FLAWED | √

¶ CHAPTER 4 ¶

Shehnaaz was taking a nap when she heard whispers going around. She rubbed her eyes, as the sound got clear and she realized someone was calling her. As she opened her eyes, a person in black stood before her with interrogating eyes. It caused her to gulp in fear. Who the man was? She covered her dupatta properly on seeing his fiery eyes.

Glancing at the register in his hand, checking a name. “Ticket…”

Shehnaaz nodded, opening the potli she had. The only material she had carried with herself. Handed it to him, he stared at the ticket keenly. “I knew it! Just get out of the train. This ticket is for Kolkata and you’re moving towards Mumbai,” he shook his head. The family beside Shehnaaz got concerned on listening to it, while Shehnaaz was staring at the ticket collector with no clue.

“She missed the train?” One among the group questioned him. He nodded in agreement; they shared a sympathetic look at Shehnaaz.

“What are you waiting for? Get up! You need to move on to the next station.” On finding she wasn’t providing her with any reaction, he turned impatient. He hadn’t met for the first time with such people, always the train was filled with such passengers. Of those having no ticket, some carried old ones and while the rest walked on completely different trains. His profession did test his patience.

“Jo mai bol raha hu sunayi nahi de raha hai kya?” (My words aren’t getting in your ears?) He was fuming in anger.

“Main ki kita hai?” (What have I done?) Her eyes show confusion showering in her brain. Though she wasn’t understanding his language yet she got a hint, something she had done that was wrong.

“Ma’am ji aap galat train mein chali aayi ho.” (You have landed on the wrong train.) Shook his head, “now stand up.” TC wasn’t going to set her free easily.

“Arjun… speak to him. It’s soon going to turn ten, where she will go tonight. She can get out in the morning…” A woman who was sitting in the opposite direction to Shehnaaz spoke, requesting his husband to speak.

“Disha…” She pleaded with him through her eyes, and he had to interrupt a stranger's matter due to it.

“Sir, can’t it be possible for her to spend a night in the train and morning walk out.” TC was going to interrupt but Arjun continued. “She seems from a decent background,” glancing at Shehnaaz. As she tightened her grip on the potli turning scared on two strangers talking in some foreign language, that too staring at her. Disha's smile was providing her with some hope that those individuals weren’t cruel.

“I am living her on your responsibility, maybe in a future station the seat might be reserved and I don’t know what you will do at that minute.”

“We will manage it,” another person came in their support. Seeing the passenger wasn’t going to agree, he moved from them.

Shehnaaz was least aware what planning was going on, she stared at the stranger for a minute, soon looking out of the window. “Tumhara naam kya hai?” (What’s your name?) She heard a melodious voice after a few minutes. She ignored it at first but when the same word was repeated, she searched for the source. The same girl who offered her a smile, was waiting for a response.

“Shehnaaz…” Muttered, her nervous eyes staring straight into her grinning one.

“Kaha se ho?” (From, where are you?) A voice came from beside her, the man who seemed to be her husband.

“Chandigarh…” Shivering with each interrogation planned towards her.

“Punjab se… wah!” (From Punjab… wow!) Disha enthusiasm increased with each word. “Kaha ja rahi ho?” (Where are you going.) Shehnaaz had no reply as she wasn’t remembering the place of her destination. The word she had heard for the first time in the railway station. “Kya hua?” (What happened?) On seeing her turning anxious, the way a student turns when an unknown question is asked.