I always wanted to experience death; I wanted to know what it feels like. But little did I know that you should be careful what you wish for!
It was my last day of vacation. I was in my hometown. The bus I booked ticket for was canceled at the last minute. So I went to the train station instead.
I did not get any ticket in the counter. Rather, I had to buy ticket from the black market with twice the regular price.
It was the last train of that day. This train had a notoriety of being overcrowded. But I thought paying more for it was worth it as I had to join office the next morning.
I was impatiently waiting for the train on the platform. It was buzzing with passengers waiting for the train.
I grew impatient after I had spent half an hour waiting for the train. As I saw the train approaching the platform, I gave a sigh of relief.
It did not take long to overshadow my joy with anxiety as I saw the train was full of passengers already. I started to worry whether I would be able to get aboard the train.
I rushed toward the door of my compartment as the train halted. People were almost fighting each other to get aboard. I could not help myself but join in the hustle.
I was elbowing my fellow passengers to get aboard. I dared not think about the consequences of failing to get aboard the train.
Almost five minutes had passed. I was still fighting my way in. So far I could barely place a leg on the train door-step. My other leg was hanging in the air.
I was resting my whole weight and the weight of my overloaded backpack on one leg only. My backpack alone was enough to sip away all of my energy.
Suddenly the train started with a jerk. The siren pierced through my heart!
I was holding the door handle with all my might. I was panic-stricken thinking about what would happen if I let go of my grip from the handle. My entire life was flashing before my eyes.
I felt like I was losing my grip after some time. I thought that was it! I would die, or in the best case scenario, injure myself severely.
But I could not just die. I did not want to die. I had many things to do. I had dreams! I had to live for myself and my family.
At that moment, I was ready to trade anything for my life. I was waiting for a miracle. But I knew that miracles do not happen out of nowhere.
I had the ticket in my wallet. But I did not care for it. Just standing inside the train was everything I wanted at that moment. I was ready to offer anything and everything. I just did not want to die!
Couple of minutes have passed that way. I did not have any strength left to hold the door anymore. I started screaming for my life. I was begging the fellow passengers to hold me anyway they can as I was losing my grip on the door handle.
Tears might have rolled down my cheek at that time; but I don’t remember that now.
The train was speeding on a bridge over a river. Sound of the train-wheel on the iron bridge was too much to bear for me at that time. I was taking preparation mentally for my death.
And then something happened. Something that would change the way I perceive human interaction: two of my fellow passengers got hold of me by my shirt collar.
I got my hopes up. I was not completely out of danger just yet, but I felt safer.
I was staring at them blankly. Many thoughts were floating in my mind. I was thinking how I was fighting my way in with my fellow passengers. And now two complete strangers were trying to save my life.
Half an hour had passed before we reached the next station. Those two people were holding me still until the train reached the next station. Some passengers got down from the train in the next stoppage. Thus, I was able to step inside the train with both of my legs. I breathed a sigh of relief!
Few years have passed since that incident, but I remember those two persons’ faces like it was yesterday!
I came very close to death that day. But with their help, it felt like I got a new life.
Those two people’s selfless deed cannot go in vain. That day I promised myself that I have to make my life worth their efforts. Otherwise, they have not saved my life for nothing.
They did not know me before that incident. But they reached out to me when they saw me in danger. Maybe this is what humanity is all about!
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Previously published on medium
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