Morning at Jengraimukh Station
The sky was painted in hues of orange and pink as the sun slowly rose over the horizon. The rhythmic chugging of the approaching train echoed through the air, mixing with the murmurs of passengers waiting on the platform.
Mri and Jasmine stood near the entrance, bags slung over their shoulders. Unlike the usual lively departures, this one felt different.
Ayang and Rihan stood in front of them, clearly unhappy.
> "I still don't get why we're not coming," Ayang grumbled.
Mri sighed. "It's not that I don't want you to come, but… this is something I have to face myself."
Jasmine crossed her arms. "And I'm coming to make sure you don't do something stupid."
Ayang looked at Mri, concern evident in his eyes. "Is it really that dangerous?"
Mri didn't answer immediately. Instead, he looked down the railway tracks, lost in thought.
> "There are things in Dibrugarh I've been avoiding for years."
Jasmine glanced at him, sensing the heaviness in his voice. "And now you have to face them."
Mri nodded. "Yeah."
A loud whistle signaled the arrival of the train. The iron beast screeched to a halt, and steam hissed from beneath its wheels.
Ayang sighed, shaking his head. "Fine. But if you don't come back in one piece, I'll kill you myself."
Mri smirked. "Noted."
Jasmine rolled her eyes. "We're not dying, guys. Relax."
With one final glance at their friends, Mri and Jasmine stepped onto the train.
As the doors shut behind them, the train lurched forward, pulling them toward the city Mri had once called home.
Inside the Train: The Past Resurfaces
The gentle rocking of the train and the distant murmurs of passengers created a strangely soothing atmosphere.
Mri sat by the window, watching the landscape blur past. His mind, however, wasn't in the present.
Jasmine, sitting across from him, noticed his expression. "You okay?"
Mri didn't respond immediately.
Then, he closed his eyes.
And just like that—
His past pulled him back.
FLASHBACK: Dibrugarh, Years Ago
The streets of Dibrugarh were never quiet.
The city buzzed with life, from the bustling markets to the narrow alleyways filled with street kids running around.
In one of those alleyways, a younger Mri—**16 years old—**sat on top of a broken car, holding a lolipop in one hand and a bruised fist in the other.
A voice called out.
> "Mri! You got into another fight, didn't you?"
Mri turned his head and grinned.
A boy, about his age, stood with his arms crossed. His name was Aamon.
Mri chewed his lolipop. "They started it."
Aamon sighed. "You really gotta stop punching people."
Mri shrugged. "I only hit bad people."
Aamon gave him a deadpan look. "You think everyone's bad."
Mri smirked. "And I'm usually right."
Aamon sat down beside him, shaking his head. "One day, you're gonna punch the wrong guy."
Mri chuckled. "Then I'll just punch him harder."
Aamon groaned. "You're impossible."
But despite his complaints, he sat there, watching the busy streets with Mri, the two of them laughing at the chaos around them.
That was before everything changed.
Before Dibrugarh became a nightmare.
Before the betrayals, the blood, and the war.
Present: Inside the Train
Mri's eyes snapped open.
Jasmine noticed and frowned. "You were dreaming?"
Mri exhaled. "Just… remembering."
Jasmine leaned forward. "Want to talk about it?"
Mri shook his head. "Not yet."
Jasmine studied him for a moment but didn't push. "Fine. But when you're ready, I'll listen."
Mri nodded.
Outside, the landscapes blurred, shifting from green fields to city lights.
Dibrugarh was getting closer.
And so was his past.