It had been a busy year for Rohit, an engineer at Maldiva Ship Building, and he wanted an escape to a scenic and serene destination. Andaman Islands could have been perfect for him, but his current financial position had restricted him from buying an expensive air ticket. At the moment, he could only dream of a vacation. He was in his 30, fair, tall and had a mole on his chin.

It was a lazy Friday. Rohit had just finished his work. It was his lunch break. He was still at his desk, browsing on his computer, ‘beautiful places in India’. As he was surfing, a mail pops up with subject, ‘Congratulations! You have won….’ He was sure that it was a spam, but he had no other work, so he clicks the popup and was directed to his inbox. He had received a mail from j.shah418756430@gmail.com.

‘Dear Sir,

‘Congratulations’ was flashing in a bright red colour

‘You have won a weekend trip to Goa. The booking details of your travelling and accommodation are attached to this mail. Kindly check the attachment.

Below are the Terms and conditions:

1) Do not tell about this to anyone, even your family members’

He laughs, believing it to be a spam. But still checks the attachment, which included two PDF files. He opens the first one. It had details of a booking in a 5-star resort in Goa, full board included. He gets excited and quickly opens the second one. It was a bus ticket to Goa, Leyland 1985 Non A/C seater. He gets disappointed, but since its free he decides to go for it. He takes a printout of both.

The offer seemed too good to be true. He was sceptical. Just to verify, he calls the resort. The lady at the front office confirms the booking. He jumps with joy. The booking was indeed on his name. It was true, he had really won a weekend trip to Goa.

He takes a half day, and rushes home to pack his bag. The bus was supposed to leave at 6:00pm from Borivali. He reaches by 5:30, at the pickup point. He was wearing a brown thick leather jacket with black colour t-shirt inside and blue jeans. He was excited. He thought of calling his parents but then remembers the terms and conditions. Also, he wanted to be alone. But all this while he was still thinking, who must have sponsored this weekend trip, and why?

While he was lost in his thoughts, time flew fast, and his bus arrived. It was exactly 6:00pm. He boarded the bus and took his seat, number 20. There were six more men in the bus, all stony-faced. There was an old movie playing on the TV, which was grubby.

After sometime, a man stood up from his seat, and sat next to Rohit. He was fat and reeky. He had worn a white cotton shirt and beige cargo shorts. The bus was nearly empty, but he still sits next to Rohit. Rohit finds it strange and unpleasant, but he couldn’t tell him to move. As that would be rude.

‘Hi’, The old man starts a conversation with Rohit.

‘Hey’, Rohit responds even though he didn’t want to.

‘Goa trip, huh?’

‘Yes!’

‘Must be excited.’

‘Off course’, and Rohit looks around. Everyone was busy in their own world.

‘You’re alone on this bus?’ Asks Rohit.

‘Yes. I have been going to Goa since I was 30 and I am 62 currently. That’s 32 years.’

‘You like Goa?’

‘I love Goa.’

After a pause

‘Won a weekend trip?’ Asks the man, still smiling.

Rohit gets puzzled. He thinks to himself, how did this guy know about it? He did not even tell his family nor friends.

‘How did you know?’

‘Let me introduce you myself. My name is Jalani Shah, and I am a very amicable and open-handed person. I pick random people and take them for a weekend trip to Goa.’ And he winks.

‘Jalani Shah? J.Shah?’

‘Yes.’

‘So, it is you who had sent me the mail?’

‘Yes.’

And Rohit suddenly changes his approach towards him. He had found the guy who had given him this spectacular weekend trip, which he desperately wanted.

‘Oh! thank you very much sir. I am really indebted. Thank you for giving me this opportunity.’

‘Don’t mention it.’

‘May I ask you a question? Why me?’

‘I randomly select people.’

‘Why only weekend trip? You could even donate money to poor. So, what’s the catch?’

‘There is no catch.’

‘Then why a trip?’

Rohit was adamant and gave him no choice but to tell what the motive was.

‘Okay I’ll tell you. 32 years ago, me and my wife had won a weekend trip just like you. We received a mail, and we packed our suitcase and left. We were newly married, and happy. We will never forget that day and that is why I organise such trips.’

‘Wow! Indeed, a small act of kindness creates an endless ripple.’

‘But it wasn’t so good.’ Said the old man, sombre.

‘My wife died on that trip.’

Rohit was shocked, ‘What? How?’

‘They killed her.’

‘Who?’

He points out to the bus driver.

‘What? The bus driver killed your wife?’

‘Yes.’

‘What nonsense.’

‘If you don’t believe me then ask my wife.’

‘Where is she?’

‘She is here’, and he points out to a seat which was empty.

Rohit looks at the empty seat and again looks at him.

‘Your wife is sitting there?

‘Yes. She is.’

‘What rubbish. Stop it. And I don’t like such jokes. They’re not even funny.’ And Rohit looks away.

‘Can you help me out?’

‘Will you please stop it?’

‘Please help me out.’

Rohit couldn’t take it anymore. So, he gets up from his seat and walks towards the last seat, which was empty. The old man gets up too, but Rohit shouts at him.

‘Don’t you dare come close to me.’ And everyone turned their head and starred at the old man. There was no expression on their face. He laughs out loudly and comes near Rohit. ‘Okay child, I was just joking. Sorry!’

‘I don’t like such jokes. Please.’ And he sits next to him.

‘Okay, sorry.’ But Rohit was still red. But soon he calms down.

The bus took a halt for dinner, at a small restaurant. Rohit remains seated, but takes a look around from the window. The restaurant was crowded. But the old man had just vanished in the crowd. Rohit did not pay attention because he wanted to be alone. After sometime he grabs some food and goes back to the bus. When he enters, he sees the old man was sitting on the first seat. He ignores him and walks straight to his seat.

There was still some time left for the bus to leave. He stretches his legs and was all set to sleep. As he was getting comfortable, the old man appears before him, and smiles. He gets irked. He didn’t know what to say. But without uttering a word, the old man sits next to him.

After some time.

‘I asked my wife. She says you’re a handsome man.’

‘You started again?’

‘Listen to me son. She wants you to be on this bus. She wants to talk to you. She wants you to help us out.’

‘Help? In what way?’

‘We want justice. Like I told you, we had won a weekend holiday trip to Goa and my wife was brutally killed.

‘Yes. By the driver.’

‘No, that I lied.’

And the bus starts.

‘Oh, that you lied? And the rest of it is the truth?

‘Yes.’

‘So, your wife is a ghost?’

‘Yes.’

‘And she is sitting on that seat?’ And he points out.

‘Yes.’

Rahul bursts out laughing.

‘Why on earth did you choose me? If you wanted justice, you should have consulted a lawyer.’

‘I did. But the person who killed my wife was a very powerful man. He broke into my house, and strangled me to death. Then he burned my body at the exact spot where my wife was killed.’

And there was complete silence.

Rahul was blank. He didn’t know how to react.

‘Okay, this is going overboard.’ He gets up and starts shouting, ‘Stop the bus. Stop the bus.’

‘Wait. Don’t go.’

He shouts louder, ‘I said stop the bus.’

He never wanted a holiday like this, even if it was free.

He gets down and collects all his luggage. All the six people get out.

‘Please listen to me.’ Says the old man.

‘I don’t want to listen to you neither I’m interested in a weekend trip anymore. I will go home alone.’ And he starts walking towards Mumbai.

After a five-minute walk, he sees two lights flashing. It seemed like a bus had stopped. He starts running towards it. He sees a man standing near the bus. He couldn’t see his face. As he gets near, he gets the shock of his life. It was the same old man standing in front of the same bus.

He had reached the exact same spot, from where he had began walking. His face starts turning pale. The old man was smiling. He starts running again and after few minutes, he reaches the same spot. The bus was parked at the side of the road and the old man was standing in front. He was going around and round, and there was no escape. When he realises it, he starts wailing and crying.

The old man keeps his hand on his shoulder.

‘Me and my wife won a weekend trip to Goa, 32 years ago. I should have been alarmed, but I didn’t. We boarded the bus at 6pm sharp. All the passengers on that bus had won the trip, just like us. On the way we came to know that it was a scam.’ And the old man shed a tear.

He continued to speak.

‘Three-armed man entered the bus and looted everyone. We gave them all we had. But one man took my wife, and along with his partners gang raped her. Me and six others tried to overpower them, but they shot them all. It was 1:15am. I somehow managed to run from that place, and I went to seek help from the police.’

He looks at Rahul, and wipes his tears. And then continues to speak.

‘The case went on and on. After 30 long years, my wife was about to get justice, but then one of the killers spotted me. He kidnapped me and took me exactly where my wife was killed. Right here, where I’m standing now, and they strangled me to death.’

Rahul couldn’t believe it. He starts running towards the woods. He reaches the same spot again, where the bus was parked and the old man was still standing there. He finally collapses on the ground, his heart freezes. It was exactly 1:15am.

Exactly one year later…

A man named Sunil, comes running home. He packs his bag hurriedly. His mother asks him, ‘where are you going?’ To which he replies, ‘I am going somewhere. Can’t tell you anything. I’ll be back in some days. Don’t worry, I’ll be safe.’ The bus arrives sharp at 6pm at the Borivali bus stop. He boards the bus. There were seven people. The one added person was fair, tall and had mole on his chin. He had worn a brown thick leather jacket with black t-shirt inside and blue jeans. He was seating on the seat number 20. The old man was sitting on the front seat.

“Hi, how are you?”, The old man asks Sunil.

…. The End ….