The Woman Who Walked Beside Me

When I was in the 10th grade, my days followed the same routine. Every afternoon at 12 p.m., I visited the Swami Samarth Kendra to attend prayers and read sacred texts. It was a place that brought me peace, and I never imagined that something mysterious would become part of my daily life.

By evening, around 7 or 8 p.m., I would begin the long walk back home. My house was nearly four kilometers away, and the route led through quiet roads before reaching an old railway crossing. After sunset, the streets were almost empty, with only the sound of crickets and the occasional breeze breaking the silence.

One evening, I noticed a woman walking beside me.

She looked to be around forty or fifty years old, dressed simply, with a calm smile on her face. She greeted me as if we had met before and started talking about ordinary things. There was nothing unusual about her, so I smiled back and continued the conversation.

The next evening, she was there again.

Soon, it became a habit. Every night, as I left the Kendra, the same woman would appear and walk with me toward the railway crossing. Her presence never frightened me. In fact, I felt strangely safe whenever she was around.

But I had no idea that the most unsettling part of our journey was still waiting for me.

Every single time I crossed the railway tracks and turned around to say goodbye…

She was gone.