Indian Short Stories | Two Sister’s story
“Finally, you are here! When will you learn to reach places on time?” It was the sarcastic tone of Anshika who was waiting for Nikki for a long time. They were sisters and were staying together for almost a year in Delhi and there was a lot of turbulence in their one-year journey.
They fought like cats most of the time and that added spice to the life of their neighbors and also gave them one purpose to live.
Today they had to leave for their home and the train was about to reach a platform within an hour. It was Diwali time and after a long time, they managed to get a good number of days that they will be spending with their dear ones in Lucknow.
But careless Nikki (according to her sister) was late again. Well, she had her own excuses for being late but showing them at that time would burn her from her younger sister’s anger. So she managed to stay quiet with a huge wicked smile on her face.
“Now hurry up, we don’t have time. The train is at 10.15 pm. We have only 1 hour 15 minutes with us and within that time, we have to do the final packing, clean the mess, lock the house and leave.”. Anshika was continuously scolding Nikki.
The railway station was around 45 minutes from their flat if they get everything on time. They had to take an auto first to reach the metro station and after that, they will at the mercy of the metro. So yeah, they were going behind time. They couldn’t trust the Delhi traffic in this crucial hour otherwise choosing a cab would have been a better option for them.
“I am sorry… I am so sorry…” Nikki started apologizing without looking at Anshika as soon as she stepped into the room, but a smile couldn’t leave her face. It was her biggest problem. She couldn’t stifle her smile seeing someone angry. And the greatest disadvantage of that was, seeing her teeth another person wanted to hit her right in her face. And she senses the same kind of feeling from her sister as well.
“I know I screwed up but don’t you worry honey, your sister is super awesome. And you know it very well. Just give her 5 minutes and you will see what miracles she can do”. Nikki boasted and tried to calm Anshika but that didn’t look like working. Anger was still dancing on her face so she made a sagacious choice of staying quiet.
She was quick like flash and was running in their small apartment like a superwoman. She dissected her wardrobe within no time and brought Tsunami there. Gave it a wicked smile seeing its disheveled look but didn’t have time to enjoy the moment so kept on with her packing.
“Why are you so late? Didn’t you remember we had to board a train today? I told you to reach on time. How can you be so irresponsible? I am your younger sister and you should be taking care of me. But here the case is the opposite.” Anshika was still pouring thunder on Nikki.
“This is the biggest reason why I love you”. Nikki gave Anshika a quick kiss on her cheek and ran far from her in a flash because she had the fear of being hit by her sister. “Will you ever be serious? We can miss our train today and seriously you won’t be able to see tomorrow morning if unfortunately, it happens,” Anshika growled.
Don’t worry my dear sister. I will hold you like a Shaktiman and will take you to the railway station within no time. She winded like Shaktiman and then stopped, pretending of having her in her arms, with a huge smile on her face. At that very time, Anshika could only see teeth on her face, and that made her smile.”Yayyy…!!” Nikki started jumping with joy and then she hugged Anshika within 10 mins they locked the room and left for the railway station.
They were carrying two trolley bags one laptop bag with a laptop inside and one airbag in which they kept their winter wears that they were supposed to leave at home.” You are going home just for five days I don’t understand what the need for carrying a laptop. Spend some time with family as well”. Anshika chided Nikki.
“Yeah, I know, but that ‘Motlu’ has given us some work to finish and sanctioned my leave only when I promised him that I will finish it from home and mail it to him.” Nikki snarled at her team leader.
Nikki was an architect and it was her first year of professional experience. She was working in a very good organization and there was a huge pressure of work. And she was working very hard to cope with the work pressure. Asking for leave in her office was like asking for their lives. If it would have been possible they would have taken out their eyes and played football with it.
They got an auto within 5 minutes and within 10 mins they were at the metro station. It was 9:30 pm when they got the metro. They had to run to catch the metro, so they were breathing very fast. Thank God Metro was not full. They kept their things aside and collapsed on the metro seat enjoying the Metro AC.
“We have 35 minutes in our hands after 10 mins Nikki told Anshika who was still in her sleep. It’s not going to take more than 25 minutes to catch our train. We will be having the bonus of 10 mins. Told you your sister is super awesome.” Nikki looked happy.
The Central Secretariat Metro Station was 1 more station far. From there they had to take the yellow line. Old Delhi Railway station was almost 5 more stations from Central Secretariat.
After reaching Central Secretariat, they took all their belongings and left to catch the Yellow line Metro. After 5 minutes they were in the metro again in the girl’s compartment. It was full of a lot of girls. Some beautiful, some extraordinary, some normal, and some like them, having terror on their faces of losing something.
They barely managed to get spaces for their bags and themselves in that bloated crowd. Nikki could see the resentment in the girl’s eyes when they looked at their bags. Poor bags, they wanted to punch those girls hard but were helpless, witnessing the irony of life.
“Where is the laptop bag”? Nikki asked Anshika with trepidation. Almost every girl in the metro could hear her voice. “What…!! How would I know? It was with you.” She squinted with confusion. “Check properly, it must be here. Where will it go?”
“Holy crap, I left it in our earlier metro. I kept it aside before I lay down on the seat. Sh*** man! How can I be so irresponsible? ” Nikki told Anshika who was horrified by the stroke of the blow.
“You forgot the laptop. How could you? Anshika’s face turned red with rage. We don’t have time, we will miss our train. Put this thing in your ear very well, I want to reach home no matter what it takes.” Indignation took over Anshika’s personality, and she was no more a sweet little girl but became a devil without a mustache. And Nikki was standing there feeling helpless and wondering what next step should she take.
“Oh my God! I just fu*** up. How can I be so irresponsible?” Nikki got totally blank for a few seconds and didn’t know what to do. She was worried about the laptop and at the same time, she had the fear of losing the train. No matter how irresponsible she was in her life but she never missed any train. So she didn’t want to break that record as well.
She looked at her sister to get some motivation but got more anxious seeing her fumed face. She felt she would eat her from her eyes within no time so she shifted her eyes at the surrounding but got embarrassed noticing every beautiful eye were mocking her. Damm!! Can’t they look somewhere else? Nikki cursed them and slapped one or two girls in her mind who were smiling seeing her misery.
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But mourning in the worse situation never gives anything, you have to try to make it better and Nikki knew it very well and so she recollected all her courage and thoughts made a decision of finding her laptop first. “Listen, honey, I know I did a mistake and I am really sorry for that but we have to find our laptop first before we leave for home otherwise our entire trip will be ruined by the tension about the laptop,” Nikki explained to Anshika.
What! Are you insane? We are going to miss our train. And how are you going to find our laptop? It’s gone. We will come and find it, but right now we should not miss our train.” Anshika still looked annoyed.
But before Anshika could say anything, the metro door opened and Nikki without saying anything stepped towards the door and which compelled Anshika to follow her sister. “Now what?” Anshika looked at Nikki who was still confused about what next step she should take.
“I think I should talk to the inquiry, they might help us. You stand here and look after our bags and I will go to the inquiry section.” Without listening to Anshika, Nikki ran towards the staircase. “Holy crap!” She realized by mistake they landed at Chawri Bazar station instead of Old Delhi Railway Station and now they had to board the metro again to get to the Old Railway Station. “Shit man! When will I learn to be calm?” Nikki cursed herself.
But quickly shrugged her mind and kept on running. “My God! When the steps will end.” It seemed like the entire Delhi staircases were stacked in one place and she was the victim to cross that without breathing. Unfortunately, Chawri Bazar was the deepest metro station in Delhi, which was totally not in the favor of Nikki at that time.
“Finally, I made it.” Stepping at the last step, she congratulated herself but her throat choked because of the lack of air. Soon she found the service counter. “Hello sir, I am Nikki. I forgot my bag in the metro, on the violet line heading towards Mandi House. Can you talk to the inquiry section of that station and inform them about my problem.” Nikki jabbered.
“What did you just say? I am sorry I didn’t get any of that.” The man with the specs around his late 20s looked bewildered. Nikki was breathing fast and so she couldn’t talk properly. Her words died in the air before they reached that person’s ear.
“I should start running. I have so poor stamina.” Nikki grumbled and her eyes got stuck to the half-filled water bottle that was kept on the table. “Have some water, relax and then tell me.” He offered her water and she drank the entire water in one breath. And then she took a deep breath, a few seconds to relax, and continued again and told him the entire story.
“Ohh! Wait let me see what we can do. He called someone on phone and soon there was another person standing in front of Nikki.
“Hello, Madam. I am really sorry for the mishap that just happened to you. We are trying to contact the Mandi House service center. If nobody has taken your bag from the metro then it will be safe and you can collect it anytime.” The officer in a beige uniform informed her.
Now that was a relief for Nikki. She was quite sure, nobody would have touched her bag because of the fear they hear in the news and instruction they listen to in the metros about unclaimed things. “Thank you so much.” Nikki smiled but was still worried.
“If you want we can go to the control room from where you can get the entire information about your bag within no time. It’s just 10 mins walk. It’s located outside the station,” that officer suggested. “Yeah! It will be very kind of you, but I don’t have time. My train will be in 20 mins from Old Delhi Station, so please try to make it fast,” Nikki requested.
“Ok”, the person replied and they both ran towards the exit. Suddenly she felt the vibration in jean’s pocket. Once she thought of ignoring that call but it could have been a call from her sister and so she took out the cell phone to check that. She saw a True caller flash on her phone screen suggesting a call from Mandi House Metro Station.
Her eyes got big and a smile shattered on her face. Now that was the ray of hope. “Please wait.” She requested that officer and answered the phone call. “Hello, am I talking to Ms. Nikki?” She heard a male voice. “Yes, Nikki this side.” Nikki stuttered. “Ma’am we found a laptop bag and got your number from the card inside that bag. Is that your bag?” The man on the phone asked.
“Thank God!” Nikki felt new energy and new life after a long time. She took some time to breathe and replied, “Yeah, that is my bag and the laptop is mine.” She tried to be calm. “Ok ma’am, can you tell me some details about your laptop and what else is there in your bag so that we can be sure that it’s your bag,” the person on the phone asked.
“Yeah, Why not.” She gave all the details about her laptop and other things to assure the officer on the phone that the bag belonged to her. “Ok, ma’am. You can collect it anytime from the station.” The officer on phone replied after listening to her, she thanked the officer and disconnected the phone.
Well, that was good news. She thanked the officer who was escorting her to the control room and without wasting any time she ran to the platform where her angry and annoyed sister was waiting. She looked at the clock and found they only had 10 mins left to catch their train. Nikki saw Anshika sitting at the staircase and was lost in her thoughts.
“Honey our laptop is safe. It’s at Mandi House Metro Station. We can collect it anytime.” Nikki told Anshika. “Wow, at least one thing got on track.” Anshika smiled after a long time.
“What the hell!” Next Metro will arrive after 15 mins. Sh**. Now here came another shock for them. “We are going to miss our train today.” Nikki looked shocked because within 10 mins their train was about to leave the platform. Today her record of not missing any train was about to break and she was highly disappointed to feel that. “Let’s return back, we are not going to get the train today.
“I am not returning back. I told you earlier I want to go home.” Anger again returned to Anshika’s address. She was fuming and Nikki could feel the smoke coming out from her ears. Probably she was stabbing Nikki in her mind. She laughed at her thought and intelligently made a decision to stay quiet.
They both waited for the metro to come. After a long wait of 15 mins, the metro entered the platform like a bride, and everybody was excited to see her. It was 10.20 pm and they virtually missed their train but wanted to confirm that by witnessing from their own eyes and so they boarded the metro.
Metro was still packed, but somehow they managed to find places for themselves and their bags. People were annoyed looking at their bags, but they were more annoyed with themselves and so instead of getting embarrassed they gave them an angry look.
“Old Delhi Railway station, the doors will open at the left”, they heard an announcement and got ready for the run. “See honey, I know we are late, but still we have to run. What if, the train is late.” Nikki showed the candle to Anshika who agreed with her sister quickly.
And the door opened. “Come fast. Give me the bag.” Nikki held one trolley bag and her airbag and ran towards the metro exit. Soon they crossed the AFC gate. They were running like they were being chased by a bunch of dogs.
“Hello madam, can’t you walk properly.” Anshika hit the man carrying his bag but somehow he managed not to fall but got angry. “Oops! We are sorry but we have to catch our train.” She apologized but didn’t look back. That man was still saying something but they ignored him and continued running.
“Fast honey fast. We don’t have time” Nikki motivated her sister who got tired and slowed down.” Nikki was unstoppable at that time. Don’t know where did she get the strength to carry that huge airbag and trolley back and run and not feel tired. She was exhausted but couldn’t relax.
Soon they crossed the huge staircase and looked at the Railway Station. They were continuously hitting people, and people were continuously passing comments “hello madam, sambhal k chlne ka…. girane ka irada h kya…. train chhut rahi kya……” and many more but they got deaf for some time and focused to reach the station.
“There it is,” Nikki said looking at the Station. They stood there for a few seconds to breathe and then again ran towards the station. When they reached the platform and what they witnessed was a miracle. They saw their train leaving the platform. It was 30 mins late. They were amazed and shocked at the same time. ” Our train is leaving,” Anshika looked anxious.
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“Run honey! run! We can’t let it go now.” They were delighted seeing their train and with all the courage and stamina they had, they ran towards the compartment. Nikki threw one of the trolley bags on the train and commanded her sister. “Get on the train fast,” and Anshika followed that diligently.
Thankfully the speed of the train was manageable. Nikki threw the other two bags one by one on the train like a superwoman and finally jumped on the train.
They sat on the floor of the train for a few minutes to relax. They were sweating and breathing fast but a smile couldn’t leave their face. “Finally we made it.” The smile returned back to Anshika’s face. It has been adventurous and they both started laughing.
“Beta time se nikla karo train k liye.” They heard an old man saying that. “Ji uncle Ji” they couldn’t say anything more than that because they were laughing hard. They were laughing because they didn’t lose hope, they were laughing because they got to know their strengths. They were laughing because they added one more story in their life which and that was going to make them laugh in the future… 🙂
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