An Unforgettable Journey: A Day at Sealdah Station

We reached Sealdah station at 9 o’clock. The large clock on the wall showed the time. As we stepped out of the taxi, several men in red uniforms surrounded us. They offered to help with our bags. But Mama and I only had one small bag each. We politely declined their offer.

I recalled past visits to the station. Ma had hired a porter. He carried many bags at once. Two large suitcases balanced on his head, one bag on his shoulder, and another small bag on the other shoulder. He quickly made his way to the platform. Ma asked me to follow him to keep an eye on our luggage. I thought being a porter was like being a superhero. But later, I saw Ma pay the man fifty rupees. He then joined his friends, who looked exhausted.

This time, I was glad to carry my own bag. Mama checked the display board. Our train was late, just as he had thought.

Staying Together

Mama’s Warning

The station was packed with people. Everyone rushed around with large bags. It was easy to get lost in the crowd. I stayed close to Mama. The air smelled of smoke, sweat, and food. It was the smell of adventure.

We arrived at platform 11. Our train would depart from there. We had three hours to wait. Mama found a small empty space on a bench. He told me to sit there. Usually, we used our luggage as seats. But our small bags wouldn’t work this time.

“Where are you going?” I asked. Mama had left as soon as I sat down. There was a man sleeping on the bench. He was covered in a rough old blanket. There was some space by his feet where I could sit.

“Thums Up!” Mama called out before disappearing.

Exploring the Surroundings

I sat quietly, observing everything around me. I had read many adventure stories. I knew it was important to pay attention to my surroundings. Who knew what mysteries were hidden around me? For example, why was the man next to me sleeping in the middle of the noisy platform?

A small black dog came sniffing around my feet. I looked at it carefully. Was it a stray? Or was it a detective’s sidekick, like Snowy?

“Poltu, take this.” I was startled by Mama’s loud voice. He had gone to the refreshment stall. He held a brand-new Phantom comic and a packet of Gems. “What? Are you happy now?” Mama grinned. I was so happy I could barely thank him. “You deserve a little gift from your Mama,” he said.

As I took the comic and the Gems, Mama looked at the man sleeping by me. His expression became serious for a moment. But then he was back to being his usual cheerful self.

“Won’t you sit, Mama?” I asked.

Mama’s Response

“No, you keep the seat. Are you going to read the comic now? Okay, good,” Mama said. “Keep an eye on the bags. I will be right back. Let me get the Thums Up.” With that, Mama disappeared again.

Mama’s Secrets

How strange! What was Mama up to? Mama, or Shankar Das, is usually full of stories. He knows everything. He tells me about far-off places like Kashmir, Sri Lanka, and Madagascar. He can do magic tricks and complex math in his head. But no one knows exactly what he does for a living. Ma says he needs to get a job in an office. Whenever she says this, Mama laughs heartily.

Mama has lived with us for as long as I can remember. I know my father only from some photos. But Mama has always been there. I even went to nursery school perched on his shoulder. But every few months, he disappears without a word. No one knows where he goes or what he does. When he comes back, he is tired and sleeps almost all day. Then he goes back to being the fun, funny, and absent-minded uncle I love so much.

This time, Ma had no choice but to send me off with him. Her study trip to Finland was coming up. She needed to prepare for it. My mother is a climate scientist. Next year, she’s going to the Arctic Circle to study how the shrinking ice is affecting the polar bears. She needed this month to read and plan. So, me going off to my grandparents’ house with Mama was the best solution.

A New Adventure Begins

And that’s how I ended up at Sealdah station, about to open the new Phantom comic. The cover had an exciting picture of the “Ghost Who Walks” in his purple bodysuit. He was surrounded by his wolf and his horse, ready to throw a punch at a villain. I opened the box of Gems and shook it until a red one popped up. I always eat a red one first, then a blue, then a green.

The red Gems had almost jumped into my hand. Something was definitely strange today! Usually, I have to search for the red one. I put it into my mouth and stared at the open page on my lap.

Why were the pictures so blurry? I could barely make out the words. I brought the book closer to my eyes. It was still hard to see. Because everything had gone black. All the lights in the station blinked off as if someone had blown out a candle in one giant breath. All around me was silence and darkness.