"What was that all about?
Should I go? And where will I find clothes to hide my identity ?" Tamim pondered aloud.
—---
"5 minutes have passed; I guess I'll have to go alone," Faria thought, preparing to leave.
She started walking. After walking a while she looked back and saw Tamim
Tamim in the distance coming toward her.
"You're late, and I won't wait any longer," Faria told Tamim as he arrived.
"You should have given me more time," Tamim retorted.
Faria swiftly created a portal, prompting both of them to step inside.
"It's a train station," Tamim observed.
"Yes, and we'll take the train from here," Faria informed him.
"Wait, if you can create portals, why are we using a train?" Tamim inquired.
"My abilities have limitations; I can only teleport to places my eyes have physically seen," Faria explained.
"Where exactly are we going?" Tamim questioned.
"Greena Forest," Faria replied firmly.
The station's announcement echoed, signaling the imminent departure of the last train to Green Forest Station.
"We need to hurry," urged Faria, leading the way onto the train.
Once inside, they noticed only a handful of passengers scattered throughout the carriages. An old ticket collector approached them.
"Tickets, please," requested the old man.
Faria and Tamim exchanged a concerned glance, realizing they hadn't purchased tickets.
"Oops, I teleported into the train station to avoid the CCTV cameras and forgot about the tickets," Faria mused, inwardly chiding herself.
"We, uh, seem to have misplaced our tickets," Tamim attempted to explain.
"Oh, I understand. You remind me of when my wife and I escaped and boarded a train without tickets. The ticket collector allowed us to travel for free. Don't worry, it's not a problem for you folks," the old man recounted, smiling nostalgically.
"Wait.. It's not what you think. " Tamim interjected.
"Sorry, I didn't catch that. My hearing isn't what it used to be," the old man said.
Faria jumped in, "He said we're fine and will cover the ticket cost."
"Ah, no need. Just wishing you both a safe and happy journey together," the old man said, departing with a smile.
Tamim, perplexed, asked, "What the.. Why did you lie? That wasn't true or even possible."
"I know, but I think it made him happy, and it won't cause us any trouble. At least good for us" Faria justified.
They both sat alone keeping distance.
Sitting apart from each other, Tamim and Faria remained lost in their thoughts as the train journey continued.
"It's already 1:23 am, and it looks like it'll be another 10 minutes. I'm not sure what's going to happen today. I've already taken a beating earlier in the morning, and now I might be heading into a situation that could make things worse. But I've been devising strategies to handle the next fight. Maybe this time, I can defeat those monsters if it comes down to it," Tamim contemplated while seated.
Unexpectedly, the old man appeared again and inquired, "Is everything alright? You both are sitting far apart. Something happened?"
Both Tamim and Faria hesitated, unsure of how to respond.
"We're just trying to keep our distance," Tamim replied.
The old man chuckled, "Ah, keeping a bit of space before marriage is said to be good for a lasting relationship."
"Why did I even say that? Am i stupid? Ah.. This old man is just annoying" Tamim regretted his earlier comment.
Soon after, the train came to a halt.
"Sorry, but we have to disembark now," Faria informed the old man.
"Oh yes, it was a pleasure meeting you both. Wishing you a lifetime of happiness together," the old man warmly responded.
"Thank you for your help," said Faria as she stepped off the train.