“Hello! What’s up?” asked the stranger sitting very next to Neil.
“Nothing.” The cold response struck the stranger’s ear like a wall closing the conversation.
The train gained momentum from the stunning, historical railway station.
Minutes passed with not a single word spoken from either side.
Neil, a 36-year-old, strikingly handsome man with a wheatish complexion, had eyes as deep and dark as midnight, perfectly framed by thick, well-defined brows, never gave the slightest hint of the hidden personality behind his aura of gentleness.
Neil, eyes closed and brows frowned, was submerged in the ocean of his deep thoughts. His hands clasped tightly in his lap.
The sun appeared from the thick grey clouds, the slightest rays coming from the window let the sweat sparkle on Neil’s forehead.
The stranger radiated a modest charm, his simplicity enhancing his quiet confidence. His voice, calm and measured, carried a soothing tone that commanded attention. His presence was both intriguing and comforting, a blend of humility and quiet strength.
The stranger who had been intently observing Neil, finally broke the silence. “You seem burdened. Would you like to share your troubles with me?” The stranger’s voice was soft, understanding.
“No, thanks!” Neil’s words came quickly.
“Look at me. You don’t have to tell me. I already know.”
Neil suddenly opened his eyes, a sudden wave of alarm flooding his body. His gaze met the stranger's, and he saw it—the sparkle, the intensity in his eyes, something beyond human comprehension.
“H…Ho…How? How and what do you know?” Neil’s voice faltered.
“Ok, relax! I can disclose my identity and what I know about you - your present, even your past - but only if you make me a promise.” The stranger responded in a kind but firm tone.
"A promise? What kind of promise?" Neil asked, his voice laced with curiosity and a hint of suspicion.
“Just make it and believe me everything will fall into place.” Another compassionate response of the stranger put Neil at ease.
“Fine.” Neil’s voice cracked. “I’m ready for the venture.”
“Great! Ok, here’s the promise. You'll never engage in the same activities you're involved in now. Do you promise?” The stranger questioned.
“Promise.” Neil threw the agreement card.
“You’re a serial killer, one who not only murders the children but finds a twisted consolation in the suffering of the pure, little souls. You love to witness life slipping away from your victim’s hands. Isn’t that right?” The stranger’s eyes remained locked on Neil, observing the shifting hues of red and blue constantly making their appearance on his face. For the first time, with just this single statement, the stranger's empathetic tone shifted to one of cold firmness.
“Y…Ye…Yes.” Neil's voice was barely a whisper, marked with the fear and suspicion that enveloped him. "How could you possibly know that?" he asked, his tone trembling with unease.
“I already know how you - a simple man - turned into a serial killer. But I want to hear it from you, the shift in your personality and character, mind and soul.” The stranger demanded.
Neil took a deep breath. “It was that day when we were making arrangements for celebrating our son’s first birthday. Three men broke into our home, they robbed us, and when I showed resistance, they opened fire killing both my son and wife at that very instant. I registered a complaint against them with the police but didn’t get any response even after waiting for three hard years. No justice… No arrests. I couldn’t get to those men, so I... I turned my rage elsewhere. Children." Neil’s voice lowered, a chilling calmness taking over. One after another, you couldn’t imagine what comfort that ruthless act gave me. Twenty of them. The lives of those innocent children were taken by these very hands.” Neil’s eyes now fixed onto his clean, steady fingers, as though they belonged to someone else.
“You’re leaving something out, Neil. Aren’t you?” The stranger’s eyes narrowed as he watched Neil.
“Yes. My last brutal act of assassinating the mother and her six months baby has been haunting me day and night. The event has not only stolen my sleep, but ripped away the tranquility of my mind and sucked the strength from my soul.”
Neil’s hands trembled while explaining his venture, the images of his last vicious act whirling in his mind like a curse he couldn’t escape.
“Would you like me to help you come out of this traumatic condition?” Courteously asked the stranger.
Neil’s voice was desperate, broken. “Can you help me? Please? I can’t live like this anymore.”
“Yes. I can help. But only if you keep your promise.”
“I will. I swear I will.” Neil’s words were filled with earnestness.
The stranger extended his arm and commanded. “Open your palm and close your eyes.”
Neil hesitated, then obeyed. The stranger placed something in his palm—a delicate, shimmering gold chain with a pendant that glowed faintly, like it held a secret light of its own.
“Now open your eyes Neil and truly see. Remember! This is not ordinary. It is sacred. Keep it with you at all times, and it will not only give you peace but also protect you from the darkness that once engulfed you. It is your safeguard, a protector of your soul.”
“Thanks! Literally, I have no words to show my gratitude towards this compassionate act of yours.” Neil really felt a sense of relief, tears pricking the corners of his eyes.
“Could you please disclose your identity now?” Neil’s voice was filled with curiosity.
The stranger smiled and said, “I am an Angel, sent by God to guide you away from the darkness and towards the light.”
With this Neil eyes shot open. The travel, the stranger, the conversation, all happened in my dream. He couldn’t believe this.
His heart raced as he sat up. Just a dream, he muttered. But then his eyes landed on something luminous on the side table. Cautiously, he reached for it.
The gold chain. The same one from his dream, now glistening in his hand.
A wave of astonishment passed through his whole body. He could feel the adrenaline surging through his veins, his heart pounding, he could clearly hear.
It was real. The dream was real.
And just like that, everything in Neil’s life shifted in the opposite direction. From that day forward, Neil, the serial killer, ceased to exist. The man who once thrived on death and destruction became a quiet, kind-hearted elementary school teacher.
The same hands once guilty of taking children's lives had now become a source of kindness and joy. The love they transferred through a simple hug was beyond words, touching the hearts of the children in ways that could never be explained.
Years passed, and at 83, Neil still remembered every detail of that dream as vivid as glass—every word, every moment. The stranger’s eyes, voice and advice, the golden chain, and the promise that had saved his soul.
Moments before his departure from this world to the eternal abode, the stranger appeared before Neil’s eyes. With a soft smile, he gently took Neil’s arm. Together, they embarked on Neil's final travel—through the billowing white clouds, soaring towards the boundless beauty of heaven, a journey not of distance, but of soul, towards everlasting peace.