Mitra didn't know if it was fear that was gripping her or anxiety. She was scared indeed, scared that she was trapped, scared that she didn't know anything about her opponent, scared that she wouldn't know what to do and how to handle her captor, scared to show him any of her fears.
I shouldn't let him feel victorious. I shouldn't make him think I am weak. I should intimidate him.
She tightened her face and asked, "It's you, right?"
"Yes," the answer came.
It was still an interplay of fear and anxiety for Mitra. She didn't want to display that for his satisfaction. She knew she had to sound tough.
"What did you do?" she asked, masking her raw and heightened emotions with a strong voice.
"I just brought you in safely."
Mitra felt mockery in his voice. To call the attack on her, hitting her and abducting her as a protective measure was demeaning to her dignity. It angered her, made her want to break free of her confinement and fight it out with him again.
She struggled against the binds, tried to loosen them and pull them apart. Nothing worked. The minutes dragged and she started to lose her vigor. Finally, she had to give up trying.
Stop Mitra, think first, she told herself. You need to know where you are. Get clues, anything.
"Where am I?" she asked, cautious.
"Someplace safe. You can't get kidnapped from here."
The same mockery and sarcasm as before. It infuriated her beyond control. She was helpless, tied down and she knew better not to try to break free again. Yet, her anger was so heavy that she couldn't take it anymore. The frustration and fury rained down in an enraged voice.
"Are you kidding me? You call this confinement a safe measure? You fool!" Mitra normally refrained from talking brashly and swearing at others. But this time, she couldn't stop herself. She used words of terrible curses and utmost cussing. It went on for a few moments till she ran out of the words of profanity, given her huge inexperience with them.
Silence crept up again. And then, the man spoke, with the same sarcasm, "It's ok. We'll see if this is safe for you or not."
He had been sitting in front of her, a camera between them recording her actions. He turned off the video he was filming and got up.
Mitra sensed his movements. "You better release me right now; else I will make you feel so sorry..."
"We'll discuss it later, Mitra. I've got things to do now." He interrupted her threatening words, pushed his chair back, picked up the camera and walked out of the room, shutting the door behind him. He paused in the hallway, his back to the door, his eyes closed.
After all the years of yearning, he had to go through such means to be with her in the same room. She had changed a lot; and he didn't like big changes. They always ruined his life. He didn't want her to change.
It was a cold basement and there was a staircase leading upstairs to his own flat. He went up into his home, a small one with a bedroom, kitchen and living room. It took him fifteen minutes to edit the video he shot, given that it was already perfectly timed and shot, and copy it into a USB flash drive.
He stepped out of his house clad in his black jacket and a grey hat, walked across two streets into a shabby Internet Café, plugged in the flash drive, installing his own software to a computer system there, hacking his way into portals and uploaded the video at exactly ten pm onto a few platforms through remote servers. A little fidgeting with the social media platforms sent the video to multiple domains and groups, propelling the number of views and shares. He left before the video started making waves.
By the time he returned home, he was hungry, and he was sure Mitra would be exhausted and hungry too. He went downstairs to check on her. Peeping through the window shielded by a one-way mirror fit through the wall, he found her sitting silently, no movement visible, her breath inaudible. For a moment, he thought she was unconscious.
As he opened the door, she jerked to life.
He stood at the doorway, expecting her to talk, ask him anything, call out to him. But, she didn't.
She simply sat poised, listening intently. Moments passed and neither of them moved.
Finally, he broke his stand and said, "You know, I really appreciate your tenacity to stay silent, although I can't imagine what is going through your head. Aren't you curious about me?"