Short Story 1 - History

Short Story 2 - The red scarf

A chill ran through his spin when he thought of it. Adam’s offices heater was working just fine, and the city had its sunniest morning after weeks. He walked up to the heater and increased the temperature, which didn’t help. His hands trembled as he wiped off the cold sweat on his forehead. He picked up the newspaper again and started at the article again. His mind drifted back to where it all started.

It was December when he was told that he would have to travel all the way to the town to interview Nora Biggs, the most famous thriller fiction writer, was turning 90. He fretted, fumed but it didn’t help, he was the only one ‘apt’ for the job his boss had said. Standing on the platform, in biting cold was not something Adam was looking forward to when he decided to take up journalism. He cursed his boss under his breath and looked around. Even though it was holiday season, very few people had decided to travel in the horrible cold, to their loved ones. He thought about Jen and her new boyfriend, cursed them both under his breath. Here he was standing on a deserted platform waiting endlessly for the train to come, cursing everyone who was a part of his life.

He was looking around, shopkeepers sitting idly in their shops with heaters, oh how Adam envied them right now, women carrying sleeping babies, their husbands sleeping too, a few old people and then he saw someone, a girl in a red scarf. Her black hair flew in the wind, and she made a futile attempt to tuck them behind her hair. The jarring sound of the train echoed on the platform and almost tore Adams ear drums. “Geez” He said placing his gloved hand on his ears.

He stepped into the train, and searched his berth. 767 was written on the door in bold black. He dragged his bag in and followed it inside. It was cosy, comfortable and clean. Her placed his bag under the seat, leaned back into the seat and took a sigh of relief, it was much warmer inside. He was just about to remove his coat when he heard panting. He looked up to see an exceptionally beautiful girl standing near the door. “Hi.” She said entering the berth, smiling at Adam. She sat opposite to him, still panting. “Hello.” Adam said nodded and removed his coat. She removed her red scarf and placed it in her lap. “I am Iris.” She said holding her hand out to Adam. Adam promptly took her hand in his. “I am Adam.” She smiled and nodded too. “Have I seen you somewhere?” Adam said looking intensely at her. “I don’t think so.” She said nodding a ‘no’. “You don’t have a luggage?” Adam asked on noticing that she was carrying nothing.  “Oh my luggage is where I am supposed to be, I missed my last train, and my luggage went with it.” She said pouting like a child, shrugging her shoulders. “Okay.” Adam said taking out a magazine from his bag, and started skimming through it. He stole glances of her beautiful after in between. She had such peculiarly sharp features. Her big grey eyes with long eyelashes, her red lips and the soft tender way she pressed her lips together after each minute.

She caught his staring at her and smiled. “Where are you going?” Her voice was soft. “Going to town.” Adam said placing the magazine on his lap. “For what purpose?” She probed further. “Have to interview Nora Biggs.” Iris eyes widened. “God, I love her.” She said pressing her lips together. “So do me.” Adam said. He had never read a single book by her, the only information he had was what he had read on Wikipedia. Before she could ask which book he loved he switched the topic. “Where are you going?”

“Town.” She said leaning back into the seat.

“What purpose?” he said narrowing his eyes

“Visiting my family.”

“So are you a journalist?” Iris asked leaning forward her eyes gleaming like a child who is about to get candy.

“Yes I am.” He said with a hint of proud.

“That is so cool.” She said admiring him.

The ticket clerk entered the berth and gave Adam a suspicious look. “Your ticket sire?” He asked checking his list. Adam took out the ticket from his coat and placed gave it to the clerk and smiled at Iris. The clerk gave Adam the ticket back, giving him another suspicious look and left. “Hey he didn’t check your?” Adam said looking at Iris. “I got it checked before I came.” Iris smiled at him.

“So why are you working its holiday season isn’t it?” She said raising a brow.

Adam cursed his boss again and replied “It is important for our January issue.” Iris made a ‘oh’ with her mouth and sat back. “I am hungry are you hungry?” Adam asked hoping for a yes. She nodded and they walked out of the berth.

The dining room was stuffed with people. They found a quiet corner and called for the waiter. “I won’t have anything.” She said looking around. “Why not? You told me you were hungry.” Adam said leaning on the leather coated menu. “Don’t worry about me, you order, I will watch you eat.” She said waving her hand. “Ok.” Adam said and started to go through pros and cons of various dishes. They talked throughout the dinner, he ate and she talked. She made him laugh on her stupid stories. By the time they were done, actually Adam was done everyone was staring at them. “Why are people staring at us?” He said walking towards the berth. Iris shrugged.

“What do you do?” Adam finally asked.

“I am a nurse.”

“Wow, is it fun?”

“Tending sick people is lots of fun.” She said grinning.

He loved her laugh, which made her cheeks shine and her eyes a single line.

“I can’t wait to meet my family, it’s been so long.” Iris said looking out the window, watching nothing but darkness pass us.

“Lucky you.” Adam said. His voice broken.

“What do you mean?” Iris said distracted by his statement.

“I lost mine when I was five.” He said fighting a lump in his throat.

She placed her hand on his and smiled. “It’s okay.”

Adam slept at night dreaming about Nora Biggs’s wrinkled face, her blowing candled on her 90th birthday. He stirred back to reality when the clerk came in the morning to wake him up. “Sire town is here.” The clerk announced. Adam rubbed his eyes, and saw the clerk standing. Iris wasn’t there. He bended, got his bag and as he was about to leave, he noticed that she had left behind her elegant red scarf with a note scribbled ‘For you to remember me’ He stuffed the scarf inside her coat pocket and made his way to the tea stall, wondering if he would ever be able to see her pretty face again.

‘Death by train’ read the newspaper dated to Nov 14. He was seeing her pretty face again, and next to it the deformed body of a girl, which looked nothing like her. ‘Pushed in front of the train’ was stated as the cause of death. He would have completely missed it if he wouldn’t have spotted it in today’s meeting of headlines on the year.

He opened the last drawer of his desk and with wildly trembling hands took out the red scarf and the note.