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The Ghan-a light at the end of the tunnel?

Y V Anand Sagar
GENERAL LITERARY
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Submitted to Contest #4 in response to the prompt: 'Past follows you when you move to a new city for a fresh start'

The setting for this story is a little into the future when China's OBOR project is completed while at the same time things continue much as they were. A so-called friend Amit had plotted to kill me in my residence in Bangalore. I decide to move to Adelaide in southern Australia in order to make a fresh start. In this story India and China had buried the hatchet and as a goodwill measure China decides to extend its OBOR project on the traditional silk route to India. I take China's BRI initiative by car on the way using India's GPS IRNSS(Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System) and China's GPS Beidou Map to plot my way and reach Adelaide. But Amit was too clever by half and he too did the same propelled as he was by his morbid motive to kill me and reached Adelaide. But through a mutual friend and well wisher, Shekhar, who ticked me off about Amit trailing me I learn about Amit trailing me and in order to shake Amit off I decide to take the world's longest passenger train, The Ghan(which is named after Afghan camel riders), which runs from Adelaide to Darwin in North Australia I reach picturesque Darwin on the way passing through Britain's Womeera rocket testing range in the Australian outback in western Australia. I check out in my new residence in Darwin. Darwin truly reminds me of the great biologist and naturalist Charles Darwin rich as it by its rich flora and fauna. Now unknown to me Amit's cousin sister, Supriya, who was unmarried, too lived in Darwin and she got wind of Amit's ulterior motive. Now Supriya was a divine, forgiving woman and decided to act as a bridge and intermediary between us, a sort of peace maker. Supriya and Amit were a study in contrasts. While Supriya was a good natured, forgiving woman bordering and almost on the verge of being an angel, Amit was more of a possessed devil pronounced as it was by his lanky self. Keeping in line with her beautiful nature Supriya was also a beautiful woman. As they say in Hindi either God gives nothing or gives everything at one place!. Through a mutual friend I learn about Supriya too living in Darwin and decide to meet her for the first time. Its love at first sight!. Supriya too returned back my love in full measure and we fall in love. All of us were Hindus but in keeping in line with India's syncretism and diversity we marry in a local church. I too was tired of my long, bachelor days and decided to call it day by marrying the divine and too good to be true Supriya. Now somehow God knows how(Murphy's law I suppose) Amit came to know that I had married his cousin sister Supriya and he too landed in Darwin taking the flight from Adelaide to Darwin. It was a sort of a double whammy for him, already he was seething with rage and our marriage only served to add salt to his wounds. All of us were in one place!. Would Amit succeed in killing me?. But Supriya's divine nature was the proverbial sweetener which would add succour in my relationship with my new brother-in-law in future. Learning that Amit too had landed in Darwin and in order to escape his wrath Supriya and myself packed our bags, took the next flight out of Darwin and landed in Perth on the western Australian coast amidst the world's oldest mineral deposits which date back around 400 million years. Now I too was at my wits end and was getting fed up of Amit's recalcitrant ways. But Supriya's love soothened my wounds and I soon forgave Amit. I could not but help compare my beloved wife Supriya's good nature with the devilish ways of Amit. Unknown to me and Supriya Amit had a good natured friend, Sanjay, whose good nature and too good to be true ways(a la Supriya?) would prove to be the lady of balance among all of us and steady the boat of family amidst the choppy seas and keep the ship of family moored to the harbor. Sanjay lived in Perth and Supriya and myself soon came to know of Sanjay's existence and through a chance meeting with a friend we went to Sanjay's sprawling mansion in Perth. For some unearthly reason God knows what Sanjay at once struck a chord inside me and Supriya both at once and our friendship would prove to a lifelong friendship of peace and happiness. Who says coincidences don't exist?. Like Supriya and through no mean role of my wife Supriya, Sanjay acted as an intermediary and soon convinced Amit to give up his insane plot to kill me and all of us(Amit, meanwhile, had moved out into Perth) lived like one big, happy family in Perth. Our friendship would resonate well into the future. Now whenever I see Sanjay I am reminded of Helen Keller's old adage "I would rather walk with a friend in the dark than alone at light"!.

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This is imagination totally gone wild, and yet it\'s embalmed with love, peace and tranquility. The author has his impeccable way of projecting chaos and yet settling scores without much ado. A good read.

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πŸ‘ ❀️ πŸ‘ πŸ’‘ πŸŽ‰

Nicee story..50 points from me..\nVote for me if interested \nThe secret of a classmate.

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πŸ‘ ❀️ πŸ‘ πŸ’‘ πŸŽ‰

All is well that ends well

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πŸ‘ ❀️ πŸ‘ πŸ’‘ πŸŽ‰

I have awarded points to your well written story! Thank you for voting for my story! Really means a lot. If you have moments, please share this story with other people.β€œ I just entered a writing contest! Read, vote, and share your thoughts.! https://notionpress.com/write_contest/details/5320/when-words-turn-worlds”.

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πŸ‘ ❀️ πŸ‘ πŸ’‘ πŸŽ‰

Your greed is excessive; for just one story, you expect me to vote for all of your stories... are you serious? Please refrain from posting in my stories. I do not appreciate your proposal.

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πŸ‘ ❀️ πŸ‘ πŸ’‘ πŸŽ‰