Perfect Pet

Ch. 7: One Step

It was hard to place what told me we were almost there.

I woke up that morning to a different vibe fluttering through me, a barely distinguishable charge prickling along my spine as sat up. It felt like we were going slower, the jarring motion I'd grown accustomed to less noticeable. Outside, what had been mostly free space during the trip was now crowded with trees. Oaks, firs, and maples reached for the morning sun as the train made its way through the forest, leaves creating a dappled effect on the ground.

That explained it.

It was strangely silent. Whenever I got up, I could normally hear the voices of the employees filtering through the cabin as they prepared for the new day before we got up. It gave me a strange comfort, picking up on what was supposed to be background activity because it reminded me that not everything on the train was magic. That there was still certain logic that couldn't be broken. It helped ground me to the real world outside. But today, I didn't hear the soft shuffle of feet as they moved from the employee car to their respective jobs. I didn't hear muffled complaints about washing dishes or stifled laughter about what they did after getting off last night. Not even a tired yawn.

I wasn't worried...yet. The train was moving smoothly along the tracks, a good sign the controls hadn't been messed with. This would be a prime time to do it, the trees thick enough to cause serious damage if the train veered the slightest off course. I knew we stopped in the darkest hours of the night to refuel at private locations but even then, there would be loads of security to make sure no one snuck on board that wasn't supposed to. The vampires would sniff them out before the intruders counted to ten, no hiding space good enough. Whatever was going on had to be part of the plan and the strange feeling I had.

Kali snored from her bed, shifting around slightly as she got more comfortable. We'd settled into a sort of acquaintanceship, doing our best to get along in the small space. Neither of us was extroverted, preferring to spend our time in our bubbles so it worked out well. The only time she seemed to perk up was at dinner when I got bombarded with questions about vampires, Kali wanting to get familiar enough with them to be somewhat comfortable. If only I knew half of what she wanted to know. It was still mostly a guessing game for me as well. All in all, she was still a bit odd but there was usually a reason behind her quirks and I was getting used to them.

Trying to slip out of bed without too much noise was a challenge considering Kali was a light sleeper. I could get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom only to have her pop up like a groundhog from its den, terrified someone was trying to attack us. The vamps on board would beat the crap out of anyone that tried, not that it stopped her freaking. They might be the ones she was worried about. I still got the crap scared out of me regardless, the scene reminiscent of a horror movie. My odds of being the first one to die were looking good.

Tiptoeing to where I'd left a change of clothes the night before, I grabbed the pile and headed for the bathroom for a shower. No one else would be fully awake for at least another hour, a time I liked to use to relax and center myself. I wasn't used to being around so many people, let alone none stop like this. Mom and Dad had both managed to agree that a private school education was the best thing for their children, preventing me from experiencing the overcrowded public school system. Dad had simply wanted a better quality of education and Mom... well Mom wanted what she always did. I had ended up going to an all-girls school, a decent explanation for my lack of grace around men. There wasn't much to tell, a sense of familiarity among us that could only be gained by knowing each other throughout our formative years. There was a sense of security in that but also drama because they had dirt on you from years back they weren't afraid to use it if prompted.

The few friendships I had formed were more for convenience than true bonding. Awkward like me, it was easier to hide together than face the popular girls and their holier than thou attitudes. Herd immunity I guess. Talking to them was also better than staring at the brick wall all lunch period. Once our diplomas were in our hands, they were off to do their own thing without so much as a goodbye. It didn't bother me. Most of me hoped they grew into themselves and found their place like I was trying to do.