Short story - 'The collection'

This story is based on a shorter one I had written using a prompt in FWBA, an amazing FB group for writers.

Mihir and Meghana have a blast at Lalit Vaze park, better known as Love garden. It is the second time in the month that the 21-ish classmates have bunked their IT lecture in the T.Y.B.Sc class to savour some quality moments behind the bushes.

“Hey, let’s go to my place,” he suggests.

“To continue where we just left off? Sorry, naughty boy. I am not yet in for a Full Monty,” she winks.

“Haha…I didn’t mean that. But I will wait till you are ready for that as well. For today, there is something I want to show you.”

“OK, can’t wait to see what you’ve got,” she says with a naughty smile, wiping her lipstick stain from his chin with her fragrant kerchief.

Ten minutes and five kilometres later, their bike comes to a halt in front of a high-rise in a posh-looking society in Dadar.

“Hmm… I am already impressed,” she confesses, her beautiful eyes popping out upon seeing the elite locality.

“Just hold that thought for five more minutes,” he whispers in her ear.

The well-groomed, alert liftman strutting a pair of dark glasses smiles at Mihir, nods at Meghana and presses the button. She wonders, why there are so many people in the society, wearing similar glasses. The elevator takes them to the eighteenth floor and Mihir flashes out the keys from his pocket to open the swanky door of flat #1802.

“Wow!” her jaws stay open as she gapes, admiring the space and the décor.

She spots Mihir’s mother in the kitchen, probably busy with her cooking and the back of a father-like figure seated near the window, his face hidden behind a newspaper. Somehow, she is not getting very good vibes, but she is awe-struck.

“This way,” Mihir interrupts her glancing and guides her to his bedroom.

Meghana is still in a state of wonder. Mihir draws the curtains and slowly opens his cupboard in the darkness. Her eyes bear an expression of fear and suspense. Mihir switches on a small spotlight in the cupboard, which reveals a huge glass jar, somewhat like the 20-litre mineral water jar found in offices and educational institutions.

“Guess, what are these?” he asks, pointing to over a hundred marble-like spheres with small tail-like extensions, immersed in liquid.

“Oh my God! What have you done to the white marbles? These now resemble eye-balls!” she jokes.

“Absolutely right. The second part, that is. These are actual eye-balls which I have kept in a liquid that preserves them properly.”

He opens the jar and carefully draws out one ball. She touches the slimy blob and is amazed.

“This is ridiculously awesome! So, when and how did all this start?”

“I think, from my childhood days. My friends were mostly into collection of stamps, stickers, coins, and so on. I used to cut out the pics of eyes from magazines and paste them on the walls in my room. After I turned 18, I got a bit more serious and real.”

“Interesting. So, does some morgue supply you these, or do they come from the hospitals?”

“Oh, come on! If that were the case, why would I be showing them as a trophy to you?”

“I don’t think I understand. Are you saying that these are from living people?”

“Yes, dear. I gouge them out from their place. That’s the fun of it.”

“What? How is it possible to…”

“Well, I used to pry mainly on drunkards walking alone on deserted roads, at gunpoint. I wore a different mask each time and disappeared into the night before anyone else came by. Sometimes, I targeted people sleeping alone by the road-side or flyovers.”

“Who was your first victim?”

“When I joined college, one of the bullies in my F.Y.B.Sc class used to mock me in front of others, saying he would remove my eyeballs and play marbles with them. One day, that is exactly what I did with him. Since then, I made it a point to add at least one eyeball to my collection per week.”

“Eeks. That’s scary. Each week, one person loses his eye sight due to you?”

“Again, you are half correct. A person loses half of his eye sight only, since I only take out one of the two balls. Itna bhi berahem nahi hoon, yaar.”

“Yes Yes. So considerate of you. Well, all the best for your collection. I guess, I need to leave now, before mom calls me to check where I am.”

“No worries, I will drop you shortly. For now, stand in that corner and close your eyes. I have another surprise for you.”

She reluctantly complies. She feels the probing tips of his cold fingers on her left eyelids. Her senses tell her that something is wrong. She opens her eyes and notices a sinister-looking pair of scissors in his right hand. Showing quick reflexes, she twists his arm and forces the sharp end of the scissors to inflict a cut on his chest. She then pushes him to the bed and tries to run.

“No point running, dear. And believe me, I love your eyes. I just need one small contribution for my collection,” he yells, still surprised that she had managed to injure him.

Meghana's sprint is abruptly halted as she bumps into Mihir's mother who is blocking her way. His father also rushes towards her and she feels surrounded. Her heart begins pounding and legs shaking, upon observing that both the parents have one eyeball missing. 'Mihir has turned out to be one big psycho! And his parents too seem weird. Too late to even regret this f***ing visit here!' she tells herself. She manages to push the lady with all her might and flees outside the door barefoot. Coincidentally, the elevator is on the same floor and it is open. She leaps and pushes herself inside.

“Ground floor, jaldi,” she gasps.

The liftman does not move, rather he grins. She tries to hit ‘G’ but realizes that he has locked the lift and it can only operate after he has unlocked the button board. He removes his goggles to reveal that one of his eyeballs is missing too.

“Such glasses will look good on you too, madam,” he remarks and holds the door for Mihir.

THE END