It was a quiet evening in the village of Lakhimpur. The sun had just dipped below the hills, and the sky was painted orange and purple. I had just finished my tea when I heard a knock at the door.
Knock. Knock.
Strange. No one ever came to my house without calling. I lived on the edge of the woods, far from town.
The knock on the door, growing louder with each passing moment now almost thundered as if the door would explode under the pressure.
I walked to the door slowly, my heart beating a little faster. When I peeped through the dark glasses of my window, I saw a man standing there. He was wearing a long white Kurta and a black. His face was tired, and his eyes were sharp—as if piercing through me.
“Good evening,” he said, his voice had an urgency. He pretended to be calm and composed. In a deep tone, he started, “I’m sorry to bother you, but may I come in? It’s urgent.”
I hesitated. “Who are you?”
“My name is Gautam. I can’t explain everything right now, but someone’s life depends on it.”
Something in his voice made me pause. He didn’t sound like a liar. But I had to be careful. I had my fair share of deceit and had dealt with many thugs most part of my life.
“Just a minute.” I stepped back and grabbed my phone, ready to call someone if needed. Then I opened the door wider. “You have exactly five minutes to narrate your story.”
He stepped in, his boots leaving muddy prints on my wooden floor. He looked around, as if checking for something.
“I’m not here to hurt you,” he said quickly. “I need a place to hide—for just a little while. There are people after me. Dangerous people who might harm or even kill me!”
“What did you do?” I asked.
“I uncovered something. A secret. One that could ruin powerful men.”
Now it sounded like a movie plot. But the fear in his eyes was real.
“I used to work for a tech company,” he continued. “They created a device that can track people—even in their homes. The device would be installed in the company’s best seller products. It could record one's voice and click photos and transmit it online. I tried to stop them. I took proof. Now they’re hunting me.”
He pulled a small chip from his pocket and placed it on my table. The chip which was no longer than a fingernail carried the evidence of what he was talking about.
“This holds the truth,” he said. “And they’ll kill to get it back.”
Suddenly, headlights flashed outside my window. Loud sirens buzzed and the situation turned chaotic. A black SUV was parked in front of my house.
“They found me,” Gautam whispered.
“Back door,” I said quickly, my heart pounding.
We ran through the kitchen. I handed him my old backpack and shoved the chip inside. “Go through the woods. Follow the trail for five minutes. There’s a red barn at the end. Hide there.”
“What about you?” he asked.
“I’ll distract them.”
He looked at me, surprised. “Why are you helping me?”
“I don’t know,” I said. “But I think I believe you. You better run for your life now!”
Gautam left without turning back through the back door, soon disappearing into the trees.
Moments later, three men in suits burst through the front door. They carried guns. One of them grabbed me roughly.
“Where is he?” he growled.
“Who?” I said, trying to sound confused. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
They searched the house. When they found nothing, one of them who appeared like the leader turned to me. “If you’re lying, you’ll regret it.”
They left as fast as they came. I collapsed onto the floor, shaking. I was shocked and grateful at the same moment.
The next morning, the barn was empty. Gautam was gone.
Two weeks passed. The world was going on. There was no trace of Gautam. I was worried if all was ok with him. It's strange how sometimes Strangers become close and relatives become strangers.
Then one day, I received a small package in the mail. Inside was a letter.
"You saved my life. The truth is out now. The files were sent to every major news agency. The company is being investigated. I owe you more than I can say. Thank you – Gautam."
I smiled, holding the letter tightly.
A stranger had come to my door. Someone unknown to me had trusted me with his life. I took a chance it could have been catastrophic but I trusted my instinct. And together, we had changed the world and could make it a little better place to live.
Strange how life happens when you are busy planning other things!
I cannot preach that "Trust all strangers but I trusted that day may be never before and never again and this 'may be' is what is called Destiny'.
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