The Haunting wait at Railway Station

Hello, dear listeners, this is Rakib speaking from Kolkata.It's been a couple of months since I started my job.My first posting is in a small place called Chaugachha in Murshidabad.One evening, after finishing work, I felt hungry and started cooking.The time was around 9 PM. Just then, my mother's phone call came.In an anxious voice, my mother informed me that father was very ill.I reassured my mother and told her that I would reach home as soon as possible.I hurriedly left, leaving the cooking behind.

Upon reaching the station, I heard that express trains hardly stop here.However, there is a train at 11:30 PM, but it is also delayed by two hours.I felt somewhat relieved after buying the ticket.In the biting cold of December, the suburban station was almost deserted.Occasionally, a local train would arrive, drop off a few passengers, and then silence would return.There was only one tea stall open at the station.I was passing the time by repeatedly having tea there.

Around 11:45 PM, suddenly a girl came running into the station.Panting, she came up to me and asked, Has the 11:30 train already left?I said, No, it's delayed by two hours.The girl sighed in relief and said, Thank goodness, that's a relief!Seeing the girl sweating on a cold night, I said, Let's sit on that bench.The two of us sat on the bench and started talking.The girl introduced herself as Lisa.She studies in college and is going to Kolkata for an urgent task.While talking, I noticed that she was curling up from the cold.I went to get tea. But when I returned, I saw that Lisa was nowhere to be found.

Even after searching, I couldn't find her.Then I asked the tea seller, Have you seen that girl?The tea seller said, No, I haven't seen anyone.I was about to return in disappointment.Suddenly, the tea seller called me and asked, By the way, was the girl wearing a red saree and carrying a small bag?I said in surprise, Yes, that's right.But you said you hadn't seen anyone!

The tea seller smiled softly and said, About three years ago, a similar girl had come to this station.She was supposed to elope with her lover and get married.But even after the train left, her lover didn’t come.Humiliated, sad and ashamed, the girl committed suicide by jumping under the local train that night.Since then, she is occasionally seen at the station.I've heard that even today, she waits for her lover.

Hearing this, I shuddered.I started walking back in astonishment.Just then, I was startled by the sound of a train entering the station.I realized that I had fallen asleep on the bench.So, was everything I saw real, or was it just a dream?

This question still haunts me to this day.