Rail Junction

Horror | read 04 min #shortstories #rail  #suspence #fiction

Chapter one  - The darkness

Ramaiah, also known as Railway Ramaiah, has been working as a catering staff at Guntakal Railway Junction for almost 15 years. The junction holds a historical reputation as one of the oldest in the country. Many proposals have been made on paper for its development, but none have taken a step beyond the planning stage.

The wage is very low for Ramaiah. However, he works late nights to maintain proper, efficient food supply to passengers at the railway station. He doesn't mind, as he follows his passion for working with the railways. He has tried many ways to improve his situation, but he finds satisfaction in what he does.

One fine day, during his routine duties late at night, he was working on platform no. 3, where the next train was due to arrive. It was delayed by fifteen minutes and coming from Poorvan Railway Junction, which is about three hours from Guntakal. This is a passenger train that runs daily. Ramaiah knows its schedule very well - he's familiar with almost all the trains that pass through the junction.

By the time he was about to complete his work, the train arrived at the station, stayed for few minutes, and moved on to the next stop. He knew he had nothing to do with this train, except to help any passengers boarding it, if needed. As everything was running normally, he continued with his work.

While the train stopped at the station.

In the middle of his tasks, he accidentally bumped into a passenger stepping down from the Poorvan regular passenger train. The man was tall, gentle-looking, seemed like a very nice guy, dressed simply, and appeared to hold beliefs that were extraordinary and quite different from others. As he bumped into Ramaiah, he quickly responded, "Sorry uncle, it was my mistake. I didn't see you properly while stepping down."

Ramaiah replied, "It's okay." Everything seemed normal, and they moved on.

A little later, as Ramaiah was about to leave, something strange caught his attention about that tall, gentle-looking person - a chilling feeling he couldn't shake, creeping over him just as both were about to leave the station and head toward the small town of Guntakal.

Chapter two  - The Fear

The next day, it was a sunny day, and the day seemed to be normal as usual, extending its wings to all the people to start with their routine. Ramaiah, on the other hand, who actually does not belong to the place that he is living in, Guntakal. 

He belongs to Charpandhar, a place very far from Guntakal; it's a remote place having no proper connectivity, and its prime location for transport or any major place to travel from one place to another is Guntakal. Though he has an opinion to travel regularly between both the places, he chose to stay in Guntakal so that he can come quickly to work and maintain his passion to stay connected to railways. 

By paying a minimal amount as rent to his house owner, who is one among the railway staff and who also actually helped Ramaiah to get into the railways. He should not worry about the work that he has to do since he is very near to the station, within a walkable distance, with a small hotel located on the same path to have enough food for his stomach. He likes more staying inside the station, having some chit-chat with railway staff on platforms about the government and railways all the time. 

As he began to start his duty at the railway, he rushed to his stall for food to supply for the train that had just arrived at Platform 1. He picks the amount from the passenger and delivers the food right into their stomach. 

In the meantime, he was called by one of his co-workers named Ratnam, a white-bearded brown guy who looks like an old character artist. Whenever they both encounter each other, they give a high-five, and a hug, smile together, and they continue to their work. 

Later the same day, both sat together and started to exchange words on politics and the latest news that circulated around the town. 

In their discussion, Ratnam started to say something about a murder that had happened a few days before, with Ramaiah. He acknowledged the fact and recalled the news in his head and said, "I know, I know. A strong investigation must go on to not get repeated again" - as they both stayed on the same line. 

As the day was coming to an end, Ramaiah was about to finish off his work and go back, but quickly he stopped and had a look at a stopped train at Platform 3. His eyes were searching for that gentle-looking guy to step down from the train, but he was unable to see him and started to move his way back. 

As he passed by near the exit, he saw the guy had already entered into the town. He got scared and stopped, thinking that something unfamiliar is happening?

To be continued...

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