Haunted Lies part 1

INCIDENT 9

The disturbed passenger

16 June 2009                                                              11:20 pm

Diu

Dear diary,

Bus journey is most hectic job in my lifetime, but sometimes they may be freaky too.  An hour ago I travelled from Daman to Diu via bus; the bus had 27 passengers travelling and all ready for a journey of 2 hours from local bus depot.  Diu is the capital and many people hence move there for jobs.  Seat no 11 was allotted to me and only one seat was empty near me.  I was hoping that the seat remains empty but it was reserved and that person came and sat.  He was a young man of twenties and looked like an employee.  He did not speak a word about his profession and just introduced himself as Zaheer.  He had a beautiful watch in his hand.  I was busy with my work in laptop and suddenly he started being uncomfortable.  I thought he was uncomfortable with a girl sitting beside him, and therefore I asked him.  He told me that his financial conditions are very bad and that he had to send money to his old parents.  He suddenly burst out in tears and started sobbing.  The other passengers were looking at us very weirdly but none of them got up to ask Zaheer about his crisis.  Finally I asked water from the conductor and offered Zaheer but he refused.  Therefore I returned back.  Then he told me about his parents in Diu and a younger sister waiting to get married.   But strangely he got down at the refreshment halt which was 3 stops before Diu.  I was waiting for Zaheer but the bus conductor counted the passengers and started.  I checked for Zaheer`s luggage but they weren’t there.  I asked the conductor about him but he just laughed.  Weird, everybody in the bus were behaving as if I was a lunatic.  Then I saw that Zaheer had left his watch.  I was so sorry for him, but yet I thought that I will return it to his parents.  As soon as I got down at Diu I went to his house, where an old lady welcomed me.   I gave her the watch, but she started crying while taking it, I couldn’t ask but I saw Zaheer`s photo on the wall with a garland.  Later I knew that he died in a bus accident.  Then how was he in the bus?

Shanaya