The ride home

It was 9pm, when Raghav left his workplace. He took his car keys and drove off for home. His eyes were weary from the extra chores at work and he wanted to reach his house, which was about an hour away from his office as soon as possible. After all, he was a young man in his late twenties; working harder, thriving for success yet seeking serene from life’s chaotic blues. He turned up some classical melodies in the car, as to an escape to relaxation. It was dark outside with few vehicles on the road, the shops and all the stores in the city; almost closed only with some drug stores still accessible. As he was driving, he saw a tall, huge man near the gas station waving at him, as if trying to ask him to stop the car for a lift.
Raghav stopped. The man leaned towards his seat; he had a dark complexion with a big moustache and an aquiline nose. His eyes, full of wisdom and his hair had whites. He appeared as a man in his mid fifties. Raghav felt like he had seen the man prior to the meeting but he could not comprehend when and where.
“Thank you for stopping, I wanted to get home but my car is giving me a hard time and there’s no place nearby to have it fixed, would you mind me for a lift? My house is just minutes ahead.” Said the man with his husky voice.
“Yes sure sir, you can get in”. Raghav said after a thought.
The man had a crooked smile on his sturdy face while he thanked Raghav for being generous and got inside the car.
“I am sorry for the inconvenience but I couldn’t be more thankful”. He stopped for a cough.
“That is just fine, sir”, Raghav tried being courteous.
They talked for a while about the elegance of classical music playing in the car and Raghav inquired about the man’s home address. But he kept saying,”10 minutes ahead”. After their short chat, Raghav started having second thoughts on his hasty decision of letting a stranger in.
It had been 20 minutes past the man joining Raghav but there was an awkward air of silence besides the background music of the classical melody playing. The man was looking outside the window neutral to the concern of getting home. Raghav grew more and more suspicious of him. He appeared quite robust and the deep scar on his right cheek gave the impression of some bad history he might have had. Overall, the man had a little intimidating and fearsome personality. The swirling thoughts occupied Raghav’s mind along with the moving steering wheel of the car.
“What if he is some kind of criminal; he might be a robber who loots people by asking them lifts or he could be some kind of insane serial killer…why did I even let him in….he said his car had a problem but where was the car? Did he even have a car? Oh! How could I have been so reckless…and why didn’t he bother to ask me where I was going…and why isn’t he saying his home address yet…when is he going to ask me to stop the car and where…why isn’t he talking now..Is he plotting some kind of plan on his mind? Oh, lord! Save my soul…”
The man gave a quick glimpse at tensed Raghav and gave that crooked smile again. He did not speak anything instead put his hands inside the pockets of the baggy pants he wore, trying to pull out something.
Raghav hassled over the thought of him trying to pull out a weapon of some sort, sighed after the man pulled out some bills instead.
”He must be pretending to read those bills just to divert me from my doubts towards him”, thought Raghav skeptically looking at his fellow companion who was busy observing the bills. “But I know something is definitely fishy with this man”, Raghav assumed.
Overcoming his fear, he asked the man the exact location where he wanted to stop. The man still busy with his bills upon which he had his eyes fixed vigilantly, asked Raghav not to worry for his home was on the way to Raghav’s house.
Astounded by hearing the man mention his home, Raghav started sweating. He again started having a series of troubling thoughts on his head. “This is not normal…How does he know where my house is? Is he some kind of stalker? Neither does he seem interested in having a conversation…why? He could have taken a cab, why didn’t he take anyone else’s car but mine?”
The man kept the bills back into his pocket and looked at nervous Raghav. “Are u okay gentleman?” asked he, looking at the sweat on Raghav’s face.
“No I am good…just a little hot in here” lied Raghav, trying to act composed. Though he, horrified, in truth, wanted to confront the man as per to his suspicions but he simply chose to ignore.
“Well then…” the man ascended from his seat a little and went over to reach the driver’s seat. Misguided with the gesture of the man next to him, Raghav panicked and stopped the car.
“What are you doing?” Raghav stammered.
“I was going to put the car’s windows down as you said you were hot, I am sorry if that bothered you”. The man said in a soothing voice looking at Raghav with discomfiture.
Swallowing his spit out of anxiety, Raghav re stared the car and drove off again without uttering a word. He looked petrified and disoriented. The man next to him started looking at him conspicuously, which made Raghav more uncomfortable.
His hands sweated, he wanted to ask the man to get out from the car but he was not sure of the terrible consequences that could build up. Therefore, he sat there quietly, driving in a hasty way as if he wanted to get somewhere safer. However, he was trembling, his nervousness had reached its peak, he could sense the man’s eyes gaze upon him and could also hear the rumbling like sound of the heavy breath he exhaled…all of them drove him crazy. He could not resist the haunting thoughts of the man’s dreadful intentions sitting right next to him. Uncertain what the next moment would bring he started losing his senses. The night outside, was as dark as his entire experience along the time he took the man in for a lift. He kept driving, until it was a critical moment, for his fears had reached the climax, he broke down, breathed heavily, pressed the brakes, and got out of the car hurriedly followed by the huge man, who went after him. Raghav, raised his hands as though he was surrendering and started sobbing, pleading for mercy.
While he looked absurd, the man was startled with Raghav’s actions. Perplexed, the man questioned, “What’s wrong with you?”
“Please don’t kill me”, Raghav said joining his hands and still sobbing. “You can take all my money but don’t kill me…I am a simple man”.
“Kill you?” The man exclaimed. “I think we are having a blunder here, I am not a criminal. If you have ever noticed, which now I conclude, not. I live nearby your neighborhood in the suburbs  ... I have seen you come and go for a long time so I asked you for a lift as I said earlier my car wasn’t cooperating and not merely to hurt you or rob you.” “I should have introduced myself to you earlier but I thought you would be little interested in knowing me as always”. “I am extremely remorseful for what trouble I may have caused you”, said he still in shock and awe.
The words were like paradise to Raghav. There was a sudden relief on his face, the dark clouds around him disappeared in a click and he took a long deep breath as if he had evaded one of his biggest nightmares . He wiped the sweats of horror from his forehead and then apologized the man for acting peculiar. Embarrassed by his own conduct, he asked the man to continue the ride with him. They went back together towards the car, Raghav with a relief walked ahead followed by the man who then pulled out a gun from his jacket.