When Lightning Strikes..[4]

Ajay tried to bring a smile on his face soon after the initial shock that came from the sudden and totally unexpected gaze from the beautiful girl in white whom he was staring at. But as he did it, the girl had closed her eyes again as if trying to resume her half asleep state. Ajay didnt bother or rather dare to look at her again. He too tried to get some sleep after the hectic day which had totally turned him down physically and mentally.
It was almost daybreak when Annie opened her eyes. She was astonished to see the almost vacant compartment. It was in complete contradiction with what she saw just before surrendering herself to sleep. The man who was staring at her the previous day was still asleep. He was lying straightly with one arm over his chest and the other one over his forehead covering his eyes. He wore a pale-blue shirt and black pants. Like hers, his dress also had several mud stains and cringles. Maybe he too was alone like her in this journey. She sighed and looked outside for station names. Many of the names were written in languages that looked like strange images and the respective english versions were so long that it was impossible to pronounce rather than read.As time flew, sunlight was getting stronger and brighter and soon it was being impossible for Annie to look outside. A man in his fifties, who seemed to be the TTR of the train came in there and asked her something in a language which she didnt understand. With no other options available, Annie tried to wake up her neighbour who was still hand deep in his sleep.
Ajay was having a dream where he saw himself standing atop a snow-filled mountain and just when he was about to fall off it, a hand had touched his shoulder and when he turned back and opened his eyes, a sharp bolt of something very bright had struck his eyes. He was awake. The hand on his shoulders belonged to the girl-in-white-dress and the bright bolt was of the strong sunlight that filled the compartment. He felt something strange yet so warm and soothening when the hands had touched his shoulders. The touch was as if it was from the hands of someone whom he had been with for a very long time and someone he was very close to...like his mother's. He had never felt like this before with any of his friends including the girls who had been his buddies from the school and college days to the collegues with whom he had spent long hours in his office chatting and fooling around as well as when partying outside. He had never experienced such a strange feeling from the small touch of this stranger, which had brought in him a strange nostalgic feeling that was quite mystical.
His thoughts were paused to a sudden break when a rough hand had literally knocked him out of his berth. He sat up and it took some struggle to open up his eyes completely. He soon realized that the rough hands belonged the TTR who was sitting in the opposite seat, near the stranger who was now looking more beautiful with the innocent and puzzled expression on her face. The TTR spoke to him in a colloquial language which he was quite familiar because it belonged to the place where he worked currently and had his temporary stay in the one-roomed cabin house located in the outskirts of the city . The TTR got up and left the compartment after some more chit chat with Ajay. After he went, Annie expectantly looked at Ajay clearly wanting an explanation of what the TTR said to him. Before beginning, Ajay introduced himself to the girl and he came to know about Annie's wereabouts as well from her. Annie was very much relieved to know that the man spoke her language and seemed to be a decent guy. Ajay told her that the last station was just a couple of hours away and the TTR had come to say that they can contact the station master for any further information and help.
Annie thanked him and when Ajay went to wash his face, she found herself in a dilemma. The whole place was unknown to her, especially the language. She had no where to go and she knew no one except Ajay who was just a co-passenger and whom she had met the other day. Was it right to expect a favour from an unknown person in an unknown place. She was not sure of it and she decided leave everything to God. She closed her eyes and prayed with tightly folded hands silently with tears flowing down her cheeks...
.............[.................TBC.............]..............