I was unable to comprehend, how will we reach home. The train had stopped somewhere between Ghaziabad & Hapur. My three year old boy and thirteen year old daughter were stuck with me on the train. The journey was going smooth, but we all had no clue, that why the train had suddenly stopped. I was trying to hold it together, but I was kind of creeped out, by being alone just with my children. We were in the second class, and the crowd was mostly good. If only the train would start moving.

It was 9pm and, the people were whispering about some accident that may have taken place, which was creating problems for our train to proceed. When, the T.C came, everyone literally jumped on him. He told us that, it could be late before we commence our journey, and he was arranging for some refreshments for us, which of course we had to buy.

I closed my eyes and started praying. Back, in time we could just revert to God. There were no cellular phones, and no one but God was just a call away. I gave both my children some food, and books, which were always in my bag. They needed to feel safe and that made me take out my own magazine too.  I had too  look calm and easy.

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Almost, about half an hour later, I heard a familiar voice, calling out to my kids. Zara-Zidaaane, Zaaraaa–Zidaane. Zara excitedly answered a loud YES, once we realized that it was the voice of her daddy! He had found us. I could never thank God enough.

He came in to help us with the luggage, and smiling I made my way out of the train along with my children.  I was scared to walk in between the tracks, but we finally made our way to the car. I gave a tight hug to my husband, and asked him how on earth did he manage to find us? After all, we were in the middle of nowhere.

He wanted to surprise us at the Ghaziabad station and reached there before time. There he learnt about, our train being stuck. He kept asking for directions, until he could convince a nice villager to accompany him to the exact spot, where the train was.  But, after reaching that station came the real test.

He had been shouting and searching for us, for almost an hour.  He would call our names at every box, hoping that he would get a reply.  Also, it was no fun to walk on the railway tracks at night, without a flashlight.

So, when finally he found us, he too was relieved, just like I was. It was serendipitous fate. After all, who would think of  surprising to pick your wife and kids, station earlier-than the final destination? And, who would reach their well in time to go on a hunting  spree ? I tucked my kids into bed, before going to sleep myself. My husband and I chatted about the evening that we both had just experienced. I wondered, though what would be happening on the train at the moment. With these, thoughts I dozed off, thanking my lucky stars!

“I am writing as part of the #Storytellers competition by The Gud1“.