Chapter 2 : The Destination

The next morning, we gathered at the bustling Kolkata train station, bags in hand, excitement buzzing through the chilly December air. Winter had set in early this year, and with it came a thick fog that clung to everything like a damp veil. Rai was running a bit late, which wasn’t unusual—she was always cutting it close—but she had been the one responsible for booking our lodging.

When she finally arrived, slightly out of breath from weaving through the crowd, she gave us news that made me a little uneasy.

“The lodge we were supposed to stay at is full,” she said. “But no worries, I found another place. Not as renowned, but it’s good—and cheaper too.”

Rajesh frowned. “Not as renowned?” he repeated. “What kind of place are we talking about?”

I could see the hesitation in his eyes, and honestly, I felt the same. We had heard great things about the lodge she had originally booked, so switching last minute felt like a bit of a risk. But when Rai mentioned the price—significantly cheaper than the original plan—my budget-conscious side won out. I wasn’t exactly swimming in money like Rajesh, and the idea of saving a bit of cash on the trip was tempting.

Rai, sensing Rajesh’s reluctance, launched into her persuasive mode. No one could argue with Rai when she put her mind to it. Within minutes, she had managed to ease his concerns, spinning the new lodge into some kind of hidden gem. Rajesh finally shrugged and said, “Fine, whatever. But if it’s a dump, I’m not letting you live it down.”

With the lodging issue resolved, we turned our attention to the train. Scheduled for 7:30 pm, the train was delayed by an hour thanks to the thick fog that had rolled in. It was going to be a long journey—twelve hours to New Jalpaiguri, then a car ride that would take us to our lodge by midnight. Or so we had planned.

When the train finally arrived, we boarded and found our seats. Rajesh, lucky as ever, got the upper coach and wasted no time clambering up and passing out. Rai and I tried to get him to stay awake for a while, but his stubbornness won out. He mumbled something about getting up later, but he was out like a light within minutes.

The train’s sleeper coach had a familiar layout. On the right side, there were two seats, one on top of the other, designed more like beds than actual seats. The left side had a larger capacity, accommodating six people. Two bunkers were fixed on the top, and below, a long bench that seated six doubled as a bed. In the middle was a foldable bed that hung down when in use. Since we were only three, we had to share the six-seater with others.

The person sharing the space with us seemed a bit off from the start. He was quiet, yet there was something unsettling about the way he watched Rai and me as we talked. The rest of the seats were supposed to fill up at later stations, so it was just us and him for the moment.

Rai and I passed the time reminiscing about old trips, laughing over forgotten memories. I noticed the man next to us listening in, but I didn’t think much of it until he suddenly spoke. His voice was low and gravelly, cutting into our conversation with a chilling suddenness.

“Don’t disturb her,” he said, his voice rough and commanding. “Let her be alone. She wants peace.”

We stopped talking, stunned by his outburst. For a few moments, Rai and I just stared at him, not sure what to say. I could feel a strange tension in the air, the kind that makes your skin prickle with unease. But then, just as quickly as it started, the moment passed. Rai and I shared a glance, silently agreeing to ignore him. We chalked it up to him being a bit eccentric, nothing more.

After that, the excitement of the trip started to fade as exhaustion set in. The train rumbled on through the night, and we decided to get some sleep. Rajesh was still snoring away in his upper bunker, oblivious to the world. I lay down, trying to relax, but I couldn’t help but feel uneasy. The man’s strange words echoed in my mind. I kept one eye open, watching him for a while, just in case he did something odd.

Eventually, fatigue won out, and I dozed off. Sometime during the night, I was startled awake. The train had stopped at a station, and the man was no longer there. I sat up, groggy and disoriented, just in time to see three new passengers boarding our coach. They were confused, talking about how they were supposed to sit in our section. It didn’t take long for us to realize that the strange man had been sitting in a seat that didn’t belong to him. He had been traveling without a ticket the entire time.

Rajesh had apparently been awake through the whole thing, watching from his upper bunker. When he climbed down in the morning, he casually mentioned seeing the man get off the train without saying a word. Rai and I exchanged uneasy glances, but we didn’t dwell on it for long. We had other things to worry about—like the fact that the train had stopped for an unusually long time at one of the smaller stations. Technical issues, they said. It didn’t feel like a big deal at first, but with every passing hour, we were falling further behind schedule.

By the time we finally reached New Jalpaiguri and found our car, it was past midnight. The drive to the lodge was quiet, each of us too tired to talk much. The road was narrow and winding, lined with dark trees that swayed in the cold wind.

When we finally pulled up to our lodge, I felt a sense of relief wash over me. After the long journey, all I wanted was a bed. But as we climbed out of the car, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. The lodge looked older than I had imagined, its windows dark and its structure looming like a shadow against the night sky.

The front door creaked as we entered, and the air inside was cold—colder than it should’ve been.

“Welcome,” said a soft voice from the shadows.

I stopped in my tracks, feeling a chill run down my spine.

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