ONE NIGHT ON A TRAIN

ONE NIGHT ON A TRAIN

The managing director of the company said “Vanek, go to zone Alpha, negotiate and see that the contract is finalised with APC. I’ll then go over and sign it. You’ve been ticketed on tonite’s train. A room has been booked for you in our company’s guest house.” That was how, suitcase in hand, Vanek headed for the station that evening.

You may ask what is zone Alpha. Companies demarcate zones according to importance to their business, name those, and use those names even if the towns and railway stations contained within the  zones had specific names. Vanek had to travel from a station in zone Delta to one in zone Alpha nearly 700 kilometres away. At zone Alpha, he completed the task the MD had set for him, and communicated it over the phone. The MD said “You’ve done a good job. You can return.” Vanek had planned to return the next day itself, but trains had suddenly been suspended due to corona virus lockdown, and no alternate modes of travel were possible. He didn’t then realise he would be halted there for almost 2 months! It would be a particularly long wait for him as he had married Pearl hardly 4 months ago!

Vanek rejoiced when the first train to zone Delta was restored. He was booked on it in the first class. The train which was to start at 7 in the evening came to the platform after 6, when Vanek in face mask, was let into a cubicle in the compartment. There would be no air-conditioning, and so the windows were open. Due to covid stringency, he would be alone in that cubicle meant to sleep 4 passengers. It looked as if there were very few passengers travelling that day but one couldn’t be sure, as other travellers in different cubicles could not move out due to social distancing. The train started on time and picked up speed. An hour later Vanek felt hungry. Since food wasn’t allowed to be served, he opened the packed dinner he had carried with him and had it. He then called his wife Pearl and told her that he was set to be back home in a few hours. She gave him a resounding kiss and said “Waiting for you.” He bolted the door of the cubicle, switched off the light and went to sleep.

 Dear reader, I ‘m telling you a story. It is for you to believe it or not. A jinn by name Zaid and a  female of the species named Zimba happened to travel on the same train with Vanek, occupying the same cubicle. I must tell you that the jinn species is very intelligent. The jinn is invisible to the human eye unless it makes itself visible. It can dematerialise and also do the opposite with humans. It can travel at incredible speeds through the air. It can see in the dark. Jinns have no barriers, have no time sense and don’t need sleep. They have a superb communication system, and can zero in on addresses anywhere in fractions of a second. Female jinns are renowned for their mischief. You may wonder why jinns needed to travel by train when they could fly at incredible speeds through the air. The answer follows: Mischievous Zimba said “Zaid, that man is fast asleep. He is alone in an isolated place. Why not we play a little prank on him? ”

“We’re on this train for entertainment. Go play your prank.”

 Zimba disappeared and was soon back and materialised the sleeping Pearl. She laid Pearl beside Vanek.

Dear reader, I don’t know what Zimba had in mind as a prank, but if it were only to be that the couple would play clouds and rain - a charming Chinese expression for that which normally happens between man and wife in privacy – I cannot corrupt this narrative with descriptions unless I switch to Latin! Jinns have their own thinking. Let us see what Zimba does next!

The train was travelling quite fast but braked suddenly when Vanek was jolted awake. Vanek opened his eyes and was surprised to find a woman sleeping in his arms. He switched on the light and finding it was Pearl, kissed her awake. He saw the time was past 2 in the morning.

She asked “What’s happening? I was in bed asleep in our flat in zone Delta awaiting your return, and find I’m suddenly in your arms. However I’m glad to see you in good health after nearly 2 long months.”

Having been brought out of bed, you can see she was in a pyjama suit – a usual night dress. Today she was wearing green. She now made a sign to Vanek to be excused and softly left the cubicle. Zimba who was watching said “Zaid, she has perhaps gone to the toilet. The fun will start after she returns.”

There were not many in that city of zone Alpha, who hadn’t heard of Dr.Lall. He was a leading medico and had worked tirelessly for the last two months fighting the pandemic virus. Now that it had waned, he decided he would go on a holiday with his wife Nila. That is how the couple were in the same compartment with Vanek, but in a different cubicle. Nila wasn’t happy with Lall. If you ask the question why, the answer is nurse Anna Gomez! Anna was a nurse in the hospital in which Lall worked.  Nila had gone to the hospital a week ago and had seen the way Anna and Lall were moving. She came to the conclusion they were having an affair. She decided to kill him and face trial when she would expose his liaison with the wretched Anna! Nila needed a non-sanguineous weapon for the job and it was available: Her father had been in the army and she had inherited an unlicensed gun with several rounds with which she had trained. She had decided to shoot Lall dead during the holiday and had packed the weapon in her baggage.

The train was going at speed as trees alongside flew back in the lights from its compartments Coming out of her cubicle, Pearl saw a man obviously returning from the toilet towards a cubicle. Simultaneously she saw a woman aiming a gun at him. Nila needed a witness, and the arrival of the woman in green pyjama suit suited her. She shouted at her husband “You betrayed me by your affair with Anna. You deserve to die. What have you to say?”

 Pearl screamed, jumped and tried to disarm the woman holding the gun, and in the process Nila’s shot went out through an open window. Her gun slipped to the floor of the compartment. In her anger Nila turned to assault Pearl but Lall prevented it. He turned towards his wife who was sobbing loudly, when Pearl suddenly disappeared. Hearing the noises, Zimba had rushed out, and thinking that Pearl could perhaps be implicated if the gun was found, she quickly picked it up, and instantly dematerialising Pearl, put her to bed at home. She then threw the gun into a river. Lall and Nila stood staring at each other in amazement at the woman’s sudden disappearance.

 The conductor had been fast asleep in a far corner. He was aware the compartment had only 3 passengers who should be snoring, the train was non-stop and so he could relax. He was the first to come to investigate after hearing the scream and the sound of gun fire. He pulled the chain and stopped the train. Switching on the lights he saw the passengers Lall and his wife standing wide eyed. Another passenger Vanek was standing aside obviously anxious to know what the commotion was all about.  A travelling railway policeman joined and they looked for a gun and a spent bullet but those weren’t found. Meanwhile Vanek was on the phone. He said “Pearl, I’m glad you’re .home. Should somebody speak to you over the phone say that you had never been out this day.”

The train started again, and stopped at the next station where a full- fledged enquiry was conducted by railway police.  There were a number of contradictory statements by the passengers involved as they wouldn’t or couldn’t speak the truth. Both Nila and Lall said they were sure a woman in a green pyjama suit had been in the compartment, and that she had emerged from Vanek’s cubicle. Vanek said the woman in green pyjama suit was his wife and she had visited him. Police interrogated Pearl over the phone and found she had answered from her home nearly 200 kilometres away. It was felt that Vanek had been dreaming. Then came the question about the woman in the green pyjama suit. She had somehow entered the compartment, which the conductor strongly refuted. It was concluded that the woman in green pyjama suit had shot at Nila and had escaped with the gun. How did she enter the compartment? Why did she shoot at Nila? Now that she wasn’t found in the compartment, where was she? Mistaken identity? Cherchez la femme? There were no answers. The mystery remained unsolved, and the case was swept under the carpet as no one had been killed. The train reached its destination without further incident.

Lall took great care of his wife in the place where they were camped.  The same day as they sat   chatting, Lall said “Nila, you said that I had a fling with Anna. It’s wrong. Anna is a competent and conscientious nurse and I encouraged her.  She is getting married soon and will invite us. I had not the slightest intention of having an affair with her.”

A change came over Nila. She said she was very, very sorry for having misjudged Lall and sought his forgiveness. She said “I thank the unknown woman in green pyjama suit for deflecting my aim with the gun.” The two were now fully reconciled.

In their home, Vanek and Pearl were unable to understand what had happened. While they were in bed that night Pearl said “I really don’t know how I came to be in your compartment last night.”

He said “Forget about it. Now turn towards me. It’s been two months.”

She said “No. I’ve to rest after the strange happenings on the train. Make it tomorrow night and you’ll get all you need.” She knew he would have by now guessed the real reason for her turning away from him! All married males would surely understand!

Vanek then lay awake wondering about the night on the train hoping tomorrow night would come faster. There is no need to explain to you about Vanek’s vain hope! Dear reader, you have read my narration, and I’m sure you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing about the happenings. I’m sure all your questions have been answered except one: What was the prank Zimba had in mind?  For that you will have to wait till she makes her appearance before me!

END