Train ab kaafi speed se chal rahi thi. Riya ne window se bahar dekha, lekin bahar sirf andhera hi andhera tha. Aisa lag raha tha jaise train kisi unknown jagah ki taraf ja rahi ho.
"Ye ho kya raha hai?" Riya ne thodi ghabrahat mein kaha.
Usne door kholne ki koshish ki, lekin doors locked the.
Train ka andar ka atmosphere bhi thoda strange tha. Lights halki si dim thi aur puri train almost empty lag rahi thi.
Riya dheere-dheere train ke andar chalne lagi.
Har compartment bilkul khali tha.
Na koi passenger, na koi conductor.
Sirf silence.
Riya ka heart fast beat kar raha tha.
Tabhi usne ek compartment ke end par kisi ko baitha hua dekha.
Ek old man window ke paas quietly baitha tha.
Uske white baal the aur woh ek black coat pehne hua tha. Uske haath mein ek purani si pocket watch thi.
Riya thoda hesitant hui, lekin phir woh uske paas chali gayi.
"Excuse me…" Riya ne dheere se kaha.
Old man ne slowly apni nazar upar uthai aur Riya ki taraf dekha.
Uski aankhon mein ek ajeeb si shanti thi.
"Tum finally aa hi gayi," old man ne calm voice mein kaha.
Riya hairan ho gayi.
"Aap… mujhe jaante hain?" Riya ne pucha.
Old man halka sa muskuraaya.
"Is train mein jo bhi aata hai, woh kisi reason se aata hai," usne kaha.
Riya aur confuse ho gayi.
"Ye train hai kya? Aur ye jaa kahan rahi hai?" Riya ne jaldi se pucha.
Old man ne apni pocket watch dekhi.
"Ye train logon ko unki life ke important moments dikhane le jaati hai," usne kaha.
Riya ko uski baat bilkul samajh nahi aayi.
"Matlab?" Riya ne pucha.
Old man ne window ki taraf ishara kiya.
"Thodi der mein tum khud samajh jaogi," usne calmly kaha.
Riya ne window se bahar dekha.
Achanak bahar ka andhera dheere-dheere change hone laga.
Ab wahan ek familiar street dikh rahi thi.
Riya shock ho gayi.
"Ye… ye toh mera school hai!" Riya ne surprise se kaha.
Train dheere-dheere slow hone lagi.
Old man ne kaha,
"Har stop tumhe tumhari life ka ek moment dikhayega."
Riya confused thi.
"Lekin kyun?" usne pucha.
Old man ne seedha jawab diya.
"Taaki tum samajh sako ki choices kitni important hoti hain."
Train ruk gayi.
Door slowly open hua.
Platform par Riya ne ek scene dekha.
Wahan chhoti Riya khadi thi — jab woh 10 saal ki thi.
Woh school competition mein participate karne wali thi, lekin dar ke wajah se usne last moment par give up kar diya tha.
Riya ne shock mein woh scene dekha.
"Ye… mera past hai," usne dheere se kaha.
Old man ne sir hilaaya.
"Har insaan ki life mein aise moments hote hain jahan ek chhota sa decision future ko change kar sakta hai," usne kaha.
Riya chup ho gayi.
Usne realize kiya ki usne life mein bahut baar fear ki wajah se chances miss kiye hain.
Old man ne phir kaha,
"Ye train tumhe sirf past nahi dikhayegi…"
Riya ne uski taraf dekha.
"Toh phir?" usne pucha.
Old man ki aankhon mein ek mysterious sparkle thi.
"Ye train tumhe possible futures bhi dikhayegi," usne kaha.
Riya ka heart fast beat karne laga.
Future?
Kya sach mein woh apna future dekh sakti thi?
Train ka whistle phir se baja.
Doors close hone lage.
Aur train phir se chalne lagi.
Riya ko ab feel ho raha tha ki ye journey sirf strange nahi thi…
Ye journey uski poori life ko change karne wali thi.
Agla chapter jald hi