| “Hurry up Diya, you are going to miss your | | | | wanted to get down to grab some fresh air but was |
| train!” shouted my father as I excitedly packed | | | | hesitant as my fear did not allow doing so. But I |
| every godforsaken item I could get my hands on. I | | | | decided to go against it and stepped out of the train. |
| was leaving for Agra on a ten day vacation to my | | | | The air helped me calm my senses down, I started |
| grandmother’s place. Now the vacation did not | | | | feeling much better. I decided to take a stroll. I |
| get me excited, I mean I had spent every summer | | | | reached a tea stall and bought a packet of chips and |
| vacation of my 12 years of schooling there but it | | | | when I turned around my biggest fear had come |
| was the travel that got my nerves jumping.For the | | | | true. The train in which I was supposed to be was |
| first time in my life I was travelling all by myself, all | | | | no where in sight! I had missed my train! My luggage, |
| alone, all grown up. Finally at the age of 17 I got to | | | | my belongings all were travelling to Agra sans me! |
| strike off the 6th point of my To- Do list. | | | | What was I going to do? I was no Kareena Kapoor |
| “Diya, what’s taking you so long?” | | | | of Jab We Met that missing the train would turn out |
| stormed in my mother. “Wait a minute, there | | | | to be a great adventure and I would eventually end |
| were 3 bags last night, where did these two come | | | | up finding my future husband, this was real life and I |
| from?” | | | | was in deep trouble! I ran to closest STD booth and |
| “Oh, extra baggage, did you seriously think that | | | | called up my parents. Engaged. Could this day get any |
| 3 bags would suffice my stay in Agra!” I | | | | better? I then called up my grandparents place. |
| exclaimed. “Diya I want you with your 3 bags at | | | | Engaged again! Great they were speaking to each |
| the doorstep this instant!” With this my mother | | | | other! Must be discussing the scheduled time of my |
| left my room. | | | | train but hello am not in it!!I decided to sit down and |
| I guess I had no choice but to follow the orders. The | | | | wait before I called them up again. |
| stereo was going to be a hindrance anyway. But I | | | | After what seemed like an eternity I called the |
| was ready, all set to travel the 180 km all by myself. | | | | parents and grandparents again but no luck. What |
| As we reached the station, anxiety got the better of | | | | were they doing? Then it struck me that I was |
| me. What was I thinking! Travelling all alone, what if I | | | | carrying enough cash to buy a general ticket. I |
| slept off and no one woke me up when my | | | | checked which train was arriving next for Agra, |
| destination arrived, what if my luggage got lost, what | | | | bought the ticket and tried my luck again with the |
| if I could not manage my baggage(thank god for | | | | phone calls, but all in vain. Finally the train arrived and I |
| mothers!) , what if I got off at the wrong station. | | | | got in, the train was crowded. There were people |
| No! This was a horrible plan. I could possibly not do | | | | and luggage everywhere. I barely got any place to |
| this, not alone at least. I started hyperventilating, | | | | keep my foot. But who was complaining, at least I |
| when dad got hold of me. He literally pushed me | | | | would reach home safe and sound…I hoped. |
| inside the coach and tried to explain why travelling | | | | Just then this sweet looking aunty old enough to be |
| alone was something I had to do whether I liked it or | | | | my grandmother asked me,” Beta you travelling |
| not. Why was he doing this to me, was I not a good | | | | alone? Where are you going?” “Agra”, I |
| daughter? Just because I got up at 11 in the morning | | | | replied. “Agra? But this train is going to Jhansi, |
| made him hate me so much! God what’s | | | | Agra is not its stoppage.” |
| happening to this world? | | | | I started smiling, laughing, and screaming! What was |
| The train blew its whistle and it was time for my | | | | happening? I was going to Jhansi now.Ughh! I wanted |
| dreadful journey to begin. My dad smiled as he | | | | to shout out loud but instead I started crying, I was |
| waved from the station but I had no intentions of | | | | actually crying in front of thousands of people making |
| returning that smile. I looked around to check if any | | | | a fool of myself, when someone tapped my back. |
| face matched the criminals of the crime section. | | | | It was the lady sitting next to me in my CORRECT |
| I closed my eyes and started sweating even though | | | | train. What was she doing here? Did she also miss |
| the AC had made the compartment chilly. I finally | | | | her train? But she just smiled and said, “Could I |
| mustered up some guts and decided that I had no | | | | have your newspaper please?” |
| choice but to face the danger. I got up and searched | | | | I opened my eyes and saw myself back in the train |
| for my luggage. The 3 bags were kept right on top | | | | which was going to take me to Agra. I had fallen |
| of my seat. I sat down and brought a calm | | | | asleep. It was just an awful dream. I handed the |
| expression on my face so that no one would notice | | | | newspaper to the lady, when the speaker blared, |
| the fear I was going through. | | | | “We are about to reach our final destination |
| Ten minutes later an attendant came over and | | | | Agra. We hope that you had a pleasant and a |
| served me my morning coffee with my newspaper. | | | | comfortable journey. Thank you for travelling with |
| With full confidence I sipped my coffee and opened | | | | us.” |
| the newspaper to distract my worry, but was that | | | | Five minutes later the train slowed down. We were |
| of any help, NO! The front headlines screamed on | | | | finally in Agra! With a sigh of relief I got my luggage |
| top of its lungs…TRAIN DERAILS, 60 FEARED | | | | and got down the station. My grandfather found me, |
| DEAD. It was like an omen, I could feel it. I looked | | | | I was never so happy to see him as I was at that |
| outside the window, the tree passed by as if running | | | | minute. I grabbed him into a bear hug and for the |
| away from the danger the train stared at. | | | | first time in my life Agra seemed like the best place |
| I started to perspire again, I checked the time, it had | | | | in the world. |
| only been 30 minutes since my departure but it felt | | | | I had finally conquered my fear. I fought my way |
| like hours. I closed my eyes to relax. The train | | | | through it ok not exactly but I slept my way through |
| started slowing down. I opened my eyes to find the | | | | it. But I did it. Now I could not wait to travel back |
| reason when I saw that a station had arrived. I | | | | home all alone….I guess. |