Strangers: Consequences

Acquaintances

Taking a quick look at the station clock, Drake decided to take a short break to catch his breath and rest his weary bones. He had darted back and forth the platform searching for his outing members. "Jessica and Greg are really late!!" He thought loudly as anger bottled up inside him. Here he was thinking that they'd arrive punctually, it was high school again all over for him- always being the odd one out. Either he was too early or too late, no one would care.

"Heeeyyyy!! Wait!!" shouted a familiar voice from one of the railways. It was Jessica; she's one of his closest friends since junior high, they met during their criminology class. Those were the times when they first developed an obsession with serial killers and their so called way of 'living'. He never really minded how creepy they may have come off to others. He's sure that the individuals who once shared a homeroom with them had perpetrated far worse things; actually more frowned upon than their insatiable desires for the crime scenes.

"Hang...... on..." she told him aloud, not shifting her attention as she navigated through the tracks like a newborn calf walking for the first time. All of a sudden, the sound of wheels chugging and smoke released into the air caught their ears. "Holy crap! Jess, give me your hand!!" Drake called out to her, extending his reach, as he bent down on his knees. She was alarmed, almost falling flat on her face had it not been for her elbows waving to balance her weight. She was within an arm's length away, whereas the train was close to arriving at its destination; the point where a woman's body would be splatted across the iron body of the train. Drake stretched his torso further, but was dragged back in by a few bystanders who probably assumed that he was in the middle of a suicide attempt. "No! What are you, blind? Get your paws off me." Drake pleaded with the strangers, finally managing to slip through them. He looked back down at the railways, with no sight of her but only a train was in her place.

"Oh f-" Drake perspired uncontrollably, beginning to feel sick. "...........Hey." Jessica greeted him casually, gasping for oxygen. Ahhh...... Quite the entrance, as usual." Drake said sarcastically, his eyes rolled. She let out a sigh and apologized frantically, "Sorry, man that was a real situation huh?! I had to stop by Greg's house, it was rather strange that he didn't answer my text messages." Hearing her words, he ultimately realized that Greg was nowhere to be seen. "So where is he??" Drake asked curiously brushing past several passers-by.

"I'll explain later, lets go before the train takes off!!" she said getting on the train gesturing him to follow behind her. The station was surprisingly full for such a laid back morning, all the locals were shopping bright and early at the marketplace. Just another day of rug salesmen pitching their commerce skills and high-end gizmo franchises hoping to make a hurried dollar. Desperately trying to secure an unoccupied space, Sophia fought with a child who was jumping on the seats before surrendering and giving him a lollipop.To think, she was almost roadkill a few minutes ago and here they are, the world rotates as normal.

"Well that was a rip off!!" she expressed feeling annoyed. Now that Drake thought about it, he never actually noticed how gentle her voice was for someone so strong and brave. Her choice of outfits certainly makes one overlook those passive traits; usually a cropped top with a maroon blazer along with her mid-length frilly skirt that graciously accented her pink, bunny-patterned sneakers.

"Is something on your mind Drake? Do you need to take a breather?" asked Jessica who caught me staring into empty space. "Oh wha? Ahhh...ah.. u-u-ummm....... right! Where exactly is Greg??" he replied hesitantly, his face flushed a bright red tone. "Well I found this note on his front door," according to Jessica as she handed it to him. Drake carefully flipped it over and the paper read,

"I'm going ahead guys, something is really bothering me about that place! Meet you as usual." Signed Greg with his trademark zigzag letter 'g' that seem to always make the rest of his writing trivial and effortless.

"Well good thing that's where we're headed then." Drake stated in a relief. Jessica however was too busy enjoying the view of the immense flora and fauna to hear his thoughts," She always was a nature lover, he recalled that once at her house she confronted a middle-aged woman just because she trampled on her roses- accidentally too. Me? I wasn't much of a plant person but then again green was his favorite color..

"Next stop, Hillfront Estate!" the conductor exclaimed loudly. That was their cue to exit, Drake patted Jessica who was dozing off on her shoulder and she stood up eagerly at the mention of our destination, rubbing her eyes. They got off the train as it left in a rush with no other passengers getting off or on, the smoke hightailing on its trail. The next stop for the train wasn't until a long journey.

Drake and Jessica wasted no additional time and approached the neighborhood that the mansion resided. The whole estate was deserted, not a soul to in sight. Dead silence shunned them, Jessica held on tightly to her hair as a gust of wind blew past them. She grunted in annoyance, "I knew that would happen, but darn it!! I didn't prepare myself much." she kicked the dirt off the surface of the road.

It was bizarre how this estate was the only man-made structure standing within a thirty-mile radius. Aside from the railways that connected this desolate place, all that occupied its surroundings were long, shrubs and trees. Almost like, the contractors knew a town here wouldn't last. I'd say they were right........

"So, shall we?" Jessica invited him, her arms bent as if to offer him a tour. She continued, with a hint of Yorkshire accent, "First stop, Crapsville!!" the two burst with laughter, making their way onward unaware of the fact that they were stepping onto enemy territory.