It was a cold evening, Girish was on time. The chill wind gushing through the lonely, silent station was unbearable. His distracted mind was reminded about the present situation by the clatter of his teeth and shivering body, numb and senseless finger tips. He quickly went for his neatly folded thick jacket well kept in his backpack.

Now he felt warm and fuzzy, hugging himself with his both arm around his body a warm smile floated up to his lips. Quickly grabbing the phone for light as he had to walk fifteen minutes down the central road, he again got reminded about Mira ; Slowly the smile sank beneath the depressed, gloomy face.

It was half past seven when Girish reached home. His tired, gloomy face was enough for his mother to understand the matter. So she asked few times pretending to be unaware of that but Girish said nothing. Following his daily routine, Girish atlast gave up to his tiredness and decided to fall asleep.

In his subconscious mind the thought of Mira, time spent with her, remembering her all started stitching up in an unknown, wired, irregular fashion giving rise to a full picture, where he sees her back to Rudrapur; the home town with her family.

He hears her calling him from behind as he was passing by, the sound seemed somehow became clearer and clearer, louder. He turns his head to see; it was his mother trying to wake him up since 20 mins.

Girish rubbing his eyes off now realises that it was just a dream. 'Dream' word just hit him instantly, he has heard that " vorer Swapna sotti hoi " many a times, though he know that it was just a belief of the Indians and there is not even 0.1% probability of this to occur. But sticks to it to comfort his childish heart❤️.

He hurried up as the motherly voice can be heard from the kitchen saying"taratari kor", repeatedly asking him to hurry up. He was already late he stormed through all the things to be on time to college.
Alas! As he reached, train left the station. The next one was at an interval of one hour.
So, Girish had no choice other than writing.

After waiting for almost 40-45 mins . He lost all his patience and was ready to leave the platform. He took his bag in one hand , got up and just then a train 🚆 arrived in the station with a loud honk. Exactly at that font of time there was a" Tring" sound and a little nudge of vibration.

Screen reads as " Mira sent you photos". He quickly went for it , suddenly a shrill voice called 'Giru' which likely paused Girish. He couldn't his ears , to ensure his thoughts he entrusted on his eyes. But he couldn't find the source of the sound as there was just a middle aged man trying to organize the luggage and a women standing idly on the busy platform.

Again he heard 'Giru' this time he found the source, it was coming from a wheelchaired girl . He came closer to enquire as this name was 'Giru' was only used by Mira. After a couple of steps , his legs freezed , a cold chill ran down his backbone, his throat ran dry but his eyes were moist. He was awstruck couldn't believe his eyes, rubbed twice as if the vison infront will change.

But, nothing changed sadly! It was Mira on a wheelchair with her parents indeed! His bag fell from his hand. It can't be true he screamed his lungs out in silence but it was the bitter truth that Girish had to chew down through his dried out throat.

Mira arrived to him, Girish was still as steel.
"How are you? Are you going to college?"
Girish went for the reply but his dry tongue resisted so he nodded his head in response.
"We know, what is going in your mind and what you want to ask. It's a long story." They started walking with Mira infront in wheelchair after saying " Bye! See you soon".
Girish could see them subliming from his eye sight. He decided bunk college and accompany best friend "Mira".

The platform journey comes to an end bringing both happiness and sorrow at the same time together more importantly close friends together.

Mira was in this condition as she got an injury in the backbone, L3 got misplaced during a football match in inter college football tournament. She has been operated and asked to take rest for 6 months. So, she came to her home town Rudrapur. This information was given with apology Letter by Mira herself to Girish through the pictures that she sent just few minutes back as it was very very hard for her too to again recollect her pain and to confess to her best friend to whom she couldn't give him enough time so she decided to take help of social media to hide her tears........Will she be able to get back on her feet is still a question...

~Sk.NR




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