The Never Ending Train

11 Coup

"They're angry we got the last 3 cars. Everyone knows they're the most dangerous." Ophelia calmly says, although her eyes speak of fiery determination.

"Oh! So you know of the mist. You know that this train is unusual?" Dr. Silas shoots right back without hesitation, ignoring her original comment. Murmurs erupt all around, people looking at her skeptically.

Ophelia sits in a moment of confusion before she blinks it away. "What? No, all I meant is we should be allowed to travel through the whole train and not be trapped in the last three like irrelevant side characters. There's nothing wrong with the train!" I flinch. That's the first time she's screamed, usually so calm when speaking.

It's like she's only partially under the influence and what's left of it is trying extra hard to keep her, hence the overreaction to defending the train like it's a God. She doesn't seem to realize it though.

"Quiet avoiding the topic at hand old man!" Someone to her right snarls. Owen, her right hand man, had also come as a second representative and voice for the Influencers. "You guys say it's best for us to just trust you. Do you know how that sounds to us? You never let us out, you never tell us anything!" Guilt pangs my heart. I remember feeling so lost and scared when I first realized something was wrong and I wasn't supposed to be on this train.

Though they are still under the influence, a big group of people are thrusting them in a cage and saying things that must sound scary to them. I raise my hand. Dr. Silas nods at me and all at once, 40 pairs of eyes turn towards me.

"I agree with Owen. We should let them out, as long as each side doesn't do anything, it shouldn't be a problem." Owen seems to relax a little bit as nods and murmurs of agreement flow throughout the room.

Dr. Silas nods at someone else behind me. "Do you think our people are just going to do nothing? We can tell them to leave each other alone but there's bound to be fights." More nods.

"Well we have to do something." Someone else adds.

"That's right," Owen growls. "Otherwise we will use force."

Someone in the back scoffs. "Yea, share some space with animals and expect them to leave us alone." They talk without the approval of Dr. Silas.

"What would you do in their situation? Twiddle your thumbs?" Nora snaps at the voice somewhere in a corner. I try not to focus on Nora's voice whenever she speaks. Or Nora herself when she walks in front of me. Or her entire presence on this train. It's been harder lately. How did this happen so quickly? The wild and reckless flame within her ignites one of my own.

"We have to try." Ophelia speaks over the crowd. "My people will not take another 'no.' They are restless, and desperate."

People are sure to be freaked out by the Influencers. They praise the train. They love the train. They're almost obsessed. And they don't know it, they can't get out of it. We have groups of people with extremely different viewpoints and opinions on this suffocatingly small train. Yet I don't see any other solution to our problem.

No one says anything for a moment. Finally, Dr. Silas breaks the silence. "Ok, we have come to a solution. We will share the train with the Influencers. Each group will keep to themselves. All in favor?" He asks. A bunch of hands go up and Kai marks them all down. I raise mine too. Nora and Dominic follow, though Nora was a bit more hesitant.

I dare not look around. Considering the short amount of time it takes Kai to tally down everyone and the scowl growing on Owen's face, it's not a majority. "All not in favor?" Dr. Silas asks. The rustling of clothes. Owen's face becomes furious.