Mysterious Allure

Chapter 2

Due to the district , the train was going to stop for only three minutes so every passengers were hurriedly stuffing their luggage in the train . Balbir also lifted his baggage and leaped on the train . As soon as Balbir boarded on the train his eyes got fixated at that college girl whom he met with yesterday's night sitting on the front berth. 

For a moment , he was surprised to see her in the train however he shifted his concentration from that girl and searched for his berth , settled his luggage and started talking on phone . After a while , with the intention of chatting with that girl , Balbir went to that girl's berth but to his surprise she wasn't there and one old man was sitting there , he went back to his berth .

 At a slow place , train was reaching its destination. As soon as , time was passing,  Balbir's fear of the dark nightfall was seizing him , he was tensed remembering the previous incident . The train was flooded with passengers then also , Balbir wasn't convinced and he was assuming that he was traveling all alone . Balbir looked everywhere and noticed that everyone was busy amongst themselves.  After taking his meal , Balbir laid down on his berth .

 At correct 2:20 am in that dark night glistening with twinkling stars , this night too , Balbir's eyes were wide awake however not due to any nightmare but a melodious voice left him stunned . He stood up and looked up everywhere , every passenger was sleeping soundly on their berths . Balbir was moving towards that berth where he saw that college girl after boarding the train although that old man was still sleeping on that berth. Balbir was disheartened and returned to his berth . 

Now he was thinking that maybe it was his misconception, that girl took all over his mind and body that's why he was hallucinating her everywhere.  Maybe it is also a possibility that besides the screams and shrieks of a girl , he heard the soft melodious voice of a girl can also be one of his misconception. Balbir sat on his comfy berth with his head in his hands still by grief , confusion, frustrated . 

When did the sun rose high up in the sky spreading its warm sunlight , Balbir didn't get to know. Train was coming to a stop slowly -  slowly . When Balbir peeked out of the train , sun was already there in the sky , many passengers were already drinking tea on that station , maybe train was going to stop here for a short span of time. Balbir too stepped out from the train. 

This station was somewhat giving the vibes of the hilly area's station . The sky was painted with soft light clouds accompanied by cold , pleasant breeze,  when peeked out from the station , one gets the feel as if , great , giant hills , mountains are standing bravely with sun rising behind them . Actually the paintings painted on the walls of the station were making such a atmosphere giving a peaceful vibe . These all paintings were engraved in the wall and morning's cold breeze were making them feel as a reality .

After taking a cup of tea , Balbir again lied down on his berth .

 Before lying down , he was glancing at that college's girl berth however due to the passenger's covered face from the blanket , he wasn't able to guess who was sleeping beneath that quilt . At last , Balbir convinced himself by predicting that old man is sleeping there and due to the cold breeze he has covered his face with the quilt . 

At first Balbir thought of waking that old man up and asking him up for a cup of hot sizzling tea then he let go of that thought thinking that he might disturb his sleep as Balbir himself knows the best that how problematic and painful the lack of sleep can be . 

Every midnight,  Balbir would sit awake leading to his restless and tiring self.  Such unfortunate incident was happening since many month with him . For completing the lack of sleep , he had to sleep in noon to relax his body. Then also he had to endure the immense pain of head aches for days. This also affected Balbir's work.

 Drowned in these thoughts he sat at his berth. It was afternoon and everyone was assembling their baggage and preparing to leave. Train was just going to arrive at its destination.  Balbir too was packing and sorting his stuff. 

After five minutes , the train reached at the Mumbai station. Slowly - slowly train was being emptied from the passengers. Balbir also left the train with a sad and a upset mind. He only walked few steps and stood stunned there after watching the girl who passed by him.

 She was that college girl whom Balbir saw when he boarded the train however she wasn't seen even for once after that in the whole journey. Balbir took fast steps towards the direction of that girl however wasn't able to catch her because of the bustling crowd on the station and he also didn't know her name so he wasn't able to call out to her and due to the chaos and hustle bustle of the crowd , he wasn't able to go near the girl. Within seconds , in front if his eyes , the girl went out from the station . Balbir stood there disappointed.

 He was really astonished by the fact that if she was there in the train the whole time then why wasn't she visible and if he saw that girl while boarding the train then who was that old man oh her berth and on which berth was she travelling then?

 Balbir wasn't able to solve this perplexing puzzle after giving this much thought too. Confused , troubled be stepped out of the station. He was upset and didn't want to return to Mumbai however the solution of the problem for which he went from Mumbai to that district wasn't been able to found. Balbir took a auto for his home.