Neetan looked at the google map and turned the car right to enter General Ravindranath Avenue. In the distance, at the end of the road, a large sphere of bright light indicated that this was the Happy Birthday home that was their destination for the evening.

Ruchika, who had all day, waited for the jovial occasion suddenly felt a weird apprehension rising within her mind. Neetan, who was the one who usually avoided get-togethers and had been raising the Should-we-go or Should-we-avoid question since morning lit up with something good about to happen.

The couple had hardly spent a week in Chennai since their arrival after Neetan's transfer from Mumbai. Retnam, Neetan's junior in the bank, invited him on behalf of Rudra Jain.

As they moved closer to the house something disturbed Ruchika. Was it the radiation of the high-power bulbs all around, she wondered. She had half-a-mind to tell Neetan to turn back, but then her frequent jittery exchanges with him in Mumbai for making her rot in the four walls of a house in the most happening city of India held her back.

As the car crawled into the portico, a liveried person opened the door and the couple walked straight towards the brightly lighted far end of the huge lawn where a gorgeous young woman stood surrounded by the visitors. By the time Neetan and Ruchika reached the place, the young birthday girl had turned around and walked into the house. Her husband, Rudra Jain, received the bouquet from them on the girl's behalf and said, "Please join the others in fun. Shubhangi will be here in a short while."

Neetan went to one side where men where sitting in a large circle. Ruchika went to the other side and sat among women,

The conversation among men was a mix of laughter and repartee. Someone had said, "We need Rahul. He is like Trump and can bulldoze the way Modi cannot." This provoked reaction from some and jokes from others.

Women were discussing Dhurandhar, exchanging guesses about what the story of part two would be.

The lawn was full of sound of guffaws and arguments, but suddenly screams arose above this cacophony and stopped all conversations. Everyone turned to see. Ruchika was shocked. Neetan was pulling at Shubhangi who was struggling to get free of his hold. Ruchika rushed to the spot. Shubhangi had a glass of red wine in her hand. Neetan had clasped her hand strongly and was saying, "Charu, don't drink poison. They want to kill you. I won't let them do that."

Rudra tried to pull Neetan away, but Neetan put his arm around Shubhangi and held her firmly.. Two of the guests who till now had hesitated, not knowing what to do, moved forward and roughly clasped Neetan's arms. Shubhangi went into the house weeping and screaming bitterly. Ruchika said affectionately to Neetan, "Come, we'll go home."

Neetan appeared as if in a stupor. Ruchika put her arm around him and moved him towards the portico. She was thoroughly shaken with what she had seen. Neetan had always been very decent and respectful to women. He would often speak against the drinking habit and, especially the spread of this culture among women, but he never voiced these views to anyone other than his wife. What happened to him suddenly, she wondered.

After Ruchika and Neetan had left, Rudra tried to bring the party back to life. After some time, he even brought Shubhangi out and pretended as if nothing had happened.

The atmosphere now was very subdued. Some tried to talk in whispers, curious to know who the man was. Most people thought there was a story behind this encounter and they yearned that someone should relate what they believed was a tale of love. Who is this man? Is he her lover from college days? Is he abnormal? Who invited him? Such were the questions whispered among the guests.

Retnam sat quietly wishing that no one would know it was he who had invited Neetan to the party.

Meanwhile, Ruchika and Neetan were on their way to their house. Ruchika kept looking at Neetan from the corner of her eye. Neetan appeared shaken by the experience that he did not seem to understand. After some time, she tried to start a conversation:

A few simple comments from Ruchika and responses from Neetan encouraged her to ask:

Ruchika's heart sank. The distance to the house appeared to be never-ending.

When they reached home, Ruchika opened the lock, took Neetan to their bed-room and made him lie down. Then she said: "Wait, I will bring your milk for the night."

She slipped into Neetan's milk a sleep-inducing tablet she sometimes used when she felt tense or disturbed.

She knew that Neetan was not at present his true self. Something had shaken him up. Was it encounter with a girl he once loved? Or to whom he had done some wrong --- molested, may be. She became totally forgiving for whatever he might have done in the heat of youth. Her attitude was that of a mother towards a son who comes home injured and needs attention.

When Neetan had fallen asleep, Ruchika sat on a small stool near Neetan. She opened her laptop and started browsing the Internet to look for symptoms like what had happened to Neetan. She also saw videos on YouTube. She could not wait to consult a doctor the next day. She felt so attached to her husband that she put her left hand on the deeply sleeping Neetan, while typing queries into the computer with right hand.

Sleep that takes over even the most disturbed minds gradually took her into its grip and she fell asleep with her head on the laptop.

She was woken next morning at around six by a sharp ray of sunlight that came through the window. As she woke up, she saw that the laptop was playing YouTube videos one-after-the-other on topics of abnormal psychology. She lifted her head to see Neetan and saw he was not in bed. Utterly shaken, she got up and calling out "Neetan, Neetan!" she searched the entire house. Then she found that the outside door was not bolted. Obviously Neetan had gone out. But where? She shook thinking of all possible apprehensions.