COUPE NO FC1

Sujeet had just boarded the Ranchi-Howrah Express, excited for his new job. After all was going from small town Ranchi to big city Calcutta for the first time and that to work with a very big law firm. He was also looking forward to meeting Rajeev, his closest cousin who was already working there. In fact Rajeev would be coming to meet him at Howrah Railway station the next day. He had already promised Sujeet a great time on new year eve the following night and Sujeet planned to ring in 1991 in style in some tony night club in Park Street. His new employers had booked him up in a first class coach. He proudly settled into his coupe compartment number FC1. He noticed that the only other berth in the compartment was vacant.

The train chugged out of Ranchi station and Sujeet settled in with a book. It was around 11:30 PM when the train reached its first halt- Muri. He peeped out of the window and bought a cup of tea from a vendor. The train soon moved and soon was rattling along at a steady pace in the pitch dark night. The train suddenly stopped with a jerk after about 20 minutes. Sujeet sleepily peeped out and realised that it was an unscheduled halt at some wayside station, probably to give pass to an oncoming train. He could make out the name of the station in the dim yellow light “Begunkodar”. A train soon passed noisily from the opposite direction and the Ranchi-Howrah Express resumed its journey with a lurch as it’s locomotive powered up. At the same moment there was a knock on the compartment door. Sujeet wondered who it was – the ticket checker had already visited him soon after they had left Ranchi. He opened the door and was surprised to see a girl with long black hair and piercing brown eyes dressed in a figure hugging blue saree standing there. She had a mysterious aura around her and for a moment he stared at her not being able to take his eyes off her beautiful face. “May I come in please – “ she said finally breaking his trance. “Is this Coupe No FC1? “ she asked. Sujeet nodded. “I’m booked on Berth No 2” said the woman looking up from a cardboard ticket that she was holding. For a moment Sujeet wondered where she had boarded the train, as the last stop was unscheduled and also she didn’t seem to have any luggage. But then thought that he may be perceived as being rude for asking too many questions and just smiled at her as he removed his bag from Berth No 2.

The girl introduced herself as Alisha. They initially started chit chatting, somewhat shyly, but soon hit it off. She was not only good looking but also very witty and vivacious. Sujeet couldn’t believe his lucky stars to be able to travel in such beautiful company and even more so when their chemistry gelled so well and so soon.

As the train chugged along, they spent hours talking about their lives, interests, and passions. The more they talked, the more they found themselves attracted to each other. Sujeet was drawn to Alisha's mysterious aura, while Alisha found Sujeet's intellect and sense of humour irresistible. As the night grew darker, they continued to share their deepest desires, fantasies, and secrets. They talked about the things that turned them on and their wildest sexual experiences. Sujeet was surprised to find himself opening up to a stranger, but he felt comfortable around Alisha. Sujeet was in a state of bliss, never feeling such a connection with someone before.

As the train rocked back and forth, the attraction between them grew stronger. Alisha leaned in and brushed her lips against Sujeet's, sending shivers down his spine. Without a second thought, Sujeet pulled her into a passionate kiss, and they fell into each other's arms. The train's rhythm added to the intensity of their encounter. The sound of the wheels on the tracks and the gentle swaying of the compartment created a hypnotic ambiance. The world around them faded away as they gave in to their desires.

In the heat of the moment, they explored each other's bodies with gay abandon, enjoying every touch, every kiss, every caress. The physical intimacy was intense, but there was something strange about Alisha. Sujeet felt a sense of unease, but he was too caught up in the moment to pay attention.

Soon they were making love passionately, the berth creaking noisily below them. The rat-a-tat sound of the train's wheels on the tracks created a rhythm that synced with their bodies, making the experience even more intense and surreal. As Sujeet reached the peak of his pleasure, he felt a sudden surge of energy coursing through his body. He had never felt anything like it before. It was as if all the pleasure he had ever experienced in his life was concentrated into this one moment.

But just as he was about to let out a scream of ecstasy, something changed. As Alisha's grip tightened with the heightened passion, and Sujeet felt a strange inexplicable sensation. The train then slowed down as though in cue, the weird sensation grew stronger, and Sujeet started feeling a sense of dread. All of a sudden, Sujeet heard strange whispers and a cold, clammy hand touched his shoulder. He turned to see Alisha, but her brown eyes, which had initially captivated him, were now glowing with an eerie light. Her face was twisted into a grotesque, demonic visage that sent chills down Sujeet's spine. He tried to pull away, but Alisha's grip tightened, and she whispered, "Don't be scared. Just enjoy the moment."

Sujeet was terrified, and his mind raced to find an explanation for what he was seeing. He tried to calm himself, thinking that he was hallucinating or that it was just a trick of the light. But as he looked closer the demonic features became more pronounced, and he realized that something was terribly wrong. He tried to push Alisha away, but she refused to let go. The train's wheels suddenly screeched to a halt, and the lights went out, plunging the compartment into darkness. The air grew thick with an otherworldly presence, and Sujeet screamed in agony as the demon possessed him, and in that moment, he knew that he was no longer human. His body twisted and contorted, becoming something far more sinister.

Suddenly, Alisha's grip loosened, and she vanished into thin air. Sujeet was left alone in the dark, and as the demon took control, Sujeet let out a chilling laugh that echoed throughout the compartment.

The next morning, the train arrived in Howrah as per schedule. Rajeev was there to receive him. But Sujeet was nowhere to be found, only his suitcase lay forlornly under the seat. The police, family and friends searched for him for many days after that, but he was gone without a trace. The only other thing they found in empty Coupe No FC1 was a small note scrawled in Sujeet’s neat hand that read, "I am now one with the darkness.

***

Trivia: Begunkodar railway station in Purulia district of West Bengal came in Indian Railways records as one of its 10 ‘haunted’ railway stations in 1967 after passengers deserted it when the station master reportedly died after seeing a white sari clad woman walking along the railway tracks. Paranormal activity has been reported there regularly since then.