When We Ran: Lea's Story

Chapter One

"What's with all the cops?" I ask. Blue and red lights shine through the window as police cars fly down the road outside. I look down at Skye, her mess of dark hair falling over my shoulder where she rests her head. "Skye?" She doesn't answer. It always fascinates me that she can fall asleep anywhere.

I glance around our empty carriage at the back of the train, my eyelids heavy. Working the early shift at the clinic this morning made me so tired that I almost fell asleep in the cinema. Luckily, I have the most caring girlfriend in the world, one who doesn't mind cutting our date night short so I can get some rest. I have another early shift tomorrow, and the last thing I want to do is fall asleep on some poor pup or kitty that needs my help.

Sitting here on a rickety train with cop cars speeding down the road alongside us, sirens blaring, sleeping is impossible for me right now. I gently drape my arm around Skye and pull her closer before taking my phone out of my jeans pocket.

I read a text from Suzi, our roommate.

U guys OK? U safe?

I raise an eyebrow. She knows Skye and I went to the movies, and she's not usually one to worry. I quickly tap a reply and hit send.

Yep. On the train. Home soon.

She shoots back a reply straight away.

Get here asap. B careful. Stay away from crowds.

Weird.

More sirens blare in the street as we speed along the tracks. The train turns a corner and I'm swayed back and forth, making it harder to type a reply with one hand.

What's up? All good?

She takes longer to reply this time, making me worry. When her text finally slips onto the screen, it's a link to an article online. I click it just as the train slows to a stop at a station. A young couple step onto the carriage, distracting me from the still-loading article on my screen. They're dressed in matching football jerseys and scarves, and won't let go of each other's hands even as they walk down the narrow aisle towards the front of the carriage. He's on the phone, talking loudly as they sit down.

"Yeah," he says, nodding as he looks out the window. "We just got on. We'll meet you at the next station." The voice on the other end of the line is so loud I can hear it, but can't make out the words.

He pauses for a moment, furrowing his brow as he listens.

"What do you mean he bit you?" he asks, glancing at his girlfriend, who tilts her head at him in confusion. "Mate? I can't hear ya." A loud scream echoes through the phone, making him pull it away from his ear in recoil.

Everything goes quiet. He puts the phone back to his ear and shakes his head at the girl. "It cut out. But I think he said he was bit."

The girl scrunches up her nose. "Are you sure? Maybe he was saying 'it's LIT.'"

He shakes his head as he holds his phone up in the air, trying to get a signal. "Nah, he said some bloke at Bondi Festival bit him."

The girl laughs. "A guy actually bit him? That's hilarious."

Her boyfriend doesn't seem to see the humor. "He said not to come to the station."

"Too late," she says, pointing ahead of the carriage. "We're almost there."

She catches me staring and I quickly turn away, pretending to be very focused on my phone. The link Suzi sent is still loading. I sigh and hit refresh, getting more impatient by the second. Glancing at the top corner of the screen, I realise I don't have a signal, either.