Rapido Raathri Rider

Rapido Night Rider

Post #103 · Prayanam Kathalu · 2024-09-07 · Daya

Katha saarāmsham · Premise: Airport-to-home Rapido pickup. The rider doesn't speak. At home, the passenger pays cash. The rider gives her ₹3 change. She had paid exact.
Setting: RGIA to Kompally (Hyderabad / Telangana).
In English: Rapido Night Rider. A Lighted Tales original Telugu horror story, written in Romanized Telugu (Tenglish) with Telangana dialect.

Rapido Night Rider

Ee katha 2024 September lo Hyderabad lo jarigindi, naa ki naa friend Swathi cousin Keerthana ki direct ga, nijam ga nijam. Aame ki ee story share cheyyaali ani permission ichindi, aame peru change kaadu, kaani aa rider peru fictional ga. Naaku aa raathri morning ki phone vacchindi, aame voice shaking ga, naaku panic restraint tho pieces lo cheppindi. Aa pieces nenu narrative ga ee story rasaaa.

Keerthana — age 26, Hyderabad lo bank lo officer, Kukatpally lo aame parents tho stay aithundi. Aame Bangalore ki rendu rojulu friend wedding ki velli vacchindi, aame return flight Hyderabad ki 11:45 PM landing ki. Aame aa raathri RGIA arrival lo airport metro ki velli memos chesindi — last metro 11 PM ki end aindi. Aame Uber book chesaali ani try, surge pricing Rs 1200, aame budget ki ekkuva. Aame Rapido auto check, surge Rs 850. Rapido bike taxi — Rs 320, surge thakkuva. Aame bike taxi ki book chesindi — aame backpack chinna ga, aame travel light ga.

Driver name screen lo "Altaf", vehicle TS09 EM 2241, Honda Activa. Driver rating 4.78. ETA 5 minutes.

Driver vacchaaru. Atanu lean, age 32 emo, helmet visor down, atanu plain shirt, atanu ID badge plastic neck lo. Atanu aame ki nodded silent ga, atanu spare helmet aame ki ichaaru. Aame back seat ki settled, backpack aame thoda madhya. Atanu OTP adigaaru — "Madam, OTP." Aame "5847." Atanu enter chesaaru, trip started.

Aa raathri 11:55 PM ki bike taxi RGIA curbside nunchi PVNR Expressway ekkindi, NH-44 vaipu, Kukatpally vaipu. Drizzle light ga, road lo trucks intermittent. Atanu speed limit lo, atanu careful ga drove. Aame helmet lo atanu shoulders ki light ga grip, aame thoughts wedding photos lo, naa sister wedding next month plan lo.

Atanu raathri shift driver — aame casual ga adigaali ani feel, "Bhai, late shift mee ki kashtam ga undadu? Mee family wait cheyyaru?"

Atanu silent. Atanu reply ledhu. Aame ki ardham — atanu helmet lo, atanu wind noise lo aame voice atanu vinipinchadu emo. Aame repeat cheyyaledhu, aame respected atanu silence.

Trip 38 minutes ki cherukundi Kukatpally ki, aame intlo apartment gate dheggara — Sujatha Sapphire Apartments, aame parents intlo. Atanu bike stop chesaaru. Aame digi, helmet teesi atanu ki ichindi. Aame Rapido fare app lo Rs 320 + tip Rs 50 mentally calculate. Aame cash thaipa ee saari pay cheyyaali ani decide — aame wallet lo Rs 500 note undi, atanu ki Rs 200 change kavaali, aame ki convenient ga.

Kaani aame moment ki recall chesindi — aame app lo cash payment select chesi book chesindi. Aame ki Rs 320 fare exact ga, atanu ki cash. Aame purse lo nunchi Rs 320 exact teesindi — Rs 200 note + Rs 100 note + Rs 20 note. Aame ki convenience — atanu ki change ivvaali ledhu, exact ga.

Aame atanu ki Rs 320 ichindi.

Keerthana: "Bhai, exact change. Naa thanks ride ki, mee careful drive ki."

Atanu helmet kindha nodded silent ga. Atanu wallet teesaaru — oka small leather pouch, atanu konchem old ga. Atanu wallet lo nunchi mukundu — atanu fingers slow ga, deliberate ga — three coins teesi aame palm lo pettaaru.

Three rupees. Three Rs 1 coins, oka old patina, oka shine.

→ Idey theme lo inka oka katha: Uber 3 AM Destination Maripu

Atanu helmet visor light ga raise, atanu thala bow chesaaru — oka small respectful gesture. Atanu re-mounted, drove away. Bike sound dispersed road lo, aame nilabaddi gates dheggara, palm lo three coins.

Keerthana confused. Aame fare exact ga ichindi — Rs 320. Atanu ki naa change ledhu. Atanu enduku Rs 3 returned chesaaru?

Aame initial reaction — atanu mistake emo. Atanu ki habit — passenger fare oka round number tho aithe, change return. Atanu confused emo Rs 320 lo Rs 3 surplus emo ani assumed. Aame ki dismiss cheyyaali, intlo ki velli paddhukovaali ani feel. Aame back chusi — atanu bike already 200 meters away, taillight dim ga. Aame phone teesi Rapido app open chesindi — aame trip rate cheyyaali, atanu polite ga.

App lo trip status — Completed. Driver name — "Altaf". Aame rating teesindi 4 stars (atanu silence ki 1 star deduct), aame comment, "Polite driver. Thanks for safe ride."

Aame intlo ki entered. Parents nidra lo, aame chinna ga refrigerator water teesi drink, aame room ki velli paddhukundi 12:42 AM ki. Aame backpack pakkana three coins kept — aame wallet lo coin pocket lo store cheyyaali ani plan.

Next morning aame office ki ready ga, aame three coins aa pouch lo store cheyyaali samayam, aame examined. Three Rs 1 coins. Aame chinna lens lo coins date check — aame curious ga, oka coin collection hobby aame ki occasional.

Coin 1 — Rs 1, year 1986. Coin 2 — Rs 1, year 1989. Coin 3 — Rs 1, year 1992.

Aame frowned. Aa coin design — aame ki gurthu — 1980s-90s standard Government of India Re 1 design, atanu wheat stalk obverse, lion capital reverse. Aa coins still circulation lo intermittent ga, kaani 2024 lo regular use lo rare. Atanu driver ki Rs 3 change ga 1986-1992 coins ivvadam — peculiar ga.

Aame Rapido app open chesindi. Aame trip details malli check. Aa moment lo screen lo — driver photo update aindi.

Aame ki gurthu — boarding moment lo driver photo helmet visor down ga, face partially visible, kaani profile match plastic ID badge ki. Atanu name screen lo "Altaf Hussain Khan", age 32 ani app lo profile.

App lo ippudu — driver photo no photo, blank avatar, gray default Rapido icon. Driver name same — "Altaf Hussain Khan". Trip details intact — pickup RGIA, drop Sujatha Sapphire Apartments Kukatpally, fare Rs 320, completed 12:35 AM.

Aame Rapido support ki phone chesindi. Customer care representative pickup, aame ID verification.

Keerthana: "Sir, naaku 6th September raathri trip undi RGIA nunchi Kukatpally ki, driver Altaf Hussain Khan. Naaku confirm cheyyandi atanu ki ID, atanu vehicle papers."

Rep: Atanu pause chesaaru. Atanu typing background lo. "Madam, naa system lo aa trip , driver Altaf Hussain Khan, vehicle TS09 EM 2241. Atanu Rapido lo registered driver since 2021. Atanu Hyderabad-based, Mehdipatnam area home address. Atanu confirmed."

Keerthana: "Sir, atanu profile photo missing ga ippudu, naaku boarding lo show aindi. Why?"

Rep: Atanu typing malli. Atanu silent long ga. "Madam, naa records lo... atanu profile photo last updated 2024 August 28 ki. Atanu... madam, naaku ee disclose cheyyaali, atanu Rapido system lo death notification 2024 August 30 ki uploaded ayyaaru. Atanu road accident, NH-44 stretch lo, atanu personal trip kaadu, atanu off-duty raathri commute. Atanu profile system lo 'inactive' ga marked August 31 nunchi. Madam, mee 6th September trip... naa system lo aa trip atanu name lo logged ayyindi, kaani atanu inactive driver. Naaku ee technical glitch ga investigate cheyyaali, naa supervisor ki escalate chesthaa. Madam, mee fare deduct aindi mee Google Pay nunchi?"

Keerthana: "Sir, naa cash pay chesaanu, app lo cash payment confirmed."

Rep: Atanu silent malli. "Madam, naa system lo aa trip cash payment Rs 320 confirmed. Naaku investigate cheyyaali, naa supervisor mee ki callback ivvaru next 48 hours lo. Madam, mee ki additional concerns?"

Keerthana phone close chesindi. Aame three coins palm lo, hand shake ga, kaani aame ki ee experience strange ga, terror kaadu — aame ki ee gesture symbolic ga feel.

→ Pakkana ee story kuda chadavandi: Meru Taxi Cheatcode

Aame naa friend Swathi ki phone chesindi. Aame Swathi naa friend, naaku Keerthana number forwarded. Naaku Keerthana phone, aame voice shaking ga.

[SAI KIRAN] "Keerthana, three coins atanu ki symbolic ga ichaaru. 1986, 1989, 1992 , atanu life lo three milestones emo. Atanu age 32, atanu born 1992 emo. Aa atanu first salary, first family event, atanu life ki three meaningful moments. Atanu mee ki polite ga ride ichaaru, mee fare exact ga ivvalsindi, aa Rs 3 coin atanu acknowledgment , Madam, naa atma ki naa life summary ee three coins. Mee ki naaku gift, mee gentle treatment ki. Atanu mee ki harm cheyyaledhu. Atanu mee silence accepted gentle ga. Mee aa coins respect ga keep cheyyandi, mee wallet lo a separate pocket lo. Mee atanu family ki contact cheyyali , atanu Mehdipatnam address, mee ki Rapido support reveal cheyyaledhu, kaani naa friend Riyaz Mehdipatnam lo journalist, atanu ki driver community contacts. Naaku connect chestha. Mee atanu family ki face-to-face visit chesi, aa coins aa family ki hand over chesthaa, atanu memory ki small puja organize chesthaa."

Keerthana agreed. Vaaram tharvaata Riyaz dwara naaku connect aindi atanu family — atanu wife Shabnam, age 28, atanu daughter Aaliya age 4. Vaaru Mehdipatnam lo small flat lo, atanu wife sewing work part-time tho household run cheyyaali plan. Naaku aame ki ee story share chesaanu Keerthana presence lo. Aame initially silent ga, tharvaata aame eyes lo tear.

Shabnam: "Naa husband 1992 born, atanu first salary 1986 lo... no, atanu chinnatanam lo coin collection hobby start chesaaru, atanu first coin 1986 wheat-stalk obverse, atanu second coin 1989 family birthday gift atanu naanna nunchi, atanu third coin 1992 atanu birth year. Atanu ee three coins atanu wallet lo always carried , atanu childhood memory talisman. Atanu accident lo wallet recovered, kaani aa three coins missing. Memu vaaru saare ki cremation lo atanu wallet ki coins return cheyyali ani plan, kaani coins gone. Memu ki ee 9 days ee absence weighed."

Keerthana coins aame palm lo placed. Aame aame husband ki ee three coins meant most.

Shabnam: "Aame... atanu mee ki polite ga ride chesaaru. Atanu mee ki silence respect chesaaru. Atanu mee ki ee three coins gifted , aa coins atanu life ki symbolic, aa coins mee dwara naaku return aithundi. Atanu peace lo. Naaku ee acknowledgment kavali. Naaku mee thanks. Naaku ee saari atanu memory ki release."

Aame coins keep chesindi small frame lo, atanu accident date pakkana. Aame atanu ki small puja organize chesindi — Mehdipatnam mosque pakkana atanu favorite chai stall ki visit, oka small irani chai cup atanu memory ki, aame daughter Aaliya tho.

Aa atanu silence aa raathri — atanu communication ki barrier kaadu, atanu communication lo intent. Atanu ki Keerthana gentle ga, atanu reciprocate gentle ga. Compassion — anede dialogue ki bound kaadu, gestures ki kuda apply. Plot lo ee dramatized.

Author's note

Real-world context: Wikipedia — TSRTC

Rapido bike taxi Hyderabad lo prathi corporate office worker familiar — naaku kuda atanu use chesina konni saarlu Madhapur traffic peak hours lo, atanu cheaper, faster ga. Drivers raathri shift lo unique stories tho, vaaru ki ekkuva pressure, vaaru ki ekkuva risk. Naa friend Riyaz Mehdipatnam lo journalist, atanu Rapido & Ola driver community ki regular access, vaaru hardships document chesthunaaru.

NH-44 stretch — Hyderabad to Nagpur direction — atanu raathri shifts lo accidents prone, drivers tired ga, trucks reckless ga. Last 2 years lo bike taxi accidents incidents naaku friend's project lo coverage. Vaaru memorial small efforts lo families involve.

Aatmas atanu life ki symbolic objects tho associate. Coin collection, books, photos, watches — aa objects atanu identity ki anchor. Aa objects family ki return aithe, atanu peace ki cycle complete. Plot lo ee dramatized.

Mee ki Hyderabad raathri Rapido experience? Driver tho silence-filled rides? Comments lo cheppandi.

— Sai Kiran · Lighted Tales

Original Telugu horror fiction. Folk-source material where referenced is public domain.

Modern characters, apartments, companies, and phone numbers are fictional.

Any resemblance to real persons, businesses, or events is coincidental.

Audio version: youtube.com/@Lightedtales

Further reading · Real-world context

Telugu horror stories

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