The Kanyakumari Vivek express was on the station at Assam. The engine driver whistled and started the engine which gave a little push to the entire train. Seeing this the entire platform started to hurry. Railway station is a strange place. One can find a plethora of emotions across it. Some are happy, some are waiting, some are sad a mixed range of emotions. This is a little story of a young man named Vikram who was there in the train in a coach siting at the window seat waiting to start his journey to Kanyakumari.
The coach was almost full, only the seat in front of Vikram was empty. There were two Bengali families and a newly married Punjabi couple was there in the coach. The couple was busy in themselves only forgetting everything around them. The Bengali families were relatives, so there were discussing their family matter and their kids were playing on the upper berth. The entire coach was a pandora’s box having all sorts of noises and it was a complete chaos.
Train was about to leave the station, at that time a young girl around 25 to 27 years old was running vehemently towards the coach. Some gentleman saw that and helped that girl to board the train. She was panting heavily and because of that small drops of sweat started to show up on her entire face. Those droplets were shining like little pearls on her face making her more beautiful. The entire coach was stunned as she entered inside from the door. Every eye turned towards her or trying very hard not to stare but those eyes were glued to her face. She was the definition of beauty. Her long face, sharp nose, dimples in chicks, curved eyebrows were enough ornaments to add icing on the cake. Her open hair was playing among themselves to create an entirely different effect on others. She was wearing a typical rural dress and that made her the wildest rose of the jungle.
She took the seat in front of Vikram, everybody smiled at her and said hello apart from Vikram who was still staring outside the window. Most of the cursed Vikram and their luck that this mesmerising beauty was not sitting in front of them. People came back to their senses as the wheels of train started their journey towards the farthest end of South India. It is a long journey from Assam to Kanyakumari almost 83 hours which is a huge time, so everybody came prepared to spend time and not getting bored.
Punjabi couple was still busy in talking to each other so no time to get bored. Ladies from Bengali families started to pull out the food they brought and arranging that food into paper dishes for their family members and kids. They offered Vikram but he politely denied. He was still not looking at that girl. While offering food to her, a lady asked what is your name? She said Rupa and every ear in the entire coach heard the sounds of bells ringing heavily. She smiled and dimples were visible again and there were sighs across the coach.
Rupa was looking at Vikram as his was the only head which was not turned towards her. Her ego was slightly bruised. A man from Bengali family asked Vikram, ‘What is your name and where are you travelling to?’. He answered,’ my name is Vikram and to Kanyakumari’. We are too he said. Soon everybody finished the food and started to doze. Bengali ladies were talking about Vikram as he was very handsome and was behaving very politely. They were saying, ‘a handsome polite boy with cultural values. Not easy to find now a days.’
Meanwhile the train reached to a station in the evening. Almost everybody left the train to stretch their legs apart from Rupa and Vikram. Rupa glanced to Vikram from her book, but still he was not looking at her. A few hours passed without any incidence. After dinner everybody decided to sleep, and lights were turned off. Rupa and Vikram both were on the lower berths and the kids were on upper berths. Suddenly Rupa asked Vikram, ‘Do you have water?’. Vikram said yes and handed her a bottle.
While sipping the water, Rupa made a sexy move with her neck to attract Vikram. Vikram was still unmoved like a stone. Hence, Rupa decided to be blunt. She whispered slowly, ‘Give me all the money you have, or I will scream. I will say that you gave me some drug in the water bottle and trying to rape me.’ Vikram said, ‘I don’t have any money and even if I had, I would not give it to you.’ Rupa tried to convince him, ‘See there are many people in the coach. It is just a matter of one scream from me and you will be in deep trouble. Why do you want to have such trouble? Just give me some money and I will leave you alone.
Vikram still denied and out of rage Rupa screamed very loudly. Every eye was opened instantly hearing that ear penetrating sound. Rupa pointed Vikram and said, ‘He is trying to rape me.’ Ladies were saying, ‘How innocent face and this evil act’. All the males without thinking anything else or hearing about what Vikram had to say, just started to beat him. Vikram’s nose was broken because of a punch, his lips were torn from the sides and a small torrent of blood was rushing out. During this chaos Rupa was having a sadistic smile on her face while standing in a corner and having fake sobs. The kid from the upper berth saw something and shouted to his lungs’ full extent, stop everyone. Please stop. Everyone stopped and looked at that kid. Kid pointed out a stick in the corner just under Vikram’s berth.
Vikram was blind. The anger turned to pity almost instantly. Somebody tried to help Vikram and he still politely denied. He pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and cleaned blood with it. Somebody gave him a bottle of water. He drank a few sips and the entire air was sorry because of this incidence. Soon, people realised that it was Rupa’s mistake. The beautiful Rupa was now a sadistic Rupa an evil Rupa. Everybody agreed with one voice that let us hand her over to the police when the next station arrives.
Somebody said, ‘slap her at least once’. And Vikram loudly said no. Please do not slap her. She must be having some troubles so that she did this. Rupa said yes, I did this to have some money so that I can have enough money to get my younger brother operated. Every eye was moist. Vikram moved forward towards Rupa and said, ‘Rupa God bless you and your brother and gave all his money to her ‘. Many showed the levels of pity, but no hand was raised to help her while every hand was raised to beat Vikram. Rupa with tears in her eyes said thank you. She could not say anything. Everyone praised the actions of Vikram. Rupa departed as her station was there with a heavy heart and once again said thank you for such an action of forgiveness.
Rupa moved out of the platform and wipes her eyes clean. She was getting ready for her new pray as this was not a fruitful trip.
