Orphelin

Chapter 1

The opening and closing of the trains glass door is the sound a I wake up to. Glancing up I see a small, approachable women look around the car. Behind her is a small girl, I would guess three or four years old, who doesn't look awake enough to carry her own weight forward.

I feel ya' kid.

My current company consists of the two new additions, an old frail woman across from me who offers snacks, and a questionable man in a wrinkled suit jacket. He mostly keeps to the back of the car, and whenever I make eye contact he quickly looks away. It became a game to count how many times I could make eye contact, forcing him to pull his jacket collar up even higher, when I first got on the train. I assume when this hunk of metal meets its destination, he will be the first one out of here. I won't be too far behind him.

None of this feels real.

I blame the rain, seriously no city needs this much of it.

Ignoring the voice in my head, I look at the rain covered window. Aspen has good reason to complain. My fifteen minute cat nap h turned into what felt like a two hour coma, and the outside of the train is just as rainy as before.

The train lurches forward again, knocking the girl into the back of her mother's legs. They both clumsily sit down on one of the benches towards the front.

I can't help but think about how long I had been waiting for this day. Not to finally be around people like me, but to get out of the rut that was Oak Harbor. For the last 8 months Oak Harbor had been like a cage, just me and her locked up together. I could feel her growing restless there, as if she knew we were wasting our time. She isn't usually wrong about that type of thing.

How much longer of this bus ride is there? I'm really starting to think Mr. Suit Jacket is plotting all the possible ways to murder us.

I let out a low chuckle, which only seems to make the man even more uncomfortable with his current situation. Aspen had a habit of making me look like a person who needed admitting. At this point it might not be far from the truth though.

Aspen isn't really what I would call patient, come to think of it I don't really know what I would call her anymore. I guess that's the upside of being one of a kind, you get to be anything you want to be. 

As much as it feels like I've completely lost it with this whole "voices in my head thing" it isn't quite what most people would assume. There are many names for people like me but the most commonly known one is Orphelin.  

Wake up you ignoramus the train is slowing down. 

Finally taking note of the outside surroundings I realize she's right. The train is slowing down on top of what looks to be a bridge passing over a gorge.  In the distance I can see the beginnings of what looks like a city, with tall buildings breaking the clear skyline like tiny imperfections in the otherwise mountainous area.  Glancing at my watch I realize we should have 45 more minutes before we stop in the middle of the city.

Before I can stand or question our current stop, out of the corner of my eye I see Mr. Suit Jacket pull a mask over his face, just before the window across the aisle from me explodes and small canister rolls along the floor. 

Shit.