Stories From CASP

Suicide Train

TOTAL DARKNESS…

Slowly, the darkness begins to fade. An engine's rough hum can be heard from a distance, and then the scene slowly plays out. Surrounded by bushes, the silhouette of a girl dressed in all black (a Black shirt, black skirt, and a black cap) stands in front of a rail track.

She turns her head to the left and stares into the distance, and the camera focuses on the side of her face. One part of a pair of ear pods in her right ear, and the music playing from it can be vaguely heard. Along with the gadget, we see the imprinted shape of a hand on her cheek.

She looks straight ahead again, but her eyes don’t find the camera. We see then her face is littered with cuts and bruises. Her eyes are swollen and red; tear stains are left on her cheeks.

Her eyes finally find the camera, and as she stares straight at it, her blank face breaks into a smile.

The low hum comes closer and louder but is soon drowned by the instrumentals from her music.

The camera goes up to her face, down her body, and focuses on her leg. She is barefooted. She lifts one of her bruised and infected legs and places it on the rail. AS her leg meets the tracks, we see a faint light.

She goes on and does the same with the other. She takes two steps and is in the middle of the track, her body illuminated by light from an unknown source.

The camera focuses on her feet again, and we see that the ground underneath begins to shake. The camera focuses on her back; although we can’t see the source of the light, we know it is getting closer.

She slowly goes to her knees, and the camera returns to her bruised face.  Her eyes are closed, and she spreads her hand. She soon begins singing to a song as it comes up, although her voice isn’t heard.

GIRL:

I want to fly

Can you take me far away?

Give me a star to reach for

Tell me what it takes

(She holds her hands at the back of her head like she is about to be arrested)

And I’ll go so high

I’ll go so high

My feet won’t touch the ground

And pull the strings

 I bought these dreams

That all fall down.

The camera remains on her face. A loud horn begins to blare in warning but she only closes her eyes, lets out a sigh and smiles. In the distance, she hears a familiar voice scream her name. Her eyes open and dart to the side; her smile falls, but she doesn’t get up. She stays right there. We are shown a train approaching her, and just as it goes to collide with her, the screen turns black.

There is a rough hum, but the music quiets it again.

And I’ll go high

I’ll go so high

My feet won’t touch the ground

And pull the strings

 I bought these dreams

That all fall down.

-CASP