The train rattled like a humongous reptile on the tracks, banging its annular limbs against seasoned metal, the sharp assault shooting irregular gold flickers and making the tracks growl. As the massive azoic creature halted, the screeching wail of the breaks shot out and all the ears present recoiled. Amrita pushed her way through the already gathered crowd with Shaurya following her. He had insisted that he showed her to her coach and pulled her bag; she looked uneasy but he simply smiled back.

They stood there side by side trying to fit in with the rest of the waiting passengers. After some time, few railway staffs arrived and worked flawlessly making the train ready for the journey. They hung reservation charts on every coach, opened the window shutters and the pantry boys brought in carts full with containers, canisters, packed water bottles and cardboard boxes. Suddenly the busy platform became busier. It was time to board the train and it was time to take few calls.

Amrita was mulling over her morning while others started to board their respective coaches. She had watched and felt quite a lot from the morning and it was still taking her time to process. She wanted to leave this place but she didn't know how to bid a goodbye to the stranger who had turned to a compassionate and kind companion. She was not sure whether they were friends by now, and he had not shown any signs of eagerness either. They were still just two strangers who met and spent their waiting time together on some issue that was not theirs at all. She handed her ticket to Shaurya's extended hand and he walked forward to check her berth number from the chart, adhering to the gentlemanly behavior that he believed in.

Amrita watched him and then her eyes trailed along the other figures around her. Her eyes then fell on a particular pair of spectacled eyes, lined by wrinkles that accumulated over the years. She noticed an old man glancing at their direction, a small smile pasted on his thick chapped lips. She was unsure whether he was smiling at her or was it his usual expression. She saw something in that face, a kind of sadness and acceptance, and then his eyes landed on the bag that she was clutching in her hands. The eyes focused for just a moment, not enough for her to decide whether the bag was familiar to him or he was just eyeing it for the sake of watching his fellow passengers. As that moment passed, she sensed someone standing beside her and the man's eyes moved to Shaurya. He then turned around as a younger man called after him and walked ahead, mostly to towards his coach.

"Then.." Shaurya rolled the word with his tongue as if he was choosing his next words carefully. "It is time for goodbye I guess" he smiled gingerly at her. She avoided looking into his eyes not because she was afraid to see something meaningful there. She was generally afraid of herself and her recent volatile emotions. She feared that she might end up crying and make the situation worse. "I think so" she kept it short her voice almost choking in the attempt.

"The bag.." he was about to say something when she interrupted "I will take it with me if you are okay with it. I will try to contact the person in the letters. I think it would be great if I could return his belongings to him" she fidgeted with her handbag handle. "It was nice meeting you and...and sorry for the foot"

He chuckled and mouthed, "That's fine". He then helped her with the bag and pulled it up inside the coach. She got up too, not knowing what else to do though there was some more time before the train left. He gestured her to go to her berth and she obeyed. He had also reached there but from the outside and stood near the window. Fortunately, she got a window seat on the side berth that was confirmed finally. She placed her luggage under her seat, sat down and pulled back the window shutters. Shaurya was looking at her, his lips pursed and hands inside his pocket. Suddenly Amrita remembered "You did not meet your relative", it was not a question but a statement. She realized that from the moment she met him they had been together and not for a single time did he look for his relative.

"I didn't find him, I guess I am in the wrong platform" he sighed.

"Which train is he boarding? Why don't you give him a call and find out?" she enquired.

"I don't think it's necessary anymore" he replied and looked at his watch.

Amrita got the message and decided to keep her mouth shut. She thought she might have been trying to be too friendly. Why should she worry for that? She didn't know him at all.

Her phone buzzed violently in her handbag and she took it out to find her friend calling. She assured him that she had boarded the train safely but she omitted the part about meeting Shaurya. While talking she didn't notice that the train had started to move. She looked out of the window to wave to Shaurya but he was not there. Was she surprised? Well somehow, she knew that she was hurt. What was she to him? She was nobody but merely an hour's acquaintance. But this fact hurt her very much. After very long time did someone had spend some time dedicatedly with her, without complaining, without demanding, without expecting or ignoring. He was indeed very kind and polite with her, his company surprisingly gave her comfort. Now she could not accept the fact that he simply left without a "goodbye", as if this hour didn't matter at all. May be it didn't actually matter, only she was an emotional fool. She didn't even ask for his phone number, she wanted to but had hesitated earlier. But now she regretted her shyness. Why didn't he ask her hers? But why was she thinking? He didn't even say what a pleasure it was to meet her; it was odd and that thought nudged her. Now she remembered another thing, in all the hurry she had forgotten to call her masi. She didn't know that Amrita would be ending up at her place. She needed to call her, and she knew she would be mad at her. Not mad because she was going without any notice or leaving her house but because she didn't call her for help earlier. She immediately dialed her number.

The journey was monotonous. Amrita didn't feel like talking to anybody. One acquaintance was enough for her; she didn't want any more to add to her dwelling pain. She spent most of the morning looking through the thick windowpane, as huge green fields or busy households faded into blur. Though it was not a clear sight and she could not put up the shutters due to the cold weather, she was content with what her eyes captured. She had checked her cell phone couple of times. There was no phone call from her father or brother. She tried to convince herself that they would have tried to reach her when they found her room empty, but everyone knows how a cell phone would not always receive a signal while travelling. Probably that was the case. Even then, at every station where the train halted she took it out from her handbag and checked the signal strength. Why was she bothering? She asked herself, she was the one who wanted to disappear; she was the one who didn't want to be sought. However, deep in her heart her loss grew from a big lump to huge waves of hurt. She could not accept in her heart that her father did not care and that her brother did not miss her. Was she living in an illusionary world until now?

The evening was lonelier as she lost the sight of the landscapes outside the window. Thick darkness had enveloped everything. Lamps from the running streets and faraway houses would dare to appear but they were nothing but tiny dots in the massive darkness. Few vendors have passed by selling tea and samosas. Her stomach growled so she had to oblige to food. She checked with the vendor whether the train was keeping up with the schedule. He confirmed smilingly. Still there were hours before she would step outside on stable ground. Her masi would come to pick her. She was an unmarried woman and ran her own business. She had adopted one of her cousin's daughter and would be happy to take Amrita in.

She opened her handbag to reach her purse and her fingers brushed against the bag that she took in responsibility. She paid the vendor and took out the bag. She had completely forgotten about it, while familiar and unfamiliar people and occupied her thoughts. She felt a pull towards the letters, as if they wanted her to hear them. She should wait for their owner, she should not read them; she told herself. But she wanted to know what happened to the girl. She pulled out a letter and appreciated how they had been stacked in order. There were no dates mentioned though, dates sometimes make you worry how the time had flown away; she thought.

Dear Dadabhai,

I wonder sometimes whether it was for our good that we had to part. I am not sure though as I am not sure of many things. I somehow know that you have moved on. The adamant and determined child that you were, I am certain that nobody would have stopped you from reaching us. I was always jealous for I thought that mother loved you more than she loved me then. Now after so many years I am certain that she did. She had never shed a tear in front of me though I know she cried whenever I was sleeping at night. Many times I have found her pillow moist with silent tears as I would turn to my side to cuddle her in the morning and she was already in the kitchen.

She had worked harder after we had to leave our home. She was determined not to give in to misery and to groom me into a good child. We had to move again as her work took us. I had been in few places already, one was almost a village and I had to walk 2 miles to school. She taught me not to complain, so whenever my calves pained I told myself that this is good, it will make my leg muscles stronger. May be I could be a runner someday. So many thoughts and muses in an unkempt mind, I can laugh all about it now. I have started going to college last year, and we are back in Calcutta. Things have changed around; I know that you have taken up a job far from here. Please do not wonder that how I know this. There are means to know, if you wish.

What do you wish? I sound future I guess. I wish to see mother laugh again, I wish I could see father again and demand why he kept things so open and vulnerable. Didn't he know these days would come and still he didn't care. I am not mad at him, I am not mad at you either. I am just mad at me because I take things and people to close to heart.

I had stopped writing to you because I knew I couldn't post my letters. I fear that if you don't reply back my little fantasy will shatter. But I am writing today for a reason. I stood second in my college and first time in all these years happiness in mother's eyes. She was proud of me, something that is very precious and I wanted to share with my family.

I wish you well.

Piya.

Amrita put down the letter and stared out in the darkness. The air was cool and it brushed against her cheeks sweeping the corner of her eyes and wiping the moisture along. Her friend had fretted that her coach was not air-conditioned but she didn't mind. It was winter and the fact that the open windows gave her a better view outside suited perfectly. She felt sad for the girl Piya but she admired her will power and strong heart. The girl or rather a elderly woman by now had known loneliness like her. Like her she was deprived of her father and brother. Her life was in some manner similar to her and it helped her to relate. She wrote beautifully in a way that Amrita could never express. But why didn't she post the letters? It was clear that she was hurt because of her brother's indifference, but then she could very well meet him and demand an answer for his actions. But she chose to remain silent and that courage appealed.

She picked up another letter; it was now like a drug to her broken heart.

Dear Dadabhai,

My resolute heart could not hold it anymore. I had cried and cried for hours these last few days. But it reached nobody. My eyes are paining and swollen, I cannot see properly. I need to clean mother's room, mend her bed and pack her things in boxes. She wanted me to give away her belongings to someone needy. I had called home and spoken to uncle. I had asked for your number and address, but he wouldn't give. He said he would inform you and that you don't wish to hear from us. Only there are no us anymore. Mother is gone too, like father had. I am completely alone. I am scared of the world now, I don't feel confident with this changed life. Yes, things have changed now.

Is it true that you don't wish to see us? How did things change so much. You never had an ice cream without me.

Piya.

A/N : Samosa - the famous Indian snack :), masi -mother's sister or cousin, Dadabhai - a lovingly address to the elder brother.