The Locked Balcony

A single bulb swings slightly. CITY LIGHTS glitter far below. A cold wind pushes through the railing. Lightning flashes beyond the glass doors.

DHRUV (35), linen shirt, tape measure in one hand, flashlight in the other, checks the BALCONY DOOR LOCK.

MAYA (33), barefoot in a simple night dress and cardigan, sits on a FLOOR CUSHION near the wall. Calm. Too calm.

Yeh lock thoda sa tight lag raha hai.

Thoda sa nahi.

Dhruv gives her a look, turns the handle. CLICK.

The lock fails. The door won’t open.

Arre—

He pulls harder. Nothing.

Maya, door jam ho gaya.

Mujhe pata hai.

Pata hai? Toh panic kyu nahi kar rahi?

Kyuki panic raat ko loud hota hai.

Dhruv stares. Checks his phone.

No signal. Great.

He knocks on the glass.

Hello? Koi hai andar?

Main hoon na.

Main tumhari baat nahi kar raha.

Main bhi.

A beat. Wind howls.

Dhruv uses the flashlight to inspect the lock, the frame, the hinge.

Main maintenance se hoon. Main bas isko khol deta hoon, okay?

Nahi.

Nahi?

Sunrise se pehle andar mat jaana.

Kya matlab? Hum yahan freezing balcony pe khade rahenge?

Agar andar gaye, toh phir balcony safe nahi rahegi.

Lightning FLASHES.

For a split second, a SHADOW moves inside the apartment corridor.

Dhruv freezes.

Tumne dekha?

Haan.

Koi aur hai andar?

Haan.

Toh help bulao!

Kiski help?

Police. Security. Anyone.

Raat mein koi aata nahi.

A faint TAP from inside the glass.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

Kaun hai?

MAYA closes her eyes.

Woh nahi knock karti.

Woh?

Yaad dilati hai.

Dhruv swallows fear. He wedges the tape measure into the latch, trying to pry it open.

Suno, agar andar koi hai, toh mujhe batao. Main help kar sakta hoon.

Help?

Haan.

Tum jaise log hamesha help karne aate ho.

Tumhara tone kaafi rude hai for someone stuck outside.

Main stuck nahi hoon.

Toh kya ho?

MAYA looks at the apartment behind the glass.

Waiting.

Another LIGHTNING FLASH.

Inside, a faint FEMALE SILHOUETTE appears in the hallway.

Dhruv steps back.

Maya...

Mat dekho.

Maya, woh kaun hai?

Jo mujhe yaad karna bhool gaya.

Dhruv turns back to her.

Main samjha nahi.

You designers. Sab kuch measure kar lete ho. Space, distance, fit.

Main logon ko fix nahi karta.

Nahi. Tum walls ko.

A beat.

The glass door RATTLES from inside.

Maya, sach batao. Tum kis cheez se dar rahi ho?

Main dar nahi rahi.

Phir?

Main uska wait kar rahi hoon jo andar hai.

Dhruv shines the flashlight at the apartment interior.

A wet FOOTPRINT appears on the floor inside.

Then another.

Moving toward the balcony door.

Oh God...

Bas door mat kholna.

Maya, yeh ghar mein hai ya—

Ghar mein nahi.

Toh?

Ghar ka hissa hai.

The tapping returns. Closer now. Slower.

A voice, barely audible, from inside.

VOICE (O.S.)

Maya...

Maya flinches for the first time.

Kaun hai woh?

Jo mujhe pehchaan gaya.

Dhruv studies her face. The flashlight catches something strange—her outline seems faint at the edges.

Maya... tum—

Main yahin rehti hoon.

Nahi. Kuch aur hai.

Main yahin se gayi thi.

Dhruv's breath catches.

Kahan?

Neeche.

A long silence.

Another voice from inside, clearer now.

VOICE (O.S.)

Maya, darwaza khol.

Maya grips her cardigan tight.

Sunrise tak bas mat kholna.

Kyu?

Kyuki agar usne mujhe yaad kar liya...

She looks at Dhruv.

...toh tum bhi yaad ban jaoge.

Lightning BLASTS.

Inside the apartment, a MALE SHADOW stands right at the glass.

Dhruv drops the flashlight on the floor cushion. It rolls, beam spinning wildly.

Maya...

Ab samjhe?

The shadow raises a hand.

A final, slow KNOCK on the glass.