The Savage Road: Journal of the She-Hulk

Two Passengers, No Ticket

OK, this was a mistake.

I pretend to not see one of the train employees not so discreetly stare at me from down the aisle while talking with one of her co-workers. It's obvious they know what I did; the question is: what are they going to do about it?

Hopping the turnstile and jumping into the train car has not been the smartest thing I've been doing in my time on the road. I've just been so worn down recently, and the thought of saving myself several days and dozens of miles to get to my next destination was too good of an opportunity to pass up. Or so I told myself.

What I promised myself would be a one-time thing turned into several times this past week. I should've taken the time to scrounge up enough for the train ticket today, but my impatience got the better of me. 

Too late to do anything about that now, Rebecca. Why isn't foresight 20/20 like hindsight is? Now that's a question I ask myself a lot.

The workers continue talking about me as I turn my head toward the window, making myself watch as a varied mix of houses and trees fly past as the train carries us by. A sight to get lost in any other time, but for now I had to think of what to do.

Option one is a no-go: I don't have the money to pay for my fare. What cash I did have went into buying a fresh set of clothes to replace the ones that were destroyed last week after a punk on the street made the mistake of trying to rob me. The She-Hulk didn't take too kindly to that, let's just say.

I'm not sure when the next stop is, but I could conceivably make my way off the train there. I'd have to lose these employees first, though, and hope they don't find chasing me down worth the effort. 

What would happen if they did catch me? That brief thought causes something to stir within me, the feeling of a restless presence, and I abandon the thought.

The two employees are still in talk mode and don't look like they're ready to make a move on me quite yet. I pretend to be oblivious for a few more seconds. Am I timing this right? I don't have a lot of options. Now or never. 

I bring my hands down to the armrests on my seat and pivot my legs to the aisle, my arms pushing me to my feet, which immediately carry me away from the train employees and through the door separating the two train cars. The sounds of spinning wheels grinding along the railroad tracks immediately grows louder as I cross the walkway into the next car, before opening the next door and finding protection in the new space. I don't look behind me; instead, I continue moving at a pace brisk enough to put distance between me and my watchers, but not quickly enough to draw attention to myself from any other passenger.

Soon I'm at the end of this current car, and I once again make my way to the next. As I open the door to the next car, I stop dead in my tracks, as straight ahead of me is a security officer making a beeline down the aisle in my direction. 

Shit. Shit!

I turn myself around and slam the door behind me, dragging myself back into the previous car. Waiting for me here is just as unwelcome of a sight: the two uniformed employees moving toward me one after the other.

SHIT.

My body is frozen. My eyes dart toward the train window, and see the train, while having slowed, was still moving. The stop was getting near, but not quickly enough. I made my move too soon.

Options are getting scarce. Forward and backward are blocked. Instinctively, my body takes the only other option available, and I lock the sliding door of the train car's bathroom behind me. It's only a few seconds before I hear the banging of fists against the door's surface, and the muffled sounds of shouts coming from the other side.