The Night On The Rail Trail: The Unheard Puzzle

By Yatin Phatak

Wake up, young man, wake up

The dawn is breaking soon; 

Let’s chase the fleeing gunman

Before he fades like the moon.

My name is Vaitheen, and I'm a journalist. On a dark and stormy night in 1999, I was walking on the rail trail heading to the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus when I heard three gunshots pierce the air.

I ran with all my strength, following the sound for 200 meters until I saw a man lying on the railway track. He had a bullet wound in his forehead, right between his eyes. He was still breathing, barely, and his eyes were wide open. He signaled to his left, where the gunman might have fled or hidden. He whispered, "Find the gunman." His voice trembled with fear, and his eyes begged for help. I felt a surge of determination, and I nodded and whispered back, "Don't worry, I'll find him."

I scanned the surroundings, searching for any clue or trace of the cunning gunman. The darkness surrounded me, masking a terrible threat. He shouted, 'Go fast, buddy. I don't have much time left. I just want to know why he shot me.' 

I had to uncover the truth behind this mysterious shooting, not only for the dying man but also for my own curiosity. 

The young man's life depended on solving this puzzle, and I was determined to reveal the secrets of that fateful night in 1999.

I rushed to the left, where the dying young man had signaled. Alongside me, behind the trees, leaves, and grass, I heard something rustling. I stopped there, and the noise stopped too. I ventured closer to that area, which was now far away from where the shooting had occurred.

Suddenly, I heard three more gunshots ring out in the air. I hurried back and found the young man lying on the ground, still alive. He told me that the gunman had shot him again and had run to the right side. He had again three bullets in his forehead, right between his eyes. I was astonished. 

His eyes were begging me to find him. So I ran to the right, where the young man pointed. I heard something rustling behind the trees, leaves, and grass. I paused there, and the sound stopped too. I approached that area, which was even farther from the crime scene.

And again, I heard another three gunshots break the silence. I ran back, and saw the young man still on the ground, still breathing. He had now a total of nine bullet wounds on his forehead, but his eyes were alert!

Then what happened was, that young man, who seemed to be barely crossed 25, rose from his lying position. His eyes turned red. They moved up and down and sideways. At last, he fixed his eyes on me and shouted with a burst of laughter: "So you are a journalist! Look here, I'm the gunman!" Suddenly, he took out his gun from his back pocket and shot me in my forehead, right between my eyes. He vanished from the sight, and I fell to the ground, my eyes wide open.

Then, after some time, I saw a person running towards me.

Wake up, young man, wake up

The dawn is breaking soon;

Let’s chase the fleeing gunman

Before he fades like the moon.

When I opened my eyes, I found myself in my home still trembling from what I had experienced.

Morning came and I got up still haunted by the confusing events of that night.

I took a hot bath and entered my secret room. There I saw Abhay, my newly sheltered friend still sleeping on a broken chair with his body tied with threads. We had breakfast together. Well, actually, only I had breakfast.

Abhay had a story of his own. Abhay is an orphan who survived a troubled past. Still in childhood, he was wrongly accused of a crime and sent to a place known as Apna Ghar in Kala Ghoda - a house for troubled children that tried to reform them but had ties to the underworld. The people in charge were dangerous - they had connections with

the Underworld and used these boys for criminal activities and got their share.

In 1999, in one evening at Apna Ghar's office in Kala Ghoda, the in-charge and other people there had a party with Underworld masterminds for the service these Apna Ghar people offered to Underworld. Abhay doesn't remember exactly at what point fight occurred, but they started to quarrel among themselves, and then gunfight broke out. It was an event of bloodshed. 

Abhay, who was working as a waiter there, suddenly had an idea to run. Somehow he rushed to the door, and opened it. He went downstairs. Suddenly he saw the white light coming from the main gate, which he had never seen before. It was the first time that he was encountering some light. He rushed to the main gate, and lifted it.  When he lifted the gate, he felt that that light was entering into him. He felt jammed and sleepy. 

Abhay opened his eyes, and he soon found himself on the rail trail that night. Surprised, he also found that he was walking on the rail trail heading to the CST. As he walked some distance, he heard three gunshots pierce the air. He ran with all his strength, following the sound for 200 meters. He saw a man lying on the railway track, bleeding from his forehead. The man looked at him with fear and pain in his eyes. He gestured to his left, where the shooter might be. He said, "Find the gunman." His voice was weak and his body was shivering.  Abhay felt somehow guilty, and he said, "Don't worry, I'll find him."

Abhay looked around, trying to spot the shooter. The night was dark and silent, hiding a deadly danger. The dying young man said, 'Go fast, buddy. I don't have much time left. I just want to know why he shot me.' 

Abhay wanted to know the truth behind this shooting, not only for the young man but also for himself. The young man's life depended on solving this puzzle, and Abhay was curious now to discover the secrets of that night in 1999.

He went to the left, where the man had pointed. He heard something rustling behind the trees, leaves, and grass. He stopped there, and so did the noise. He got closer to that spot, which was far from where the shooting had happened. He heard a hush behind him. He turned around and saw a gun pointing at his forehead. It was me who had kidnapped him…..

The veil lifts and worldly affairs started hammering on my head. With all my strength, I stand up against the door, and look out through the hole who that creature is. Surprisingly, that creature is also looking through that hole from other side, and shouting with all its strength.

What a terrific creature! Have you also seen any other like that? Have you?

It is my mother patting the door with all her might and shouting at me, for me to wake up. 

Abhay….Abhay….bro, where are you? 

I look above the bed, down the bed, I look in the corners, I look in the secret room. I think he must have erased all the proofs.

I look at the clock which got hung itself on the wall above the mirror. It is 10:30 am. Oh shit! I am already late for the College! 

Aai…..where is Abhay? Aai….What! He would be attending his second lecture? 

Oh no! That is so disgusting Vaitheen! First time in the history you got late for the College, and your brother also betrayed you! 

He left you, and took the motorcycle with him! This is really so disgusting! 

Now how will you go, Vaitheen?

By Yatin Phatak