A Shadowlander’s Dream: Book Three - Rules of the Flesh
Written by Kathryn K Williams
Chapter Thirteen
It took much longer for Amber and Sarah to get to the train station then Amber thought it would. They avoided taking the bus or hitchhiking for fear that someone would stop them and make them miss their train. As such they took every back road they could, no matter how dark and frightening the street seemed. After the nightmares to two of them had just survived they feared anything that could be hiding in the shadows, but would go through anything to be back with their sisters again. At one point Sarah had spotted a discarded tattered teddy bear laying amongst a pile of rubbish and clung to her sister’s arm, not taking her eyes off the toy, for fear that it might get up and follow them.
The night seemed to be darker then usual, even with the moon hanging overhead and the streetlights a soft glow lighting their way it didn’t seem to help matters. They crept through the streets, double-checking each corner to make sure there wasn’t anyone watching them. The journey took them nearly two hours and by the time they saw the train station it was already a five to three in the morning, leaving them with merely twenty minutes to travel the final two blocks to the station and weave their way to platform three.
Neither of them spoke the entire trip, afraid that if they broke the quiet of the night that their adventure would come to a quick end. Amber could not help but feel slightly suspicious of everything that had happened that night. She tried to sort out a rational reason for the envelope being inside of her dairy and how they knew who Kimberly was. She could have just been a figment of their imagination, just an illusion created by their need for someone to rescue them. It was possible, she tried to convince herself, that their need to be freed from those nightmares brought forth images of Jessica and Kimberly to do just that, but that still did not explain the photo or the train ticket. Her foot stepped up the stone stairs to the station and she felt herself falter. Should she really place her entire life upon the slim chance that some train would bring her back to Jessica? And who was to say that Jessica would want her back in her life anyway? She seemed rather happy in that photo, circled by all her new friends, friends that would be strangers to Amber. What chance was there that she would fit in with Jessica’s life and did she really want to find out?
Sarah got to the fourth step before she realized that her sister was no longer beside her and glanced around to find Amber still standing at the bottom of the stairs and rushed to the girl’s side, “Hurry up.” She urged silently.
Amber shook her head slowly, “I... I don’t know about this.” She took a step away from the station and gazed back down the road they had just walked along, back towards the place that they now called home.
“Second thoughts?” Sarah inquired worriedly.
Amber nodded and glace at Sarah, “How can we be certain any of this is real? Doesn’t is all seem too much like a dream to you?”
Sarah shrugged, “Dream or not, I believe Jessica and Kimberly are awaiting us at the end of this trip and maybe even Penny, Caitlin and April too.” She glanced up at a large clock on the front of the station, its large iron arms slowly moved overhead, its yellow glass face light up by the stations interior lighting, giving it a warm glow that almost seemed welcoming to Sarah. The clock told the girl that they only had fifteen more minutes left before their train would be leaving and this made her feel even more anxious.
She quickly turned back to her sister, “I understand that you are frightened, I am too, but I would rather risk everything then just stay here and live like a ghost. There has to be more to life then just a roof over your head and parents who are willing to buy you things. Jessica and Kimberly are our family, I know that Kimberly doesn’t seem to fit in with our memories but she feels like she belongs and I feel like I belong with them and with you.” She held her hand out to Amber, “Please don’t break up the family.”
Amber smiled up at Sarah, looking at the deep sadness in the girl’s eyes, eyes that were now surrounded by black eyeliner and pale white make up that made them almost glisten in the light of the street lamps, “F... family...” She muttered softly. Sarah was correct; no matter now nice the Howe’s were they would never truly be family. She finally nodded and placed her hand in Sarah’s, “Let’s go find them.” and together they ran up the stairs and through a set of wooden double doors.
Inside, the station held very little of the hustle and bustle that it would witness in the coming hours. The few people that did wander the main lobby of the station either were standing in line, awaiting their tickets, or sat amongst the many lines of benches that took up the left portion of the large room. The girl’s sneaker’s squeaked against the white marble floors as they rapidly moved across the lobby, trying hard not to draw any attention to themselves, and down a flight of stairs that held a sign marked “Main Platform”.
Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs the girls were faced with several lines of train tracks. From where they stood they could see three trains had already arrived and were awaiting passengers. Sarah quickly scanned the many hanging signs overhead until she spotted one marked “Platform 3-4" and pointed it out to Amber. Without any further indecision the two of them ran across the platform to a walkway that lead over the trains to their destination.
Amber was slightly surprised when they stepped onto the third platform. Before them stretched a long grey steel train, not unlike any other train she had seem before. She felt her excitement slightly dwindle at the sight of the train. She was expecting an old train from the turn of the century with its steam locomotive pulling a set of wooden passenger cars, it occupants all dressed in the finest Elizabethan attire and reading news papers or books. However, she was faced with the reality that this might not be a dream after all and they were looking at an ordinary train with ordinary passengers. These thoughts transpired as Sarah pulled the girl along the platform. She was so taken in by the train that she did not see another girl running towards her until the two of them collided and fell to the ground.
“I… I’m sorry.” Amber apologized as she gathered up her bag from where it landed.
“No… I’m sorry…” The girl returned the apology as she rubbed her knees gathered up her things and stood up. Amber found herself staring at the girl before her. She was rather tall and had short wavy hair around a long face and a pair of small black framed glassed sat upon her small nose, a grey hoodie was zipped up tight to her neck, the hood pulled over her head, and she wore baggy light brown shorts. She pushed her glassed up upon the bridge of her nose as she swung a blue duffle bag over her shoulder and nervously glanced around, shifting form one foot to the other as she did, counting under her breath as she glanced from car to car.
Sarah knelt next to Amber and helped her up, “You alright?” She inquired as she took the girl’s hand and pulled her too her feet.
“I’m fine.” Amber stated as she brushed dirt off the back of her dress. The sounds of chimes filled the air and a echoing voiced called out that their train was about to leave.
“Hurry up!!” Sarah pulled the girl towards the train just as the other girl darted for the second last car door and the three of them leapt through just as the doors began to close and they felt the train jerk as the engine began to pull them along.
“What’s wrong with you?” Sarah inquired in a low hiss, not wanting to attract any attention, while scanning the car to discover they were entirely alone, other then the other girl that is, “You were acting like a zombie out there, did you want to get caught?” She inquired as she ushered Amber up a set of stairs near the entrance and up to the second deck where she found a seat near the middle of the car and began to toss her bags into the overhanging nets above the seats.
Amber rubbed the sides of her head and sat down upon one of the tall plush seats, “I’m sorry, I guess I was just expecting so much more then this.” She gestured about herself.
“What were you expecting?” Sarah asked curiously, “The Galaxy Express Three-Nine?”
“I don’t know...” She glanced out the window of the train down at the platform below, “I guess I was expecting something more magical.”
Sarah sat in the chair between Amber and the window, “Well, our trip has yet to begin so don’t be so disappointed so quickly.” She glanced out the window as they left the station out into open land, “Thankfully we made it on time.”
Amber glanced out the window as the train and she bid farewell to her former life, “I really hope this is a good idea.” She said with a nervous sigh, “Because I don’t think we’ll be coming back anytime soon.”
“You worry too much.” Sarah assured as she shifted in her seat.
“I hope you are right.” Amber let out a deep sigh as she turned to fine the other girl sitting directly across from them. She watched the girl carefully, she knew she had seen the girl somewhere before but could not recall where. Then their eyes met and the girl gave Amber a small smile and everything clicked inside of her head and she jumped up from her seat in astonishment. “CAITLIN!?!”
*****
To be Continued . . .
*****
Note: The world of the Shadowlands, Its stories, Characters and ideas are a copyright of Kathryn K Williams.
This story is based upon my manga of the same name. If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts site at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/
For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts site at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159
Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com
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