The Vanishing Town

• A cold hand rested gently on Riya's shoulder. She froze. Then came a soft, raspy whisper.
• Naman Mevada

R iya stepped into the silent train compartment- the last train to Jetpur before midnight. A lone lamp flickered weakly in the corner, casting long shadows across the red velvet seats. Outside, rain lashed against the windows.
Only two other passengers were in the compartment- an elderly man with a persistent cough and a young man absorbed in his phone. Riya chose a seat opposite the old man.
As the train rumbled deeper into the night, the old man's cough grew louder and more frequent. Suddenly, the lights flickered and went out for a brief moment.
When they came back on, the young man's phone lay shattered on the floor. He stared blankly ahead.
But the old man was gone.
Riya's heart began to race.
She stood up and called out, "Sir?"
There was no reply- only the distant roar of the rain and the steady clatter of the train wheels.
Riya hurried to the compartment door, but it was locked. She pressed the emergency call button.
Nothing happened.
The young man still sat frozen, his eyes fixed straight ahead.
Slowly, Riya turned toward the window.
In the rain-streaked glass, she thought she saw a shadow crouching behind her seat- silent, still, and watching.
"Who's there?" she whispered, her voice trembling.
No answer.
The train screeched as it began to slow down. Then, with one violent jolt, the lights went out again.
A cold hand rested gently on Riya's shoulder.
She froze.
Then came a soft, raspy whisper.
"You can't get off… not until the headlight shines again."
Outside the window, darkness stretched endlessly in every direction.
When the lights finally returned, the old man was back in his seat, coughing quietly as though nothing had happened.
The young man, however, had vanished.
Riya looked around in panic. Her bag lay open.
Her phone was gone.
Trembling, she stood up.
As the train pulled into the next station, the compartment door slid open automatically.
Without looking back, she ran onto the platform.
A few moments later, an announcement echoed through the station:
"This is the last train to Jetpur for the night. All passengers are requested to disembark."
The platform was eerily empty.
As Riya walked away, she glanced back one last time.
The train's single headlight glowed faintly through the falling rain…
…and then, without a sound, it went dark forever.
valour, selflessness, and moral integrity.