by Naitik Jain
“My train is on time. I should go and buy my ticket.”
“Our train leaves soon, so I think we should hurry and get into the train now.”
The girl went to the buy her ticket, and we went off to the platform to board our train.
The train left in ten minutes, and took us away from all the troubles, the issues, and the guilt. More than that, it gave me hours of time to catch up with someone I wanted to talk to for years; someone who had troubled me in my sleep for so many nights. There were so many apologies to make, so many tears to shed, and so many things to say. It was time for me to talk to my best friend again, and I was sure that I wouldn’t let her down this time.
All three of us lay down in our berths after a long day, but I don’t think anyone really slept. I just stared at the berth above me, finally happy about what I had achieved. My job, to a great extent, was done.
CHAPTER 16
I didn’t realize when I slept, but I sure knew when I woke up, because that’s when most other passengers woke up too. Aliya was screaming. I woke up in a hurry and looked at her berth, where I saw her sitting up straight, looking petrified.
“What happened? Are you all right?”
She didn’t reply to my question. I shook her gently, and she responded by a rather violent shake. She got back to her senses then.
“I’m sorry. I just had a very bad dream. I’ll take care of things now. What time is it?”
“It’s 5 a.m., but you don’t need to worry about all that. Take the rest you deserve. I’ll manage these passengers.” I said, and then turned to the concerned looking passengers who had gathered around, looking visibly grumpy at being woken up so early. “I’m really sorry. She had a bad dream and got scared. It won’t happen again. Please go back to your seats.”
“Why do you people even travel like this, disturbing the entire compartment due to your fussy habits? Kids these days, I tell you. They have no manners at all!” Grumbled a passenger as he went back to his seat and fell asleep almost immediately.
I lay back down and stared up again. Sleep had surely escaped this time. There was no way I was going back to sleep again. My thoughts were all about Aliya, and how things had now changed. Her world had been completely ruined, and there was no way she could get those years of her childhood back. I just hoped she would be able to lead a normal life again, even though some part of me was afraid that the damage done was now irreversible.
The sun rays gently brushed across my face through the windows just above my seat. I sat up and looked out into the fields, staring at the golden grass, as the bright sunlight shined upon it, with the wind blowing it gently. As the sun kissed grass went past me, I could feel the distance that we had travelled. I walked towards the door of the compartment, and just stood there, gazing out in the open. These beautiful fields often gave me a sense of freedom, a medium to let my mind escape into the open and run wild, sending my imaginations to the most distant corners of the world, just like these never ending fields went beyond the horizon. Sometimes I would regret the growth of cities, since they ate into these beautiful lands. The trees, the fields, the birds, all seemed so perfect at that moment.
I turned around to see Meira looking at me and smiling. “Hey. Good morning. I thought you’d be sleeping till late today, given you probably haven’t slept well for long.”
“No. Aliya’s screaming woke me up too. I can understand what she went through, given that I went through a similar thing myself. Where are we going by the way? You haven’t told me that yet.”
“It’s a surprise. I assure you that the place is completely safe, and that nobody will be able to hurt you two there. I’ll book a guest room for you both, and get you jobs so that you can sustain yourselves. Take good care, and be careful there, okay?”
She moved forward and took my hand in hers. “I’m really thankful to you for doing this. You’re really the greatest person I have ever met.”
The look on my face probably showed her the awkwardness that I felt then. She withdrew her hand after completing her sentence. “I’m glad to be able to help you two. I just hope things go fine from here.”
“They will, don’t worry. I will handle things here once you leave. It will be perfectly fine, and I won’t let anything hurt the kind of effort that you have put for me. I will take care of Aliya too. She will be safe.”
“That means a lot to me. Thank you.”
“I think we should go back in now. She must be awake too.”
We went back inside to our seats, where Aliya was waiting for us with the breakfast that the train attendant gave.
“Thanks a lot Aliya for waiting for us before you ate. Shall we get started now? I’m famished.”
“So am I! The kind of food that we are given there is terrible.”
“Even I don’t really get the best of foods, you know. I live in a hostel, and the mess food there is terrible.”
The look I got from those two was enough to shut me up. I finished my breakfast quickly and quietly, and then tried to resume conversation. “I’ve briefed Meira about what you two are to do after you are settled, and I’ll be there to help you two settle. It should be fine for both of you.”
“Thank you so much for helping us out Ansh, but I think we can manage from here. You can go back from the station itself. We will be fine, since Gujjar won’t be able to reach us wherever we are going.”
“No, you won’t be. Let me just get you two settled, and then you can live by yourselves. I just need to make sure that you two will be in a safe location, so that my worry is reduced. Can I do at least that much, please?”
Aliya nodded a yes, and then we resumed conversation. We talked over a lot of things, and she was surprisingly knowledgeable for, well, someone who had been cut off from things for years. Or maybe she had access to the media. I didn’t really know how her life had been in those years, and I wasn’t going to bring that topic up anytime soon. She needed her space, and I wasn’t going to force anything upon her.
The conversations were an effective means of passing the time, especially since the train was so late. Soon the morning turned into the afternoon and then into the evening. Our destination was just a night’s sleep away now. Soon, Aliya would reach her new home, her safe haven. My job would be done.
CHAPTER 17
It was the crack of dawn when the train halted to a stop at platform six of Vishakhapatnam Railway Station, several hours after its scheduled time. I woke Meira up, and then proceeded to wake Aliya up. As I took the blanket off her face, I could see the prettiest face I had ever seen. Her lips were curled into a very slight smile, her forehead absolutely relaxed. She was in a sleep that she hadn’t had, but deserved, for years, and it was a pity that this sleep had to be broken so early in the morning. She looked like an angel was resting on that narrow berth of the train.
Vishakhapatnam, or Vizag as people nowadays call it, is the largest city in Andhra Pradesh. It is situated along the coast, and most of the activities happen in that area. The city was known to be generally peaceful, except when nature wanted its revenge. Those days would lead to hell being unleashed upon the city, through massive storms engulfing the coastline.
I woke Aliya up, and we got down soon, since the train wasn’t stopping there for too long. As we did, the sun rose from behind one of the many hills of the city, showering us in its majestic golden light, as we walked towards the exit. The station, unlike most other railway stations in the country, was comparatively neat, and rather decently organized.
We left the station and walked towards the traffic booth, where some autos were parked. The early morning timing ensured that the queue was nonexistent, and we got an auto almost immediately.
“Jalaripeta”, I said to the driver, and he started the auto, taking us to our next destination.
Jalaripeta, or fishers’ town, was right near the sea and one of the places in Vizag where one could get a house for a cheap price. I knew the place from one of my friends, who informed me
that the other places in the city might just get too expensive for someone without a strong income. That was enough for me to settle on this location, since they wouldn’t have much money, at least not for the first few months that they were there.
We finally reached the building where I had rented an apartment. It was a small, old looking building, which seemed like it had taken a lot over the years.. The landlord lived a few kilometres away, in the much better to do Kirlampudi layout area. The apartment that I had rented for them was on the first floor of this building. We moved up to the apartment.
It was a small, pretty dirty, two-bedroom apartment. Yet I could see the joy on both their faces when they saw the place. This small, dingy apartment was a lot more than just a house for them. It meant a freedom they had craved for so long, it was the ray of hope they had never thought they would see. Their life was about to start afresh, and this tiny apartment was the start of a new beginning, and they were happy with it.
There was a lot of settling that needed to be done. This place had to be converted into a home, something liveable, with whatever limited funds that were available with me. We had to get to work immediately, since I couldn’t stay there for too long. I had to go back home too. My ‘holiday’ couldn’t last forever. I had to get them jobs, get them on their feet. Liberating them wasn’t the complete task. I had to make sure they could sustain themselves in the world.
We got to work as soon as we could. The landlord hadn’t provided too many facilities in the house. Thankfully, there were beds in each room. There was a small living room, and a common washroom. The kitchen was practically nonexistent, and it took me a while to notice that it was not a store room. It was a place that we could make liveable with some good effort.
Thankfully, there was a market nearby, from where we could get some basic things which were necessary for daily living. The kitchen utensils came in a few hours, and the gas cylinder subscription was made in my name, since I wasn’t going to need one in a while anyway. We got a small sofa for the living room, and foldable racks to work as shelves for now, till they could buy a cupboard. After an entire day of cleaning, it was finally a place one could live in.
“I think we are done here!” I exclaimed.
“Thank you so much Ansh, for helping us out with everything. This is so amazing of you. I could never have imagined that someone would ever do this much for me. I am really grateful to you for doing this. Thank You.” Aliya said, tears on the corner of her eyes.
“I’m just glad and honoured to be helping you in this. I’m happier at your safety than you are, Aliya. And Meira, I know you’re still a little upset at being away from your family, but you will go back home soon, as soon as this panic mode settles down.”
“I’m just glad to be out of there as of now, Ansh. I hope I can go back to my parents soon, but till then, I can manage here.”
“Okay. The house has been settled now. It’s time to get you two jobs then.”
“But why will we be hired? We have no skills, and haven’t worked before.”
“So what? There has to be some job where they’ll see your conviction and let you in.”
“I hope so. I’m sure both of us will work hard enough at the job we get, and make sure we earn an honest living to support ourselves.”
“I’m sure of that too,” I said, and smiled at both of them.
Much of the next day was spent in looking for jobs, as we went around the area from place to place enquiring if anyone would give them a job. There were apparently no vacancies anywhere in the city. Finally, after an exhausting day, we decided to eat at a roadside restaurant.
“Three masala dosas,” I said to the waiter, and then turned to the girls, “It’s okay. We’ll find some work tomorrow. It’s not that easy to get work nowadays, so it will take a day or two. I’m here till tomorrow night, and I assure you that you will get a job before I leave.”
“I know that. Don’t worry Ansh, we’ll manage something.”
The dosas came while we were in conversation, and all of us ate hungrily. We were exhausted from the long day of seeking jobs, and just wanted to go back and rest.
I paid the bill, and we were about to leave, when a man came from behind and called out to me. “Are you three looking for a job?” he asked.
“Not me,” I said, “but these two are. It would be great if you could help us.”
“As a matter of fact, I can. I run this restaurant, and we are in need of cleaners. Most of them don’t come on time, and the ones who do, laze around all day. The restaurant is in a mess. I heard how much you were willing to work. If you assure me that you will work properly, I’m ready to give you two jobs here. But you make a mistake, and I fire you.”
Our faces lit up like candles of a Diwali night. “That is so great of you sir! We are more than happy to be working for you!” Replied Aliya, in the happiest voice I had heard since I met her. Independence clearly meant a lot to her, and this was her independence, from everything.
“Good then. See you tomorrow morning at eight.”
“Good night sir.”
“Good night.”
The three of us were skipping along the road as we want back. The happiness had driven the weariness away. We chatted for quite a while. Finally, the two of them went into their rooms, and I retired into the sofa. The tiredness of the day came back to me, and I dozed off immediately, pleased with myself now.
CHAPTER 18
I didn’t know what time I woke up, but when I did, the apartment was empty. I almost got a heart attack as I searched the entire apartment, and then I found a note stuck on the door, with the words written in nearly perfect English.
“Aliya and I have left for work, and since it’s our first day, we decided to go early. You were sleeping peacefully, so we didn’t wake you up. I hope you didn’t mind us not informing you before we left. We really thought you deserved to rest that much. Enjoy roaming around the place, and meet us too if you get the time!”
I heaved a sigh of relief, and then a thought of sadness gripped me. This was sure to be the writing of Meira. She had been educated till the age of twelve, and yet wrote in English, and that too, English that was grammatically flawless. I felt sad for the poor girl, whose education stopped even before it took off properly. I wished I could do something more for her. I took my phone out to look at the time. It was nearly 10 a.m. now. I was sleeping for a really long time. The weariness of the last few days must have got the better of my city bred, well fed, always pampered self. I quickly changed, and, with one look at the washroom, decided against a bath. I used the deodorant to cover up for that, and then moved down and towards the restaurant.
The girls were delighted to see me, with wide smiles plastered across their faces as they worked diligently. The sense of freedom and happiness that they got from this couldn’t come close to any other joy that they could’ve received from any of the riches, the gifts or the ‘fun’ that I had over the years. The comparison in itself was doing injustice to them.
They worked through the day, while I roamed around. Vizag is one of the most beautiful cities in the country, or it may have just been my bias for beaches. I spent most of my day around the beach, and considered it as a city tour to satisfy myself. Sitting on the beach and gazing at the waves was, in my opinion, heavily underrated. As I sat there, exploring the meaning of every little thing I did, every instance that had happened to me all my life, my thoughts seemed to wander into the strangest parts of my mind. It was almost poetic, the way my mind spoke to me.
“Every activity that we do in life,
From being a little baby whose smile
Converts darkness into light,
To a full grown man,
Who fends for himself with all his might.
If all of it were to differ,
By just one little act,
It would be a different life,
Different rules with different facts.
Every single step in a drop,
&
nbsp; In the ocean of our life’s journey.
Sometimes you’re as calm as the sea,
But at times, you are fiercely burning.
But you choose your path,
At every crossroad of life.
Sometimes you go down the easy road,
Sometimes it’s nearly impossible to survive.
But all of these little choices,
Combine together to become you.
And had you been a little different anywhere.
Your life would’ve had a different hue.”
After spending nearly the entire day at the beach, I left for the restaurant again at around 5pm, when their shift was ending. We ate right there, as all three of us were starving. We then went back home, as I needed to start again for the journey back home
“Let us come with you to drop you to the station at least!”
“There’s no need for that. I can manage on my own. You two need to rest right now. Besides, you don’t know the city well enough yet. You might get lost.”
“Okay.” Both of them said, shooting me a slightly upset look.
“Take care of each other, and yourselves. Don’t go around a lot into the city right now, you don’t know this place well enough. Get settled well here, as this has to be your city for a while now at least. If you ever see any suspicious activity, or need anything from me, just give me a call. You both have my number written down with you, so reaching me shouldn’t be a problem. Meira, no matter how strong a feeling you get, do NOT call home. It’s going to be extremely risky and problematic if you do so. Gujjar will be all over the place now, looking for you. We have to remain as safe as we can be. Have a good time here!”
I boarded the cab I had called earlier, taking whatever little luggage I had with me. I could see tears in both of their eyes, as we said our goodbyes.
“Thanks for everything you’ve done for us Ansh. We can never repay you for this, and will always be grateful to you.”