Train For Dead Girls (short story)

A Train for Dead Girls

When Kotoko awoke on a moving train, she realized that she couldn't remember where she was or how she got there. For a second, she thought she was dreaming. The last thing she remembered was walking into the train station, but she never got inside a train. Or did she? No, she didn't, so there was no way that she had fallen asleep inside of one. Besides, this train didn't look like the one she took home on weekdays. This one had pink seats and no visible maps on its walls, plus there seemed to be nobody else on board. Nobody except a woman who, as soon as she saw that Kotoko was awake, stood up from her seat and rushed over to her.

"Oh, thank goodness you're awake!" The woman exclaimed and clasped her hands together, "I seriously thought you were dead, and that I was just stuck here on my own!"

Kotoko stared blankly at the woman, "Who are you?"

The woman took a step back, like she remembered something, "Oh, right. My name is Minji. Before you ask, no, I don't know where we are."

It took a few moments for Kotoko to understand her situation. She was trapped in an enclosed space with a random stranger, and worst of all, she didn't know where this train was stopping. They were clearly in an underground railway. That's what Kotoko thought until she saw light descending from the windows. Suddenly, she could see the city below. Minji's face lit up and she ran over the window behind Kotoko's seat when she realized the same thing. "Oh, look! We're finally back home!"

"Uh, this isn't Tokyo." Kotoko commented. She was right, this city wasn't Tokyo.

Minji turned around, "What do you mean? Then where are we?"

"I obviously don't know!" Kotoko said, she was starting to panic, "It's not like I came here on purpose! Besides, who even are you?"

"I already told you my name, it's Minji."

"And mine is Kotoko! I already know your name, stupid!" Kotoko regretted her insult almost immediately, but apologizing wasn't the first thing on her mind. Meanwhile, Minji looked offended, "I mean, why am I stuck here with you?"

"Excuse me? I'm just as confused as you are, I see no reason for you to be disrespectful." Minji sounded like a mother scolding her child, "In fact, you should be thankful that you didn't wake up here with some creep."

"I should be thankful? For what?" Kotoko stood up to face Minji, "I'm stuck on a speeding train with a stranger, plus I can't even remember how I got here!" She paused for a moment, and suddenly, she remembered something crucial.

Minji didn't get the memo and just kept talking, "Well, you're not the only stuck here, alright? I woke up here just like you did and-"

"Minji." Kotoko interjected.

She scoffed, "So you can remember my name."

"Are you dead?"

Minji parted her lips to speak, but she suddenly stopped, "Dead?"

"Yeah, dead. Do I have to say it in another language so you can understand?"

Minji rolled her eyes at Kotoko's sudden mood change, "Why are you asking me this? Do I look dead to you?"

"You don't look dead! I'm asking because I think I'm-"

Suddenly, it was like the floor was jerked from underneath their feet. The train came to a halt and the girls both fell to the ground, Minji hit one of the seats specifically which hurt her head. The wheels screeched, letting it be known that whoever was driving this train was in a hurry to stop it. Kotoko hit the ground hard, so hard in fact, that she forgot what she was talking about. Minji was the first to break the silence. She looked over to Kotoko and asked, "Are you okay?"