My tenants, all of them became serial killers after they went close to that piano. They were normal people; in fact, they were quite kind hearted people. But after they touched that piano and played it for a while then you better believe it. They became murderers.

I closed my eyes and stood straight. I opened them again and saw the beautiful instrument. This time as I tried to touch it, I heard the words:

If you go near the piano and play it just for once, then you’ll want to play it more and if you’ll continue playing it then it’ll become an addiction.

I ask myself. How can I buy this stuff? How can a person like me believe in this shit that I hear?

I got annoyed and walked away.

Two more days passed.

I got angrier and angrier as time passed. I had nothing to do. But things got worse when I received a call from the airline. They told me that it would take one more week to get my luggage in Karachi. I have no words to describe how angry I got.

I held my phone tightly and threw it as hard as I could towards the wall. The wall that was close to the piano. It led my eyes towards the dangerous instrument. I’m sorry to tell you this but now I had a reason. I was tempted and I had to go near the piano and play it.

I sat on the chair and said:

I am not superstitious like my landlord. I know myself, nothing can make me a killer.

But I was wrong. This piano actually did make me a cold blooded murderer.

One Month Earlier

Playboy, that’s what they think of me. They think that I was playing with women’s hearts and was using them for my own pleasures. But let me assure you that those who think like that are very wrong.

Others must be thinking that I am a hypocrite who has more than even two faces. They believe that I don’t have one personality. So let me clear that as well. I’m not at all like that neither have I ever played love with any innocent women.

One evening while Omama and I were sitting outside on some public bench, she asked me:

“So what about the marriage appointment?”

“Yes I have taken the appointment from that office. They have given me this week’s date. We’ll have to get there before afternoon.”

“That is so great!”

“Yes but we are short of witnesses. They need two witnesses.”

“Oh…So what are we going to do.”

“Don’t worry I’ll arrange someone.”

“Thank you Saad…I am so happy.”

I smiled as she was happy.

After a long moment of silence, she asked me:

“After we’re done with this marriage thing, can I come and visit your company?”

“Of course you can, in fact I was planning of taking you there earlier but things came up.”

She was however assured that I was serious in this relationship, but her expectations were not really meant to happen.

**************

Shehla was sitting furious at her home. Someone sitting next to her was putting poisonous ideas in her mind. She seemed angry on what she was hearing but deep down she was very upset,

“This guy who claims to be in love with you…” the guy sitting with her said to her regarding me, “is lying. He hangs around with different women at the same time.”

“Have you seen him with anyone else?”

“Yes I have, I know other women just like you who have fallen in love with him and I also know that he is not committed to any one of them.”

“So he is committed to me then,” Shehla tried to satisfy herself.

“Then why didn’t he ever tell you about his other friends?”

Getting more upset she held her forehead tightly with both hands.

“Trust me Shehla,” he continued, “if you don’t want yourself to get heartbroken and betrayed then you must end this relationship.”

“No, I can’t…” she spoke controlling her tears, “I love him. He also loves me”

“Do you really think he does?”

She was speechless and tears were dropping down from her eyes.

“Shehla I know him,” he spoke, “he’s an immoral and selfish human being. You need to understand that a guy like him can never commit to a woman, unless there’s money involved.”

She gave it a thought and closed her eyes. She opened them again expressing her anger. Her expressions showed that she was not a weak woman. She had all the strength to avenge for her feelings.

She stood up and declared:

“No one can misuse me.”

“Good.”

“I’m going to show him what it’s like when you get hurt.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m not going to spare that man alive. Rashid will die out of my hands.”

“Shehla, please don’t do anything like that. I didn’t come here to suggest that.”

She tore the tissue papers in her hand showing her anger towards me.

**************

Eruj was at the store waiting for me. Her son was standing with her.

Where is he? she asked herself concerning me, he’s not even answering my calls.

As time passed, she got disappointed. She was also feeling guilty as her son had to wait with her, so she decided to finally leave. The moment she stepped outside, she saw me standing at some distance. She called me out:

“Abdullah!”

She however rushed towards me leaving her son behind. As she got across the crowd of some people, she saw that I wasn’t standing there anymore. She had lost me. She then walked back to get her son.

**************

Omama’s phone was ringing. She picked it up and answered the call:

“Hello Saad!”

“Yes, ok listen to me now” I spoke from the other line, “day after tomorrow at two o’clock, you have to reach that location I told you about.”

“You mean the marriage court?”

“Yes.”

“Oh of course of course, I’m ready, completely ready.”

“I’ll text you the address once more” I instructed, “then you’ll have to be there at two because our appointment is of two thirty.”

“Right right, I remember!”

“Okay, take care bye.”

“Bye bye!”

She disconnected the call. She was so excited as she was finally getting married to the guy she always wanted.

On the other hand, someone who was deeply in love with me was planning to murder me.

**************

Shehla opened her closet. She then opened a drawer. She heard her son entering inside the room. She turned around and asked him to leave. As the young kid was insisting on staying with her mother in her mother’s room, she forcefully yet gently pushed her son outside and shut the door. After locking the door, she went back to the closet and checked inside the drawer. There she finally found what she was looking for. Her husband’s pistol. She picked it up and along with it she picked up two bullets. While looking at what she was holding, she spoke out:

Rashid…your time is over now. You belittled my love and misused my feelings. I won’t let you walk alive now. If you can’t commit to me then you cannot commit to any other woman. You deserve to die.

She loaded the bullets inside the pistol and planned on committing the crime and getting away with it.

**************

Next day Farheen and I were at the public park. She asked me as we sat on the bench together:

“Ahsan…After our marriage can we buy our own apartment.”

“You already have your apartment and secondly we’re not getting married anytime soon.”

“Nevertheless, we need a new apartment.”

“What for? You already have one.”

“Yeah but I don’t like being alone.”

“So call your friends over” I replied bluntly.

“You seem down today. Something’s bothering you.”

“It’s nothing.”

“No, I know there’s something. There is something that is really eating you up. Tell me, I want to know.”

“You want to know?” I started to lose my temper. “It’s you! It’s your attitude that’s bothering me. The way you talk so frankly when it’s not appropriate, the kind of words you use. That’s all what’s bothering me!”

“What kind of talk are you talking about? I am fine the way I’m talking.”

“See that’s what I’m talking about” I pointed my finger towards her, “you are never ready to accept your mistakes. You always think that you are right.”

“Now are talking like a child. I at least never talk the way you are right now. Harsh and sharply.”

I tried to control my temper as I was really losing it, so I spoke a little gently:

“All I’m trying to say is that you think that you have complete right over me, but you don’t.”

“Why not?” she raised her voice. “Just the way you have rights over me, likewise I do. Or else what kind of a relationship is this?”

“I never demanded any right over you. Never mind, I’m through this relationship, we’re done..”

“Oh, now you’re breaking up with me.”

“That’s the best thing I can do at the moment” I said standing up.

She stood up and looked at me angrily. Before walking away, she said to me in a loud voice:

“Fine, don’t you ever contact me again.”

She stormed off. I sighed feeling relieved.

Hours later as it was getting a little darker during the evening, I saw that more people were here at the park at this time. Maybe this was most suitable and environment friendly.

Then very unexpectedly I saw Shehla at the park. She was staring ferociously at me. I waved at her delightfully and she started walking towards me. Seeing the look on her face I was a little surprised. As I paid close attention, I saw she was holding a pistol.

“You liar!” she yelled at me as she came closer and stood in front of me, “you big cheater!”

“Hold it Shehla,” I tried to calm her.

“I’m going to kill you today.”

“Stop! Don’t!” I spoke cautiously. “What is it?”

She raised the gun and aimed my face. Some women at the park screamed and we got almost everyone’s attention.

“No one’s going to stop me,” she spoke like an insane person, “today I will kill you by all means.”

“Why are you doing this Shehla?”

Some men went closer to Shehla and asked her to put the gun down. She didn’t pay attention to anyone and just kept on looking at me. Two women from Shehla’s behind tried to hold her but she was so determined that she resisted and managed to load the weapon. Within few seconds she aimed towards me and shot with her gun.

And then she was dragged away.

**************

The very next day’s afternoon, at almost two o’clock outside the marriage court, Omama arrived in a taxi. She waited by the stairs for me. She was very well dressed and was very excited but things weren’t supposed to happen for her today.

A whole hour passed and she was still waiting outside, sitting on the stairs. She was trying my number but it was powered off. As time was passing by she was getting worried and also depressed considering the possibility that I had dumped her.

It was six o’clock and she hadn’t had her lunch. She was still waiting for me to show up. She kept on trying my number but there was no reply at all.

As it got darker, she lost hope and her eyes got filled with tears.

I can’t believe he lied to me she wondered.

One hour later, she called a taxi and prepared to leave for her home.

**************

Meanwhile at the police station, some police inspector looked carefully at Shehla’s face. She was being held by two female police constables. After observing her carefully, he declared:

“This woman seems insane. She doesn’t need to be kept here. Take her to the mental hospital”

“He lied to me” Shehla mumbled some words.

“Sorry?”

She didn’t respond. The inspector understood that there was really something wrong with her so he orders them:

“Take her away to the mental hospital…”

**************

Days later, Eruj was at store where she used to meet me. She was holding my photograph. She went towards the security guard and asked him showing him my picture:

“Have you seen him here?”

“…No” the security guard spoke after having a clear look.

Then she went inside and asked someone at the counter:

“Did he come to work today?”

“Who?”

“Abdullah,” she said showing my photograph.

to be continued...