Every Monday morning , I walk in the same direction , at the same time , and to go to the same dull destination .The industry I belong to disintegrates their employee’s individual desire and replaces it with cash comfort.
I rubbed away the leftover sleep from my eyes as I inhaled the crisp fall air , scents of morning routine filled the air ,familiar toxic gas pollutes the air as strangers warm up their cars ; keys are left in the ignition without worry of theft .Gardeners tend to plump houses with inadequate vegetation ; lawnmowers and shears creates an aromatic fragrance of dead grass . The morning ritual is synchronized ,everyone has a part to play , except me .
.A woman walks toward me ,moving in the opposite direction along the sidewalk . She is about to passed me . The old woman pushes a shopping cart filled with miscellaneous items .Her thin body dressed in rags painted in filth. She did not pass me by , she stopped right in front of me her cart blocking my path . The woman looked into my eyes and gasped .I had said nothing to her ,but my presence was startling .Her hand went to her mouth due to shock ,“Oh no that’s a messy way to go .”The man look down at the woman who was a few heads shorter than him and asked hesitantly with a furrowed brow , “What’s a messy way to go ?” The woman reached toward him gently patting his hand sympathetically . “It hurts me to say, you are to die by Train.”
As she touched his hand the man saw an image of himself stepping inside the train ,the same one he rides every morning. He saw his body laying on the floor of the train , his chest was motionless ; it nither rose or fell .
The woman took her hand off of Tom’s hand ,the disturbing image left his mind . He silently began to dread his morning commute .He couldn’t outrun his own death ,but attempted to delay the unfortunate event that was chasing him ;death was coming for him . The woman , looked up at the man and warned him politely , “ Best be on the lookout .”
Toms feet were firmly fixed on the ground he stood on , he didn’t move an inch in either direction .He was supposed to be on the next train on his way to work ;Tom would not catch the train .The homeless woman’s words threw Tom in an unforeseen predicament . Her words confined him and molded him to fear what he had never thought to ; his trust in the trains were now tainted with mistrust .
. The old woman walked away the wheels on her cart squeaking in a high pitch note . The further away she walked , the sooner the shrieking sound left Tom’s presents . His feet were cemented, his mind darkened by the prophecy spoken . Desperately he tried swatting his fears away ,hoping they’d disappear.Foolish woman he thought , no one can predict another’s death ;death is secretive .The only way we know how we die is when the time comes .It is impossible to know beforehand .
I walked on the same path I had been walking , ignoring the woman’s words entirely . A mother wearing a silk dress patterned with forget me nots passed me by , her young son about the age of six along with her . The boy held a toy train , and sung “choo chooo,chuggaga chugaguga , choo choo.” The woman looked at me as I past and said , “Morning,” and gave me a warm smile , in which I failed to return .I knew that fearing trains was irrational , but the tattered woman’s words failed to leave my mind ,I could not forget them .
The boy looked up at me and yelled , “Choo Chooo.” At that moment , the image of my dead body lying on the train floor flooded my mind once again. I burst into a sprint running away from the boy imitating harmless train noises. I could not pretend any longer ,couldn’t hide how distraught I was over a gentle form of transportation . I decided let my fear engulf me ;I let it take control.
As I ran a loud noise thundered overhead ,I stopped ,my heart pounded . I lifted my head to the sky and saw a plane . My eyes pulsed with hope , “ A plane a plane , yes . Who needs trains when you can take a plane .” I began walking to the small airport.
Each step lead me closer to where the flying transportation was located , My run slowed into a speed walk . It was about 10 minutes till I had the airport in my sights. Before long I was standing in front of a wooden door which opened easily .There was a man standing behind the desk .I asked how much a ticket would be . The employee responded “$750 there and back .” “ Sir I’m not even going that far , my destination is only two towns over ,” Tom said exasperated . “The price is final ,” said the man . “Your prices are a scam,” Tom cried . “That young man is how we like them .” Defeated Tom exited the sparse room and departed the airport on foot ;his only transportation . Only an hour and a half left before work started with or without him .
Cars whizzed by him in unison as he walked along the sidewalk away from the airport. Toms head drooped and shoulders slumped .A car drove passed polished in a shade of amber . On the top of the car a solid white rectangle was lit up and read T A X I, in bold black letters . Toms demeanor changed instantaneously ,as the taxi parked ahead of him beside the curb . Once he saw the car paused he darted straight for it . The taxi driver turned off the engine, he was done for the day ; he just got done working the night shift. Tom bombarded the driver , the driver couldn’t get out ,because Tom was blocking the exit with his agitated frame.
“I have clocked out , the car is off , I am not driving you anywhere ,” the taxi driver proclaimed . “If you just trustingly hand over your keys I promise I will return the keys safely to you ,” Tom pleaded . “I don’t trust my own friends with my belongings , why on earth would I trust a stranger ,” the more Tom begged , the more the driver became more irritated . The driver’s patients grew so thin he could not wait for Tom to move . The driver opened his door and slammed it hard against Tom . Tom let out a small yelp , and held his hand across this abdomen where the door hit him the hardest . The gruff driver , walked along the path to his house looked back and yelled , “ Best be on your way .”
Beaten ,Tom withdrew . The taxi wasn’t a viable option . He walked onward looking at his leather wristwatch , watching the time tick down . Tom only had an hour left before he was late . He moved in the direction of the train station,but his heart wasn’t in it. How do you consciously walked to your death ?As he walked on the side of the sidewalk , an idea surged within his mind ; hitchhiking .
Tom turned around to face the cars on the street . He classically used his thumb as he had seen in a long list of movies . After many passed him without stopping doubt seeped into his mind . He was about to end his process of trying to catch a ride to work ,when out of nowhere a car pulled over quietly beside him .
The driver rolled down the window . Tom looked round to see if there were any bystanders around , none could be seen lurking . The man in the driver’s seat rolled down the window . His hair was black as night and greased back into a ponytail that met his shoulders . “Looking for a ride,” he said coarsely .
Tom considered the strangers offer for a lift . He had never thought a car would willingly pull over and offer a ride . A part of his spirit lifted , he thought maybe after all he would be able to avoid the train . Tom looked at his only option he had ,but couldn’t put his certainty in the diver .
Tom inspected the car , it was a red outdated truck , the paint was beginning to peel .His eyes were drawn to the black tarp in the bed of the truck . The tarp contained an object , but he didn’t know what . He believed it to be a rolled up rug , but couldn’t be certain .
“Before I agree to the lift I’d like to know what’s in the bed of your truck ?” “Its is nothing you should concern yourself with ,” replied the driver . Tom couldn’t get in the stranger car , without a clear conscious ,he had to know what was beneath the tarp despite the driver’s reassurance, that it was nothing .
Without permission Tom walked away from the passenger window and walked towards the back of the truck to discover what was underneath the tarp . Outraged the driver began yelling to Tom , “ Get back here!” The driver opened his door ,his military boots hit the pavement .He did not reach Tom in time .
The tarp was lifted ,beneath it was a petite woman . Her hair was icy blonde and the shine was dulled by the mud it had been soaking in . The woman’s eyes were opened ,her glassy jade eyes were looking at me , but there was no life behind them .Her beauty had been preserved by death ,old age would never come for her now .The long strand of saltwater pearls draped around her neck would last longer than the sweet peach perfume that lingered on the surface of her hollow body .
The driver came around and met Tom . Tom was stilled petrified by the image of the decaying woman ;he failed to remember he was not alone . Tom’s gaze broke once he heard heavy determined footsteps coming towards him . The driver came into his view ; he didn’t run .
The driver spoke his voice hoarse, “It is deeply rude to intrude and tamper with an individual’s personal belongings.” He stood before me with a hunting knife in his hand ,not attacking but waiting.
“This woman is not your personal belonging ,a person can’t be bound to any one person , they are free .” He stood there toying with the knife in hand , a smirk came across his face .“Look at her ,”he commanded .I refused , I didn’t need to see her again because her face had already been ingrained in my head the moment I first saw her cold flesh .
He stepped towards me I turned to run away , but his legs were longer than mine and swifter . He caught me and forced me back to the corpse . His large fingers were positioned behind my head ,the man shoved my face inches away from hers . “look ,look ,don’t you see ? Now she is free.”
The putrid peach scent of her deteriorating body ,left me feeling nauseated . He let go of my head , I backed away immediately . “Why don’t you free yourself ,” I said bitterly . He stood in front of me , took a long pause to think about his response and then answered . “I can only free others, I cannot free myself ;that would be a sin .”
My watch read 8:30 , I only had thirty minutes left. The train was my only option . I knew the murdered wouldn’t kill me , my fate had already been told to me by a woman pushing a cart . I decided my only option was to tell the man what he wanted to hear. “ I apologize for meddling with your possession under the tarp , it was wrong of me , I know better than that .” The man looked at me quizzically , pondering my contradicting words . “ I have great respect for you , you know . I don’t have the stomach to free people as you do , but long for that skill .” He stood in front of me unmoving , “You needed a ride didn’t you ?” He ignored my complement completely . Hesitantly I replied “Yes ,I do . I am trying to get to the train station .”
“Where are my manners , my name is Randall Rutledge .” He put his hand out to shake mine . I did not meet his hand right way , I hesitated .I stumbled over my words , “my names Tom,” I replied .Fearfully I relinquished my hand to him ,he shook it ; I didn’t expect him to give it back .
The man began moving toward the driver’s side of his car, his back was turned toward me. I thought about running away , but I needed him . Randall turned his head round , “Hop in.” I walked to the passenger side , the window was rolled down , and I saw him grin but was at a loss for what he was grinning at . My hand wrapped around the handle and pulled the door open . I willingly got in the car with a murderer .
If I kept him talking maybe he would forget that I knew about the dead body . “When did you start freeing people, I imagine it must have been difficult the first time .” “You’d be surprised how easy it the action can be . It is as easy as pie . Do you have a favorite pie Tom ?”
The conversation moved casually from murder to pie as he spoke . The transition of topics wasn’t simple for me . I was astonished by his lack of emotion , that he felt nothing for the green eyed woman . “Pie , let see there are so many different flavors .There is pecan , banana cream, boston cream pie . ” My mind was racing to list flavors and my mouth was rambling to produce names . “If you had a favorite you’d have already said it ,”Randall said coldly .
I didn’t have a favorite , he was right . “Tom It is good that you don’t have a favorite , if you did , that’s all you would want ;your favorite , you have an open mind Tom , that’s rare .Rarer than a man lacking a favorite .”
He was about to miss the right turn to the station .I reminded him , “ Randall it the next right to the station .” The car made the turn in the direction I had said . The car stopped . He drove me to where I had asked . “Get out and follow me to the back of the truck.” I listened to his instructions and I beat him to the back of the truck and stood waiting . I held my breath waiting, for him to lift up the tarp again . He lifted the tarp , my body tensed as I waited for the gruesome sight . I saw what was underneath , and was baffled by what I saw.
The woman had disappeared , her body no longer visible . I reached my arm out waving over it over the spot I saw her lay in . My hand only felt air , for some reason I expected my fingers to brush over an invisible body .
“Where’d she go.” Randall spoke, “She went were all the deceased go ” he said sympathetically . I looked up at the sky , then to my feet , not truly understanding where her body really was. “I confessed to you that I killed her ,but you’ve got no proof Tom ,that is why I am letting you live this morning.” Before he turned to leave me , he shook my hand . In his hand he slipped me a small paper card . His last word to me were , “If you fear death , you’ll fear everything.”
I looked down at the black card once he had left ; the card was blank . I put the card in my shirt pocket , and went to board the train , I had fifteen minutes before work ;I would make it with a minute to spare .
The steel train doors opened .I entered cautiously waiting for the train to kill me instantly . I filled in with the rest of the morning commuters . We jostled around to find where we were going to be placed before the train lurched forward . I pulled out the card from my pocket that Randall had given to me and held it in my hand to inspect it once again I watched the card carefully ,and as I did words were being scrawled onto it out of thin air . The doors to the train closed , I stood before them glancing out the window . The train moved forward , but not all of me did ;there was something missing .Something wasn’t right ,but I couldn’t go back to get the missing piece .It was too late.
Cinder-Bay 