Runaway Train

Act II - Scene 3

It sort of was like a movie, after all; the anticipation was practically choking the room.

All eyes were on the stranger as he started to stir. First it was a mumble, then a groan. His arms began to move against the restraints that had been tied fast around them, but when they found they weren't going anywhere, they stopped their slow struggle. Instead, his eyes flickered open. Suspicion filled his face as soon as he could see; he wasn't quite awake enough to look sharp yet, but fear certainly wasn't among his feelings. Skepticism was all there was. To be fair, Johnny hadn't expected him to be afraid. It surely was something he was feeling, though, as the cold fires of the man's eyes were stoked again.

"What the hell is this...?" he asked groggily, his gaze sweeping over all the guests seated around him. He made the rounds once, twice, and a third time, becoming more and more alert with each. He was much like a captured bear, Johnny thought, examining his captors in dangerous silence.

Well, that silence didn't last for long at all, the tension breaking with it. "THIS IS AN INTERROGATION!!" Salem suddenly yelled, popping up from their seat. They must've had a flashlight in their pocket before, because now it was shone right into the man's face. Their excited grin faltered a little after a moment. "Wait, what are we interrogating him about again?"

Curtis, up from where he'd been forced to sit, abruptly shoved Salem back down into their chair. He stood as squarely in front of the stranger as he could, glowering down at him. "Your name," he demanded in his clipped way.

The man's eyes finished their investigation of the whole car, not rushed in the slightest by Curtis. A realization then seemed to hit him; something became clear as he finished his survey. Amusement joined the suspicion in his eyes as he chuckled wryly, a smile on his face. "Well, I suppose I owe you all now," he finally said. "You saved my life, after all. Sure, alright; I'm Edward Ladouceur, I guess." He chuckled again. "That name's not been said in years and years, I'm sure; no one alive now would know me. It's been so long. It doesn't matter too much. Call me Ed."

So he had been here for some time. Johnny's heart sank a little as his worries about not finding a way out in all those years were confirmed. "Just... just how long has it been then?" he quietly asked.

Ed shook his head as he thought it over. "Must be a few decades now," he said. "Though it doesn't seem I've gotten any older. Just another curse of this demon train." He ended that thought with another laugh, which seemed much too casual to follow what he'd just said.

"'Demon train.' What do you mean, 'demon train?'" Curtis asked sharply in reply.

"You haven't figured it out? Huh," Ed said. "This train takes the dead and demons and all kinds of other spirits where they need to go. Reapers, most importantly—you know, like the things that one just killed." He flicked his hand to gesture towards Johnny as well as he could. "Good one, by the way." Johnny shrank as he was reminded of what he had done; sure, he had had to do it, but that didn't mean he wasn't sorry about it. He certainly didn't need compliments on doing so.

"Really?" Curtis spoke again, more of a sneer to his voice now. "Then why are we here if it's for dead people, huh?"

He laughed again. "I've got no idea," he said. "The living don't belong here, you see. That's why I'm trying to get you out."

"You're one to talk. Why aren't you trying to get yourself out, then?"

"Oh, I have more than enough reason," he answered darkly.

"And what is that?" Anne suddenly piped up. "Were you perhaps an offering as well?"

Though that unsettled everyone, Ed carried on pretty easily, so there wasn't much time to dwell on it. "No, no," he said. "I'm here to hunt. Spirits in general, but someone in particular."

Hunt someone... Though he was fairly sure he didn't mean them all, anxiety grew in Johnny's stomach. Maybe it was just that Ed had further confirmed his violent goals, or maybe it was the fear of what could happen to them all if they got in the way of his hunt—perhaps even it was some deep terror of the idea of something a man like him wouldn't have been able to catch yet—whatever it was, it thumbed the seeds of unease deeper still into Johnny's mind.

Suddenly, Ed let out a gasp, beginning to struggle like nothing you'd ever seen. The wild action jolted Johnny out of his thoughts, jumping with a start. Even Curtis stepped back a little to avoid the man's flailing. "Oh dear, what's wrong?" Anne asked. "Do you need more tea, mister?"

"That thing!!" he said frantically. "That's my best lead, right there! Get away while you can!" A flurry of cursing and struggling followed, but the knots on him held tight for the moment.

Oh god, what is it? What's happening?! Immediately sent into a confused panic, Johnny stood right up from his chair and poised to dash away. However, before he did, he caught a glimpse of the thing Ed was talking about: down at the other side of the car, past the end of the long dining table and by the door, hopped a little black and white rabbit. Wait... huh? Though his heart still raced, his confusion grew to overwhelm his panic. This, this little bunny was what had gotten Ed into such a frenzy? This was the "best lead" on his hunt? How could that even be?

Then, all at once, it dawned on him; the rabbit's face wasn't white, as it first appeared, but rather covered by a ghostly, bone-pale mask. A gold star graced its forehead, and its eyes gaped, dark and foreboding as the twin muzzles of a double barrel shotgun. It had the same mask as that monster, that reaper. His heart went cold with fear.

A ripping of fabric sounded beside him; Ed had finally broken free. In an instant, he had launched himself onto the table, sending place settings flying and breaking dishes left and right. As he went, he snatched up the shovel from where it had been rested against the table. The blink of an eye was all the time it took for him to reach the other end of it. He raised the shovel above his head, blade poised to strike down at the rabbit. The only delay was the taking of a breath to gather force; he plunged it downward mercilessly, right at the little thing.

A sound and force like the winds of a hurricane radiated from the far end of the car. Waves of pink light shot through the room, causing all to duck. Well, all that could; Ed was flung back across the table, all the way to the other end where he'd started. Over the pounding of his own heart, all Johnny heard was Ed hissing through his teeth in pain. However, the hissing became a bitter laugh. "Oh, right," he said. The wry grin on his face was practically audible. "Almost forgot about you, little errand girl. I should have guessed you'd come around. Death would hate to have his little pet hurt, wouldn't he, Lillian?"

"Yes, actually, he would," a voice replied. The clicking of heels announced this new presence entering the car. From under the table, Johnny watched hands with red-painted nails reaching down to lift the rabbit from the floor. It allowed this, completely docile and unbothered by anything. The newcomer was unbothered too. Unbothered by this creature that bore the mask of a reaper. Who... what manner of person is this...? "So I suggest you stop trying to do so. You know, before you get yourself killed."