PLATFORM ZERO
850 Words
The next afternoon, Aarav and Kabir reached Central Station just before sunset. The station was crowded, but Aarav couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching them. Every few seconds, he looked over his shoulder, expecting to see the mysterious man from the street. Nobody was there.
They walked through the main entrance and checked the station map. Platforms 1 through 11 were clearly marked, but there was no Platform 0.
“I told you,” Kabir said. “It doesn't exist.”
Aarav pointed toward the far end of the station. “Then what's that?”
Behind a row of old advertisements was a narrow staircase. A dusty sign above it read AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY.
Kabir looked at him. “That's probably where they keep maintenance equipment.”
“Maybe.”
They waited until nobody was looking and slipped behind the advertisements. At the bottom of the staircase was a locked metal door.
Aarav reached for the handle.
It opened.
Kabir stared at him. “That was locked, right?”
“It was.”
They stepped inside.
The door closed behind them with a heavy click.
A long corridor stretched ahead. The lights flickered as they walked, and the sound of the station slowly disappeared behind them. After a few minutes, Aarav noticed something strange.
There were clocks on the walls.
Every clock showed a different time.
12:15.
4:32.
8:09.
11:47.
Then Aarav stopped.
At the end of the corridor was a large clock showing 6:15.
The exact time from the newspaper.
“Kabir,” he whispered.
“I see it.”
Suddenly, the lights went out.
Kabir grabbed Aarav's arm.
“Don't move.”
A low humming sound filled the corridor.
Then a voice came from somewhere ahead.
“Aarav?”
Aarav's heart raced.
It was the same voice from the phone.
His own voice.
The lights returned.
Someone was standing at the end of the corridor.
Aarav stared.
The person was wearing a black jacket and holding a flashlight.
As he stepped closer, Aarav recognized the face.
It was him.
But older.
The man looked exhausted, as though he hadn't slept in years. A black watch was wrapped around his wrist.
Kabir stepped backward.
“What the—”
The older Aarav raised a hand.
“Don't panic.”
Aarav couldn't take his eyes off him.
“You're me.”
“Yes.”
“How?”
The older Aarav looked toward the corridor behind them.
“We don't have much time.”
“Tell me what's happening.”
The older Aarav hesitated.
“Tomorrow isn't the future.”
Aarav frowned.
“What does that mean?”
“It means tomorrow has already happened.”
A loud metallic sound echoed from somewhere below them.
The older Aarav looked frightened for the first time.
“They found us.”
“Who?”
Before he could answer, the corridor lights began flashing.
A distant alarm started ringing.
The older Aarav grabbed Aarav's arm.
“Whatever happens, don't let them activate the Gate.”
“What Gate?”
But the older Aarav was already running toward the end of the corridor.
Aarav and Kabir followed.
They reached a huge underground chamber.
In the center stood a massive circular machine surrounded by cables and glowing screens.
Aarav stared at it.
“What is that?”
The older Aarav looked at the machine.
“The Meridian Gate.”
The machine suddenly activated.
The room shook.
A bright circle of light appeared in its center.
For a moment, Aarav saw something on the other side.
It looked like Central Station.
But it was different.
The walls were damaged.
The lights were broken.
And the station was completely empty.
Then someone appeared inside the glowing circle.
A girl.
She looked about Aarav's age.
She stared directly at him.
Then she whispered something.
Aarav couldn't hear her.
The Gate flickered.
The girl disappeared.
The older Aarav looked at him.
“That was Mira.”
“Who is she?”
The older Aarav didn't answer.
Instead, he looked at the machine's screen.
A countdown had appeared.
00:10:00
Kabir swallowed.
“What happens when it reaches zero?”
The older Aarav looked at both of them.
“The timelines merge.”
Aarav stared at the countdown.
09:42
“What happens then?”
The older Aarav's expression became serious.
“Everyone gets one reality.”
Aarav looked at the glowing machine.
“And the other realities?”
The older Aarav didn't answer.
He didn't need to.
The countdown continued.
09:31
Then footsteps echoed through the corridor.
Someone was coming.
The older Aarav switched off the lights.
“Hide.”
Aarav and Kabir ducked behind the machine.
The footsteps grew louder.
A shadow appeared in the doorway.
Then a familiar voice spoke.
“Aarav?”
Aarav's eyes widened.
It was his father's voice.
But his father was supposed to be at home.
The voice came again.
“Come out.”
The older Aarav whispered:
“That's not your father.”
Aarav stared into the darkness.
The shadow stepped into the room.
And Aarav saw his father's face.
TO BE CONTINUED…
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