The Timeless Train, Part-1
Rayyan had always been fascinated by old railway stations. There was something magical about the way they whispered forgotten stories through the rusting iron and the creaky wooden benches. His grandfather, Baba Jan, often told him tales about the legendary “Timeless Train” — a mystical locomotive that appeared only to those who truly believed in wonders beyond reality.
“Once you step on it,” Baba Jan had said, his voice a hushed whisper, “it takes you to a place that no man can explain — a place where time flows differently, where destinies are rewritten.”
Rayyan, now 18, had laughed at the stories as a child. But that night, as he sat alone at the abandoned Mehrangarh Railway Station, staring at the empty tracks under a sky full of stars, a strange feeling stirred inside him. The station had been closed for decades, yet here he was, waiting. Waiting for what? Even he didn’t know.
Just as he was about to leave, a deep, rhythmic chug-chug filled the air. His heart skipped a beat.
Emerging from the swirling mist, an enormous steam engine appeared on the tracks. It was not just any train — its metallic body shimmered under the moonlight, and its wheels glowed faintly, leaving traces of golden sparks on the rusted rails.
The train came to a halt right in front of Rayyan. Its door creaked open, revealing an old conductor in a navy-blue uniform. His eyes, ancient and wise, met Rayyan’s with a knowing look.
“Ticket?” the conductor asked.
Rayyan’s hands instinctively reached into his pocket. To his astonishment, he pulled out a golden ticket embossed with strange, swirling symbols. It was warm to the touch, as if alive.
With trembling hands, he handed it to the conductor, who smiled and stepped aside. “Welcome aboard, Rayyan. Your journey begins now.”
Stepping inside, Rayyan gasped. The train’s interior was breathtaking. Each compartment was different — one looked like a grand ballroom, another like an ancient library. A hallway stretched endlessly, as if defying space itself. People dressed in clothes from different centuries walked past him — an Egyptian queen, a Victorian gentleman, a warrior in silver armor.
“Where am I?” Rayyan murmured.
“You are in the Timeless Train,” a soft voice answered.
He turned to see a girl about his age. She had curly black hair and bright, curious eyes.
“I’m Aliza,” she said, smiling. “First time on the train?”
Rayyan nodded, still overwhelmed. “Where does this train go?”
Aliza’s eyes twinkled. “Anywhere. Everywhere. To the past, the future, places lost to time. But it only takes you where you need to be, not where you want to go.”
Before Rayyan could process her words, a deep horn echoed through the train. The windows shimmered, and suddenly, the view outside changed.
The station was gone. The landscape outside was no longer familiar.
Instead, a vast desert stretched endlessly beneath a purple sky, where two golden suns hung low on the horizon. Strange creatures with long, luminous tails soared through the air. The train had left his world behind.
Rayyan felt a strange pull in his chest. He wasn’t just on a train — he was on an adventure beyond imagination.
But something still felt off.
“Aliza,” he whispered, “I don’t remember buying this ticket.”
She looked at him, her expression suddenly serious.
“You didn’t,” she said. “The train only calls those who have unfinished destinies.”
A chill ran down Rayyan’s spine.
“Then why am I here?”
Aliza hesitated. Then she whispered, “Because something is waiting for you on this train. And once you find it… you may never be able to leave.”