Ctrl Z...?

He turned the car onto the main road and checked the rear view mirror. The demister had conked again. The drizzle had now turned to fat drops of water. The road was dark, illuminated only by his lights. The power had shutdown in the area, he could tell.

He would've missed it but his eyes caught the car from the corner of his headlights. And he thought he saw someone in it. Probably skidded off the road in the rain before nose-diving into the largish canal. He pulled over and sat thinking. Should he, shouldn't he? He had this job to complete tonight...but then...Oh, what the heck - He parked a little further and got out. Drenched, he rushed to the silhouette. He brushed the water from his eyes to see better.

He looked around. Not a soul in sight. He turned to the car and crouched.

"Uh...are you ok? Hello..? Are you ok in there?" He tried raising his voice.

No response. Was the driver dead? Then, pushing all further questions back in his mind, he jumped into the canal and grabbed the door handle. It won't open. Suddenly he sensed movement. He squinted his eyes against the shower.

"Hello..are you ok?"

The injured figure moaned something... A female.

Luckily for him, the window was open. He reached in and caught hold of her shoulder, pulling her toward him. She groaned in pain and the car jerked to a side, the rear wheels threatening to pull the car completely in. Steadying himself, he pulled her slowly until she was away from the wheel. And then, he heaved her out.

*********

"You know Guru, I was after this guy for the last one month, but somehow he smelled it out in advance, the little rat. You did what others couldn't. Here...your 6 lakhs, as promised."

"Leave it, Sadashiv. I don't want this money now."

"Arre, what happened? I thought you killed only for money." Sadashiv chuckled.

Guru just shook his head and left. He walked out into the sunlight, his back aching. He walked to the lakeside and sat down on the bench, watching the ducks. The calm lake should've soothened his nerves. Instead he felt sick. Sick all over. Sick from head to toe. His mind kept going back to the woman he saved the night before...and her husband he killed the same night.

**********