The Odd Family's Book of Bedtime Stories

The Woman on the Train

Zoe leaned her head back against the glass behind her, crossing her ankles and tucking her feet beneath her seat. The subway wasn't as packed as it normally was today and she was grateful for that. Zoe hated crowds, though she did love to watch people and the subway was always a good place for that. All sorts of people needed to ride the subway and some of the things she saw were unforgettable- both good and bad.

An elderly woman sat a few seats down from her, holding on tightly to a small grocery bag. She wore a giant fur coat and a tiny brown hat that sat unevenly on her white hair. She seemed like a kind lady and Zoe imagined her bag was full of cans of cat food. She was probably someone's grandmother. The young man in front of her was probably writing music. He had on large, expensive headphones while his shoes were inexpensive and worn. He was focused on a notebook in his lap, bumping his head to a beat only he could hear while he scribbled away.

The old lady and the young man were long gone when two men got on the train, walking with a young woman between them. Zoe imagined that she was some sort of celebrity and they were her bodyguards. She didn't pay them very well, by the looks of them. They were a little dirty and not dressed nearly as well as the girl. They also seemed like they were nervous or paranoid, constantly scanning the other passengers. All three sat down directly across the aisle from Zoe.

At first, Zoe didn't pay much attention to the trio. Then she noticed that the young woman was staring at her. She leaned forward slightly, her dark eyes locked directly on Zoe. She didn't look away, didn't blink. Her face was expressionless and creepy. It almost seemed like she was challenging Zoe, or angry with her in some way.

A few seats down, a man who had been there for a while had also taken notice. He wore hospital scrubs and a name badge, clearly making a long work commute. He occasionally looked up from his laptop to look at the trio and then back down. He was also watching Zoe, his expression intense but friendly. It was obvious he was also wondering what was going on with the girl across the aisle. Still, the staring continued. Zoe tried not to make eye contact.

A few more people got off at the next stop, leaving only the man, the trio, and Zoe. She was grateful that she wasn't alone with them and that she only had one more stop before hers. The man with the scrubs got up and came to sit beside Zoe. It took a few moments for her to realize he was trying to get her attention. Zoe frowned, checking the message on his laptop's brightly illuminated screen.

You have to get off at the next stop with me. It is not safe to stay on the train.

Zoe wasn't sure why she got off the subway with the man in the scrubs. She had no proof that he was any safer than the trio, only her gut instinct. There was just something about them that made her skin crawl and she believed that he was right- it wouldn't have been safe to stay. As soon as the subway pulled away, the man in the scrubs turned to look at Zoe.

"She was creepy, huh?" Zoe said. She wiped her sweaty palms on her jeans, a bit confused.

"She was dead." The man replied, getting out his cellphone and dialing a number. "They were just holding up her body. Hello? I would like to report a murder..."