The sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm golden glow over the streets of Ahmedabad. Kaushal navigated through the bustling city, the sound of honking horns and chattering crowds filling the air. He glanced at the time on his dashboard—6:45 PM. Still plenty of light left, but he needed to get home before the night settled in.
"Just a few more minutes," he murmured to himself, adjusting his grip on the steering wheel. The grey shirt he wore clung slightly from the heat, while the white pants felt cool against his skin. They'd been a last-minute choice, but he felt they matched the urgency of the day.
His phone buzzed, startling him. He fished it out of his pocket, heart racing as he saw his mother's name flash across the screen.
"Ma?" he answered, his voice steady despite the quickening beat of his heart.
"Kaushal, we've just reached Ahmedabad station!" Reha's voice crackled through the speaker, a tinge of excitement lacing her words. "The train's slightly delayed, though. I think it'll be another hour."
"Another hour? Are you all okay?" Kaushal's brow furrowed, concern flooding his thoughts.
"Yes, yes! Just a little tired. Your father went to get tea from the stall. He says he needs a relaxation drink before the long ride to Haridwar," she chuckled, the sound lifting some weight off his shoulders.
"Good. Just stay safe, alright? I'll keep my phone close."
"Don't worry, beta. We'll be fine. Just keep driving carefully," Reha replied.
A sudden crash echoed through the phone, punctuating her words. Kaushal's heart dropped.
"Ma? What was that?" The tension in his voice was palpable.
"Nothing, nothing! Just a suitcase falling. I'll call you when we're on the train, okay? Love you!"
"Love you too!" Kaushal said, but the call ended abruptly. He stared at the screen, the buzzing silence pressing down on him.
His gut twisted as he rolled through a crowded street. The atmosphere had shifted. People were scattered, some screaming, others shouting in what sounded like panic. His eyes darted around, searching for the source of the commotion.
Suddenly, a group of men charged toward the station, faces obscured by masks, eyes ablaze with fury. Kaushal's breath caught in his throat.
"No, no, no…" he whispered, gripping the steering wheel tighter.
He parked hastily, heart pounding as he leapt out of the car.
"Hey! What's happening?" he shouted at a bystander, a young woman with wide, terrified eyes.
"They're attacking! They're burning the coaches!" she screamed, pointing towards the station.
Kaushal's stomach twisted as he glanced at the station. Flames flickered in the distance, a cruel dance of orange and red against the darkening sky.
"No!" he yelled, sprinting towards the chaos.
His phone buzzed again, but he ignored it, focusing instead on getting to his family.
"Ma! Baba!" he called out, his voice swallowed by the growing cacophony of panic.
He rounded the corner, and the sight that met his eyes sent a shockwave through his veins.Two of the coaches were engulfed in flames, thick black smoke billowing into the air, choking the life out of the space around it.
"Get back!" a voice yelled, but Kaushal couldn't move.
"Ma!" he screamed again, desperation clawing at his throat.
Frantic, he fumbled for his phone, dialing her number, his hands shaking.
Ring.
"Come on, pick up!"
Ring.
Nothing but static. The flames roared, and he could hear the terrified screams of those trapped inside.
"Help!" a voice cried from within the coach.
Kaushal's heart shattered. The world around him dissolved into a blur of fire and chaos.
"Someone, anyone, help!"
"Shut it down!" a man shouted, raising a bottle filled with what looked like gasoline.
"No!" Kaushal lunged forward, but the crowd surged, pushing him back, away from the inferno.
"Stay back!" someone barked, but Kaushal's mind was a tempest. His family was in there.
"Ma!" he bellowed, the sound raw and desperate.
He pushed through the throng, adrenaline coursing through his veins as he fought against the tide of fear and anger. The flames crackled, spitting embers into the air, and the acrid smell of smoke clawed at his nostrils.
"Help me! They're in there!" he shouted, his voice breaking.
"Get to safety!" a woman cried, pulling at his arm.
"No! I can't leave them!"
Then he saw them—his father's familiar frame, his mother's kind face, both caught in the chaos.
"Ma!" he shouted, eyes filled with tears and smoke blurring his vision.
"Kaushal!" Reha's voice rang through the chaos, filled with fear and despair.
"Hold on! I'm coming!"
He surged forward, his heart pounding like a drum against his ribcage.
"Get out! Get out!" he shouted, lunging towards the door.
But the heat was unbearable. Flames licked at his skin, and the smoke wrapped around him, a suffocating embrace.
"Kaushal!" his mother's voice pierced through the chaos, but it was growing distant, fading.
"Ma!"
He stumbled, the world spinning as he felt the heat scorch his back.
The last thing he saw before darkness closed in was the flicker of flames, the dread in his mother's eyes, and the shadow of fury outside the coach.
And then, silence.
The chaos faded, leaving only the echo of despair, the burning weight of loss, and the haunting realization that he was too late as his eyes closed filled with despair.