A Chance Encounter

 As part of my work, I had to travel to Aizawl from Silchar at times. Usually, I would take a taxi but that day I couldn’t manage one, so I had to take a share sumo. To make the ride comfortable, I booked two front seats. When we were about to start, a young girl, half my age, knocked on the window. She was wearing what any other girl her age in this area would be. A black jean with a full sleeve red coloured, round collar T-shirt. Straight, long hair, eyes lined black and lips red. She asked me to let her travel in the vacant seat as she had a very urgent work in Aizawl and she was unable to find a place in any other vehicle. I was reluctant and hoped that the driver would come to my rescue. But he seemed ignorant to my predicament.  There was something which stirred inside and urged me, so I agreed. The girl offered me money for the seat, which I refused with a outwardly dry smile. As she was getting in the vehicle, a state transport bus going to Aizawl came to the stop and a few passengers waiting on the road side got in. I asked her why doesn’t she take the bus. She got so scared suddenly, as if I had asked her for a favour. 

Anyway, I let her sit and as the driver and other passengers got in, we started to move. On the way she started to talk non stop telling me about herself, her family, work, love and even about the places we were passing through. I didn’t regret the decision of letting her ride along. In fact I was feeling elated and intrigued. In between I also spoke a few things and driver too replied to my queries. 

After crossing Kawnpui, we turned away from the highway to a state road so as to hit Aizawl from Durtlang side. In a few minutes, we crossed a memorial, which had names of many people engraved on the stone. When I enquired, I came to know about the ominous state transport bus which had fallen off the cliff at that point, killing everyone aboard. The girl seemed to know everything about the bus, its journey that day, the stops enroute, the passers by assisting, the ambulances which tried to rush people to the hospital and the names of many passengers. The driver was also narrating the incident, which was unlike her detailed version. 

The journey continued towards Aizawl with the girl now keeping absolutely quiet and slept off with her head on my shoulder. I thought maybe she has got disturbed by the memory and let her be. I too started to feel my senses drifting due to the soft touch of her skin and sweet flowery odour of her hair and body. I didn’t even realise when I dozed off. I woke up due to sudden heave in her body. She whispered in my ear, as if making an effort to speak, to tell the driver to stop the vehicle. I indicated it to the driver. As the car came to a halt, I got out and she got down too. Seemingly a bit out of breadth now somehow she said thankyou and waved goodbye. She motioned me to go. The expression on her face left me perplexed and confused. I got into the vehicle and waved her back. The driver then asked me, “What are you waving at?”. And I said, “To the girl who just got down”. The raised eyebrows and dilation of pupils of his eyes told me something was not right. As I looked back, I didn’t see anyone.


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