Tale of the Prophet Bearer: The Dark Queen's Reign

Chapter 11: I Ride the Oriental Express with Ninjas

(A/N)

Man! I am really really bad at the whole schedule thing. For that I apologize. I hope you enjoy this chapter cuz it was really hard to write :P

~

The countryside passes by me, the grass a blur of green at the high speed. It's peaceful and I lean my head against the window. I yawn, starting to grow tired. But after a few moments I realize I have no idea where I am. I look down at the seat I'm sitting in, then at the table in front of me. The plates and glasses organized in their proper places bounce with steady beats. Am I on a train? How did I get here? There nothing familiar about this place. I glance around but there was nobody around.

I press my head to the window and peer out. The train track spread straight forward, seeming to stretch on forever. Seeing nothing strange, I jog to the door and open it. It leads to an apartment section of the train. I frown and call, "Hello?"

Silence is my only replyI rub my forehead. Why can't I remember how I got here? I open the door, peeking in the small living quarters. It's empty. I go to the next apartment and peer in. Empty. I run through the other apartments, but everything is empty.

I stop at the end of the compartment and listen, straining to hear anything besides the clickety-clack of the wheels. I step into the coach. Seats line the wall, sunlight pouring down on the faded leather covers. A light, peppy tune that I couldn't name plays in the background.

Panic builds in my chest. I bolt through the coach and into the caboose. I grab the door handle leading outside. It's locked. I jerk it, but it still doesn't move. "Is somebody here?!" I shout.

Silence.

I gulp and sit in one of the seat. Think, Christina, think. What happened before you were here? I shut my eyes. I remember bringing Reil back to the house and I'm still angry about it. She had been with us a few days and... that's it. That's the most unusual thing that happened. Maybe she had something to do with this.

My blood boils in my stomach. If she had even the slightest participation in sending me to this ghost town of a train, I'm going to make sure she pays for it.

I drum my fingers against my leg, beating it to the tempo of the wheels. There has to be somebody else here. If I can find somebody maybe they could tell me how I got here—

The engineer! Somebody has to be driving the train, so there has to be somebody here! I start to bolt out, but something catches my eye. A small, red light in the corner of the booth. I kneel by the seat and dig my fingernails beneath the leather to peel it back. There's a wire attached to it and it scales up the wall.

Strange... I stand up in the booth and crawl over to tables to follow it. I press my hand to the wallpaper to keep track of it. I jump to the door start to step out, but pause, glancing back.

Something doesn't feel right.

I step back to the room. "Anybody here?" I look around, feeling eyes watching me. "If this is some kind of practical joke or something, you're going to get it! Especially if it's you, Tucker!"

I hold my breath. My eyes rest on the window beside me. Bad vibes were flying from it. It shatters, the glass shards flying through the caboose. A man, clothed completely in black, rises, towering above me.

I step away from him and gulp. I think it's safe to say he's ninja... It's okay, it's okay. I'll pop in the White Dimension, then beat this guy up. Nothing to worry about.

He steps towards me and clenches his fists, three knives sicking out between his fingers. He starts running towards me, swiping at me as if he has claws. I scream, falling back. Any time now, Samuel! I don't want to get shish-kabobbed!