Bullet Train to Murder | ONC novella

21 | nightmares

In the dead of night, the room was shrouded in darkness, broken only by the faint glow of the moon filtering through the curtains. The air was heavy and oppressive, as if weighted down by the burden of unspoken fears.

He lay wide awake in bed, his body stiff with expectation, feeling the tendrils of sleep draw ever closer, threatening to drag him into the depths of their subconscious. However, he resisted, struggling against the inevitable plunge into darkness.

Then it began; a gradual, insidious invasion of his mind, with threads of gloom twisted around his thoughts, twisting and contorting them into gruesome shapes. He found himself stuck in a labyrinth of visions, with his greatest fears vividly realized.

He tried to run, to escape the clutches of the darkness that threatened to consume him whole. But no matter how fast he ran or how hard he fought, he couldn't shake the feeling of the impending doom that hung over them like a pall.

With each step, the nightmare grew more vivid, more terrifying until he could feel the icy grip of fear tightening around his throat, suffocating him with its relentless hold.

Just when he thought he couldn't take it anymore, he woke with a start, gasping for breath as cold sweat soaked through his clothes. The room was bathed in an eerie half-light, the remnants of the nightmare still clinging to the edges of his consciousness like a lingering shadow.

As he lay there, shaking and bewildered, the weight of guilt settled over him like a heavy blanket. He couldn't escape the belief that he was somehow responsible for the atrocities he had been forced to witness — that if he had been tougher or braver he might have prevented it.

-x-x-x-

Mr. Bingo stepped out of the airport terminal and the bustling chaos of the Chicago greeted him like an old friend. The air was thick with the scent of exhaust fumes and the distant hum of traffic filled his ears, a constant reminder of the ceaseless motion of the world around him.

He moved with purpose through the crowd, his strides confident and assured as he navigated the maze of bustling streets and crowded sidewalks. His sharp and alert eyes scanned the faces of those around him, searching for any sign of danger or deception.

But despite that, he couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered at the edges of his consciousness. There was something in the air, a sense of impending danger that made his skin prickle with apprehension.

Miguel and Molly looked up from their seats towards the door when Mr. Bingo walked in. They looked at each other with a mischievous glint before returning their attention to him.

Mr. Bingo stopped in his tracks and observed them, wondering what they had planned for him.

Molly gave Miguel a nod and they both stood up to prepare for their next move.

He looked at them in puzzlement and asked, "Hey, what are you guys planning?"

Miguel responded, "Yeah, like we would tell," and looked at Molly.

She chimed in with a geeky grin, "Oh boy, you've got a lot of explaining to do." and took a stride towards him.

Mr. Bingo's eyes widened in amazement before he decided to make a run for his life.

"You can't escape us, Mr. Bingo." Molly cooed as she chased him down the crowded streets of their town.

The onlookers found themselves drawn into the heart-pounding spectacle with a mix of fascination and trepidation.

Some leaned forward eagerly, their eyes wide with excitement as they followed every twist and turn of the pursuit, exchanging hushed whispers and excited murmurs, their voices mingling with the sound of pounding footsteps and frantic shouts.