TRAIN

Waking up was not pleasant. The confusion, the headache and the dizziness all attacked me the moment I opened my eyes. Yeah, this is the shitty reality I remember.

At first I fancied my chances of mother's betrayal, and what led to it___ the whole confrontation with grandma, and the fight with Sid___ all being one of my usual nightmares. But things couldn't be that easy could it? We can't escape the consequences of our actions by wishful thinking.

So I sat up ready to face my life. I was in a small room with only this bed I woke up on and a cupboard by the side. Rising, I staggered out of the door. My head was ringing and heavy and painful. The brief journey through the hallway passed in a blur, not registered in my mind.

Soon I came into a different room or hallway?. A long room with seats lined at both sides with only a narrow aisle to pass between. I went through this room before stopping in front of another door. Here, voices were evident even before everything became clear with a suddenness. I blinked, seeing everything with new eyes as my brain started functioning again, gaining a sudden clarity.

I was in a train! That was my first thought.

Everything made sense now; seats lined in two rows with an aisle between, the scenery outside was blurry as it passed too quickly, and balance was unsteady because I was in something in motion.

That realization also came with questions. What am I doing in a train? A train to Camp? I decided to shelf those questions back for now and first to investigate. Who knows maybe I will find someone that can make everything clear? Hell, maybe this is all a big prank by my family to punish me for fighting Sid. Yes, no way they'd be that cruel to force me into a train___ heading to some secret school___ unless not, and it is just a prank. I thought that, but I didn't have much hope. It helped brighten up my mood however, and that could be chucked up as success.

The voices came ahead, I walked through the door. Same two rows of seats, an aisle in the center. Around a few seats ahead, four guys in their late teens stood staring down at someone sitting on a seat. Two of them held down the person, while the other two smirked down at them.

Looks like something illegal, I thought, quickly hiding behind a seat. Poking my head out slightly, I could partially see what the guys were doing. "Cooperate bitch, got anything of value there?" One of them said. He got spit on his face for his effort.

A girl? Am I gonna witness a robbery today? Maybe rape too. I searched, I didn't have my phone with me, fuck! Okay, maybe filming the train robbers is not a good idea anyway, at least until I figure out what's going on here.

Red faced, the thug tried to hit the girl but the other idle one pulled him back. "Step back a moment and cool your head Dan." The new guy said. He had short blond hair and blue eyes. The leader, I assume.

I didn't need a label to understand that, he has all the traits; tall, muscular and handsome. Of course I am a modern person so it goes beyond that. There's a commanding feeling to him, plus he's basically bossing the others around with his presence alone.

Just like I expected the other guy backed off. "Listen up girl," the blond guy said. "We want valuables..." he dodged a spittle flying at him. "I get the message, that's bitch vocabulary for fuck off. Dan, search her!"

Dan, red faced guy, stepped forward. I grimaced pitying the poor girl; He was lanky, ugly with long dark hair cascading beside a horse like face. "Don't you fucking dare!" The girl said, urgent and desperate. She struggled against those holding her.

I froze, Sid? It was Sid!

She struggled fiercer as Dan felt her up... Er, I think, I couldn't really see much from here. "Get your fucking hands off me you, faggot!"

"Or what?" The leader laughed. "Wait, wait, what? You gonna spit us to death?" He turned to Dan. "Don't touch more intimate places, ahem, just the pockets, ha, that's not possible it it?

"Don't touch me, fuck!" Sid screamed in frustration. The boys just laughed louder. I frowned, anger boiling in me.

They were four of them. Facing them didn't look ideal, but it's not like I can look the other way. The person suffering there is my sister after all. Whatever grudge we have with each other has no place here. Besides, she'd do the same for me.

Yes I didn't know what I am doing in a train, or who these delinquents are, but I decided to leave the questions for later since a while ago so I had no problem on that front. Shoot first, then ask questions has always kinda been my creed to be honest. I rose and stepped out of hiding. "Might think twice about that boys," I said.

Four pair of eyes turned to me. The leader studied me with interest then sneered. "Or what?" Dan said. He seemed the impulsive kind, eh? I ignored him and stared at the leader in the eye, he seems familiar but I can't remember where I had seen him.

"Let her go," I said.

He lifted an eyebrow. "Do you think you can make demands?"

I scoffed rolling my eyes. "What's this, an hostage situation?"

"Pretty much." He shrugged. "She with you?"

"None of your business," I smirked. "By the way, that thing you do with your eyes is so gay," Of course he didn't do anything with his eyes. This is just strategy, you know.

The guy laughed, surprisingly unaffected by my provocation. "You got a nasty tongue girl, Dan grab her."

At least the purpose was served. The horse faced gangly guy stepped forward. I let him walk right in front of me, and only when he tried to grab me did I react. I caught his hand and twisted it behind him, before stepping back and swinging a pin pointed kick at his ass. He swung forward like a pendulum falling headfirst on the train's floor.

Not stopping, I pressed my advantage. Before the rest of the guys could react I sprinted towards them. Closing the distance quickly, I sent a kick at the blond guy, but to my surprise he blocked. I huffed in irritation even if it sent him reeling backwards. But at least one thing went my way. In the light of the distraction I caused, Sid was able to break free from those holding her and pulled some distance away.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

The blond guy recovered quickly and sent back a fast punch at me. I barely blocked, drawing back hastily. Yikes, this guy is well trained! He'd probably break me apart in seconds in a one in one despite my respectable karate training. Maybe with Sid we could hold him down, but then again, we can't ignore his goons.

He looked relaxed, ready for a fight, but there's no way I am doing that. Is he stupid? Sid is already rescued, and now behind me, why the hell should I risk my well being for something stupid? "Run!" I yelled. Sid took off immediately. I followed right behind her. The delinquents followed after.

"Give it up!" One guy shouted. We ignored him as we concentrated on fleeing. Luckily we made it into another car, then quickly, I closed the intercarriage door between us and our pursuers, bolting it tight. [It had bolt yes,] The delinquents could only stare at us through the door's glass window from the other side. I gave them the middle finger then turned and walked away.

Following Sid I was surprised that she returned to the room I woke up in. But when I thought more about it, it made sense. Looks like first class, I thought closing the door, then I walked further into the room and plopped on the bed. "What the hell is happening here, eh blondie?" I asked.

She frowned at the name calling but answered. "Maybe this would help," she handed me a folded piece of paper.

"What's this?"

"Found it on the night stand when I came to. It's a letter from grandma,"

"Oh," I received it. "How did those guys catch you anyway?"

Sid scoffed, rolling her eyes. Instead of her blatant disregard and snub annoying me like usual, I just breathed in relieve. She didn't seem to hold a grudge about our fight in school. In fact, beside a small bruise on her cheek and forehead she seems relatively fine despite how much I bashed her. I was the same too.

Healed already hasn't it?; I shuddered.

"Well?" I cleared my throat.

Sid shrugged, shifting on her feet, avoiding eye contact. "I woke up before you..."

"Here?"

"Yeah, they dumped us on the same bed can you imagine? You were all tangled around me, snoring like hell. I am sure that's half the reason I woke up before you."

"Fuck you blondie!" I glared at her. "You know I don't snore!"

She rolled her eyes again. "Anyway, I decided to explore,"

"Alone? Only you will come to such a stupid decision, and it almost got you killed!"

Sid glared at me. "Would you let me fucking finish!? As I was saying, I went out to explore when I bumped into Brad and the rest."

"Brad?"

"You don't remember him?" Sid stared at me incredulously.

"Should I? He kinda looked familiar."

"More than that. Seriously Sam, we visited their house when we were 12, the big house in Detroit."

"The US?"

"No Iraq... Yes the US,"

"The Storms? Yeah, I remember now.

Those uppity assholes in their glassy mansion, kept implying we are fucking upstarts."

"You are not totally senile I see," Sid scoffed. Seeing as she wasn't offering anymore, I ignored her and unfolded the paper she gave me.

*[Dear Sid and Sam]*

*[I imagine you are confused finding yourselves in a train in the middle of nowhere.]*

"The middle of nowhere is news actually," I muttered looking out the window. I saw only trees and mountain rages, it was bright out too.

*[You are in a train headed to Camp. There you'll learn a great many things not taught anywhere else in the world.. In fact, Camp must not be seen by you two a prison, but an opportunity to ascend the mundane, to Transcend humanity, to experience what many are not privileged to learn.]*

*[Many influential people had attended Camp when they were younger: You are unruly girls, you'll love it.]*

*[Regardless, I must warn you; Camp is no fairy land. You'll die in a moment of weakness, the routine is hell, and survival always seem hopeless, so look out for each other.]*

*[Grow your forces together, because in the end, the only one you can trust is each other. About allies you could get help from the Storms or the Diggers once, by giving my name, but only when you are very desperate.]*

*[And everything you do, remember you represent the family, so learn faster than the competition, study their tricks and habits. And above all, return home safe.]*

*[Good luck girls. Yours truly; Ana Ravens, your beloved grandmother. PS go easy on me with the curses]*

"Fucking bitch!" I screamed in rage jumping to my feet.

"Same word I had for her, vile motherfucker!" Sid said.

"Like, this doesn't making any sense!" I threw my hands in the air. "I clearly told them I am not going, then mom went ahead and drugged me anyway! I feel very betrayed right now, I want to hit something."

"I share your feelings,"

"What are you, an instigator?" I gave her a dirty look.

"Do you want to start a fight?" She lifted an eyebrow.

We glared at each other for a moment then I sighed and took a deep breath. She's right, I am a big asshole. "Okay, I am jumping off this train, no way I am going to that Camp whatever, who knows, it might be a big factory for unconsenting organ donors."

"I don't know how you came to that conclusion....,"

"God, we are screwed!" I fell back on the bed. "My phone, my friends, my life are half the world away for all I know, while I am trapped in a fucking train of all things headed to prison." I felt a deep sense of anger, fear and helplessness. Where's the human right police when you need them? Oh no, no one ever thought of making one. That makes me more screwed than I earlier thought.

"You know this is your fault right?" Sid said. I ignored her feeling exhausted after my outburst. "If you didn't start that fight then we wouldn't be in this predicament."

"Oh yeah?" I scoffed. "And our punishment just somehow coincided with the opening year of this 'Camp'? Stupid blondie, use your head for once, this was planned for years, grandma was just looking for an excuse!"

"You gave her that excuse. And what do you mean by planned?"

I sat up and looked at Sid. She was leaning against the door, her hands folded across her chest. "The training in the mansion." I said conspiratorially. I was a little excited to uncover something they'd been hiding from us. "They trained us since we were eight and only stopped after the divorce. What were they training us for? We learned martial arts, throwing, ridding, quick thinking, dance and those strange electric things."

Sid was skeptical. "That was to make us all full aristocrats and all."

"Looks like spy training to me though,"

"I thought you didn't like conspiracies?"

"I don't like alien or magic or religion conspiracy. I like something real. This all makes sense now; they were training us so we could thrive in Camp,"

"Don't know," Sid frowned. "Seems far fetched to me,"

I glared at her then fell back on the bed. "Fucking blondie," I muttered. She can't just agree with me, what a bitch. "So what are... "

A loud honk interrupted what I was about to say. As if obeying some instruction the train suddenly slowed then stopped. It was almost abrupt that everything jerked. "The train has stopped," Sid pointed the obvious.

I rose to my feet. "What do we do?"

"I think we should check it out," Sid shrugged. I frowned at my foolishness of asking for her opinion; I should have just taking charge, but I did not see any flaw in her suggestion so I agreed.

"Fine," I nodded. Then we set out together.

For advance chapter be a PATREON!

Link; patreon.com/Ensii99