Stranger on the highway

• Although this may seem to be a very common place title for a story i had a hard time choosing this one. And it seems to be the most appropriate to me. I had this story idea from our very own bollywood movies. LOL. Initially i had written it with the idea of a movie script. Hence the dialogues. Do leave in your comments for this one. I had to tax my brains for this one :-)

The Stranger on the Highway……

Karan Oberoi is driving his black Mercedes on the dark highway… he is dressed shabbily and is homeward bound from a fresher party. He is slightly drunk and is having difficulty controlling the steering wheel.He sees a girl of about 22, dressed in a traditional suit, waving out to him as if asking for a lift. The car screeches to a stop. Karan pulls the window down.. he turns towards the window… facing the girl, who is bending down with an agitated expression..

Karan: Can I be of any help to you lady?

Girl: Well yes. My car just broke down and I need to reach the city within an hour...

Karan: All right just jump in.

The girl gets seated inside the car in the front seat.

Karan: Well lady, what made you lurk out in these dark hours? Hope you are not one of those much hyped and talked about spirits that create havoc amongst people...
Girl: Yah I know… That’s the reason why I missed so many cars before you...
Both of them split into a hilarious laughter… The girl suddenly stops laughing and expressions akin to thoughtfulness spring on her face...
Girl: Ah! Excuse me mister. Can you please pull down a little backwards...? You see I forgot my car keys….
Karan: Oh is it? Well sure.
Karan sees a black Opel astra parked right besides the road. He beckons the girl to take her car keys. The girl gets down and opens the front door.
Karan: An old model yeah? I wonder why you still use it.
Girl (shocked) – Well I’ll take the keys myself. Why did you get out?
Karan- Oh that’s fine lady. Lemme help you.
Karan moves forwards to open the door and the girl desperately, tries to stop him but in vain. The door opens and karan is shocked to find a man drenched in blood leaning on the steering wheel…
Karan- WWW….What the hell is that?
Girl (again agitated) - Well I killed this man.
Karan- What? Are you serious? What the hell is going on? Lady please let me out of this. I am leaving.
Girl- No please please, listen to me. This man was molesting me so I killed him in self defense. See here is my revolver.
Karan- Do you think I would believe you? Let me off lady. I don’t want any trouble.
Girl- Please mister. Look at me. Do you feel I ‘m lying? You have to help me and I promise I won’t see you ever again in life.
Karan became thoughtful for a moment. God knows why but he found no harm in helping put this stranger girl.The girl immediately recognized his confusion and at last got him agree to help her.
Karan- All right what do you want me to do?
Girl- Let us push this car downhill. No one may possibly know what had happened here since it’s such an isolated area. As it is there is a deep valley down there.
Karan agreed.
Karan and the girl are trying hard to push the car ahead when suddenly they hear groans from the car.

Karan (stopping) – Hey that man is alive! Lady you lied to me.

Girl (giving a wicked smile and pointing the revolver at him) – Do as I tell you mister. Otherwise this is going to be the last day of your life.

Karan (with an expression of fear) - Hey Chilll. I...I am doing it.

He pushes the car down the valley still trying to figure out, amongst his fear, as to what this girl was really up to.

The car falls down the valley and burns up deep down with a blast.

Karan (panting) - All right lady. Now let me go. I did what you told me to.

Girl (laughing out wickedly) – Well… Well... so mister how did you suppose that I am gonna let you out? You’re going down the valley too.
Karan- But you said you would let me go after I did your work.

Girl- Sharpen your memory mister. I never said that.

Karan- Look here lady. This isn’t right. Let me go. You can take what you want from me.

Girl- Oh! Do you suppose I do all this for money? I hate men. (Laughing out aloud) I am gonna kill each and every man I come across. (With emotions) Where were all of you so-called men when I was being forced into prostitution by my own husband??.... (Pauses with tears)… (Continues)... I don’t care. You are gonna be killed mister. (Pointing her gun at karan)- Prepare to meet thy death!
Karan lifts his hands up before his face awaiting death... when suddenly he hears someone say “Cut”. Sounds of clapping follow with more voices accompanying “Wonderful Maya”. Karan looks up slowly and sees a camera crew and some people whom he recognizes to be the movie unit.
A shabbily dressed man with a felt hat approaches Karan and grabbing his hands apologizes to him.
Director- Are you okay mister? You seem to be shivering? (Turning around)- array chhotu paani laa re.[ Chhotu! Get me some water!]
(Again facing Karan)- Actually we are the unit members of a reality show that is being aired these days. We were on the lookout for a new idea when suddenly one of us came up with this. I know we should have taken you into confidence, but then you wouldn’t have acted so brilliantly. (Smiling mischievously at Karan’s helplessness).
Karan (gaining courage) - Well that was dreary. You made an ass out of me you know that Mr. Director? And you Ms.Actress… That was so unkind of you too...

Maya approaches karan and tries to console him.

Maya- Well Mr.…….. ( ”Karan”, karan speaks out his name) Karan we are really sorry for whatever happened. We didn’t mean to hurt anyone’s feelings. Ah! Here comes Guru. (Winking at karan) remember that groaning man in the car?
Gurucharan is coming towards them walking slowly with a blank expression.
Maya (to karan) - Oh do not mind the blood. It’s all paint actually.
Suddenly the voice of a light man is heard from behind. He is calling out to the Director. They all turn around in the direction.
Director- What is it Govardhan? Chilla kyu rahe ho? [Why are you screaming?]
Govardhan( panting heavily)- saa’b wo cable jisse who gaadi ko baandha tha who toot gaya. Gaadi sach me khaai me gir gai hai. Aur … aur…. [saheb,the cables which held the car have snapped off.The car has fallen into the valley]( taking some time to gasp breaths)….

Director( looking worried and concerned)- Aur kya??? Bolo na?[And What? Tell me]
Govardhan- Saa’b Guru saa’b ki maut ho gai. Wo gaadi me hi the jab gaadi me aag lagi…… [Saheb, Guru Saheb is dead. He was in the car when it went into flames]
There is a pin drop silence amongst everyone. Everyone is gasping with fear and shock. They all turn around and see Grurcharan still standing there with a blank expression on his face…..