Tom rubbed his hand with glee. It was all set now. The video feeds were working well. He did a sound check. Mayuri’s vegetable chopping efforts volumed well in his speakers. Perfect. Tom licked his lips. He watched Mayuri finish up her kitchen prep, clean her knife and walk into the washroom.
The washroom was Tom’s favorite. Five micro cameras and a tiny microphone hidden throughout, capturing Mayuri in her every move. He had spotted her in the library. Quiet and alone, reading what seemed like new age love novels. She looked demure yet so striking at the same time. A great find! Tom congratulated himself. He stalked her to her house, identified her address, and began his research. Her address gave him her name, which led to her phone number and her online presence. Her social media presence was pretty bleak. Quiet girl, posting mostly about books and cooking. Occasional signals of a man in her life, but he seemed to be out of the picture for the moment.
What followed next was routine. Using skill sets learnt through the dark web, Tom manipulated the phone and wireless lines in Mayuri’s living space, effectively cutting her off from calling or connecting with anyone . He then dressed up as a technician from her mobile company, knocked on her door when she was home, acted as a repairman for a an hour, used the washroom, and was out of there. Tom had hid a total of twenty micro cameras throughout her home. I’ll be back to for a status check soon, he had smiled at her.
Voyeurism is a huge market, with many lustful perverts willing to pay large sums for the normal local ladies. Tom had been doing this for years, capturing private and intimate videos of women of his choice, and then selling to the highest bidder. There was no moral conflict there for him. He put in the effort and made the money, the women never find out about his doing. His buyers never share his product, which gave him a sense of security.
He scratched his groin as he smiled to himself, watching his dual screens show the twenty live feeds from Mayuri’s home. He selected the five video feeds from the washroom and enlarged them. C’mon Mayuri, get in the shower. Give me a show to sell. Although the market was open to just nudity and shower scenes, intimate acts were always bound to sell more. He could imagine the perverted men behind their thick glasses drooling over Mayuri. She has that innocent look that made her look like prey. Tom could already envisage the money rolling in from the next sale he was to make.
Mayuri was standing still looking at herself in the mirror. She had stripped herself of her clothes, and had run the bathtub till it was full. Tom drooled slightly. Was she getting itchy for herself? He couldn’t wait. She looked really good nude. Her staring at herself lasted quite some time before she slid into the bathtub, sending ripples of water over the edge of the tub. Tom had hid a micro camera right above the bathtub, giving him a good view of Mayuri, her well shaped body, a cellphone in one hand, a knife in her other.
A knife?! What was she doing holding a knife in the bathtub. Tom suddenly perspired immensely. She better be cutting her hair in there. He watched her dial someone on her cell and leave in on speaker. An automated voicemail in greeted her. It was her ex’s. Cold sweat rolled down Tom’s back as he heard Mayuri’s message through his hidden microphone.
“Michael, you know I can’t live without you…. And with the little one in my belly, I need you more…. I am going to give you an hour. If you don’t come to my door by then, we will both begone from this world. Whether or not you want to take responsibility for all this, it is your call. Time starts… now.”
The five micro- cameras all captured Mayuri setting her alarm on her phone and then dropping it next to the bathtub. She then laid her head back to rest, eyes closing as though in peace. Tom’s worst nightmare had materialized. A suicidal victim, with his cameras catching every single moment. He imagined the worst- The alarm ringing and Mayuri moving the knife down to her wrist, slitting downwards from her wrist to her arm. Blood spurting out as she let her bleeding arm hang over the bathtub. Tom’s mind was is agony. SHIT! WTF! Swear words were spewing endlessly from Tom’s mouth. He had not expected this ever. Tom had never cared about his victims. Once the money was in the bank, Tom never looked back.
If Mayuri ended up slitting her wrists, it would take less than ten minutes for her to effectively breath her last. Tom’s mind raced back and forth, processing every little step he could take. Michael might check his voicemail and stop her. But what were the chances of that? Did the man love her at all? It sounded like he initiated the breakup. Tom twiddled his thumbs. In the worst case scenario, he could wait till Mayuri did her deed, and then step in and remove all signs of himself from that living space. But she had locked the door. Tom saw and remembered it. Her door seemed easy enough to pick… but her had to wait late into the night to break in. He shuddered at the thought of having to step close to a dead person. Also, what if Micheal changed his mind and decided to check on her then? So much risk!
This is so screwed up! Tom threw his face into his hands. There’s also the baby! She mentioned a little one in her belly. Tom bit his lips. He was a pervert, a downright scumbag. But, he never wished death on anyone. Also, if Mayuri’s place turned into a suicide scene, investigators would definitely comb her place for clues. He couldn’t chance being found. It would mean years for him behind bars. He had to time this right.
Mayuri felt wetness going in her nose. She opened her eyes, realizing that her face had slid partially into the bathtub. She choked and got up, sputtering, eyes tearing. As she stabilized herself, the metallic feel of the knife handle in her hands reminded her of her objective. What was the point? I should have just let myself drown then. Michael isn’t going to come.
As though answering her thoughts, the alarm on her phone went off. She hated that sound, but again, no point in turning it off now. She was going to end this. Mayuri backed herself into her initial position, breathing lightly. This is the only way my child. She touched her belly sadly. It would be a rough world if we did this alone. She moved her knife slowly down to her wrist, her eyes wide shut. Michael……Please…..Prove me wrong. The knife hovered above her wrist for what seemed like ages. She willed Michael to ring the doorbell then, to show her that he truly valued her life, and their love.
“Ding Dong!” The doorbell rang.
Mayuri’s sat upright. Michael! You cared! Mayuri chucked her knife aside, broke down and sobbed. Feelings of relief rushed through her body. Her heart had been pumping so fast she was close to a heart attack. To think she was willing to end everything right there. I’m so sorry to put you through all that there. She touched her belly as she got up from the bathtub. Things will get better now. Walking gingerly with a towel wrapped around her, Mayuri joyously made her way to her front door.
“Michael!” Mayuri cried as she opened the door. It was bright outside. Mayuri was blinded, and her tears didn’t help either. Wiping them away, she squinted towards the light.
“Michael?”
The figure in front of her coughed apologetically.
“Sorry ma’am, I’m back for the status check. Do you have a moment?”
