I was still feeling hopeless about the whole setup of my current life. No job, no home and most importantly, I was one of the wanted criminals.

This was scary, but I knew nothing except running away. I had nowhere to go, no one to seek help from.

I glanced at the newspaper advertisement on my hands as they trembled a little. The place I was intending to go had this reputable convent school. And this advertisement was about the recruitment drive they were conducting for various posts. I wasn't qualified for a teacher's post, that I knew. But I was hopeful for any assistant or helper post. Only if I get this job, I could survive. Otherwise, there was no hope. I'd probably end up on the footpath, or worse, taken advantage of by some burglar and in the worst case, end up in jail for the rest of my life.

A shudder ran down my spine when I recalled my past life. Never had I ever imagined my life would take such a drastic turn in just three months.

My eyes went towards the open window of the train as I watched the trees, fields, cattle run in the opposite direction.

Being an orphan, one couldn't complain about the minimal association they luckily got. At least, I didn't throughout my life. Although I was clumsy but I was reckless. Both didn't go well together, and I ended up in trouble.

When I was around eight, I exclusively experienced an unusual rebirth, and had no other choice but to accept that. One day, I woke up, remembering nothing about my previous life, in an orphanage. Even though I was told I lived there since a very young age, I sensed the untruth behind it.

But I had to let it go having no other option. I made amends with life in a careless way. I made few friends, with whom I gained the liberty to enjoy my lonesome life. I didn't have the slightest of an idea about my parentage. I knew not where I belonged or who my parents were and how did I forget everything and anything about myself before waking up in that orphanage.

And I grew up as a teenager who had no enthusiasm about anything. I had no topic of interest other than smoking, drinking and weeds. I had this concept that young teenagers especially females with a slim body, high pony-tailed hair, colored lips and a cigarette pressed between them looked rebellious, perky and cool. I recalled the time when I used to be a hopeless addict until one day it caused me a great loss. I lost my partner in crime Rita in the hands of drugs.

It had been difficult since then, but no one had any objection until that day, when the secretary of the orphanage asked me to move out. It was then I got to know, I had this suspicious financial support (whose identity was of course unknown) till I turned twenty, and that was on August 15th.

And then I realized I wasn't wanted there anymore. Soon after I celebrated my twentieth birthday, everyone started to ignore me. It was confusing because I noticed fear in all of their eyes because of me. Everyone denied uncovering anything and pushed me out on the roads... alone, without food or clothes (except those few I stuffed in my backpack).

And in a blink of an eye, I was on my own with no home to live.

I was in search of a job and Mr. Khanna needed a nanny for his two years old granddaughter. I grabbed it before I had to sleep on the footpath. He was nothing but a very good businessman. He knew I was an amateur and he could cut a tiny paycheck if he hired me instead of a professional. Nonetheless, I was grateful to him, despite the tiny pay. I didn't mind because I had no time and situation minding these things. He offered me food, shelter, and some considerate bucks. And, it satisfied me.

Until that demon named Rakesh in the skin of a human came to stay in the house.

Rakesh was Mr. Khanna's daughter-in-law's brother. Since the day he arrived, he found me good enough to play his sick and kinky games with. He would always come on my way, try to touch or hold me inappropriately and yesterday when everyone was out for some party leaving me in the house alone, he of course, had found this a golden chance to fulfill his sinful intention. I couldn't let that happen. So, I had that knife hidden under my sleeves. I only wanted to dodge his wicked attack and scare him away.

But the outcome turned out way too abominable for me.

I shuddered, reminding myself once again that I was a murderer.

A sigh left me as I blinked and averted my gaze. I stared ahead and noticed the kid sitting on my opposite berth. She was eating chips. Although she was a quiet type, she was a charming little girl. Whenever we were catching each other's eyes, she was delivering an amiable smile making me feel uncomfortable. Because in my mind, I was a criminal, and I didn't deserve good people's proximity. And this was the only thought I could believe.

My instinct was screaming at me since I availed the train that this train-ride would be the most disturbing event of my suddenly changed life.

I closed my eyes and focused on my future plans which weren't yet planned, and felt more worthless. It felt as if I was sitting in the corner of my room feeling numb and concerned about everything I had already messed up in my life. How could a person still be alive while having numerous possibly unsolvable problems? All jumbled up and messy while I couldn't even cry on my situation. Hell!

As I was born and brought up in an orphanage, people came from time to time to adopt, however since I was the ugliest of all as I was made to believe my whole life, I never had the opportunity to get adopted. Anyway, I didn't mind, considering the savage that I was.

But right now, my life felt an utter waste.

Travelling by train could be adventurous, but as I was now completely unaware of where I might be arriving ... both by the train and in my life ... I didn't quite feel confident.

It was true that things were never too easy for me. Since I arrived at the orphanage, I had to face several fights. If that was the obvious part, then breaking my ankle and upper arm bones thrice definitely wasn't. Though the wounds healed too quickly than medically possible, I never felt surprised by that. I also had some concerns with my spinal cord. It had some serious itching problem that sometimes I feared it'd rip into two.

Back then, I didn't care. But now I did and could do nothing about it.

I pitied myself for my totally messed up and horribly thrilling life as an audible groan left my mouth. The moment I opened my eyes, I immediately found the little girl still staring at me with her big curious eyes.

I needed an escape, I thought. Ignoring those big curious eyes, I got up and went to the washroom. After a quick job I opened the door and for a split second, a misty black shadow got me unnerved. I caught a slightest glimpse of a pair of black eyes, before it vanished completely. Not only the irises but the entire sclera was pure black. I shrieked, quickly closing the door again. The train whistled right then causing me to jump in fright.

Touching my rapidly beating heart I inhaled deeply. Did I hallucinate? What was that? I let out a shaky sigh then opened the door again, then stepped out and examined the empty train corridor.

Fortunately, I saw nothing suspicious. I steadied my nerves then went back to my compartment and saw nothing except for the passengers. I wondered; did I really hallucinate with a glimpse of a silhouette of a man? It couldn't be just an illusion. Could it? Or did I just encounter a ghost or something? I flinched, reminding myself I had indeed murdered someone. It was not impossible for him to haunt me now.

My head hurt so bad suddenly. I pinched my temple as I went and climbed up on my berth, then lied down. I needed to sleep. I was over-analyzing.

As soon as I closed my eyes, Rakesh's face crossed my mind. I shot open my eyes and stared at the ceiling of the train. That was foolish of me. It couldn't be his ghost. I repeated that innumerable times until I slipped into an exhausted slumber.

I wasn't anymore riding by train. I was running fast through the woods. Really really fast. My sight was unbelievably clear, and I felt like my senses were all heightened. I felt powerful. I could feel the dew drops below my running feet seeping inside my skin. I could see the spider killing the fly caught in its web hanging from the tree branches. I could hear the lowest of hum the ants were making on the ground. It was kind of fascinating. The weather was chilly, but I was somehow warm and sweaty. And comfortable. Not because I was running but because I had something covering me, most certainly it felt like fur. I ran faster, and the ambiance wasn't at all disturbing. Gradually, I reached a clearing and noticed the grassland.

Then I noticed the misty black smoke forming in a circle right in the middle of the field and I caught a whip of a rusty scent. It was appalling and particularly similar to that of burning metal and camphor.

It materialized with those same black eyes I encountered in the train's corridor and it belonged to someone whose entire physique was covered in that subtle blackish misty aura. I shrieked visualizing the blood-curdling scene. The lower half of his face was covered with a black mask, and he was staring dead into my eyes. Suddenly the temperature turned freezing as he zoomed in right before me. I stepped back stumbling upon a log avoiding his advancing hand as I gasped awake.

Sweat dribbled down my face furiously. It- it was only a dream. I panted. A nightmare. I wiped my sweat off my face with the back of my hand before I reached up and grabbed the water bottle, I had hung from the hook beside my berth. I was about to gulp down some as the same distinctive scent hit my nostrils cringing me.

The smell of burning metal and camphor.

My eyes darted towards the adjacent doorways and I caught the resemblance of that haunting shadow again. However, as soon as I blinked, he was gone.

What the hell was going on?

I screamed internally in frustration, careful of other sleeping co-passengers. A frightening freaking ghost was haunting me and I was still prejudiced about the belief that I was going to survive! What was wrong with me? And what was with that nightmare? How come I could dream of the same ghost and with a smelling sense that worked perfectly in dream?

I stared at the opposite berth and noticed the little sleeping girl. Her peaceful face calmed me down a little. Then I decided to spend the rest of the night staying awake.

I cupped my face in my hands and let out a suppressed groan. I just encountered those creepy eyes three times in a row. They couldn't be illusory. I was being haunted by... what exactly? Ghosts didn't smell. Did they? What and who was that?

As I turned my head towards the window and watched the passing by scenery, I realized how lonely I was in my life.

I was literally losing the enthusiasm for being alive anymore.