Scouting For Romance

Entry 7

Day 12, Month 14, Year 572

1300 Hours

Everyone is stupid except for me.

The day was passing normally, Tytus went off to chat with some people and make new friends, while I stayed planted in my seat. I was still embarrassed from yesterday and didn't want to talk to anyone.

I wrote a little scenario of my ideal wedding with Tytus to pass the time, and drew a doodle... but I want this journal to become historical record and what I wrote isn't exactly 'appropriate'.

But then, around 1300, the conductor and a lot of staff went up front to speak to us all. They mentioned how that avalanche yesterday made them a bit behind schedule, so we should be arriving in Piekachowice's station very early tomorrow, so everyone needs to plan accordingly. He thanked us all for helping out, mentioned he was very glad that nobody died of frostbite despite a certain scare, things like that.

Then, flick! The lights went out, my eyes couldn't adjust fast enough.

BANG! A gunshot erupted through the car, the muzzle flash lighting the inside for just a fraction of a second.

"AAAH!" Rita screamed, then I heard her collapse to the ground.

Something heavy fell in my lap.

The lights came on a second later, and the conductor with all his staff were braced for cover, either pressing themselves against walls or they dove to the floor and were only just picking themselves up. I looked around, and it was the same for everyone else. We're all either current or former soldiers, it's natural to have that kind of reaction.

"Rita!" The conductor screamed, "nooo!!" He dove to the ground at the front of the car, out of my view as a seat blocked my vision. "Is anyone a doctor?!"

Marian rose and scrambled past Ludwik, "I-I am! I'm a trained medic!" He ran to the front of the train and, a moment later, said "I'm sorry, she's dead."

Gasps rose from the passengers, I saw Tytus cover his mouth in terror.

For the briefest of moments I thought "oh, that's sad. I didn't like her, but it would have been preferable if she just backed off Tytus."

Then I looked down and saw a pistol laying on my thighs and thought "aaaah, shit. Everyone's gonna think I killed her."

As people started filtering out of their seats to get a closer look, they all talked to each other, trying to figure out what happened. Their murmurs and conversations only slightly overpowered the rattling of the train and the sound of the engine.

I sighed, grabbed the pistol by the barrel, then got up to join everyone else.

"Did anyone see anything?"

"Who could do something so heinous?"

"God, that's so much blood!"

I walked to Tytus, who was standing by Ludwik a few seats back from the incident.

"Tytus." The two turned to me and I showed off the gun, "someone threw this at me and is trying to frame me."

Tytus's eyes rounded and he pursed his lips. His eyes rapidly darted between my face and the gun. "Mal. That's not good."

Ludwik, on the other hand, snatched the gun away from me and raised it high. "Hey! Everyone! Malina is the killer!"

"This piece of trash. If I was gonna shoot anyone I would have shot you."

"No. I am not. I am being framed."

But the whispers and murmurs were already spreading.

"That quiet girl from the back?"