The Last Train
By Lyndon Barry
Robert Wheeler was late, and getting later by the minute. First it was that final conference call, the one that had been re-arranged three times. It had gotten later and later in the day until it started off at 6pm, or it should have if the Chair had been punctual. He wasn't.
That meeting had overrun by 38 minutes, but even with that, He could still make it, if everything else went right.
It didn't.
He tried to email the minutes of the meeting. It wouldn't send. Again and again he saw the same error. Even the email server was conspiring against him.
The email left his system at 8:47pm. It took a further 24 minutes to shut down his computer thanks to "updating". He had packed his briefcase, put on his coat and locked everything away and had to spend the remaing 20 minutes staring at that updating screen.
When it finally shut off, he packed the laptop into his case, and headed for the exit. The elevator was as slow as ever and all he could think was "I can still make it"
Even getting out of the building took longer because his pass wasn't active after 9pm. Security had to let him out.
He dashed for the station, his briefcase bouncing off his leg. He couldn't walk now. He would could still get that penultimate train home.
Ever since moving to this town, all anyone had ever told him about traveling was to avoid the last train. When pressed, the response was inevitably that there were too many freaks and weirdos. Robert had believed them, and for the last 7 months he had made sure that he left work on time.
Walking to the station usually took 20 minutes. Inexplicably, running to the station had taken almost 27 minutes. Crossing the streets took longer. Navigating the sidewalks took longer.
Finally reaching the station, he ran onto the platform, just in time to see the red lights of that penultimate train vanishing in the distance. His heart sank and he dropped into the nearest seat, settling the briefcase down across his lap. It was only then he noticed the long tear in his pants leg.
The briefcase with it's one sharp corner had also conspired to make his night a disaster.
"Just great" he spoke aloud, then blinked at how much it had echoed.
He glanced at his watch, 10:15.
The last train was due in ten minutes which he spent with the faint hope that what he had been told was wrong.
Those hopes faded as the last train rolled into the station. It's flanks were daubed with paint in an endless wall of illegible graffiti. The windows were smeared with countless liquids, most of which Robert decided not to think about. He stepped onto the train and gagged at the mixture of odours. The most pleasant of which was stale urine.
Quickly, he glanced about the carriage, noting the three occupants already there. A young white girl, maybe in her teens or early twenties. He'd given up trying to figure someone's age these days. She was dressed in black jeans, and a long heavy coat, her hair the victim of a home dye kit. She was gazing out of the window away from the door he had entered. Her jaw worked hard at chewing.
A older black woman, a nurse judging by the teal uniform that appeared from beneath her coat occasionally, clasped her handbag to her chest. She was obviously a larger lady, but was hunched in her seat, trying to appear as small as possible. She glanced at Robert for a second, her eyes widening.
Finally, and Robert noted this with disgust, was a homeless man. His worn striped shirt peaked out from the holes in a shabby woollen jacket. His grey hair was almost covered by a faded green wool hat. Robert moved away, towards the more empty end of the train carriage. The stench from the hobo lessened, but the urine smell grow stronger.
The doors screamed loudly as the closed, the high pitched whine of metal of metal was piercing, and Robert could feel the start of a headache. The train moved off in a jerking motion and Robert let out a breath he hadn't realised he had been holding. Three stops until he could get off. Only 3.
The train moved through the night, noisily making it's way through out of the town and into the country. THe next stop was barely even a town. Just a small collection of houses, and a hospital. The nurse stood and got off the train, glancing at Robert once again with pity in her eyes. The doors squealed and jerked closed again and the train set off once more.
The next stop was at a tiny station, obviously closed for hours. Nobody moved and the noise from the doors made the headache even worse.
Again the train set off, trundling it's way towards the next station. Only this stop remained before his own. As the train neared the station, the hobo stood and moved to the door opposite Robert. He waited till it stopped, then stepped between the doors and out. He then turned to look at Robert, a gap-toothed smile on his lips. Robert's heart skipped a beat as , for just a moment, the man's eyes appeared to glow a dull red. Robert swallowed nervously, grasping the case to his chest protectively. Then the train set off and the tramp was gone. Robert breathed a sigh of relief, and leant against the window, his eyes closing for a moment.
When he opened them again, the girl was standing in front of him. He hadn't heard her move. Robert jerked in surprise.
"Are you ok mister?" she asked, her accent noticeable, but unplaceable. Maybe Europe, Robert thought.
"Just fine" he replied, his throat dry.
"Tunnel's a-coming"
The comment was so matter-of-factly issued that Robert found himself just nodding. Within a few minutes the carriage plunged into the blackness.
He had begun to think it was a odd comment when the lights failed.
"Just in time, i was getting hungry and didn't much fancy the smelly one"
Robert blinked, trying to understand and straining to see in the darkness
The hand was around his throat before he could sense the move. It was cold. So very cold.
He tried to fend her off, but that cold hand was joined by another. The girl jumped onto his lap, pinning him down.
Robert bucked and jerked, trying to throw the girl off, but she was stronger than him. Much stronger. Impossibly strong.
"I like it when you struggle" She said, moments before lowering her mouth to his neck. Robert then felt the piercing of her teeth, for a moment, the pain was ungodly.
The pleasure that followed almost immediately was even more heavenly.
When the train pulled into Robert's station, only one figure emerged and moved towards the exit.
The lights had conspired to fail here, and the stationmaster, standing at the end of the platform couldn't tell whether the shape was male or female.