"Your ticket, miss?"
I hand my ticket to the conductor with a polite smile. Eyes quickly skimming over it, he returns it to me with a slight bow to the head. Turning back towards the window, I watch the lush landscape, the low rumble of the train engine and the soft music flowing through my earphones providing me with a sense of comfort and peace.
Tidal waves.
Tidal waves of memories I wish I could forget.
Those waves,
They drown me.
~
Crescent eyes and small hands. Summer nights and piano keys. Dimpled cheeks and late night barbecues. Convenience stores and shrieks of laughter.
But then, the last memory. The one that ended everything.
That day at the seaside. Panicked eyes. The shoes. The tree. The tide. The shrieks.
But this time,
they weren't shrieks of laughter.
~
"Miss, you have reached your destination."
I jolt upright, noticing the empty train and the gleeful exchanges of hugs and kisses between the passengers and their loved ones on the platform outside.
On my way out, I see them. The seven of them sit occupying my cabin, oblivious to their surroundings. Light chatter, familiar smiles. Smiles I still remember fondly.
But then I see their wet hair and lifeless eyes.
And in a blink, they're gone.
The tears come before the rain does.
