in the school, he underwent so many troubles by his fellow mates. When one of the bully gang called his mother with names, ranjith got temper and thrashed him in the school campus, and other students informed to the school co-ordinator.
The school informed about the situation to the ranjith’s mother, and asked her to come. Next day, ranjith was in the principal room along with his mother. Principal gave termination letter to his mother because of the disciplinary issue. She pleaded to the principal for his behaviour. Finally, principal warned him for the last time.
That night, when ranjith did not slept, as the image of his mother crying in the principal room flashed in his mind, so he asked her ‘how could you plead infront of the principal ’. She replied ‘you were my lost hope. Your father left us because he wanted us to fail in life’. she made him to look at the situation in the positive way, saying that his father had given the opportunity to live without his dependence. Life would be so hard for him, but he had to live with that, nothing going to change, he had to adapt to the new situation. She insisted him to focus on his career as she wanted him to study in the reputed college and becomes the person who she proud of.
After he had passed in +2 exams, his mom bought him his favourite car. Ranjith was an ardent car lover, and he would always buy magazine, if it had any car picture. Ranjith’s eye filled with tears, when his mom gave him a car key, which he never dreamed about it. Even though his father left his mother, she worked very hard, there were days where she would spend 18 hours working, and she worked different work in a day. Now that, they does not need him anymore
Ranjith was selected in the college, Bangalore, which happened to be the best college in south india, which is at least 180 km from salem. After her husband left, she took care of him and made sure he got all the love and care he deserved, but he still missed his dad. When she heard the news of him leaving to bangalore, she felt depressed, but for the sake of his career, she approved him to study in Bangalore. They both did not slept previous night, as he had to leave his mother all alone in Salem, but he had promised her that he would return every weekend.
Life of ranjith is so beautiful as he expected. But always talk to his mother every night at 8 pm.He stay in bangalore every weekday and on the weekend he return home.
It is a weekend. And it's time to go home. Ranjith on his way to Salem from Bangalore.
Bangalore has a two-way lane with smooth road to travel. Ranjith saw many cars came in the opposite direction, because of floating population from hosur and krishnagiri would stay in bangalore over weekend.
He looked at his face in the front mirror, and adjusted his smooth hair. He looked the picture of him holding around his mom neck that was dangling from the front mirror. Whenever he saw picture, he would think about his mom. He called his mom and informed her about his arrival to home. On hearing it, she was very happy, and she would not sleep, until he knocks the door. Ranjith changed the gear, as the road is empty, pressed the accelerator, and the car veered fast in the highway.
His mom also trusted him that he could handle any situation. He had already travelled many times in the midnight, so travelling in the night was not big concern to him.
He called Sangeetha in his phone, but it ended as unattended. He increased the sound of the music in the car, Anirudh’s Selfi-Pulla, famous chartbuster of year 2018, most recommended song of the year, and he sang along with the voice, as he let few cars veered past him.
Who may wonder who is this Sangeetha? , but for your information sangeetha is his lover.Now, story goes to his college life at bangalore.
His college life is exact opposite to his school life, as he got lot of friends there. He was a sprinter, participated in many competitions. Many girls in his college proposed him, but he rejected it. He didn’t wanted to end up like his parents.
Sangeetha spends most of her time in the library. She reads many fiction books, infact, her favourite author was Sudeep Nagarkar, as most of his book were related to real life stories. So mostly teen purchase his books.
Eventhough they both were in the same class, they never spoken to each other. She was exact opposite to him. She was an ordinary girl, who minds her own business. She didn’t had boyfriends and doesn’t talk a lot in the class, which attracted him the most. When he proposed her in the Lal park, where you can see full of lovers in the park. Though she liked him a lot, she told him that she was not impressed.
Next few days, he went to library and read all fiction of sudeep nagarkar, message the quotes of the author to her in the night. She understood the effort and sincerity, which he had taken to impress her really touched her, she found hard to reject him. In the next date, she accepted his proposal, and hugged him in the park. Ranjith felt so happy and thought she would be a great daughter-in-law to his mother.
Back to present day. Time was 10.30 pm when he reached the highway road of the Bangalore, and the night has just started. There were streetlight in the road and shop were closing that were on either side of the road. Ranjith was driving the car with the speed 50 km/ph in the Bangalore highway road, which was higher than the average speed limit.
Bangalore highway roads were very smooth, yet it was full of vehicle. Although it was night, the climate was so warm, so he switched on the A/C. Ranjith sneaked in to gaps, lot of two wheelers, but he managed to reach the check post border.
‘What are you doing ?’ Ranjith asked on the phone, as the vehicle horn is too noisy, he raised his car window.
‘Nothing’ sanjeetha replied on the other end of the phone.
‘Are you thinking about me’ Ranjith asked in a flirting voice. He had already informed her about his travel to salem for that weekend. Usually, he would start the car by evening, but that day was the second anniversary of their dating life, so they went to the park, where he had proposed her two year ago.
After spending some time in that park, he left her in home, and return to his room. Before he locked the room, he grabbed the gift, which he was purchased to give his mom on her birthday, which was on that Sunday.
‘Where are you?’ Sangeetha replied, and concerned about his whereabouts. By that time, Ranjith entered the hosur belong to tamil nadu.
When the some car behind him honked, so he took the left corner of the road for the vehicle behind him would drove past him. Ranjith said, ‘I have just started my baby. I would reach my home by 2.00 am’.
As he drove ahead, the count of car gets low. Finally, it was his car and the road.
He had almost reached the four-way lane of hosur, known for automobile industries like Titan and TVS, it was also called ‘Little England of Tamilnadu’. Climate of hosur was chill in late night, so he switched off the a/c and he scrolled down the window glass for the breeze air. Mountains were on the both side of the road. Wandering in that road, like watching the classic Hollywood movie. The road has no shop on either side. It was just him and the silent road. He had to travel another 45 km to reach krishnagiri.
“You should not call, while driving” Sangeetha said and with soft tone. Sangeetha always cared him. Without her permission, he would never indulge anything.
She had already spoken to his mom who was so comforting to her. Ranjith was in heaven when his mom gave a green signal to their love life.
‘Don’t worry di, I can drive even in my sleep’ Ranjith.
‘Ok! Are you thinking about me’ Ranjith asked. Ranjith went several dates with Sangeetha in the same car. He loved Sangeetha as much as he cared for his mother.
‘I am watching A Walk To Remember movie’ Sanjeetha replied him.
Ranjith ‘Such a boaring movie. Why don’t you watch Fight Club, Mr and Mrs smith?’. Ranjith increased the speed of the car, and he overtook few vehicles.
Sanjeetha ‘I am not in interested in action movies’. She was the exact opposite of the Ranjith. Many friends in the college shocked to know that they were in the relationship for two year, as they kept their little secret within them.
When Ranjith was talking with Sangeetha, an horn sound of the vehicle disturbed their conversation. At first Ranjith ignored it, but after few more second there was a continuous horn sound, which annoyed Ranjith. He glanced in the side view mirror of his car, he could not get glimpse of the vehicle, as it was coming in distant, and he could only see the headlight of the vehicle, which was very bright. From the light and sound he guessed, it must be big truck. He turned on the left indicator, and he moved his car towards the left corner, so the truck would drive past him, but the truck slow down the speed and did not use the opportunity to drive past him.
‘What happened da’ Sangeetha enquired. Ranjith Said to himself,'Is something wrong its headlight ? or he purposefully didn’t overtook me?'. Sangeetha with a concern tone ‘Are you there?. Hello!!’
‘Nothing! Di. ’ Ranjith replied, switched off his A/C and kept his eye on the rear mirror to view the vehicle. He felt something odd about that truck.
‘Concentrate on your driving da. We will talk tomorrow morning’ sanjeetha said.‘I can’t talk with you anymore. My mom would come to my room at anytime’
“Hey! Talk to me for some more time” replied Ranjith, lowering the side mirror to get a clear view. He did not see any truck.
Sangeetha said, ' HEY ', but he didn't listened her. He checked his rear mirror of the car to get a glimpse of the truck, but there was no truck.
Then he thought, it would be his wild imagination, as he had seen many Hollywood thriller Movies. He relaxed and focused on the road.
Ranjith checked the fuel meter. He had thought it would be sufficient to reach home, and if the petrol emptied before he reaches salem, he would have fuelled his car in petrol bunk nearby dharmapuri. Those petrol bunks would be open on all day except few Sunday.
'MADAM' ranjith said in smooth tone. ‘No! You drive safely. I don’t want anything happen to my Future Husband’ said Sangeetha. He could not hide his smile.
“Hey! What just you have said. Repeat again” Ranjith said to her. He couldn't his smile. Any men can blush, when their girl was address him as husband.
Again, the horn sound from the vehicle interrupted their conversation. Ranjith glanced in the side view of the car, this time he saw the same truck riding behind his car. Ranjith slowed down his car, making the other vehicle to go past him, but truck driver also slowed and taunted him. Ranjith wondered why wouldn’t he drove past him?.
‘I am going to end the call da’ Sangeetha said angrily.
‘Hey talk for few more minutes’ Ranjith pleaded her and kept his eyes on the side mirror to monitor truck. This time truck was still following him. When he reached the traffic signal, he waited for the green signal to appear. The truck also halted behind his car. The truck driver switched off its engine, and so everything is dark.He checked the rear mirror again, the truck still behind him. But, he could not get a glance of the driver.
‘Focus on your driving da, and message after you reach home’ Sangeetha said with her soft tone.
‘Podi!I will message you.Good Night’ Ranjith said with dejected tone. His mind was not calm, something bothering him.
“Poda. Bye. Drive safely. I will pray for you” Sanjeetha and ended the call.
After the traffic signal turn green, ranjith pressed the accelerator of his car. The truck engine also switched on.
Ranjith saw the warning board about the speed limit within 40 km/hr, but he was driving by speed of 60km/hr. By this speed, he would reach home in 3 hours. He increased the sound level of the music player, and he hummed the lyric of another anirudh song.
Another horn sound from the same truck really irritated him. Ranjith suggested truck might be closer to him, so he switched off the music. As the horn sound become louder and nosier this time. He felt something was not correct with the truck.
He wondered who would be driving the truck and honking irritably ? He reduced the speed of the car, and pressed the brake, the tire scorched to halt in the middle of the road. He drove past the green board, which shows another 25km distance to krishnagiri.
When he was saw the side view mirror, the truck were also slowing down its speed. He saw truck halted and switched off its engine.
There were complete dark on either side of the road that even if he was rundown by monster truck, no one would there to save him, as all the shop had closed after 10 p.m. He turned back and saw no movement in the truck. He got out the car and stood in the road. The road is almost empty with no street light.
He saw the truck few yards away from him. It looked like a very old model, tainted black colour and he tried to look the person in the driver seat, as the light in the truck was turned off, he saw a shadow, but unable to see his face clearly. The truck severely damaged front portion, looking menacing like a killer.
There were forest on either side of the road, he heard low growling sound from the animals. There were no shop or household would come for his recuse. The road complete dark, there was no sign of vehicle on the road.
When he was staring the driver of killer truck, the engine started and headlights switched on. He jerked backwards. As truck engine veered, Ranjith’s legs began to tremble in fear. He knew very well, even if shouted for help there would be no one would be there to help him.
Immediately, truck engine started off without warning. He was shaking in fear. As the truck moved towards him in full speed, Ranjith was trying to open the open door handle, which had struck many times previously. The truck was moving towards him very fast to run over him while he trying to open the door handles with full throttle. He prayed god, to open the door and he do not want to die like that. When the door opened, slipping into the car seat, and saved his life from the accident.
Ranjith had a huge relief, and he could see the truck did not halt, driving with same speed. As the truck veering past him, ranjith traced the number plate of the truck, and it showed him, kirshnagiri registration. Ranjith waited for the truck to disappeared into the dark.
He seated in the car few more minutes, and then got the bag from the back seat, which had a water bottle. He gulped the water and splashed it in his face to get over the fear. Ranjith took the phone from his pocket to inform his mom but there was no charge in it. He shouted " shit". Ranjith waited for few more minutes with frustration and then started the engine.
He drove slowly and checked his speedometer that showed 30km/hr which is below the average speed limit. The night got gloomy. He reached the krishngiri, which has a single lane road.He skipped the route that take him to the town, thought the truck would taken the route into the town, but at night time no shop would be opened, so he did not like to waste any more time, he continue to drove in the highway. There were agricultural lands on either side of the road.
All he wished for a cup of tea to freshen up little bit, as the bizarre event scared and made him tired. He was dying to have a break. Finally he saw something. He felt happy, when he saw the board that showed him distance to dharmapuri was 30 km. He changed the gear and pressed the accelerator. The speed indicator showed 120km/ph.
He drove over the royakottai signal bridge in high speed, which covered atleast 10km.As it was a single lane road, many accidents happened in the high way.
When he reached the road, he saw the police patrol were following him. The siren sound of police patrol struck him, so he slowed down the car and stopped. The patrol vehicle passed him and stopped few meters after his car.
An officer got down from the vehicle with a pad in their hand. He is in his uniform, and he got police badge number 1356. Ranjith started to tremble, because when police register a case against him, he have go to the court working day and pay them fine. When the officer approached him,he stopped the car and got out.
The Officer said, ‘At 12.30am where are you going. Give your documents?’. He slide immediately to the dashboard and gave them all the documents. After checking the documents, the officer returned it to him except driving license.
Officer said, ‘the speed limit is 60km/ph. How could you drive more than 100km/Ph, which is an offense’. ‘You would be arrested for the offense’
Ranjith was taken a back and said ‘Sir, the road was empty so I drove fast. I am a college student’and shoed his college ID card. Officer looked at the ID card and said ‘Why is your father name is missing in the ID’. Is he alive or dead? ’ Driving license is an ID card that shows your complete biodata. It has your photo, your date of birth, father name, and address. Ranjith ID card had everything, except his father name, he got his mother name only.
Ranjith ‘My father left us. My mother only raised me. So instead of my father name, I had given my mother name’ said and stood silently. Ranjith does not want to be embarrassed, so he hung his head down.
‘You have to pay of 5000 rs for over-speeding, if you didn’t pay the fine, your license will be suspended for three more months’ said the officer. Ranjith pleaded him as he don’t had that much money to pay nor don’t want his licence to be suspended.
Officer looked at him and returned his ID card. He understood pain of ranjith and let him go. He started toward his vehicle, turned and looked at him. Officer said ‘Drive safely’, and he got into the seat, and started the engine.
He reached darmapuri, which is forest zone. The roads were not tarred properly and it got countless potholes, which makes vehicles find difficult in driving.Apart from that, sandalwood smuggling that has been happening over a decade in that forest. Many women brutally raped in the forest. Lot of thefts incident reported in the roadside.
Lot of highway trailer trucks stood in the roadside and drivers of those trucks were drinking and chattering in the road. Some of them blocked few vehicle and disturb them. One of the drivers stopped his vehicle, but he did not stopped, as he pressed the accelerator, and his car passed them.
Ranjith checked the time again. It was 1:40 am. Another 90 mins he would be reaching his home.
After few mins of travelling, he reached café, parked his car in front of the shop, and got out of the car. Except the coffee café, other shops locked. He thought, 30 km he would reached omalur, where he refill the petrol and another 35km he would have reached salem.
On seeing the bakery shop opened, he thought he would charge his phone here. No one was there, when he entered the shop. The shop had few table and chairs. The atmosphere in the room is very chill and the tube light in the shop was flickered, there were lot of patches in the wall, some areas were not painted properly, the ceiling were sagging, making the shop horrible. There was a song playing in the radio. As the fan in that room switched off, he felt warm all over my body. He looked around the room, went to the counter, and pressed the bell.
He shouted, ‘Is anybody there, yarathu irukingala ’ with loud noise. A man in his fifties came from the other room, and gave the menu card to him.
Man looked shabby and smell from his dress made Ranjith two steps backwards.
Ranjith looked the menu card, and ordered for a cup of coffee. After Ranjith ordered, the man told him to sit in the table for few min and left to the other room. Again he was alone in the room.
Few more seconds later, the fragnance in the room changed to sensual, he sensed someone in his room, and he did not turned back. He heard someone was approaching towards him. When turned back, he saw beautiful women in yellow saree standing in front of him with a low waist. She smiled at him. The heat in his body raised and he looked at the curve of the women.
Ranjith stared at the hip of the women. Ranjith body temperature hit the roof.
The girl asked ‘what’s your name, Unga peru’.
He can’t stop looking at her and said ‘Ranjith. Your name? Please’. He smiled at her.
The women replied ‘My husband calls me Rajeswari, but you can call me. Raji’. She moved a closer towards him. The scent of her body seduced him.
Ranjith said with soft voice, ‘Are you married?. But you look very young ’and looked her red lips.
Raji ‘ yes.The Person, whom you ordered is my husband. He is twenty years older than me. He won’t let me to talk to the young guys like you’ said and gave him a long breath.
Raji said‘What do you want ?’ and bite her lower lips and moaned with low voice.
Ranjith said ‘I ordered for a cup of coffee’ without taking his eyes on her. He wanted to touch her face with his hands.
As the tubelight flickered, Raji grabbed her hand for a second, and withdraw immediately. Ranjith felt electricity all over his body.
There is perfect silence in the room. Before ranjith trying to talk, Raji interfered. ‘Have you not heard the rumour’, and smiled at him. She bend towards and came an inch closer to his mouth.
Rajith replied, ‘No’, and he wanted to bite the red lips, but immediately got sense. He does not want to cheat sangeetha just like, his father cheated his mom. He had taken two steps backward from her.
Raji told him ‘Did you saw anything odd in the highway’.
Ranjith was shocked, for no reason; he taken two steps backwards. Ranjith said ‘No such thing happened to me’ and for some reason, he hide it from her.
Raji smiled and said ‘There has been so many killing in the high way. Last month alone more than 10 people are killed including two women and three kids. The victims are beheaded, and their head are still missing in the scene, which is the most frightening part of their death’.
Ranjith ‘ WHAAAAT’ with a shivering voice.
Raji continued he story ‘Police investigated people in the surrounding and made few arrest, but still killing did not stopped’.
Ranjith ‘Did they caught him’.
Raji did not reply, walked to fridge, opened a beer bottle and poured it two glasses. She gulped a glass of beer without hesitation, and then she offered him one, which he rejected humbly. She smiled at him ‘Finally police give up on the case’.
Ranjith was in total shock, and his body is shaking in fear. By time raji were about to continue, the owner of the shop returned with the cup of tea. Ranjith reminds silent and got tea from him. After he drunk a cup of tea, and gave the money to the owner, exited the shop. When Ranjith was reaching the car, raji shouted him from the front door of the shop.
Ranjith started the car, and drove back to the silent road. His mind thought about the last word, she spoke to him, and it was resonated in his mind. Rani told to him about the psycho who murdered those people was a truck driver. Ranjith wondered how a serial killer would go on a killing spree, got loose for such a long time, and murdered more people on the highway.
After driving for few kilometers, he saw the patrol car thrashed against the tree of the highways and glasses were shattered in the ground. The siren of the vehicle is still on. The front portion of the car completely wrecked. Ranjith heartbeat raised, so he stopped few meters before the patrol car. The patrol vehicle seemed to be same vehicle that stopped him in krishngiri. He wished nothing happened to the officer, as he was not rude towards him.
Ranjith got down, and walked towards the car. His heartbeat was increased, and he strolled towards the car door in fear. He saw the officer body fell over the steering wheel. When he raised the head to see his face, which was on the steering wheel, the officer face was full of blood, and then from his badge he identified it was he, who asked the documents. Ranjith heart melted and thought it would be an accident, and stood there for few moments.
He saw the green rectangular board that showed him, welcome sign board to omalur with the two-ways lane road and another 35 km to salem. He guessed another 50 more minutes, and if he had travelled with the speed of 60km/hr, he would have reached home by that time. He pressed the accelerator and changed the hand gear to 4th level, as he saw few passenger car on the highway drove opposite to him.As highway roads were very smooth, the car can ride upto the maximum speed limit. Since airport is present in that place, the NHAI department took special care in the construction of the road. As omalur is the nearest town of salem, many colleges were located in the area, looked like a small town as it got street lights on either side of the road, making visibility for highway vehicles.
Ranjith checked time in his watch, which showed him 2:50 am, and he realized another 35km distance to reach salem city. He thought there was a possibility that the truck driver rundown the police patrol vehicle because when he was talking with the officer in krishnagiri, the truck driver would noticed them in distant. As the truck driver thought that ranjith might had shared information to the police officer, which would help to police department to capture him, so the truck driver cashed him madly and ran him against the tree. If the truck thrashed the patrol vehicle, then the psycho would not hesitate to kill him. That created a shiver in the spine of Ranjith, which made him drove the very fast in the road as overtook few commercial vehicles.
Unfortunately, the truck had been waiting for him, drove behind his car. After seeing the truck behind him, he guessed whether it was be the same truck that tried to run over him, so reduced the speed of the car, as the car speed reduced, the truck approached him very fast that he could see the truck closer. He said “Damn” and scared for his life as the front portion of the truck heavily damaged. He clearly confirmed that petrol car is run downby the killer truck.
He said“ No.Noo.Nooo.Noooo” and changed gear to 5th level, the maximum gear in his car and drove insanely. The truck followed his car, honking and driving towards his car with high speed.
Ranjith, checked the petrol indicator, the needle was about to touch the empty level, it alarmed him, and said “Otha.Are you kidding me ?”, so he prayed god that petrol station should be open, as it was the only station in the omalur. If the car got the fuel in the petrol station, then he would easily reach the police station, and the police would escort him safely to his home.
He wished that day had to be a working day for petrol bunk. In a few distances, he would reach a petrol bunk after then there won’t be any petrol station until he reach salem.
Ranjith came back to sense, furiously, punched the accelerator to reach the petrol station, the black truck also increased the speed. As tension dwelled up his mind, he reached the gas station. The front entryway of the petrol station sealed with rope, the lights were off, the place was so dark, and there were no employee. He said “shit. shit. Shit.. Not today”, and his heart whispered him that it was an end. He was very much disappointed and frustrated as it might be hard for him to reach the destination with the fuel he had in his car.
Ranjith, reached the outer limit of the omalur town, which got forest on either side of the road. The truck cashed him, and he drove very fast and saw the milestone that indicated salem was 25km distance. By raising the car speed to 80 km/ph, he moved the car from side to side, to lose track of the truck, but the truck kept pace and followed him furiously. He wondered moving the car side to side would confuse the truck drive there might be chance either he slip the lane and enter into the forest or he would stumble that would give time for the car to move forward. But the truck driver neither slipped nor stumble, he kept phase with road, created terror in him. He thought he would die unless does something.
He had a plan, which was very risky that would put his life in danger, but he did not wanted to take a life posing risk thought there would few vehicle nearby salem junction, he could contact them either by honking or screaming for help that would get him some attention, somebody might inform police to help him.
He crossed the murugan temple, the beginning point of salem city limit, the road diverged into two-lane. On the left towards salem and anotheris chennai highway. He took left road towards salem that is a single lane road, skipping the straight road aheads towards chennai.
He passed the white board indicated bridge in another 10 km distance, so he calculated 10 km distance in the road and remaining 10km distance over the bridge, and he got to travel over the newly constructed bridge.
Ranjith honked the horn repeatedly to alert the opposite passenger car, and then he let his head out screamed “help help help”, but he knew no body would helped him. He picked to swim in the nightmare, though his heart felt it that he already drowned in fear.
He wanted truck to chase him rashly then there would possibility of diverting him or crashing him in the shops, which would let him a way for his escape, but the design of the road made the vehicle passing the road couldn’t move fast. The truck could not cope up with the speed of the car, as few passenger cars comes in the opposite direction, very hard to maintain the consistent speed, chasing the car was not easy in that road. He checked the fuel level it could go only for few more kilometers, and he gazed the side mirror, and he could view speed of the truck reduced, with this speed possibility to executing the trick he had in his mind extend to zero to negative infinity..
He wiped the sweat from his face, thought of giving up plan as life never as he had planned. His thoughts went back to his young age where he went to bed thinking about his father leaving them, hearing those nasty words from the neighbour, bullying at the school, always in his mind. He was tired and exhausted, but he did not let go and fought until his last breath. He prayed god to provide strength to fight him. He want to be with my mom, and got married to Sangeetha. He saw the picture of the mom in the frame dangling from the front mirror. It remained him the childhood memories with his mother.
Ranjith frustrated and his face turned red, as he checked the rear view mirror, the truck was chasing him with high speed. He saw the bridge in few meters, and knew a chance to seek light at last. Before he drove over the bridge, he kicked his side door open, and it fall on the sideway road. He saw few passenger cars travelled in the opposite direction of the road, but he did not waste time for help. He checked the petrol indicator, and it showed him a low fuel warning. His back tire colluded with some sharp object on the bridge road, he felt a little jerk of the car He decided to execute the plan at any moment over the bridge before the petrol in the car drain out.
This is the biggest bridge in tamilnadu, as it travels through the city. The roadway was heavy with traffic, so the government decided to construct the bridge to reduce the traffic flow in the road. It took almost 3 years to complete the bridge. The government official announced that the vehicle travel over the bridge should not to go beyond 50 km/ph speed limit.
Ranjith said, “It’s a trap bitch”, but he veered fast with that speed if any car comes in opposite direction, both would exploded in to pieces, because he want the truck drive to chase him with the high speed . When he reached the halfway through the bridge, the air in the back tire began to leak slowly and few bolts from the back tire are loosen up and the tire stumbled, so the speed of the car got reduced, but the truck speed was no stopping and it was following more furious. The truck continued to lurch him side by side, damaging his car. He wiped his face with hands.
The truck stalked car, consumed his mind, and increased his fright. The flat tire started to sparked, which could led to catch fire in the back tire. He knew that his back tire got punctured. When he turned back, the truck chased him with full speed, but he did not stop the vehicle, and he proceeded, as the back tire got flames all over it. He brushed his head with tension, and continued to drive the car with speed 80km/ph..
Suddenly place becomes so silent and everything started to move in slow motion. He raised the gear to last level, gripped the steer wheel, slammed the accelerator, flat tyre screeched the road, and he thought to make few more distance. Even if he tried to rundown him, he would stay on the ground.
He reached to that point, where he had to execute the plan that was his last chance for survival. In a spilt second, Ranjith turned the steering wheel to complete left and pressed the break sharply, the tension builds in him degree by degree. The smoke from the raging fire burned him, sitting at the edges of the seats, and his emotion were out of control. He could still see the truck speed was no slowing down, and his mind become numb. The scratching sound of the blown tyre brought him reality. As the car completely in fire, he knew it could explode at any moment.
In the split second, he jumped from the moving car, allowing the truck hitting the car. His body thud on the concrete road, rolling few times, and caused him an unbearable pain. As soon as the car hit overpass, the truck also lost control, and along with the car, it went down 55 feet to the ground and made a huge fire explosion. Ranjith, cried in pain, still in the concrete road with bruises and gashes all over his body.
Next morning he could some calling how, when he tried to open his eye his vision is blurred and he could not see anything clearly. Again he tried opened his eyes, he was in a hospital room, he could see his mom , who was so worried and tears were flowing from her eyes. He told her not to worry and saw inspector along with two constable stood there. Before inspector began to spoke with ranjith regarding , doctor interrupted him and told him that the patient had multiple injury and would need some rest to speak again. On hearing it from the doctor, the inspector along with the two constables left the place.
Doctor gave list of tablet that should be bought for his recovery. she gave a small peck in his forehead and told everything would be alright. Ranjith was happy that his mom was with him. He told her, “Happy birthday. Unfortunately your present got burnt out” She told him that nothing valuable as he son. She promised she would be back in few mins and she closed the door to buy the medicine. Ranjith felt relieved as he escaped from the killer. Immediately the light in the room started to flicker and went completely dark. He opened his mouth to shout for help but he couldn’t do it . The Door opened, and he saw a shadow stood in the door way, confidence within him teared down . As Ranjith was in the dark room, he could not see his face clearly. His calmness began to fade and chaos alerted the panic button inside him. Ranjith thought his mother would show up any moment. He felt nervous and started to shiver in fear. Before he shouted again, the shadow approached and hit him in the head.
End of the story
