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Saturday, 9th March, 05:20.
376 kilometres far from Hyderabad Decan, in Maharashtra.

........

Ad'ifaah opened her eyes immediately, when the train made a screeching noise and came to a halt, giving a light jolt after a few seconds, indicating it has completely stopped moving.

She raised her head to look out of the window which is covered with an irremovable black glass which could show the outer view only. 'Balharshah Junction Railway Station, Maharashtra', the huge signboard of the station said.

Within a few seconds she could hear the loud commotion, which was caused by the ascending and descending of the passengers from the train.

When she sat up on her berth, She also noticed someone has occupied the lower berth, on the opposite side of the aisle, Infront of the compartment. The person was fast asleep, unaware to the noise, just like the person beside her berth.

In another few seconds, an old lady entered in side the fifth compartment of the coach, while huffing. Another old man which was probably her husband entered behind her, with two small bags in hands and a porter behind him with two huge trolley bags on his head.

As the porter started stuffing the trolley bags beneath the berths, the old people who seemed to be in their late seventies, sat on her berth, beside her, taking deep breaths to calm themselves down. They probably had to run for the train too, just like her first fellow traveller.

Ad'ifaah again looked at him who was now awake since the noise was closer now.

Raihaan yawned and stretched his hands out, while trying to comprehend, where he was and who he was. As soon as he realised, the ever lasting smile was back on his face.

Ad'ifaah just sat there silently, watching everything. The porter was gone after taking his wages and the old lady smiled at her when their eyes met.

Train had started once again after ten minutes and as it was still just half past five in morning, also keeping the fact in mind that, they don't have anything else to do except sleeping and eating on the journey, besides occasionally entertaining themselves with something or other, passengers decided to take another nap of few hours.

The old couple has been allotted the second berths of the compartment, which were number twenty six and twenty eight.

"Come on!" The old man gave hand to the lady and she gladly took it as a support and stood up.

He took her to the front of the tiny ladder which was made of steel rods, and meant to be used to go on the upper berth. Then he supported her to reach the upper berth, but failed big time. Seemingly because the lady was old as well as had a heavy body, and she was also wearing a saaree, all of this made it difficult for her.

Ad'ifaah thought to offer them her seat but before that she heard him saying,

"You can take my berth. I don't have any problem in shifting there!"

Raihaan had offered them with a bright smile on his face. Ad'ifaah hadn't expected something good and useful coming from him, yet, but she had witnessed it now. So she also attached her agreement with his words.

"No no, don't want. I'll do it myself. Otherwise this old man would keep making fun of me throughout our remaining life." The lady said with a determined face.

"The thought of meeting her son after an year, would make her do anything and everything!" The old male human said while chuckling.

And Ad'ifaah just realised, not everyone's journey has to have a bad reason. Some people are lucky too, unlike her.

She saw the old lady successfully climbing up the ladder after being unsuccessful for two three times. She could see her saree getting wrinkles in the process. Ad'ifaah wondered, the lady was too happy to even care about the creases. Would she herself ever choose to do something like that? Though, it's not like she even wanted to.

Ad'ifaah Shafaq was someone who would not even sit comfortably while wearing a saree, so that the crispiness of her Pochampally saree would be intact. She didn't like a single crease on it. She was a perfectionist, who could not tolerate even zero point zero, zero, one percent of imperfection. Never!

However, at present she was only grateful to her mother, who made her wear a pair of Shalwar and Kurti, instead of a saree as her own wish. Her mother certainly knew, It would be very uncomfortable for her.

The happy squeal of the old lady was enough to grab her attention back.

"Dare you try to make fun of me after this, and I want an ice-cream treat for this victory!" The old lady squealed loudly and clapped once, with shining eyes. Whilst the old man could only agree and laugh at her.

Raihaan was feeling so happy, as now he had gotten some fun loving people's company, unlike his ignorant first fellow traveller. He even found them to be his old version and imagined how cool he would be in his oldage.

Whilst, it was like a wonder for Ad'ifaah. She has never seen any old people behaving in such way. She found most of them as moody and frustrated old people who just wanted everything according to what they found right and how things used to be in their time. Her mother though, was a good example for her, but she wasn't that old to compare her with them.

She also wondered, would she ever be able to be so lively, like these people?

Or she would always remain like this?

Just, alive!

Not, living!

According to what her mother and brother thinks.

She erroneously thought all this, only to regret later. She was better off like this!

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What do you think about the writing style?

Though, if you're even a little bit interested, curious to know about them, and ready to read the story, you'll have to wait and see. It takes time. (◍•ᴗ•◍)

Got the character sketches!?

Also, as they're on a journey, they would have to come across unknown random people, sometimes weird and absurd people too!(≧▽≦)

Stay Safe!