Maya

It was just another spring night. Cool breeze and a clear moon, a perfect night to drive around. Beside that Sudhir has little choice.
"I could explore a little , find some quite corner off the road, and maybe just one smoke". Sudhir had been trying to quite for four years now, but either a night like this, or one like that made him go back.

"It will go with you to your grave", his wife often lamented.
Anyway, today was not a day to think about it.
So he set out, a little off the beaten track, and decided to explore the roads that were a little quieter. But it is easy to lose way around country roads on such nights, of course Sudhir realized it late.

Had he been speeding, he would have definitely missed her. She was walking slowly, inconspicuously and quite off the road. She turned slightly when she saw the car's headlights approaching.
Sudhir wasn't too sure, yet he slowed almost to a halt -
"Are your alone lady? Do you need any help?" maybe he was sounding cliched, but then what is one supposed to say when offering help to a young lady all alone in the middle of the night. He just hoped she wouldn't misunderstand him.

She looked questioningly at him, but then almost instantly smiled. Sudhir couldn't detect whether there was relief or pleasure in that mysterious smile.

"I 'de be grateful, if you could drop me near the main road."

"Sure, but I am a little lost myself, do you know the way from here?"

"Yes, I do."

"Get in" said Sudhir as he opened the door for her.

Sudhir wasn't sure if she was beautiful, but definitely intriguing. He couldn't help thinking as he stole a look or two.

"It's not safe to walk alone on a deserted road like this."

"I am not afraid." Her voice had a raw courage.

"Just take care, it is pretty bad these days."
She nodded slightly, looking down all the while.

Maybe he had sounded too patronizing Sudhir thought, besides what this young lady does is none of his business. So he thought of changing the topic a little.
"Take the next left please," she said before him.

Yet curiosity got better of him again. She was half his age even less probably, and she was beautiful - oops intriguing. The night was quite pleasant, the silence in the car was straining, and he could do with a little chat.

"Where are you coming from at this hour?"

"Got late at work."

"Do you always travel alone?"

"Yes."

"And your folks don't worry?" he couldn't help thinking of his own daughter at the moment.

"No. I know this place well."

"How long have you lived here?"

"All my life."

"I am relatively new, as you can see I lost my way."

"Where are you coming from?" her question caught Sudhir a little by surprise. He hadn't thought of where he was coming from, nor where he was going to.
In a moment of honesty he just blurted, "I was just driving around, exploring."

She smiled, and the mood seemed to lighten a bit.

"Why?" she asked next.
Her eyes were innocently questioning, yet her voice had a hint of motherly concern.
Again Sudhir could not feign an excuse.

"I am disillusioned with life," he was almost shocked at his own confession, "but then probably that's what happens to most my age" he added as an afterthought.

"I don't think age has got anything to do with being disillusioned. I 've lost the illusions of life myself."

Sudhir couldn't help wondering what her story was. Nor could he help wondering what if he could stroke her hair and let her cry on his shoulder. Caress her a little more then.....she was young, beautiful and alone....."Right please" she disturbed his train of thoughts.

"Drop me here" she said after a few miles.

"Here? In the middle of nowhere?"

"My home is just off this road, through that path" she said pointing to a small hidden lane on the right.

Reluctant, yet fearing propriety, he pulled to the left of the road.
"Keep going straight, and take the right from junction. You will soon reach the main road."

"Thanks. Good night" he said.

"Good night" she smiled.

"One last glance should not hurt; afterall who gets to have such encounters often" thought Sudhir. He lifted his eyes to check her in the rearview mirror.

And he saw only an empty moonlit road.