Town of Sadness (RoyalChaos)

Into the Storm

A quick thanks for 43 reads! I would love if you guys could possibly leave a comment telling me what you like or what I could improve. Thanks!

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The platform for train ninety-three stayed empty for the rest of the day. In the total seven hours the group of six sat around Ohm's truck, not a single person showed up. Granted, this place was in the middle of Nowhere, Massachusetts, but there were other towns. Other people somewhere.

Or at least, that's what Ze wanted to hope. Ever since he and Chilled's... could he really call it an argument? It was more of a scuffle. Anyway, he hadn't stopped thinking about the plague. Back when he was a kid, his father would sit around and drink and tell stories of how the plague wiped out almost the entire city of Los Angeles, where they had lived.

The plague had spread across the country in possibly the shortest amount of time ever. It ravaged major cities first, which was why Steven was terrified. They could all drop dead the second they hit the border. If there was a running train, though, then he maintained a small but of hope. Wherever in New York this railroad took them, it had to be the only salvageable part.

The slow-ticking analog clock hanging above the platform read exactly seven. In the distance, Ze picked up the sounds of rattling tracks and running engines. As it edged on five after seven, the train pulled into the station. It was the first transportation he had seen in- what? Fifteen years? The killer grinned, slinging his backpack over his shoulder and grabbing Chilled's hand.

Smarty held all six tickets, waiting for the conductor to step off. The brittle old man barely made it onto the platform, but he still had a smile.

"Go ahead, hop on," he chuckled, coughing softly.

"You don't need tickets?" GaLm raised an eyebrow, holding onto Smarty's forearm loosely.

"It don't matter anymore. Nobody up round those parts cares anymore. I'm surprised anyone is still going into New York." The old man pronounced York like 'Yawk', and it made Ze cringe. That wasn't the only thing that made him cringe, though. No one wanted to go there? What had happened. "Where are y'all from?"

"Salem," Gassy simply responded, putting his arm around Nanner's shoulders, who looked about the same as Steven felt.

"That makes a lot of sense. You folks get on and I'll try to make high time to NYC. It's still worth going there, at least." The conductor shook his head, climbing back into his car.

Chilled reluctantly tugged Ze onto the first passenger car, and the other couples followed.

"Anthony..," Steven started when they sat down, resting his head on the other's shoulders.

"Yeah, baby?" Chilled whispered, kissing the top of his head.

"I'm afraid of our new home."

"I am too."

"Are we all gonna be safe?" He whimpered, biting his lip.

"We're safe with each other. Gassy, Nanners, GaLm, Smarty, you and I- we're family now. And we protect each other no matter what," Anthony whispered into his ear, wrapping an arm around his shoulders.

The other four moved onto other cars, getting ready to settle in for the night.

Ze and Chilled smuggled together in one of the seats, Steven's jacket draped over them like a blanket. The car was warm, which was more than they had experience the past day. It was nice, quiet, calm. It would be their last calm night for a long time.