Clicking Heart

1

The train tremors as it begins it's journey. The window next to me rattling as it strains against the wind, which plays with my hair pleasantly. A sudden jerk makes my stomach twist in a way I don't think I'll ever get used to. Would you get used to something which dictates how far away from dying you are?

I know something like this is what happens in fairytales, gruesome curses made by revengeful witches and whatnot like that. Hell, that might of even happened to me. Well, not me personally, my great great.... great grandmother?

I'm not sure, I don't usually remember everything Stella tells me. I just concentrate on the things concerning me.

Without a further thought, I grasp the small heavy axe which is hidden in my bag out of it and smash the window behind me, hacking at it for a few more seconds until it is just a gaping hole.

People scream and cry out, but I don't turn around as I grab the top of the gap and haul myself through, jumping onto a thick netted railing which keeps me stood up for a few seconds before I fall off the bridge in which the train had been travelling on.

As I fall, I watch the train ride further and further away, and wink at the small figure who's head is looking through the place I had exited the train.

They shout something, but I don't hear it because that is when my body hits the water, the shock of it reverberating through my bones and my muscles clenching at the coldness of it. As I plunge deeper and deeper, what little light which the sun provided slowly becomes dimmer and dimmer, and I wait until I can wait no longer.

I begin to slowly kick my legs and reach my hands upwards, and quicken when I realise how far away from the surface I have actually travelled. I frantically pull through the water, a sudden clicking in my stomach making me move faster, my mind no longer listening to reason and convincing me that if I swim I will get away from the bone rattling noises.

My head breaks the surface, my mouth gasping for air and the clicking continuing inside me. It suddenly stops, and my eyes widen in dismay. Only 50 clicks today. Yesterday it had been, what, 57? And the day before 58. How is that possible? Then again, how is any of this possible?

I'd have to ask Stella. I begin to slowly paddle towards some steps which lead up onto the pavement, and drag myself up them, my clothes and hair dripping in dirty river water. No one is around to see me, which I am a little disappointed about. Nothing is better than doing something than watching everyone's reactions after it.

I squeeze the remains water out of my hair and then sprint down the road at full speed, wandering how long I can keep it up for before the clicks come back.

As I do so, a sudden memory surfaces. What the person shouted out on the train as I fell. I suddenly can hear them like they are saying it right in front of me. The number 50. I trip and fall to the ground as I realise they are who I've been looking for all along.