“…One hell of a ride…”
Chapter One
“…One hell of a ride…”
The rail tracks and the trains gave out their usual sound; the roaring of metal that were grinding against each other, the interaction of a few passengers, and the sound of beeping that goes when the train stops at the station. Even if people from different walks of life pass through the metal doors, even if different universes and times collide at a fateful and a seemingly designated rate, the trains still go about their daily routine through the tracks.
Kat and Dante found empty seats amidst the hustle and bustle of the passengers on the train. Kat, before sitting down, looked around. It seemed like a few odd passengers had boarded. She didn’t mind it. This was New York after all. Well, she didn’t mind everything until a busty woman with fiery red hair and blond tips walked in front of them. Dante had to react.
The hooded girl followed the woman with her eyes. The woman looked like she had a merry bunch of students in her charge. ‘Was she a teacher?’ thought Kat. Impossible, given that she was dressed scantily in acid washed shorts and a red bikini top under a black jacket.
They all sounded like they were speaking a different language. Kat guessed it was an Eastern one but as they got farther, they were speaking English. Kat shook her head for the honest mistake.
Just right at the end of the train bunk the two were in, a duo of passengers that were starting an all too loud story telling session caught Dante and Kat’s attention.
“Tell you what Miria,” said a middle aged blond man, dressed in a cowboy suit, to a blond woman dressed in a cowgirl suit.
“What is it, Isaac?” said the woman, all too cheerfully.
“I’m almost very certain that the Rail Tracer won’t show up in here!”
“Why is that, Isaac?”
“Well, Miria my dear, it’s because I heard that the Rail Tracer doesn’t go to underground trains! It truly is a wonderful idea that we chose this ride!” He shot a finger to the air.
“Truly genius!” remarked the woman.
“Alright guys,” said a man in a green suit. He was obviously younger looking than the two. “Pipe it down will ya?”
“It’s fine,” said a redhead that was beside him. “It’s keeping the spirits up, don’t you think?” Kat’s expression looked like she couldn’t tell if it was a man or a woman…and so did Dante’s. He scoffed anyway.
“Well, I guess you’re right there.”
Kat chose not to listen to that group’s fiasco any longer since the man in the cowboy suit started talking about an urban railroad legend. It was a bad omen.
To add to the commotion, a tall man dressed in an all black rider suit stumbled into the doors as if he were in a hurry. His bright yellow helmet with cat ears made Kat smile. Dante didn’t seem to mind it.
“You okay, dude?” said a random kid that was dressed in an orange shirt. He presented the rider his hand and helped him up. “Looks like you just got in time,” he grinned stupidly.
“Give him a break Percy,” said a blond girl companion who was dressed similarly. It was smart of her to notice that the rider was heaving softly, probably from the run.
The rider in return said nothing as he waved a reassuring hand, as if saying he was okay. He then slowly left without a word.
“Weirdo,” said the kid. “But I liked how colorful the helmet was.”
“Not as weird as you are,” replied the girl.
Kat was about to laugh when Dante yawned. His yawn sounded awfully like a grunt though.
"What is it?" she said.
“I don’t know. I’m having this strangest feeling,” he replied. “Don’t you?”
“No,” she shook her head slowly.
“Seriously? Demons? Limbo?”
Kat closed her eyes to confirm. “None.”
“Good because—HEY!” Dante spat out as his foot was clearly crushed by someone else’s.
“I’m very sorry!” said a girl who was covering her mouth in shock. She had light brown hair in a short bob. On the bridge of her nose sat nerdy square glasses. In Dante’s opinion, she was dressed like a mom. “I’m really in a hurry!”
“Just get to it,” he said, shooing her off.
Across him, a kid with long blond hair tied in braid, started to bicker with a girl in a uniform that wore yellow ribbons on her short dark brown hair. The kid was wearing a bright red long sleeved hoodie that was open on the front, revealing black clothes underneath. It sounded like they were fighting about seat space and something about height.
“God, someone control the kids,” Dante grunted, openly pertaining the two. Kat could see his annoyance form on his face.
“WHAT?! What did you just say pal?!” shrieked the kid.
The heat between the two was cut short when the announcer over the radio said, “The train will be leaving now.” With that, the kid withdrew and sat back grumpily. Dante was being all devil may cry about the whole thing.
Kat smiled. “Good, we’re leaving. The tickets said that this train was part of a special discount promo. I can safely say it’s a special ride.”
“Yeah, right. One hell of a ride,” replied Dante, leaning back on the train wall.