Twilight in the Glasshouse
"You have a good eye for choosing your words, Vikram," the stranger laughed wildly. Vikram’s hands, raised in the air, trembled. The moment Vikram looked into the face of the man he was gripping by the collar, he realized he was not looking at an ordinary human—he saw the darkness of centuries and the world's deepest fears reflected in those eyes. The sight paralyzed Vikram. Releasing his tight grip, he stumbled backward against the wall of the old bookstore. A suffocating sob caught in his throat.
The stranger shook off his long black coat and stood tall. He looked into the large mirror of the bookstore and smoothed his hair. Outside, there was only the sound of heavy rain. The stranger walked over to Vikram.
"No one has ever tried to stop me like this. You have great courage!" He smiled at Vikram, who was lying on the floor. "But that fear... that is what I needed to see."
Vikram slowly wiped away his tears and stood up, regaining control. "I have no desire to admit defeat before you. You came to take me, didn't you? Come on, I am ready."
The stranger held out his hand to Vikram. However, Vikram glared at him.
"Relax, Vikram, your wife Kavya has never betrayed you. That letter was fake," he said.
Relief flickered in Vikram's eyes, yet he asked skeptically, "How can I trust you? Is deceiving people your job?"
"I am not your villain, Vikram," the stranger extended his hand again. "I needed to know if you would stand by the truth until the end. Come, it is time."
After thinking for a moment, Vikram took his hand. He picked up the old set of warehouse keys that had fallen to the floor—the very first gift Kavya had given him. As they reached the door of the bookstore, Vikram looked back. Kavya was standing there, looking toward the doorway.
"She is still there," Vikram said.
"Not for long," the stranger replied.
They walked outside. The sirens of an ambulance and the police echoed on the street. Outside in the rain, two bodies were being pulled out of a wrecked car. One was Vikram's, and right next to it was Kavya's. Doctors were trying to administer ventilators to both of them.
Vikram showed the set of keys in his hand to the stranger. "May I give this to her?"
"If you give her that, even after you are gone, your memories will haunt her for the rest of her life," the stranger warned.
Vikram nodded. He walked toward the ambulance. Pushing past the doctors and the raindrops, he reached Kavya's side. He pressed the set of keys tightly into her trembling palm.
The next moment, the stopped ECG machine began to beep again! Kavya opened her eyes with a deep gasp. However, seeing Vikram's lifeless body lying right next to her, she burst into tears. Clutching the keys close to her chest, she wept as the ambulance doors closed.
Vikram and the stranger walked ahead along the deserted street. Their figures gradually began to fade into the air.
"When I heard that your most favorite memory was that car accident in the rain, I was surprised," said the stranger.
"The accident itself is not what matters. What matters is that it was she who held my hand at that moment. The beauty of life lies in who is by your side during difficult times," Vikram said calmly.
The stranger laughed out loud. Before they vanished completely, he added, "Vikram... it is my luck to have someone like you with me. We have a long journey ahead of us!"