Velturu Part- 1

That day Priya was traveling from Hyderabad to Lucknow. She wanted to surprise her friend and so didn't inform anyone. She had to board the train before 9.30 but that night she was a little late and reached the station at 9.45. Luckily the train was delayed and she finally boarded to Lucknow from Kacheguda station.

She found a pretty lady dressed in black in block S on seat number 16 which was exactly opposite to her seat. The lady was approximate of Priya's age and though strangers they accompanied each other with their presence. Both of them were Potterheads and loved to read articles and writings which involved magic. The seat beside the lady was empty and so Priya made it occupied and both of them decided to watch the Harry Potter series. To each other's surprise, they were watching Harry Potter for the fifth time. They were so much engaged in binging Harry Potter that they didn't notice the time. A little later a ghurr rumbling sound was heard and after a minute investigation, Priya caught that the sound was made by the lady's stomach. Both of them were hungry and so the lady speeded up towards the pantry car of the train and brought a combo of meals that both can share. They finished the meal, shared the expenses for the meal, and again starting binging.

The lady had to get down at Bhopal station. Nearly at one o'clock the midnight, she got down. The compartment was empty now. The lady accompanied Priya and she was quite comfortable with her but as she left, a sudden silence prevailed. But from her neighboring compartments gossiping and cheering noises were heard. As she tried to sleep the talkative sounds disturbed and a word something like 'Velturu' was continuously heard but because she was tired within fifteen minutes, Priya fell asleep.

When she opened her eyes she immediately turned her eyeballs towards her wristwatch to check out the time and found it was 7 a.m. The train would reach Lucknow at 10 o'clock but because it was delayed at Kacheguda station it might take some more time. But when Priya woke the train wasn't running but instead was stopped on platform number two at the Raigunj station. After a quick inquiry from the passenger in her neighboring compartment, she came to know that there is some problem with the engine and the train would stay in the station for an hour more. Looking out for fresh air, Priya quickly freshened up and got down to take a glimpse of Raigunj station. As she walked towards platform number one she saw a bookstall in her way and the book title "The World of Magic" attracted her sight. She immediately took out a note of Rs. 200/- from her purse and brought the book. She realized that the train would stay for more than forty-five minutes in the station and decided to start reading the book in the station itself without getting up on the train as it is no enjoyment to read a book on a motionless train for her.

As she opened the book the name of the author, Velturu Reddy caught her vision. She went on turning pages as she kept reading. When she reached page 92 a sudden sound of a horn from a lorry distracted her concentration. When she looked around she found herself sitting on a bench of Raigunj Bus Station which was situated exactly on the back of Raigunj Railway Station. She thought she walked there without her knowledge because she was completely submerged in the book. But something was strange. When she looked at the lorry which distracted her concentration she noticed the word 'Velturu' written on the back of the lorry. She quickly closed the book in her hands and rushed towards the station, asked a salesperson about the train on platform number two and he replied, " There hasn't arrived any train on platform number two from past five hours ", Priya immediately checked the time on the platform clock and found she was only ten minutes late.

She thought the salesperson did not have the proper information and enquired at the inquiry counter of the station and receive the same answer, "There wasn't halted any train from past five hours". Priya looked here and there if someone has seen her getting down the train but she found none. Then suddenly a small girl dressed in a pretty red frock with a boat neck pulled the hand of Priya and asked, "You were traveling in the Lucknow Express right?" and Priya was amazed to know that someone saw her traveling in the train and answered, " Yes, do you know about the train? When did it leave?"

"I was left out, my mom and I were traveling to Lucknow, I wanted to see the surroundings and got down of the train without informing anyone. Now my mom must be tensed regarding me"

Priya immediately gave the little girl her phone and asked to contact her mom but when the girl dialed her mom's number the phone got switched off and the battery was dead, it was perhaps because the previous day Priya and her compartment companion were binging using Priya's mobile. The little girl started crying out of fear. Priya looked at her surrounding for a calling booth but she couldn't find and no one in these days trust others by giving their mobiles to make a phone call. Patiently Priya decided to travel to Lucknow along with the girl and both of them got into a cab. Lucknow was 170 Kms away from them. As they traveled Priya opened her book and this time wanted to avoid drowning in it but failed. Around two hours of their journey Priya came out of her world of reading and asked the driver, " More how much time would it take to reach Lucknow station?" and he said, "An hour more ma'am". To make friendship with the little girl Priya asked her name and she said, "My name is Velturu".

And suddenly the cab driver stopped the car in the middle of a tunnel and ran away. Priya couldn't figure why he ran so impatiently. She got out of the cab and searched for him, shouted aloud in anger but no response. She spotted herself in a location like a horror site shown in movies. Though so much was happening around them, and the location seemed risky the little girl wasn't afraid. Priya was sweating out of fear but the girl was simply jumping around the car. Something was strange. Priya closed her eyes to just think what was wrong with her and when she opened her eyes she was tied with a rope on a wooden chair. The word 'velturu' was strange to her. The girl was laughing aloud and asked Priya to identify who she was. Priya stressed herself and fainted but couldn't identify who Velturu was. The girl then said, " Priya, You know me and no one knows you better than me. When you wake up, you will reach your destiny."