“The train is late. Again.” whined the young woman. Her eyes were the colour of freshly grown gum leaves that were accented by her short brown hair and parted fringe. Her skin was a tan, sun-kissed brown. A loose, pink top draped her small figure, one shoulder peeping through to reveal her black singlet that hugged her body underneath. She was dressed in black three-quarter jeans, along with white tennis shoes.
'Tap, tap, tap, clop, clop, clop'. People scurried by. The scent of food filled the air as a man slowly crept into the light. A black hat obscured his face with a shadow. His attire was as black as a deep, dark cave, consisting of a long coat that covered a suit, and dress shoes. He sneaked up silent as a mouse and stopped at the edge of the platform.
'CHHHHH, CHHHHH’ train safety staff blew their whistles signalling the train was arriving.
The train. Finally. she thought.
‘Click’
“What?” she inhaled as a tight squeeze around her wrist startled her. She turned her head to see a black briefcase was attached to her wrist. He grabbed her hand and shoved a small phone in it.
“Sorry.” He uttered quickly. The train is almost here and he was standing, facing her with his heels over the edge. The train whistled again. The wind blew his hat off revealing his black hair. He looked up; a grim expression laced in his features like heavy thoughts were troubling his mind. The train was nearing; closer, and closer. He shuffled his feet further over the edge, and fell to his death. 'Bang, crack' as the train went over him. The heavy vehicle crushed every bone in his body. The cracking sound was overwhelming in the echoing space.
“What?” she squeezed out the tortured sound, wide-eyed, and shaking with terror etched into her face.
'Ring, ring' sounded the phone. She subconsciously answered the phone in a ghostly state. A voice came through “get on the train now and wait for further instructions” the line went dead. She could not tell if it was a man or woman who spoke to her in the state she was in. The train slowed and stopped. Strangely, it appeared no one else saw the horror that just transpired in front of her eyes – it was as if he just disappeared; no commotion, no sign of blood. No evidence he had ever existed. The doors automatically opened and she reluctantly stepped inside.
“What the hell is going on here?!” she shrieked inside her own head “have I stepped on the train of craziness?” she took a seat and rode the train.
Her body was vibrating. Her mind was a chaotic mess. ‘Ring, ring’. Her heart raced as she stared at the phone. She answered unwillingly. A male voice spoke to her, “get off at the fifth station. Find a seat and wait there”. They hung up. 'That’s two stops away.'
“What do they want from me?” she pondered quietly. “Why is this happening?”
She rose and moved to the door as the train pulled near the fifth station. The doors parted but before she could exit, a young man barged into her. He had short, wavy, purple hair. He turned his head slightly. An icy coldness cascaded down her back. He turned around and disappeared into the crowd. Her arm ached as if she was repeatedly stabbed. She found a seat to the back with little people nearby. She slumped into it from exhaustion. She was confused. Did she get off the train and onto another one?
A ‘Crack’ sounded from the briefcase. 'Strange?' she questioned.
“What was that?” she squeaked. An unusual smell filled the surrounding atmosphere. Her lungs tightened as breathing became more difficult. Her vision blurred, and she finally let her heavy eyelids find relief with closing.
………...
A TV news broad cast filled her cochleas. “Outbreak” the news lady said, shocking her awake. “What have I gotten involved with?” and “Did I do this?” were just some of the thoughts floating around in her confused mind.
She analysed her surroundings. The only light source was the television in front of the bed. The room was small and smelled like cleaning products as if she was in some lab. A faint smell of smoke and garbage contrasted the cleanliness lab-like scent.
“What is going on here?”
“Trouble, that’s what” said a voice from the right.
“Who are you?”
“Just call me Shadow, all right?” Said the man
“Okay.”
“So, what’s your name?”
“It’s Mia” she answered looking around the room trying to find him. “Where are you? I can’t see you.”
“Do you know what's happening out there?” he enquired, walking in front of the TV. He wore a black hooded jacket with the monster energy drink logo printed on the front and black skinny jeans with a silver chain hooked to a front belt loop, hanging down and ending in his back pocket connected to his wallet. Facing Mia was clothes on a body with no head or hands.
“Where’s your head?” screamed Mia.
He moved his invisible hands up and pulled the hood over, creating a black outline of a face.
“I’m nothing more than a shadow. Now answer my question.”
“NO I DON’T KNOW WHAT’S GOING ON OUT THERE.” She yells at him. “How are you a shadow?”
“You don’t need to know about that.” He said walking away. “Tell me from the beginning what happened. It’s important.”
“Well, I was at the station waiting for my train when this guy put a briefcase on my wrist and a phone in my hand. The same man jumped in front of the train, but it was like he didn't even exist. The phone then rang, a man instructed me to get on the train. I couldn't breathe, and then blacked out and woke up here.”
“Well, what a tale you got there? And with no briefcase nonetheless.”
“How did I get here?”
“I found you lying on the ground. My mission was to stop this outbreak. You’re the only one with the answers I need, so I brought you here. You have only answered some of my questions.”
“Oh”
“This outbreak is a virus that is affecting everyone – humans, animals, demons, werewolves, witches – all in different ways”.
“WHAT!? Creatures like that really exist?”
“Yes.”
“Wow”
“Get up. We’re leaving” he ordered heading for the door,
“Wait, where are we going?” she asked, getting out of the bed rushing to the door where Shadow had left and was now waiting in the hall.
“To a friend. Move it.”
………..
“Please don't be mad, Zeraph” pleaded North.
“It's not what you think. We aren't using you, North just happened to save you as well” stated Aaron.
“That's right. We're both hellish angels” North gestured to Zeraph “You can go where ever, but we could use your help.”
Zeraph's anger stayed for a minute then calmed down to nothing. “Help with what?”
Aaron walked closer to Zeraph, leaving North where he stood. He looked Zeraph in the eye. “To save a friend. He's like you and North”.
“He's very important to me” whispered North.
“So, what is this plan?”
“First find more help, then get more information Do both at the same time. and lastly, the rescue.” answered Aaron
“That's how I knew about you” North cut-in.
“Where is he?”
“Don't know yet. We only know who has him. And I know where they keep his whereabouts.”
“Where's that?” asked Zeraph, getting annoyed
“Canberra.”
“Then let's go now!” cried North
“We can't yet!” Aaron yelled turning back.
“Why?”
“Yes, why? And tell me what has happened.”
Aaron faced Zeraph then took five steps away. He sat on a rock, brought his right hand up under his chin. North walked closer to them. Aaron spoke “I got a message from Rio”.
“He's an angel of death” explained North to Zeraph
“He told me there's an epidemic and it is affecting everyone”.
“Where?” asked Zeraph
“Sydney. And it's spreading fast”
“That's bad” stated North
“Not for me.” answered Zeraph
……….
“Why?” enquired Brad.
“Sasha said something has happened.”
“I’ll check the internet” said Apep closing the door. “You two, check the news on the TV and radio” walking down the hall he grabbed the laptop covered with snakes.
Brad switched the channel over “in Sydney we are facing an epidemic on a massive scale”
“What?!” asked Brad surprised
“Same thing on the radio”
“It's bigger than you think” Apep looked away from the screen. “Everyone is getting sick. The hospitals are swamped and they have no idea what this is either”
“Let's do what Sasha said and stay put. He'll handle it”
……….
“What should we do, Baby?” inquired Anastasia sitting on the couch not looking away from her magazine. Cashel stood staring out the window pondering. “We wait”
“For what?” she asked, getting annoyed.
“For either of them to make a move”
“Boring. We should make a move on them.” she glared at him.
“Oh” he turned around. “So you know where the boy is? Or how to find Sasha? Then there is the large organization who started this mess. Do you have the antidote? Well?” he asked.
“NO. I don't know a thing and I hate sitting and doing nothing” she screeched.
“Then wait. Something will happen soon.” he swung back around “and you're not doing nothing”.
“The play thing doesn’t count” she replied while turning a page.
……….
Late in the afternoon a man walked into a medical company with a smile tugging the corner of his lips heading straight for the elevators. He had dark brown hair tied up in a pony tail, light green eyes, one mole on the corner of his left eye, and tanned skin. He wore a long coal coloured leather coat. A very short length shirt with the image of the Joker, that showed off his muscles. His pants had a red kilt pattern, held up by a black spiked belt and army boots.
The music playing was pleasant. As the man pressed the top button waiting for that ding. He stepped out of the elevator and walked down the left corridor, until he was met with an open space with one desk before two closed doors. A woman looked up and ran to meet him.
“Excuse me. Do you have an appointment with the CEO?” she asked, unsure.
“No, not really” the man answered nonchalantly.
She stood in front of him to block his way to see the CEO. She had a look of determination. He smiled at her. “I'm an old friend. I've been out of the country and just got back.”
“Ok” she said without losing her look.
“I came to see him. May I continue, please?”
“Fine” she yielded, stepping aside. He went in not knocking on the door just opening it to a dark room. He moved across the room to the big oak desk where the CEO sat. He met the back of a chair.
“Hello Drake, or should I call you Dracula?” the man asked cheerfully.
The chair spun around. The CEO dressed in a deep red suit. His face was cloaked in darkness and his chocolate brown hair poured down passed his shoulders. He spoke sternly “what is it you want, Sasha?”
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