John reached the station. When he looked at his wristwatch, it was 9:15 PM.
John asked the man sitting at the ticket counter, "Excuse me, has the train to Delhi left?"
The man said, "Yes, it left about five minutes ago."
John replied in a slightly low voice, "It has left…? Is there no other train to Delhi?"
The man remained silent for a moment, then said, "Yes… there is one last train around 10:30 PM. If it's not inconvenient for you, you can take the last train. But be careful; often, traveling on the last train is not a very good experience."
John said, "No… no, it's not inconvenient for me. I will take the last train. Besides, I have experience traveling on the last train; I have traveled many times by the last train."
The man said, "Then that's good. Best of luck! Have a safe journey."
John said, "Thank you!"
The man said, "Please wait in the waiting room. You will be informed when the train arrives."
John said, "Alright."
The waiting room next to the ticket counter. John looked from outside and saw that the waiting room was completely empty. John pushed open the large glass door of the waiting room and entered. There were five or six sofas for sitting. He selected one sofa, sat on it, and placed his bag on the sofa. Then, after a little rest, he took a magazine from the bag and began to read.
But time seemed unwilling to pass. Every second felt like an hour to John. After a while, he started feeling bored. Leaving the magazine on the sofa, John began pacing inside the waiting room.
At that moment, a well-dressed man, wearing a shirt and pants, about forty years old, pushed open the glass door and entered the waiting room. The man had a black-colored bag in his hand. He sat on the sofa directly in front of John and took a cigarette from the box in his pocket.
John returned to the sofa and opened the magazine in front of him again. While reading, John looked at the man once. He saw that the man was looking at him. John felt that maybe the man wanted to speak, but by seeing him silently, the man perhaps did not have the courage.
Silence prevailed in the waiting room for several minutes.
Then, breaking the silence, John asked the man, "Where are you going?"
The man replied immediately, "Delhi. My son lives there. I used to work at a private bank here. I just retired four days ago, so I won't stay here anymore. I am going to my son. And you?"
John replied, "I am also going to Delhi, just like you."
The man smiled slightly and said, "Then our destinations are the same."
John said, "Hmm…"
Then John asked the man, "Who all are there at your home?"
The man said, "At home, there is my son, my daughter-in-law, a grandson, and a granddaughter."
John asked, "And… your wife?"
The man remained silent for a few seconds, then said, "My wife passed away in a train accident about four years ago."
John said, "Oh! … I am sorry! Please don't take it badly."
The man said, "No… it's alright. You didn't know, so you asked. Now, tell me, who all are there at your home?"
John said, "At my home, there is me, my wife, a five-year-old son, and a three-year-old daughter."
The man said, "Very good."
John asked the man, "May I know your name?"
The man smiled slightly and said, "Of course! My name is Rathikanta Das. And yours?"
John said, "My name is John Haldar."
Talking like this, within a very short time, they both got to know each other quite well.
While talking, John did not realize how time had passed.
At around 10:25 PM, the ticket counter man pushed open the glass door into the waiting room and said to both of them, "The train has arrived, please come."
John said to the man, "Let's go, then. We can continue the rest of the conversation on the train."
John picked up his bag, lifted it on his shoulder, and pushed the glass door to go outside. The man followed him out, pushing the glass door behind him.
The ticket counter man said, "Quickly get on the train. The train won't stay here long."
John got on the train without delay. The man also got on the train along with him. John saw that the train was completely empty. Inside the train, there were only the two of them. John went and sat near the window. The man sat directly in front of him.
John was quite hungry. He took a packet of biscuits from his bag, tore it, and began to eat.
Pointing at the biscuit packet, John asked the man, "Do you want some biscuits?"
The man said, "No…"
John said, "Alright. Then I will eat alone."
At that moment, John's phone rang. He took it out and saw that his childhood friend, Sagnik, was calling.
John picked up the call and said "Hello," and Sagnik asked from the other side, "Where are you now? Is everyone waiting for you at home?"
John said, "I just got on the train."
Sagnik asked, "Why? Your train was at 9 PM. So why did you get on the train now?"
John said, "I was delayed reaching the station due to traffic. That's why I missed the 9 PM train. So I had to catch this last train at 10:30. Don't worry; I will reach on time tomorrow."
Sagnik said, "Alright, come safely. Okay, take care."
John said, "Okay… bye."
Sagnik ended the call.
John saw the man now reading a storybook. From the cover, John realized it was a ghost story.
Watching the man read the book carefully, John asked in a curious voice, "So, Mr. Rathikanta, do you believe in ghosts?"
The man lifted the book away from his face, looked at John seriously, and said, "Yes… I believe."
John asked a bit nervously, "Have you ever seen a ghost?"
The man said, "No… I haven't. But that doesn't mean ghosts don't exist. Just as humans exist in this world, ghosts also exist. In short, if humans are present, ghosts will be too."
The man asked John, "Why don't you believe in ghosts?"
John said, "No. I don't believe in those ghosts. Ghosts don't exist."
The man stayed silent for a while, then said in a serious voice, "But… if a ghost were with you, then would you believe?"
John asked in surprise, "What do you mean?"
The man lifted the book from his face. John saw that the man's face was covered in blood. One side of his chin was smashed from a heavy object. His clothes were soaked in blood.
Seeing this horrific scene, John's throat went dry. Despite trying, no sound came from his throat.
Without any delay, John got up from his seat and ran toward the dark compartment ahead. While running, he tripped over a heavy object and fell face-first on the aluminum floor of the train compartment. His chin split, and blood started flowing. He pressed a handkerchief on his chin. Turning on his phone's torchlight, he saw a half-eaten rotten body lying near his feet. John immediately stepped back two or three steps. The torchlight revealed the face of the body, and John froze—it was the man from the ticket counter.
Trembling with fear, John stammered, "It's… the man from the ticket counter! That means…"
John stared at the body for several moments. Then, gathering himself, he looked forward. What he saw made his senses shatter. The train compartments that he had seen empty now were filled with monstrous, dog-like creatures. Each one stared at John with fierce eyes and growled at him.
John saw the man standing a little away from him.
John joined his hands and said to the man, "Please… let me go! Don't kill me."
The man replied a little teasingly, "After so long, I've caught a prey! Do you think I will let you go so easily?"
John again joined his hands and said, "Please let me go. Don't kill me."
The man's face formed a demonic smile. At that moment, the dog-like monstrous creatures charged at John.
John didn't know what to do. Fear made his hands and feet tremble. The dog-like creatures jumped on him, biting and tearing at his flesh.
John tried desperately to survive the onslaught of the creatures, but all his attempts failed. Surrounded by so many fierce creatures, John felt helpless. He screamed in pain, but no one was there to hear him. The whistle of the train swallowed his cries.