The Dearly Departed.
By Jay Krishna.
The
time was 12:45. The announcement on the speaker "The last train heading
towards Pune. "The Kolkata-Pune express is leaving from platform number 7
in a few minutes". Radhika rushes towards the platform, She held a
travellers bag and her breath was puffing, she was shouting "Wait ! Wait
for me...Please". But despite her efforts. The moment she'd reached the
platform, the train had already left. She stooped down in dismay, having no
other option, she went to the enquiry to ask about the next train. The staff
replied that the next train will arrive only at 3 a.m. Hearing this she sighed.
She walked back to the platform and sat down on a bench and began patting her
face with her dupatta (scarf). She took out her phone and called her mother.
"Maa, I missed the train, but don't worry I have booked a ticket for the
next one and will be on my way soon, by the way my phone's low on charge so
don't worry, I will call you once I've boarded". Saying this she switched off her phone and kept it in her bag.
As she lay sit, one by one people started to leave the station. The T.T was
doing his timely stroll and found her sitting on the bench. He asked her if she
would like to wait in the office, but she declined the offer saying she would
be fine. After some time there was no-one to be seen. A few beggars were
playing cards on the other side of the track. she looked at them and noticed
one of them staring at her. She covered herself with a shawl and shifted her
view. Her throat became dry she looked around but found all the shops to be
closed. She was praying that the night goes out smoothly, when someone patted
her back. She was startled and looked around to find her friend Vikrant
standing behind her. He gave her a grinned smile and handed her a bottle of
water. She took the bottle and asked what he was doing here? To which Vikrant
replied "I wanted to see you, but if you're not happy, I will leave".
He turned around and was about to leave when Radhika said "Why are you
leaving, did I say I was unhappy, you're so short tempered Vikrant". She
held his hand and made him sit beside her. She opened the bottle and started
drinking the water, Vikrant looked at her and then started to stare at the
floor. After quenching her thirst Radhika put down the bottle and asked what he
was doing here at this late our hour of the night. Vikrant didn't utter a word.
Radhika didn't pay much heed and said it was fine if he didn't want to tell. Vikrant
looked at her and said "Radhika what do you think about me?", Radhika
didn't understand what he was trying to say by this and asked what he meant.
Vikrant said "Radhika, there was something I wanted to say to you for a
very long time but didn't know how", taking a few seconds of silence he
said "I Love You Radhika", hearing this Radhika was dumb struck, she
couldn't believe her ears. It was as if she was on cloud 9. There was no-one
there but them. It was the moment Radhika was waiting for so long. Without a
seconds hesitation Radhika hugged him. Vikrant also embraced her. Both of them
kept holding each other the next few minutes. Vikrant lifted her face, their
eyes met and they kissed. During the remainder of the night, they talked about the
days they spent in college, about their college friends and the fun times they
shared. Radhika held his hand and found it to be really cold, she covered him
with her shawl. She leaned her head on his shoulder and felt peace. Just then
the train whistled at a distance. The train had arrived on time, she told
Vikrant that she is going to check her ticket for confirmation and asked him to
wait. She went to the railway office and met the T.T sitting in his chair. She
handed him the ticket, the T.T said "It must have been really boring to
sit there alone, all this while", Radhika replied "It was nothing
like that, my friend was accompanying me all this time". The T.T said,
"It's good to hear that you had company, but you better board the train
soon , it's going to leave in 5 minutes.", Saying this the T.T. When she
returned back, Vikrant was not there, she looked around but couldn't find him
anywhere. The train whistled and the engine began to roll. She boarded the
train and began to look in the compartment, but it was no use, Vikrant was
nowhere to be seen. She took her seat. She kept looking outside. After a while
the train left the station and the background was surrounded by greenery.
Radhika was sad, as well as puzzled as to why he had left all of sudden, and that
too even without saying "Good Bye". She took out her phone from her
bag, switched it on and called her mother.