THE STALKER'S VICTIM

(Just wanted to try my hand at short story writing..Genre:as anticipated,fiction)

The street lights were flickering mildly.. I shivered as I strode along the lonely lane at 1.00am in the night. Fresh air and adventures were all that I needed.. Bach was blaring through my earphones… After walking  nearly a mile , I reached a lonely road( cannot call it a road, as it was more of a narrow clearing, hardly a feet wide, cornfields on either side). I watch a lot of horror movies  and probably that is the reason I ain’t intimidated much. This field has witnessed numerous snakes, and of course, snake-bites. People have seen large cobras and asps slither in and out of the greens. And what makes me assume that one of them  wont slither out of the bushes right now??

Though my thoughts grew wild, I did not give up or beat a hasty retreat. I wanted to take the chance. I wanted to seek thrill. So, i proceeded…

I heard a tiny hiss behind me. My heart skipped a beat. I guessed what it was, and just did not want to turn back. Oh no. my worst fears have come true, in form of a perilous serpent. This creature could slay me any second and my agility is no match for it… yet, my obtuse instinct remained numb and frozen and gave me no further commands.
No other go, I had to run!! I did. (Though i knew it wouldn’t help)...suddenly, I heard footsteps at my back.. definitely not an echo. A steady thumping on the ground.. Means, am being followed. not by a snake but a human..well, how on earth could I presume  it to be a human? did I see him? no .. I shook off my thoughts, I had to look back.. There was a hiss again and the footsteps grew louder. I ran faster, but it was no longer a hiss. It was more like a howl, a low moan, maybe a growl, a sound of thirst..bloodthirst? what if  am being followed by a werewolf or a vampire?  No.. the possibilties are remote. werewolves dont exist ...what if it was a ghost??Nah..I heard footsteps right?..ghosts never had any legs.. so, summing up all that I witnessed,I must say heard, it was the hiss of a snake, and footsteps of a man..what if it was a snake-man? what the hell is snake man? i am going insane..perfectly insane !!

my lungs felt ready to burst. .. I have to stop running. NOW ..!! my breathing came out in short heavy gusts. I jerked to a halt... I knew I was going to be attacked, and didn’t want to be attacked from behind.. I have to face the interloper.  I slowly turned back. there was nothing..  I should not be relieved. Not yet. Because, I have lost my way and am now standing amidst nowhere. I hardly noticed my way while sprinting, as  my only aim was to evade the slayer. Maybe I am standing in his territory now, maybe he succeeded in bringing me into his arena. I am the stalker’s victim. Snake is going to strike me in a while.

I realized that I had lost my mobile,  earphones, and my mind during the sprint. . I was helpless... tried shouting the hackneyed ‘help’ cries. They didn’t aid. The cold nighttime wind blew stronger, I know Snake will come for me.. I will wait.. I kneeled onto the parched ground and began to wait..

After an annoyingly long delay, my fears faded.. I yelled “hey!! come on. face me if you can.let me see how strong you are!!!".. the reply was another gust of wind...exasperated,  I collapsed onto the ground. I badly needed sleep... Snake will find  me in the morning.. My fatigue blacked out all the thoughts..

The next morning I woke up to find myself lying on my comfy bed.. So?? Blow me down!!… Was it just another nightmare?? that was way too realistic.. my pillows were damp, suggested that I had perspired heavily…I was reminiscing my dream over and over, and the bed gravity was too strong to let me go.. I was thinking of the snake.. What a perverted dream I have had. Strange!!

All my thoughts shattered with my mom's shrill scream followed by the clang of a falling vessel. i leaped out from  bed, ran outside and  found my petrified mom, standing at the gate in a puddle of milk(implies she had dropped the milk bowl). Facing her, was a black Cobra, some seven feet long.. It was partly coiled with its hood up in the air,  and was baring its deadly  fangs.. I was traumatized… Was it a mere coincidence?? I don’t know...I don’t want to know…