Altered Light

The Burning Train

I had been out of the city, visiting my father in the countryside, returning to my mother's apartment as Summer gave way to September.

But it was on a train so close to my home, alone late at night in the subways that the shadow returned and the chain of events was set in motion.

Almost asleep, leaning on a metal pole, my eyelids began to droop closed. As I almost succumbed to sleep, every light-bulb in the train car suddenly grew dimmer.

Then they all flickered in unison and the car was plunged into darkness. All I felt was a cold, panting breath, before it vanished and the train grew light once again.

In a frenzy of panic, I jumped to my feet and, completely as a reflex, reached into my handbag and pulled out a craft knife.

Turning in a slow circle, eyes open wide, refusing to even blink, I bared the knife.

In a painful whir, the lights started to grow dim again and my dry eyes blinked.

Then there was almost complete darkness again.

The train engine drove to a stop.

I saw a figure drawing closer, a tall humanoid shape like that one chasing me all those dark nights.

The only sound became the beating of my heart.

The figure took a step and a resounding footstep echoed through the train.

A thought struck me, and I reached into my handbag again, reaching further yet into my purse.

My fingers clasped around a plastic bottle.

The shadow took another step.

I pulled the nail polish remover out of the bag.

The shadow took another step, reaching out an arm as if about to grab my shoulder.

I reached in once again and took something else.

Another footstep shook the stopped train car.

I opened the acetone.

A wafting fume greeted me.

A finger brushed my shoulder.

A fearful tear rolled down my face.

I poured it across the floor, rolling the bottle.

Fumes flooded the train car.

In fear, I was paralysed.

Twitching, struggling beyond all belief, I tried to flick the switch on the lighter.

I could not.

A hand grasped my shoulder and slid towards my neck.

I felt another tear roll down my face.

My resolve broke as I flicked the switch on the lighter and threw it into the puddle of acetone.

The dark shadow leapt back

The train car was lit in an inferno, flames spreading rapidly, illuminating the shadow in orange light.

Even so, it was still a dark shadow, writhing in the fire, smoke consuming the car and plunging it into a different type of darkness.

I covered my eyes, and through the yellow gems in my hands, there was no smoke. There was only the train car in blinding clarity, the shadow contorting itself in pain, dissolving to nothing.

My hands dropped to my sides, and the first "miracle" happened.

The light cast through them.

There was a bolt of lightning ricocheting throughout the train, and it jolted to life as the flames licked closer and closer to me.

In a daze from the heat, I passed out.