THE TOWN

CHAPTER.1:THE ROAD TRIP

After spending more than 14 years not being in touch with anyone,the batch of 89' were having their Postponed-a-hundered-times-its-finally-happening-Reunion as they were calling it.As the planning went for what seemed like forever,it was happening finally.

The Venue they had planned for the event was their Old school,St.Canaan.As the Name represents the school was probably One of the most ancient ones in the whole Town of Vasutunga Nagar.It was established in the year 1894.It had the biggest ground in the whole town.

Entire half of the ground was covered in Tents for the Event.A big hoarding at the entrance of the ground read Postponed-a-hundered-times-its-finally-happening-REUNION.Almost a hundered people were present at the event,including the old Teachers.They were all distributed among Groups all over the ground.The sound of the music was almost lost by the excitement of the reunion of many Long lost Friends.

Then arrived a vehicle,A grey coloured Porche Cayenne entering the Gate and stopped at the parking.Opening the door of the car got out a man dressed in a suit,AYAAN.He closed the door and walked into the ground,greeted by few people within a few minutes,he was lost among the groups.

It was night 8 p.m. already.Slowly the Sound of the music started to become clearer and clearer.Finally by 9 p.m. the sound of the soothing music of jazz became clearer than the Dark sky.

A group of 5 people were sitting on the Wooden benches spread all over the classroom,staring at the black board attached on the wall,not speaking a word.The music from the playground was echoing smoothly all over the floor and entering the classroom adding to the nostalgia they were feeling already.

RAMI,the only girl among the group sitting on the second bench of the right row sighs and says "The memories that we made in this classroom,the fights,the pranks all are coming back to me as if they were waiting to be found and let loose again".

Listening to her words,Lifting his head which was resting on the bench till now,JANAK,sitting on the last bench replies as if he was waiting to say it "Right?...I mean like,why didnt we do this long ago.I mean i know that everyone was busy and all but comeon.As my Grandfather used to say..."

Ayaan,sitting in the far corner of the first bench in the left row whispers while shaking his head a little "Here we go!"

RAHAS sitting behind him turns his head back at Seenu while smiling.

"…We should not lock things that are meant to be free!I mean i know that he used to say this to my mom as she didnt let him go out much,but hey he was always getting lost coming back home,what could she had done?On top of that she made him Tea all the day as he wants,I mean he drinks like almost 10 cups a day.I mean who drinks that much?" Janak continued his bickering.

"Dude you haven't changed a bit.Not a bit" exclaims ILIS,sitting behind Aksha,while letting out a laugh.

"Yeah!I mean You,Your Grandpa and Tea.The iconic Trio,Never gets old" Rami mocks looking at a confused Janak.

Time passes as they continue to have conversations of past memories,sitting in a circle and laughing their hearts out.Finally at around 10:30 p.m. they walk into the parking area.

"This was a lot better than i expected.I needed this!" Ayaan exclaims his satisfaction with a smile.

"We all needed this" replies Rahas.

"So...we are doing it then?1 month from now?" questions Janak.

"Absolutely Yes...We Are doing it.I mean sure we planned it 10years ago,it was cancelled then,But it can't be cancelled now.I mean it!" Rami warns pointing her finger at Ayaan.

"Hey comeon,I was the one who suggested we could do it in my car" Ayaan replies with his both hands in air.

"Good" Rami gives her satisfaction and continues "Okay.Everyone?" pointing at them all.

After everyone Promises Yes, she yells in excitement "ROADTRIP.Yes.Finally!".

ONE MONTH LATER.

"You always do this.From the school days,all the plans are either Cancelled OR Delayed.'Mr.I DONT KNOW' the name suits you Ayaan.it suits you" Rami yells from the back seat at Ayaan,driving the Car.

"Who does this?Keeping us waiting for 4 hours.We were supposed to start at 9 in the morning,but thanks to you we started at 1.Well done Ayaan.well done" She continues yelling

"Thankyou" Ayaan mumbles.

But not slow enough,as hearing it made Rami even more Furious and she burst out at him like a hand thrown grenade,yelling at him even more and more.And While she kept on bursting at Ayaan,sitting beside him,Rahas slowly increased the sound of the Music player, playing the song 'Another one bites to Dust' by QUEEN as the Car kept on driving on the long road.

Thus starting their 'Long-planned-delayed-its-finally-happening-Roadtrip'.

"Do you even know where we are?We have been driving for more than 5 hours now.Are you sure we are on the correct route?" Ilis questioned Janak,who is now driving the Car.

"I dont know man.I mean i have been trying to find the Road we were meant to take a right at for like 1 hour.So,I think you should ask Ayaan.Wake him up" Janak suggests him.

Ilis wakes Ayaan,who was sleeping in the backseat near the window.Sitting up suddenly aryan says with a sleepy voice "Are we here?".

"No Mr.I DONT KNOW,we are not there yet" replies a frustrated Rami.

Listening this,Ayaan turns at her and says "Seriously?You are still mad at me?…".

"Ayaan,look at here dude,are we on the right route?" Ilis tries showing the map to Ayaan.

"…Comeon dude,I already told you the reason for being late,anyhow I came right?,I'm here.So stop it already" Ayaan keeps on talking to Rami.

"Oh you are here,but you are late.You always do this.You do these things and you don't even accept your fault,its always been like this since the school days".

"What do you want me to do?You want me to say sorry,is that it?".

"Yes Ayaan I want you to say sorry,Can you do it?Come on SAY IT!".

"Oh i can say it,But i Wont.Because it's Not.My.Fault.".

As Rahas and Ilis both join in the murmuring,Janak goes on to say "Guys… I think we have a little problem here".

They all keep on buzzing like bees as Janak continues "I think we are lost!" Suddeny a loud Bang is heard followed by a Hiss of the tyre Bursting out.Then as the tyre screeches and Janak hits the brakes stopping the car at once,all the noises in the car,now turned Calm as a Corpse.

"Yep!we are lost" Ayaan groaned standing infront of the car.

They were all standing on the road for a few minutes now,with the Map spread on the Hood of the Car.

"Are you sure?Did you check the Map correctly?" Ilis questions him.

"Yes...ilis.Iam sure.The road we are on…is not in the freaking Map".

They were all standing and looking around at the never ending Road,surrounded by the trees as thick as a strand of hair.The chirping of the insects can be heard clearly as It was already starting to get dark.

"What now?" Asks Rami.

"Well! We have One spare tyre and 2 punctured ones.You do the math." a frustrated Ayaan replies.

"Guys,i think its my fault.I think i took a turn before i was suppose to.So…i'm sorry?" Janak says slowly.

"Are you serious?Dude,you could have asked ilis if you were not sure" Shouted Ayaan.

"Well atleast he is sorry" mumbled Rami.

"Not now Rami",3 of them at once.

They keep on discussing what to do.Then Rami points at something and says "Hey guys…i think there's a light there,could be a hotel or something?".

"Was it there before?" questions Ilis,looking at the bright light shining a little far away.

"Maybe they just switched it on" answers Ayaan."Well that's the only option we have now".

They all look at the Bright light shining like a star in the Deep Black Sky,almost as if it was shining just for them.They decide to drive the car slowly upto it.

The car finally reached the pole shining the light.It's an Old Fuel station,with a small rusty Cabin.Stopping the Car near the Fuel tank,they all get out.

"Check it and fill the car if there is fuel in it" Rahas suggests them,while he and Ayaan walk into the Cabin looking for someone.

As they both enter the Dim lighted Cabin,they see that no one was there near the Counter.The look of the cabin itself gave them both the thought that it might be an abandoned place.Still hoping to find some help they both start calling out "Is anybody here?Hello". They call out for a couple of times and hearing no reply they decide to go back out.

As soon as they turned around,both of them get startled.A man in brown dusty old clothes was standing in the door way.He was staring at them with his pitch black eyes.His oily hair slick back down touching his scalp.He kept staring at them standing stiff while holding a Big screw driver.

"Hello…Do you own this place?" Ayaan asks the man.

Suddenly letting his body loose the man breaks out a huge smile and replies "Yes.Sir.Iam the Owner of this place.Yes".His smile turned his eyes into half,while wrinkles formed around them.He appeared to be in his mid 30s.

Ayaan and Rahas explain the situation to him,while asking if he could help them fixing the car.

"Oh yes sir.I can do that.I can fix the car.Yes" the Man answers,with the smile.

As the Man started to repair the Car.They all stood there having conversations.

"Why do you think this place is not on the Map?I mean the Board with the arrow clearly shows this town 'Brijraj Ghat' is still there right?" asks Rami.

"I don't know.Maybe its not on this particular Map...hey is anyone thirsty,i need some water." Janak replies.

"I think we can fill the water inside." Rahas suggests them.

Janak and Ilis go inside the cabin to fill the water.Ayaan and Rahas light a smoke.While Rami decides to sit in the car as it is too cold outside.

She is sitting inside the Car,with windows closed,resting her head back on the seat listening to the music,closing her eyes.

She slowly opens her eyes and suddenly sits up.Outside the window standing is the Man staring at her with a blank face.She turns the volume down.The Man suddenly starts smiling and says "The car is repaired madam yes".

"but how did you repair it while i was sitting inside the car" Rami questions him.

Not answering the question the Man simply replies "There is anything else madam,yes?".

"No" she replies in a confused tone "Thankyou".

The Man slowly turns around and starts walking.He started limping away from the car towards the cabin as Rami says suddenly "Actually yes.There is something else".

He stops suddenly and turns his body around slowly with that huge smile on his face.

She further adds "Do you know why this place and that town,uh...Brijraj ghat are not on our map?"

The smile vanishes slowly from the face of the man as he stands straight.With his eyes wide open staring at her,with a blank face and tone,almost like he was waiting to say it "Well...It has a short story.Do...Do you want to hear the story?".

With a little hesitance in her voice,but eagerness in her eyes,to know it, Rami replies "sh…sure".