It was a beautiful day for her. These days, however, every day – every hour was beautiful and vivid to her. Her moods were dancing for the whole day. She was working at City bank and had a busy schedule for certain hours. It was 3:45 and a message popped up on her mobile screen: ‘So busy my lady! Coming there in a minute to make some transactions.’

She read that and excitement touched her mouth. She was feeding some data on the computer when Jack entered the bank with his dog. They passed smiles and he came directly towards her table where blank slips were.

It was the main branch of City and therefore still at this time, the bank was crowded with 26 customers and 10 bank workers. Everyone was busy on their own mess. Some customers were standing in line in front of the cashier. Some were filling bank slips and some were just sitting and waiting for something.

Jack’s dog was white and black – when they had met for the first time at some cafe, she told him casually that she likes dogs and she also had one once upon a time but died due to some sickness. And when they met again, he brought a doggy and said it was his sister’s, but she knew it wasn’t ‘cause if his sister has ever had one, he would have told her on their first meet up. She though liked that he bought the doggy there ‘cause she believed all excuses aren’t bad – like all habits aren’t bad ones. If it brings happiness to you then that told lie isn’t a lie it’s a reason for happiness.

They didn’t say hello or anything; their smiles were enough to let them know about the meeting sign. There was the silence between them and that was enough as a welcome sign. While he was filling details, four robbers with a black mask on face entered the bank; each had two guns in hand.

‘You all motherfuckers, lay down with hands-on head back.’ he heard a grim voice of the robber and the next moment, frightening the woman and their hisses and hatred. Everyone was in shock like coming of death. One of the bank workers was raising his hand to press the emergency button, but one of the robbers kicked him hard on his head and the next moment, he became unconscious; blood began flowing from his head. All the workers and customers got scared by that.

She was laid down beside her cubicle and he beside the writing desk three meters away. Their eyes were talking like some kind of love language was being shared. The tension was bouncing and dancing between them not to get hurt anyone of them by robbers. All were laid down, even the manager of the bank; he was being forced to open the safe or give them its key otherwise he would kill everyone in the bank. The manager had already called 911 and was in doubt whether to open the main safe or make it longer to give them. He chose to make it longer as he was responsible for the bank. He first said the keys were in the second drawer near that girl with a black shirt (near her). Robbers went to check for the keys but they weren’t there. All the robbers began breaking and cracking everything! – the desk, glasses, …almost everything that seemed breakable. The main robber shouted angrily again to the manager

‘’where are the fucking keys?”

The manager said “the keys were there.’’ acting unknown – making some fearful face. ‘These keys must be on the third drawer, I’m sure of that.’’

“Check that drawer’ the robber shouted with anger.

One of the robbers checked and there were some keys. She knew the main keys weren’t there. The main stroke of fear was still in the air. In a minute, all the keys got checked and the main safe was still locked. All robbers again began shouting and breaking everything, fear was remote now. Every robber had become crazy – pushing everyone and anyone whomever they saw. She still bowed and numb and he was the same. Looking at her both curiously and in the sign of danger; he was breathing heavily. One robber in anger kicked the manager and he became unconscious. Other robbers got furious by that robber’s action but nothing could be undone now.

After a minute, one robber came back to her front desk and saw a cup of coffee on the desk.

‘Tell me where the keys are or I will throw this on your face.’ he groaned.

‘I don’t know where the keys are’ she said with fright in her eyes and voice.

The problem was she knew and the robber had somehow found out that she knew, the way she had spoken these words.

 ‘I am asking you last time or you will be gone’ he groaned again.

As he said that, from behind Jack threw himself on the robber and while he did that other robber saw Jack and the next moment. Jack was upon the robber holding his gun and the other gun on him. One more robber came and put his gun on her. Jack had to throw his gun and put his hand on his head back. Since Jack had caught the gun all the noises stopped, but now, again noises began. Gun was on both her and his head.

‘Tell me where the keys are or I will kill him right away’ one noise groaned.    

She had no choice left than give up on keys. However, this all happened within a few seconds or minutes.

She came forward and gave keys to them from one of the desks.

Now, in the next few minutes, they grabbed as much money as they could and put it in bags. And while they were about to leave, the police began gathering.

The Bank was on the ground floor. One police car had just arrived. Jack saw that and tried to go out of the entrance miserably. One robber grabbed him from behind and went out of the entrance. Jack was being walked forward with the gun on his head. Two Police officers were there pointing guns on them in a doubt for what to do. Everything was confusing. If police attacked them, one citizen would die and perhaps other robbers who were still in the entrance would kill the suspects in the bank. When they were only 3 meters away from each other something happened suddenly which made her believe her lifelong belief that some people (some rare people on earth) are bullshit and couldn’t be trusted.

The main robber from the behind pushed Jack forward and Jack at the moment grabbed their gun and shot another police officer with the gun he had brought with himself. Now, after taking the gun of the police officer he shot him too and the next moment, they both were on the ground with the blood on their corpses. Now, other police sirens could be heard from a distance and all the robbers (including Jack) with the big bags entered the police car and drove it with optimum speed.   

Next day, she heard the news that Jack was a criminal and was one of the robbers. She couldn’t comprehend what to do in her life and believe anyone in the next relationship or never be involved in any kind of relationship at all. She put some weight on her thumb and closed it harder and hit the wall near her – her eyes were dark and watery since the robbery at the bank. She didn’t want to open it again to see the grotesque cruel world. Her suffering was beyond her any imagination to adequate the pain. But she knew she would be stronger and braver; she would pass it which now seemed almost never happening.

By Nikunj Virani

THE END