Warm air burst forth from the entrance as Teddy pried the steel coated door open, his arms quaked under its weight. The sensation that assaulted them was like that of opening an oven, with the sudden shift in temperature invoking perspiration upon Kona’s brow. Steam wisped about from the interior of the train car as the balmy and icy air grew entwined with one another, their entanglement rising to the heavens, melding into obscurity. With their fading, light hissing would resonate, as if the warm air itself was whimpering one last time, before being assimilated.
Teddy grunted, still struggling to fully pry the door open. Gears took note of this and lightly chuckled, much to Teddy’s chagrin. In his attempt to dissuade such rude behavior by shaking his head at Gears, Teddy lost his grip on the door, leading it to be shut once more. The clang of the door slamming echoed throughout the wayward wasteland, sending a jolt through Teddy’s form as he lunged forth into Kona’s arms out of fear.
Kona, perceiving this as an act of platonic affection, hugged him, “Aw, thanks buddy! It’s been a hella long time since I’ve had one of these! Exactly thirteen years, four months, and five days, actually!”
Teddy stepped back, “ Though I am glad it is being perceived affectionately on your end, by no means did I initiate that cognizantly! It was merely a fear induced response, I apologize for the uncouth action on my part.”
“Accident or not, I got a hug. A win is a win!” Kona replied.
“It only occurred because SOME people have the tendency to find whimsy in the hardships of others!” Teddy pouted.
“Yeah, I love me some AFV!” said Kona.
Teddy shook his head, “No, I am speaking of our mono-optical compatriot! Surely you see the fallacy of jeering your cohort when they are attempting a task most difficult, don’t you, Gears?”
Gears chuckled again, “Someone has to take that word of the day calendar away from ya. If it bothered ya that much, sorry. It’s just, you sounded like you were in labor, pal! Can’t be that hard.”
“If it seems so easy, why do I not see you making an attempt to facilitate our entry?” Teddy retorted.
“Nah, if it is THAT heavy, I ain’t gonna do it myself. In the time it took ya to get dilated there, I would’ve paid two burly goons to open that door three times over. Art of the deal, baby.” said Gears, flashing Teddy a pair of finger guns.
“Charming. Pray tell, where would you obtain the services of said henchmen?” Responded Teddy.
“Don’t gotta look far! We got this amazonian here!” said Gears, playfully nudging a proud Kona, “Bud, you gotta stop forgetting you got folks here to help ya! You’re the guy after all, if you think something plays to our strengths, you best tell us! You ain’t paying us to be twiddling our thumbs!”
“I’m not getting paid at all,” Kona interjected, still smiling.
“And you already got someone doing unpaid labor? Keeping the American Dream alive, I see! You got the makings of a middle manager, my friend!” Gears said, laying a hand on an annoyed Teddy’s shoulder.
Teddy lowered his head in a combination of annoyance and defeat, “Very well… Kona, if you wish, would it trouble you to open the door for me? You do not have to, if you do not wish, but the assistance would be appreciated…”
Kona gave him an eager nod, “Sure, buddy! I’m here to help you guys out! It’s what friends are for!”
“Tell me how you managed to recontextualize a slight at my physical capabilities to a somewhat meaningful insight into my position amongst our party,” said a dejected Teddy.
“Well, I didn’t live this long by hitting the gym! Ya gotta play to your strengths out here,” said Gears, giving Teddy a confident thumbs up.
Kona walked past the pair of stout service bots and began to make work of the barrier denying entry further into the train. She grunted and struggled. The door’s heat gave her pause and stifled her attempts to garner entry as the scalding air took her aback. The sheer heat exuding from the towering barrier rivaled the infernal final kiss of the desert sands. In her struggle, she had sampled the scorching embrace that dissolved many a traveler. As she tugged and pulled, it felt as if a force was working opposite to her, attempting to return the door back to its sealed position. The pair watched her continue to grapple with it, while Teddy chuckled to himself, nudging a confused Gears. He found himself dumbfounded that someone of Kona’s stature was having issues with opening it as well.
The more the two inspected the scene, the more they realized she was not at fault for the extensive will of the barrier. As they peered closer, they noticed that it appeared an internal force was preventing them from gaining entry. Kona wheezed and gasped, continuing to pull open the door, but it was all for naught. With an unbridled force, the door shut closed with the same erupting burst that startled Teddy moments ago. The three of them stared in stunned silence, unable to ascertain why it would deny them entry in such a way. The manner in which it slammed was not of a mechanical nature, and it seemed to struggle in tandem against Kona, as if it was attempting to assert its dominance.
“I suppose the fault did not lie with me after all. Perhaps you were too curt in overlooking my physical prowess,” Teddy said sarcastically, with a tinge of nervousness.
“Alright, calm down, Mr. Universe,” Gears retorted, “Someone clearly don’t want us poking around.”
“Dammit! I really tried! I think it’s mad at me now. I’ve had people mean mug me and I’m getting that vibe from the door now,” said a winded Kona.
“No need to apologize, Miss Kona, you tried your best and that is what counts. Gears is right to assume that though. I have great confidence in your strength, you were not allotted to an ill-suited endeavor,” Teddy said, his hand to his chin while he examined the now sealed entrance.
“If we had an extra land mine we could just blow the thing off,” said Gears.
“Right you are, but judging from the frankly decrepit condition of the train, that would likely reduce us to ash,” Teddy responded, touching the edges of the door.
Kona spit on her palms and rubbed them together, before flashing a confident smile, and marched to the door, “It’s like what Gears just said, Ted! When in doubt, break and enter!”
“I am confident that his expression did not even contain any of those words. ”
Gears shook his head, “Nah, she gots the broad strokes down to a science. Proud of ya! Remind me to dig out a GED from a dumpster for you, Kona!”
“Awesome! I got friends and an education now! Things are looking up for Kona! And to top it off, I can feel the door loosening!”
“Ya see? Something something, you can do anything you put your mind to. Why can’t you be this easy to hype up, Ted?” Gears said while patting Teddy’s back.
Kona gritted her teeth, her knees nearly buckling from the force she exerted onto herself while she attempted to gain them entry. Sweat ran down her forehead while she could feel her wrists begin to lock up under her own force. However, as she noticed a moment ago, it appeared that with every tug, the door was loosening. As the door inched towards them, she could feel a distinct tearing sensation, as if the force fighting against was snapping, one point of tension at a time. With every snap, she could feel the force she had to use lighten, little by little. Teddy and Gears looked on at this, and excitedly stepped forth.
While they approached though, something began to feel amiss to Teddy. The ease at which they found themselves gaining passageway felt much too convenient. Though it was fighting for its life mere moments ago, Kona seemed to be opening the door with ease that shouldn’t be possible. Teddy’s eyes widened at the realization that the force securing their passage was not the doing of Kona, but was the doing of whatever lurked within.
“Get down, now!” Teddy screamed, lunging forth to pull Kona to the ground of the gangway.
Despite not understanding what exactly was amiss, as soon as he heard the command, Gears dropped to the ground, covering his head while he did so. He knew that if there was danger afoot, Teddy would be the first to notice. A confused Kona met the gangway surface as well, rubbing her now aching head, Teddy’s urgency not giving her enough time to brace herself. However, seeing what unfolded mere inches above her made her more than grateful that a light bruise was all she had to worry about. At least in this scenario, she got to keep her head.
Soaring above the trio was the solid as metallic slab, now amongst the soaring, whimpering winds. The force opposite the trio launched the door at a speed lethal enough to kill any of them on impact. Though, despite its initial graceful embarkation into aviation, the acrobatics of the steel slab would meet a swift end as it slammed into the opposing train car’s door, and scraped against the hull of the train before being tossed into the infinite night.
A frazzled Teddy stood up, barely able to contain his panic, “Goodness gracious! We could have very well been swatted like a common housefly! Perish the thought!”
Kona stood up as well, dusting herself off and still retaining her whimsy, “Gee, Ted, don’t lose your head! Get it? Because we almost got decapitated!”
“I am well aware, Kona.”
The trio quickly got to their feet, attempting to reassert themselves and get their bearings. The exhilaration of their brush with the beyond distilled a knowing silence between them as the initial shock wore off. Even Kona’s attempts at levity would fade, her chest tightening as the reality of the situation had begun to set in. The three of them shared uncomfortable, rattled stares with one another, before noticing the clear passageway before them.
Teddy’s gaze shifted to the frame where the door once stood, and what he saw sent a shiver to his core. Lining the frame was a distinct red layer of a viscous fluid, which was slowly dripping down before meeting the gangway flooring with a sizzle. Scarlet roots and tendrils squeezed and bent the metallic frame, the veins seemingly shaping the hull to its will. The more he examined these vein-like tendrils, the more he could see them distinctly pulsating with the veracity of one’s heart-beat when frightened. From them he could even hear a thumping sound that corroborated his assertion, the rhythm of their throes were hypnotic in nature, as it seemed to overpower the sound of the train’s engine itself. The velvet stains inspired his anxiety to sputter and twist his composure, the mere sight of them leading him to assume the worst.
The revelation of what lurked within the next train car was almost enough to send Teddy crashing back down to the ground, his innards feeling as if they were being twisted into a malleable toy by the powers that be. However, he could also feel a tinge of relief shimmer deep within the depths of the dread that enraptured him. Kona and Gears shared a similar sentiment, looking on in adulation, before they realized just how grim the situation truly was. The pair took a step back in hesitation, while Teddy remained steadfast despite his trepidation, his eyes unmoving from the sight that was sending him to the precipice of spiraling.
“Kayda!” Teddy exclaimed with an arm extended to her.
Within the train car, they could see plain as day, was Kayda. Though the initial sight of her inspired a jovial sense of accomplishment, this feeling of merit would almost immediately be dissolved. They had hoped their reunion would be accompanied by celebration, but instead they were met with dire straits none of them were equipped to handle, even if they were to combine their strengths.
A petrified Kayda stood still as oak, dead center of the room, her teeth gritted and her face contorted into pure terror. She stood in the same manner Teddy saw her last, with one of her arms pinning the other down with enough force to stop a self-driving car that thirsted for blood. The scarlet fluid that composed the tendrils dripped from her palm, and ate away at the floor, further comprising the structural integrity of the train. If the display they just witnessed was anything to go by, it appeared yet another incident occurred, sending the door careening into the night. From her feet, the very same tendrils that would spur from her palms grew and pulsated across the entirety of the car’s interior. They sprouted from her heels like roots from a tree, and hugged and ate away at the walls, floors, and ceiling. From the roots on the ceiling, fluid would drip, turning the scene into a controlled acid rain drizzle that led to the room’s air becoming pungent and rancid. The stench of boiling blood permeated the interior and assaulted the senses.
While the scene came into full view, the three of them soon realized that Kayda was not the only one in the room. Surrounding Kayda was an assortment of fellow passengers, both human and robotic, aiming various devices and weapons at the horror-stricken child. Though they were threatening her with the wrath that could be wrought with their menagerie of instruments, they too seemed to be awe struck, many of them cowering in place. The wiry, velvet growths seemed to coil around the areas in which the passengers stood, as if Kayda was either subconsciously or consciously avoiding making direct contact with them as best she could. And, yet they seemed to be at her mercy at the same time. The edges of blades quivered, and the quivers on backs quaked. Fingers caressed the edges of their triggers, but dare not initiate the release they so desperately craved. The tension that permeated the room was as brittle as aged bone. Both Kayda and the passengers were victims of one another, as both parties froze in terror, aghast at what the other could possibly unleash upon them.
“I-I didn’t mean to do that! I told you guys, I can’t control it! T-The more you aim, the harder it is… I can’t think, okay?! Please, I don’t want to hurt anyone!” Kayda sobbed, trying her best to stop herself from unleashing another beam of tendrils.
“You really think we’re just gonna let ya go? I’m from New Four Corners, we don’t negotiate with no terrorists! S-Someone’s gotta put ya down like a dog!” Choked out a nearby man, shaking in place and struggling to keep his grip on his makeshift pistol.
Similarly dressed individuals, adorned in American flag themed garb cheered on the man, unrelenting in their positioning, despite the certain death that dangled and swayed above them. Kayda’s unintentional grip around their lives tightened at their steadfast reaction, her sinewy clasp growing more contorted.
“I-I’m not a terrorist! I promise, please! If everyone calms down, I might be able to retract everything. I haven’t hurt anyone, and I don’t want to!” Kayda cried once more, while tears streamed down her cheeks.
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“This here train runs right into New Four Corners. If we let ya live to that point, we’d be guilty of allowing a commie to enter the last of the great American soil! And then your freaky little tentacles might give birth and you’ll spread!” said another man.
“That’s probably what she wants! To get her freak babies across the border!” yelled a nearby woman, aiming down the sights of her rifle, mere seconds from pulling the trigger.
“Yeah, that’s totally not the magic blood powers lighting this place up, but the glow of an expecting mother! Come, she’s like twelve, dipshits!” Gears exclaimed, shattering the tension, causing everyone to shift their gaze to him.
Kayda looked to the trio and beamed with relief, her eyes glistening while tears continued to well up. Her composure softened upon seeing them, and her tendrils seemed to begin to retract ever so slightly. Just seeing them was enough to send her heart into ease. Despite witnessing a display most monstrous and eldritch, Teddy was unwavering in his loyalty, and seeing him come to her aid once more finally began to solidify her trust in him. Through her initial outburst, and the kerfuffle that they had all found themselves in, he remained resolute in ambitions. Maybe he really did care. Maybe he truly wasn’t afraid of her, and perhaps neither were Kona and Gears. Even though they were witnessing the most vile side of her, a side she had tried her best to keep hidden, their disgust did not lie with her, but with her mistreatment. In her time traversing the train alone, she couldn’t help but regret her decision to abandon the friends that had gotten her this far. Though she told herself it was for their own safety, it was mostly for her own. She perished the thought of being faced with this level of hostility from those she grew to truly care about. And yet, here they were, not concerned with her grotesque abilities in the slightest. Maybe she could trust them after all.
While the tension on the part of Kayda began to subside bit by bit, the same could not be said for the agitation of the passengers. The crowd was practically frothing at the mouth simply thinking about snuffing out a perceived enemy of the state, with visions of becoming an American hero clouding their judgment. The lot of them grimaced at Gear’s interjection, the masses now directing their vitriol at the scoundrel that dared defend a possible red menace.
“Easy, y’all! I promise you she doesn’t wanna hop your little border. She probably gets better healthcare out here anyways,” Gears jeered.
“This don’t concern the lot of you! We don’t need any outsiders to help us, we got this!” said a bystander gripping a baseball bat.
“Yeah, yeah, and you guys are doing a stand up job! Reagan would be proud,” Gears said sarcastically, “But ya see, this is all one big misunderstanding. See, my shiny friend over there ain’t from around here and-”
The mere notion of this twisted the entire crowd's focus onto the trio, the passengers stared daggers at Teddy, assuming him to be a foreign enemy to the state as well. Teddy brought his hand to his head and rubbed it in frustration, while Gears stepped forward, gesturing a plea to the masses to ease their demeanors.
“At ease, soldiers! We don’t want any trouble! I just meant the little guy just woke up. Hell, the placenta probably ain’t even dry yet! All I was going to say was that his declaration of the amber alert might’ve been a screw up,” Gears chuckled, “Now, I love New Four Corners as much as you all, but you know what I love more? The people of NFC. Now, it would bring a tear to my eye if the NFC was robbed of its upstanding citizens that are just trying to do the right thing.”
“They’re aiming their weapons at a child, in what sense is that the right thing?” Teddy whispered to Gears.
“Shh, shh, let me cook,” Gears whispered back, swatting away at Teddy.
The crowd seemed to react positively to Gear’s commendation of New Four Corners and her people, their composure actively softening as their intrigue in his speech piqued. Their intent of maiming Kayda seemed to become stifled the more they listened to Gear’s praise of their home city, as they nodded fervently in agreement with him. With this newfound lack of defense, it was as if they had begun to forget about the eldritch tendrils that were drawing ever closer, readying themselves to coil around their forms and dissolve them into a bubbling paste. A good pep rally makes you forget all your problems, after all. It’s right behind five dollar gift cards given to corporate employees to temporarily forget about the soul crushing nature of their jobs.
“I know the lot of ya are facing something you’ve never seen before! You sure ain’t seen nothing like her on your pop pop’s farm! Closest thing you’ve seen is when the missus is seeing her aunt Flo, am I right, gentlemen? Or when the husband comes home from serving the glorious nation, covered in the glory of battle, right ladies?” Gears goads, playfully pointing at the audience that grew more and more engaged.
The crowd hollered and cheered on Gears’ words, chuckling at his remarks as the mood of the room continued to soften by the second. The hostility in the air dissipated like the embers and smoke from a campfire being briskly whisked away by winter’s wind. With every sentence, Gears would take a few steps forward, slowly beckoning for his cohorts to follow suit, the implication being to act casual. As he spoke, Kona and Teddy nodded along, simulating faux interest. At least on Teddy’s part, as Kona was subject to the same genuine awe and whimsy the passengers found themselves reveling in.
“I gotta be speaking some sense here when I say, shouldn’t outsider problems be solved by outsiders? She ain’t no American, so why should you fine folks have to care about her? Why dirty them supple, yet gruff fine American hands! They should be aiding the American dream! Not be buried in the filth of the outside world! The lot of you are above matters like these. So please, pay the kid no mind, let the filth deal with the filth,” Gears said, drawing closer to Kayda.
“He’s right! America’s gotten this far without caring for the needs of others! By God we even survived The Fall itself!” a nearby passenger said, nodding in agreement with Gears.
“I can’t blame loyal citizens for being willing to die for the glory of the state, but what is the state without her people? I’m sure you folks have your lot in life to return to, something that makes NFC ooze the American spirit like apple pie filling. If your nation lost you folks, well, it loses the bits that make it special, like the onions and relish on a frank! So, please, leave this to us. You might not bring NFC the glory of the kill, but you already bring her glory, by being the best citizens any nation could ask for,” Gears said confidently, giving the masses a proud thumbs up.
“...I don’t know about y’all, but I think we should trust this here robit,” said Kona, in the best southern accent she could muster.
“Who knew someone not from New Four Corners would love it so much…” said a woman wielding a tire iron.
“A foreigner not expecting NFC to do everything around here? Simply incredible!” Another man wailed.
“I would buy a used car AND life insurance from that bot!” Yelled someone else.
“I’ve sold both!” Gears chortled.
Reluctantly, the masses slowly lowered their weapons, their pride of being the last Americans bolstered enough to misconstrue their own values, and allow “outsiders” to assist them in their plight. Though their egos were sated, the begrudgement of their yield was not without some trepidation, as the reality of the situation began to slowly dawn on them once more. Despite the trio’s eventual arrival at Kayda’s side, the crimson veins were still strewn about the cabin, their coils unrelenting. With the cessation of the adulation, so came the return of suffocating enmity that mired the collective consciousness.
Gears leaned and whispered to Kayda, “Alright, kid, now’s the part where you sniffle them things back in like dripping boogers.”
Kayda looked at him with a somber grimace, “I-I can’t! When I’m too scared, I can’t control when they come out.
Gears shook his head, “I heard of kids wettin’ the bed when they were scared but this is ridiculous!”
“I-I’m sorry, please don’t be mad at me, I didn’t want any of this to happen… I-I think it would be better if you guys just left me. You might get hurt and-”
“I know you'd never hurt us, kid. I mean, look how far we made it into your little acid jungle gym. I know deep down in your heart, you’d never truly harm anyone, especially these putzes,” Gears said, gesturing to the nearby passengers.
“Please believe in yourself more, Miss Kayda, believe in the faith we have in you. You can contain it, I know you can,” Teddy said softly.
“Yeah! If you wanted to, you could’ve turned this room into a tub of red goo! Some real Hellraiser stuff! But ya didn’t! That shows how much control you already do have!” Interjected Kona gleefully.
“A tad garish, but what she says holds true,” Teddy confirmed, laying a hand on Kayda’s shoulder, “You may not be able to utilize your abilities to a preferable extent as of now, but we shall be at your side supporting you until you can. There is no need to be afraid.”
Kayda was silent, unable to to vocalize her sheer gratitude at their words. Her lip quivered into a sheepish smile as she lowered her head, her composure easing while her breathing began to steady. Her death grip around her other arm grew non existent, while she finally adjusted her footing. She trudged forth, her gait carrying notes of pure exhaustion. Beneath her former footing, warped craters embedded in the metal could be seen simmering, the escaped air crackling as it dissipated.
With a deep breath, Kayda attempted to hone in on her focus. Her friends' affirmations ignited something within her. No longer were the embers of fear and agonizing isolation engulfing her core. In the place of where those fires once roared was now distinct warmth that she never knew she yearned for. Closing her eyes, she could feel the shrieking and distorted hissing ringing in her skull fade away, and with its cessation, she was able to release herself from her terror.
Throughout the cabin, the sound of slithering flesh could be heard gliding against the metallic composition of the room.The wiry, sinew-like appendages released their grip from the train car, and thus, the threat to the unintentional, proverbial hostages was rescinded. The hull of the cabin moaned as metal bent back into place, as if the train itself was letting out a sigh of relief. Slowly, the tendrils and vines that pullulated from her ankles seeped back into Kayda’s flesh through the pours on her skin. The red, pulsating glow on Kayda’s palm continued for a few moments, but finally stopped as the last vein crawled back into her.
Her eyes fluttered as her body began to feel faint from the sheer amount of force she had to exert in order to rescind her blood. She could feel her heart sputter as the tendrils reacclimated to her body, returning to their original fluid properties. This reassimilation itself was a test of gumption all on its own. The world around her seemed to grow more distant, and in her developing fugue state, she reached for her friends. Before she could say anything, her body went limp and she collapsed. Her descent was interrupted however, as Kona lunged forth to catch her unconscious body.
“She’s okay! She’s breathing!” Kona exclaimed, “Aw, she got all tuckered out! She had a big day!”
“The kid is gonna go places, I didn’t hold no one hostage until I was twenty! She’s already streets ahead,” said Gears.
Teddy looked at Kayda and let out a sigh of relief, “I-I am just glad she’s okay… Jiminy, may the powers that be may bless me with no further ordeals such as this. I cannot stand to see her in such peril.”
“You ain’t gonna get out that easy, bub. The lord loves it when they squirm! Your stress is an all you can eat buffet for whoever is running the show! Just relax, guy. We got her now.”
The group took solace in the fact that the ordeal had finally come to a conclusion, despite the dire straits that evolved with the situation. All of them could feel a weight release from their mind and souls, as they took pride in another tribulation conquered and remedied. Though a moment of respite was earned for their efforts, this period of peace was not destined to last. Before they could gracefully take their leave, the passengers took note of the manner in which they treated Kayda, and seemed to take issue with it, if their discontented and agitated murmurs were anything to go by. Even though the outcome reached was most favorable per the whims of the group, their fellow passengers had a different idea of a resolution. One less peaceful, to be exact.
“Hey, bot, we thought you were gonna teach the brat a lesson! Not coddle her!” One man yelled.
“Yeah, she gots to be killed! You said you were gonna handle it! This ain’t what we pictured!” Another woman concurred.
“The Vale already has a ton of freaks! This one don’t gotta live! Taking this one out will make it a better place!” Screamed a man adorned in torn army fatigues.
Kona, Teddy, and Gears froze in place, their eyes wide as the crowd began to draw closer. Their penchant for violence was reignited, and now able to act on their own accord, it seemed they were ready to make up for lost time. The eyes of the crowd were brimming with malice, their teeth barred with every scathing, hateful slight to Kayda. If one were to look deeper into fires roaring in their pupils, one could see a tinge of fear fueling these flames of loathing. The fear of something they could not possibly understand grappled their minds. Though Kayda was now in an inert state in which she could no longer pose a threat to them, they held onto their abhorrence of what she represented to them. The idea that they were nothing in the face of the unfathomable. In reality, this was a notion created in bad faith. Kayda was not something they could never understand, but someone they outright refused to understand. Nevertheless, their hate and fear persisted, unwavering as they continued to surround the party attempting to abscond. It was clear that there was no reasoning with them from this point on.
Teddy, Gears, and Kona with Kayda cradled in her arms slowly inched their way to the door opposite from their entrance, trying their best to disway the notions of distrust that were brewing about in the cabin.
“Oh yes, certainly! We are simply taking this child to the authorities! We must go through the proper channels and whatnot. It is not an execution without an exorbitant amount of paperwork, is it not? Now, if you excuse us, we shall take our leave,” Teddy stammered, trying his best to formulate the grizzliest lie he could muster.
“Y-Yeah! I wonder how they’ll do it! I’m a big fan of firing squads!” Kona said nervously, looking to her cohorts for support in her statements.
“Oh, i-indeed! Label me as soft, but I am actually partial to anything that is quick and without pain! Why waste resources on rapscallions who have surely sullied the safety of our peers!” Teddy responded, using himself as a barrier between his friends and the mob that drew closer.
Kona nodded, “Yup! But, darn. You guys were right, I should have got my child execution license a long time ago! Now we have all that… paperwork. Yeah.”
Their platitudes of violence did not resonate within the hearts of the mob, who could tell that they did not share the same reverence for capital punishment. The malcontent within the cabin was palpable and coated the tongue with a bitter tang. Kona and Teddy scrambled trying to find the right words that would soothe the callous whims of the crowd, but their promises of barbarics would fall onto deaf ears.
Seeing this, Gears could not help but grow frustrated at the situation’s descent into chaos, and began to blame himself for not formulating a viable exit strategy. Never did he forget to secure a means of an escape when a scam, scheme, or caper went awry. Yet, here he was, at the mercy of people who knew he could sell sand to in a desert. He looked back at an unconscious Kayda, befuddled as to why he put everything on the line for a child he’s known for a day at best. This confusion only further aggravated him, and yet, he could not bring himself to blame her or Teddy and Kona for this. The scathing remarks from the mob did not do his stirring anger any favors either.
“Tsk tsk, didn’t any of ya yokels learn to read the fine print? Oh wait, I forgot you gotta know to read to do that!” Gears said with a condescending hand wave.
Teddy and Kona gasped, sputtering while they tried to save face with the passengers. However, part of them already knew that their previous attempts at preserving the peace were all for naught, as it seemed nothing would stifle the blood lust that permeated the room.
“They weren’t gonna let us go, guys. If we are gonna eat it, I want these hicks to know what I really think. I ain’t ever gonna go down an ass kisser!” Gears exclaimed.
The crowd stopped in shock at Gears’s remarks, embarrassed they bought into the words of someone who truly did not care for their convictions. Red faced from shame, many members of the mob readied their weapons, and took aim at the party. Bats and blades swung into the air, while pistols and rifles were loaded. The party shut their eyes, ready to face oblivion. Fear and regret washed over them, while the sheer adrenaline coursing through them prevented them from formulating last thoughts worthy of note.
However, before they reached a bitter end, and hear a crescendo of gunshots and blunt force, something far more blaring would snatch everyone’s attention. The once tumultuous crowd was now dead silent as they averted their eyes away from their victims and to the source of the uproarious crack of lead. What they saw was enough to make the crowd part ways like the Red Sea, gaining way to a presence that was enough to subdue them in submission. In an instant, they lowered their weapons and bowed their heads, some of them even brought to tears from the sheer power of what stood before them. The party slowly opened their eyes, their thoughts clouded from how closely their souls grazed death. Though they were whisked from its grasp, it would not be long before their next brush. This certainty was all too apparent to them, as even though they were safe from the mob’s clutches, they were not privy to if this figure posed yet another threat.
Between the masses of passengers that lined both sides of the cabin, a sole silhouette stood at the side entrance of the car. Its arm extended upward, holding tightly onto a glistening steel revolver. Smoke seeped from the barrel of the firearm as the smell of gunfire contaminated the air, the smell so pungent, one could almost taste it. With one swift movement confounding to the eye, the figure placed the firearm back into its holster before letting out a vexed sigh.
“Now, what do we have here, folks?”
image [https://i.ibb.co/QK35JCJ/Chapter-5.png]