Press. Release. Wait.

Another Meeting

It was even colder outside the train than it was inside. As I stepped outside the train and felt my way through the window I could feel the near frozen metal against my side. It pierced through my shirt and left a burning on the skin below.

I hopped off the train, looking back at the dim red silhouettes that I could just barely make out behind me.

Remembering my mistakes from earlier, I immediately threw myself against the wall. The only thing that provided any navigation in the pitch blackness around me.

Okay. Right. You need to go right to get to the collapse. Don't forget the mission.

I took a few careful steps to the right. My body sticking as close to the wall as I could get it. The cold air filled my lungs as I worked. Step. Shuffle shuffle. Step. Shuffle shuffle.

It felt like a long time since I had my phone light. The darkness was starting to feel more comfortable now. Every few feet I could see the dim red bulb of an emergency light but that was it. Everything was just mixed up in the darkness. I took a few more deep breaths in the cold air. I could probably see my breath foggin in the air if there was any light.

I felt like I was going downhill. Like I was sprinting down a hill as fast as I could.

How far have I gone?

I was going faster. Faster and faster. The air was getting colder. It was so cold.

I went faster.

Stop.

I flew along the wall. Hands pressing against the side. Breath moving fast.

Stop.

Legs moving to a near run now. It felt easy. Easy to begin to run.

STOP!

I stopped. A more accurate description would be I slid and fell. But it got the job done regardless.

Chill out.

I looked up to the wall of darkness in front of me. It felt wrong. Everything felt wrong. Where was the collapse? It knew I should have gotten to it by now, right?

Maybe my perception of distance was beginning to shift in the darkness. Maybe I was just a few feet away from the train.

I reached out, away from the wall, feeling for the train.

It wasn't there.

I reached further. My distances were definitely wrong. My hand grabbed at darkness.

Still nothing.

I stepped away from the wall, hoping to kick it or something. Just do something.

SCCRRCCH!

I stopped dead. The cold air seeming to freeze my lungs in place so I didn't even breathe. There was no way I had gone that far. No way. No fucking way I had gone that far.

I pushed myself against the wall again.

SCCRRCCH!

I couldn't tell how close it was. I couldn't tell if it was getting closer.

"Cheyenne."

My heart sunk.

CRUUNCCHH!

I gigantic footsteps rumbled its way through the walls of the train tunnel.

"Cheyenne."

I wanted to run. I wanted to run as far as I could but I had to know. Had to figure it out. My mouth opened and I felt the icy wind go into it.

"Yeah?"

Is yeah what you really want to say?

"Cheyenne, come a few steps closer."

I looked ahead and felt the same emptiness I had felt earlier. It didn't look any different from the any of the other darkness around me but something about it felt... wrong.

"No."

No was pretty much all I could muster. I needed to run. I HAD to run. But my feet betrayed me. They stayed anchored to the ground. As if I had sleep paralysis.

One of my feet lifted up in the air a centimeter. Then reached back down.

SCCRRUUCH!

My legs trembled, desperately attempting to attain the motor skills to move.

You can do it. You can do it. Just move! Just fucking move! Move! Move!

"Closer..."

That one call cause my legs to suddenly skid into the dirt. I looked down in surprise. I was moving.

I took off the opposite direction, not even listening to another call from whatever was back there. I didn't need to hear it. I thought briefly that it might've been my only opportunity to get information but my fear quickly pushed that out of my head.

I didn't need information.

I needed to get out.

My breathing became ragged far faster than I expected. I was starting to feel every dust particle trapped in my lungs after just a few seconds. I knew I wouldn't be walking let alone running within the next few days. The starvation and dehydration was beginning to get to me.

It was only a short time after beginning my sprint that I slowed to a jog. Then a fast walk. Then a walk. Suddenly I let out a horrible cough. I doubled over, coughing over and over again as I fell to my knees.

Just let it out. You'll be fine after you let it out.

I continued to cough. Nearly losing control of my body after every one. I slumped against the wall, feeling the exhaustion well up in my body. The coughing stopped. I could feel my eyes welling up with tears from the irritation on them.

It began again. First quiet then the coughing got louder again. I couldn't control it. It was even worse than before. My body flailed wildly, looking as thoug a demon had taken control of it.

I attempted to get to my feet when I thought it had died again but it started just the same as before. I managed to slump against the wall as the dizziness took control of me. I was fighting it but it was a losing battle.

My eyes rolled into my head, giving my brain all the more reason to think there was a demon controlling me.

I had one last thought before passing out.

Get an exorcist.