The Contagion

.7.

"Truth is like a surgery. It hurts but it heals. A lie is like a painkiller. It gives instant relief but has side effects forever."

My eyes scanned the whole train. Panic filled my lungs. The train lights were off. I got up from my sitting position near the glass window and saw that the train was in the middle of the forest. The rain was falling lightly on the glass. I checked the compartment for passengers but there were none. My eyes grew wide and I checked the the time on my watch--- It was one in the morning! I closed my eyes and raked my hands through my dishevelled hair. "Great! I slept for an hour." I muttered to myself.

Slowly, I made my way to the double door and into the other compartment where my bagpack was lying on the floor. The Sudoku book was lying open accross the floor. I sighed and analyzed the distance I was thrown from my seat. I flew like a baseball. I checked the right side of my head for the blood. It had already healed. I picked up the book and the pen, the pen cap was lost. I opened the zip of the bagpack and placed the book inside.

"The train's gone off the tracks?" I heared a familiar voice say. The Queen Bee was pacing the other end of the compartment like a mother hen. I was suprised to see a different side of Nina. As far as I know her, she never got nervous. She wasn't even scared when she got a 'C' in Algebra. She was constantly looking out of the wimdow looking for the driver. "What the heck man? I will reach late." My eyes then landed on the elderly couple seated opposite her. They were completely the opposite. The woman was making sure whether her husband was okay. I smiled at her affection towards him.

"This is the train driver. Sorry for the bump." All of us heard the driver's voice on the intercom."Seems like we've, err.... hit something on the line. Please remain seated. We should be on our way shortly. Thank you." And the intercom went silent.

Some minutes later another announcement was heard on the intercom. "Ladies and gentlemen, this is your guard speakinh. I apologize for the delay. I'm still waiting a word from the driver. Thanks for your patience."

"I'm seriously going to make the guard pay for this." Nina said picking up her damaged phone inspecting the damage. Her khol eyes zoomed on the missing SD card in the dim light.

Nina's parents have spoilt their daughter. They would bring her a new mobile phone each year as she would lose it. Nina bent under the seat searching for her SD card but she couldn't find it. Then she went to check under another seat. "Found it!" she said beaming like a five year old child.

I closed my eyes and breathed in the silence. Nina has stopped pacing in the compartment and so have her Queen Bee antics. Keeping an eye open, I saw her tapping her foot nervously to the train floor waiting for more information from the train guard.

When I became tired of sitting in one place, I got up and walked slowly in the dark compartment. I shoved my palms in my jeans pocket and stood in front of the glass window. I let out a deep breath and a small fog appears on the glass. The trees reminded me of the time when I used to run in the forest as a wolf. The cold December air would seep through my bones as I ran with the Rogues. We all would shift at night, away from humans so that we wouldn't get caught.

Britain was famous for the hysteria involving supernaturals like Werewolves, Witches and Vampires roaming the streets at night. I remember reading chilling news of innocent humans being killed for suspecting witchcraft. As early as 1600s, many humans were staked and burnt when they were accused of being Witches. Whenever the news was printed on newspapers, we would move out of the place as soon as possible. I remember literally walking from Manchester, to Liverpool, to New Hampshire and back to London. We all loved London no matter how much we had to leave and come back. Whenever we left a particular place, we would always 'cover our tracks', so that no sniffer dog from the police couldn't find us.