The Railway Station — Final Part
The sun was fast asleep as I hurried to the Negombo station with my Mum. Today felt a little different. Ordinarily I would describe this feeling as “Butterflies in my stomach” as anyone would, but I felt something more! Gigantic Moths would be a more appropriate description!!! We bought the tickets and entered the platform. My mum walked towards her usual bench, and I accompanied her scanning the platform. “Are you looking for Mario?” my Mum asked. There’s literally nothing I don’t share with her. Ergo she knew about my encounter with Mario and how I’m looking forward to seeing him today.
A couple of minutes passed by and still no sign of Mario. The train arrived at the station, surprisingly on time. We got onto our usual coach and settled into a corner. My mum smiled at me, as if to say, ‘stop sulking.’ I guess my face said it all. Of course I was disappointed! I was very much looking forward to seeing him today! The journey to Kolpiti station felt like forever that day. As soon as I entered the classroom Kasuni came running to me. “Did you see Mario today?” she inquired. “No.” As I sat down next to Kasuni, I couldn’t help but wonder why he didn’t show up. Did he miss the train? Were his classes cancelled? Did he change his mind about seeing me? These never-ending thoughts kept me distracted the entire day.
As the final class came to an end, a little piece of me kept the hope of seeing Mario in the evening alive, hoping he would offer to place my bag on the rack once again. I know it sounds immature to expect the same guy — a totally random stranger you just met on the train once - to help you with your bag yet again. But a girl can dream! As I left the classroom that day, I imagined all the things I would converse with Mario till we safely reach Negombo. Kasuni holding my hand routinely got onto the train as it stopped at the Kolpiti station. Still no sign of Mario, hence my bag remained on my back as it wasn't the bag that felt heavier today, it was my heart. Until we slowly reached the Pettah Station I did not utter a word. Kasuni reading my cues did not dare to upset me even more, and consequently remained silent. She bid me goodbye and here I was standing there. All alone. Yes, the coach was filled with passengers, yet I’ve never felt so desolated.
The night passed and birthed a new day. Like a child impatiently waiting for the ice cream truck, I longingly waited at Negombo station hoping to see Mario. As destiny would have it, he wasn’t there today either. Why is he doing this to me? Is it just a cruel prank he is playing on me? I wondered. My sadness slowly turned to anger as the train approached the Kolpiti station. The entire day was spent complaining and venting about this cruel Joke Mario planned for me. Kasuni kept mum!
The week came to an end, the weekend flew by and here I was at the station once again on a bright Monday morning. Just like any teenage girl hopelessly in love with their celebrity crush - whom they’ve never met before — I had hopes of seeing Mario even today! We usually expect people to be a lot more cheerful and energetic on a Monday morning, but I was the contrary. As I sat in class, I began to wonder whether this ‘Mario’ was just my imagination,” but how could he be, when I have Kasuni as my witness? Whilst my sulking continued during lunch, my friend from school — who also travels in the same train — approached Kasuni and I and inquired on my obvious dispirited face. Kasuni went on to reveal the narrative as I was not in the mood for storytelling. Listening to Kasuni, my friend from school questioned, “Are you talking about Mario? The tall dark boy? The one from the senior class?” My eyes lit like dogs' ears perking to the sound of an ambulance.
“Wait what? You know him?” I queried. “Yeah. He is from Negombo. Didn’t you guys hear the news?”. “What news?” “Mario met with an accident last week on his way to the station. He is in the ICU now,” my friend replied with a depressed tone. My heart felt like it sank to my stomach. I was devastated and shocked. All this time I was mad at him for ditching me. All this time I thought it was a cruel prank. I felt Kasuni squeezing my hand tightly, her nails burrowing into my palm, only this time I felt no pain. “How is he doing now?” I finally managed to ask my friend with teary eyes. “Well, the doctors said that it doesn’t look good. He is in a Coma.” The rest of the day was unexplainable. I felt a rush of emotions passing through me like the sea breeze at the Kolpiti station. The one thing that I kept repeating in my head was ‘Please God, please save him!’
Another agonizing week passed and there wasn’t a day I didn’t catch my friend at the station to get an update on Mario. There weren’t days I didn’t pray for him. But life is funny! It hits you with the strangest pain you could never imagine! As I got onto the train on Friday my friends’ faint smile made my heart skip a beat. I received news of Mario’s passing. The Railway Station was never the same again!