It was never going to be an ordinary day. Sandeep, 20, woke up to the constant buzzing of his mobile under the pillow.
"Rooftop. You have 20 minutes. Save her if you can..."
What the heck, he thought as he pulled on a shirt to cover his gym made chest. Closing the door of his room he quickened his footsteps towards the stairs that led to the roof.
"Going somewhere?" said Sarah blocking his way onto stairs.
"I have no time for talking."
"Neither do I."
Sarah threw herself upon him and started opening the buttons of his shirt.
"Let me go!"
Sandeep gave her a hard push making her fall onto stairs. On falling Sarah's teeth pinched against her lips making them bleed.
"You bastard", said Sarah showing her bleeding lips to Sandeep but he continued his steps upward the stairs without caring. Sarah eager for revenge went after him and gave him a push from behind making him fall on his stomach. She kicked him on his back with her high heels. He hollered.
"That's what happens when you mess with your landlady, Sandy."
There was a smile on Sarah 's face but she wasn't done yet. She lifted his legs with her hands and dragged him down from the stairs. Sandeep struggled to free himself but to no avail.
"Wh...y...why?", he uttered as he struggled with pain in his back and chest.
"That's your punishment for neglecting my love for that bitch."
Sarah caught him by his hairs and pulled his face closer to hers.
"I know you are what you are thinking. You are wishing that if you had paid your rent instead of lusting for my body 3 years back, aren't you?"
She gave another kick between his legs as he tried to stand.
"Look at you, my tiger turned into a cat today." She laughed.
Sandeep with all his force managed pushed her away from him.
"I love her. She's not a whore like you", he said as he dragged her by her long hairs and locked her into his room. He checked his wristwatch; only 5 minutes left. He ran onto stairs towards the roof. He tried to open the door of the rooftop but only to find that its locked. Witch! he thought. He knew where Sarah hid the key. He ran down the stairs to his room. He opened the gate and saw Sarah standing right in front of him, smiling.
"I knew you did return."
He slapped her hard and threw her on the bed. He took a deep breath as his hands moved underneath her clothes under her bra to get the key.
"Well done my tiger but oops only 2 minutes left", Sarah said looking at the wall clock. This time without caring to lock the room, he ran straight back to the roof. Opening the door that led to the rooftop only to find that love of his life, Clara, was at roof's border. She was hanging at 45 degree angle, tied with rope which had its one end attached to remote controlled pulley which can let go with a press of a button and make his girlfriend fall onto the street below. He ran towards her but the button was already pressed. He jumped off the roof to save his girlfriend but soon he found that it was the biggest mistake of his life.
Down in his room, Sarah winked at her lover. "Baby Clara, he's dead."
***
Sandeep woke up with his heart beating faster than ever. He checked every part of his body which was fortunately in the right place after the dream he witnessed few minutes ago. 'Toota toota ek parinda ese toota...' rang his phone. He searched his bed only to find his cell buzzing under the pillow. He answered the call.
"Rooftop. You have 20 minutes. Save her if you can..."
