Chapter 31: Welcome Home

"Why are we stopping?" I ask as Danta shifts the car into park.

"The road ahead is blocked by cars. We can't drive any farther. I figured that we may as well commute in style." He replies

"What?" I ask.

"Well my visually impaired friend." Ariea says as she hops out. "It seems we will be taking the Go."

"Wouldn't it have stopped working when the Ethereals attacked?" 

"So you would think." Danta says rather ominously. "The little miss and I saw one of the trains pass on our way up to the safe house."

"So that means someone is still alive and running them right?"

"I would assume so."

"But how have they managed to survive?"

"No idea, I guess we'll just have to ask them." Danta says and chuckles to himself.

"What's so funny?" I ask.

"Nothin kid, just thought of something funny is all."

********************************

We sit on the benches on the platform waiting for the train, Seren hums to herself and I can see her swinging her legs back and forth. For the first time, I realize just how young this girl is. She probably hadn't even graduated from elementary school before everything happened. And yet here she was, still alive, still able to keep going. I feel ashamed that I almost gave up so many times.

"God, why are we even waiting here?" I hear Ariea ask. "There probably aren't even trains running anymore."

"But we saw it running yesterday!" Clair replies.

"That was a whole day ago!" Ariea counters. "The odds of anyone surviving a single day in this wasteland are pretty slim. What makes you think something making that much noise wouldn't attract the Ethereals? Face it whoever was running it yesterday is probably dead!"

Her words hung in the air, heavy as they were. We all knew she was right, that we were relying on a hope that things would just work out. And not only that, but we were heading into the storm.

"We better start walking." Ariea says as she starts to walk away.

"Please, lets just wait a moment longer." Clair pleads.

"The longer we sit here the more time those things have of catching up with us. There is no train, lets just get goi-ng..."

It hadn't made a sound as it had slid into the station, but there it was in front of us, the GO had arrived.

We stepped cautiously onto the train, sure to find it littered with bodies, instead we were met with an empty car. 

"Eerie." Clair whispers, her voice coming out a soft almost pinkish glow.

"Agreed." I whisper back.

"I want a window seat!" Seren shouts, and races over to sit down. 

"I'm pretty sure we can all take a window seat."Ariea says, the tone in her voice is tense, almost anticipating trouble.

"I'll pass, the view isn't all that great anyway." I reply and start walking down to the end of the car.

"Where are you going young man?" Danta's voice calls out, making me wince. 

"Just going to say hi to the conductor is all."

"Not alone you aren't" Danta says and I hear his footsteps walk up behind me.

"Yeah, have you never watched a horror movie idiot?" Clair chimes in and links her arm with mine. 

"And we are practically living in one." Ariea says.

I sigh.

"Fine, lets all go." I say and start walking. "Come on Seren."

"Aww I just sat down." 

As we make our way up to the front car I notice that all of the cars are empty. Clearly whoever was running this thing had taken good care of it.

A  woman's voice calls over the loud speaker, causing us all to jump.

"Bloody automation." Danta says as we catch our breath.

"Well at least we know where we are." I say. "How close are we to the front?"

"It's just up ahead." Clair says.

"Alright, lets meet this guy and get some answers."

I knock on the car door before opening it.

"Hello?" A voice calls out from ahead.

"Um hi..." I reply, but find myself at a loss of words. To be honest I never imagined that there would actually be someone here. I was almost anticipating the train to be running itself.

"Can I help you folks?"

"We just came to thank the one driving this train! It's very brave of you to be doing so with all the people dying out there." Danta says coming to the rescue.

"Well gee, thanks Mister..."

"Danta."

"Mister Danta. And who might your mute companions be."

"No mutes I'm afraid." Ariea pipes in. "One blind as a bat though."

"I see, that's quite unfortunate. Surprising though that you've lasted this long. And your name is?"

"Ariea, queen of the skies."

"Pleasure to meet you. May I ask the rest of your names?"

"I'm Clair."

"A lovely name, one who sees the path ahead." The conductor says.

"I'm Seren!"

"A peace lover eh? A pleasure to meet you miss Seren." He chimes cheerily. "And how about you young man?"

I can feel his lime green eyes gazing at me through the darkness, I almost want to run from this man, something about him seems off.

"Seth." I finally say.

"I see. Well it's a pleasure to meet you Seth. It seems you've seen a lot for someone without sight." He says, only adding to my wariness. "My name is Atish Shen. I keep this train running so that I may help the survivors left out there. Though it seems that you are heading the wrong direction."

"No sir, we are headed into the city." Clair replies.

"I see, well then I would suggest you stick to the upper levels of the train, once we pass Mimico things will get a bit more... turbulent. I am proud to say I have not had one death on this train, and I would hate to see a first."

"Thank you mister Shen." Clair says. "We appreciate the advice."

"Enjoy the rest of the trip my dear." Atish says, and the rest of them start walking away.

As I turn to follow them I I bounce off something solid and land on the floor.

"Young man, I must talk with you a moment longer." Atish says from in front of me. Only he is no longer green, but a terrifying amber. "You and your friends are in grave danger."

I pull out a revolver from its holster at my side.

"I am well aware of that."

"Not from me child. There are those who want you dead. Though most of my brethren are bestial there is a force driving them. They are drawn to the mark."

At the mention of it I instinctively touch the glowing marks on my shoulder.

"That's right, the one who gave you that wants you dead by any means possible."

"But why me? And why are you telling me this?" I ask.

"I do not know why they want you dead, but I can tell you that my view strongly opposes theirs. I simply craved life, and that is what I have. Now please put that gun away."

I lower the weapon, but do not put it in its holster.

"That is sound judgement." Atish says "May the same judgement help you through the coming nights. Now get up, your friends need you."

the trains speakers call out.

"Hurry!" Atish says and I scramble to my feet. As I race into the next car I am knocked off my feet again. I couldn't waste time worrying about it, besides if my hunch was right then we had just passed Mimico. I scramble to my feet and race to the next car. 

Empty as well. Just how long had I been talking to Atish? I reach for the door to the next car, but the handle is missing, it must be one of the automated ones that required you to press the button on the wall beside it.

As I scramble to find the button in the dark I feel the car shake violently again. 

"Come on. COME ON!"

I hear the door slide open and rush forward, luckily this one was manual.

"Claire! Danta! Seren! Ariea! Are you there?!" I yell as I race through another empty car. 

*CRASH*

The car shakes violently again, luckily I am already partway into the next car and can brace myself on the doorway. This time the crash is followed by the all too familiar humming of the Ethereals. We were definitely heading the right direction. I slam the door car door behind me, and glance back to see a wave of amber racing forward through the previous car.

"No No No No!" I start screaming as I race towards this cars upper level. Stubbing my foot on one of the steps in the process.

"Seth! Are you alright?" Clair asks as I curse at the pain.

"Run! Their right behind..." But its too late, as I look up at where Clair is I see that we are surrounded by Ethereals. Their grotesque faces glowering through the car windows.

"Seth?!"

"LADIES AND GENTS BE PREPARED FOR SOME TURBULENCE, IF YOU NEED TO USE THE RESTROOMS I HIGHLY SUGGEST DOING SO NOW." Atish's voice calls out over the speaker.

"GO!" I yell and point the revolver at the Ethereals down the hall.

"Put that thing away kid, I got this!" I hear Danta say before the sound of shotgun rounds fill the air followed by the earsplitting screams of the fallen creatures and Seren.

"We need to get to the accessibility coach!" I yell over the screams, and though I am grateful for the extended range of vision I can't help but grit my teeth at the cost.

"Do you have a plan kid?" Ariea yells back.

"Kind of!"

*tsk* I hear her l hiss. "Better than s**t!" 

We race down the hallway of one car and into the next.

"This is it kid! Now what?"

"Where is the washroom?" I ask

"Seriously you need to take a s**t now of all times?!" Ariea yells as the monsters outside hit our car.

"Just get inside it!" I yell back. "It's our only chance!"

"You better be right kid!" Ariea snaps.

"JUST DO WHAT HE SAYS!" Clair screams, and I feel a rough hand grab at my back and push along to the other end of the car. As crowd into the small room I slam the door behind us.

*BOOM*

The door to the washroom shudders under the weight of many bodies hitting it.

*BOOM BOOM*

"Great! Just how I wanted to go! Trapped like a fricken sardine!"

"Shut up Ariea!" I yell. I was done with her bitching. I was doing everything I could to keep us alive and I didn't need her crap added to it.

*BOOM BOOM* 

I feel Seren's small hand grab mine and I squeeze it back.

*BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM*

I close my eyes and look away.

Silence.

"IT IS NOW SAFE TO EXIT THE WASHROOMS LADIES AND GENTS, WE WILL BE ARRIVING SHORTLY AT TORONTO'S UNION STATION. PLEASE STAY SAFE AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT" Atish calls out over the speakers and I cringe at the unwittingly cruel words. 

As the doors to the train slide open the five of us step out into the belly of the beast.

Welcome home.

Author's Note

HUZZAH! 2 Chapters in one month, mind you the first one was rather short. Still I am happy with this. I hope you like it too.

Reviews

[Peach]

Oh crap. I haven't logged in for QUITE a while xD. Anyway
ITS HERE!!! Im happy to finally come back here. And when I saw your name and the read request, I just HAD to open it. Your narration improved last time I've been here. I could feel the suspense from the characters dialogue already. The gun shots made the situation seem even more shocking and suspense filled. The transitioning is wonderful. Great work as always Eryn 😄😄👌

[Eryn ♪]

Thank you so much for taking the time to read it. Im glad to hear ive improved and hope to do so more with the coming chapters.

[Peach]

No problem 😁 Just go at your own pace and dont tire yourself out.