"All aboard!" The train conductor yelled. Followed by a high pitched train whistle. Letting people on the platform know the train was leaving. A few moments passed before it slowly started to chug along. I felt unbelievably tired, especially since I had to get up early. It was still dark outside when the train left the station. Although I felt tired, I didn't doze off. I had to be on high alert the entire journey. And not just because some of the passengers looked a little menacing.
But I guess everyone kinda looked menacing if they were in coach. Especially in the post apocalyptic world we're living in. I pressed my thoughts aside as I grabbed my thermos. Before leaving my place, I filled it to the brim with freshly brewed coffee. I needed it to keep me awake. It felt like forever for the sun to start to rise. It was one of the most beautiful sunrises I had seen in a long time. Orange and red painted the horizon, slowly fading into golden rays of light.
Those who were sleeping started waking up. I glanced around to see if there were any threats possible. Getting mugged was a common occurrence; it didn't really matter where you were. Everyone was desperate for money. The corporations owned by the government like taking from to poor. Instead of building a better place after the war, they just exiled the "degenerates" as they liked to call us. Anyone who was poor or didn't agree with thier ideologies.
A woman came down the isle passing out breakfast to those who could afford it. I had packed a good bit of food for my journey, luckily. I retrieved a sandwich from my backpack and quietly ate. I suddenly felt someone looking at me. When I scanned my surroundings I spotted a child with his mother. The both of them looked hungry and tired. I reached into my backpack again, grabbing another sandwich. "Here. For you and your son." I whispered to the mother.
Tears welled up in her eyes as she took the sandwich and thanked me. The two of them shared the sandwich, but I noticed that she gave him most of it. I only wished that I could have given everyone on the train something to eat. I pressed my thoughts to the back of my mind as I finished my breakfast. Washing it down with a drink of coffee from my thermos. I turned my attention towards the window. Desert landscape was spread out as far as the eye could see.
Bushes, cacti, and rocks were the only things breaking up the monotony of the scenery. Yet, it looked very beautiful to me. Especially in the early morning sunlight. I bet it looked absolutely breathtaking during sunset. A few hours passed and I started feeling stiff, so I decided to get up and stretch. I put my backpack on as I stood up. I decided to walk around the train a little. Hoping that no one would mind. When a couple other people did the same I relaxed a bit.
I moved towards the back of the train where cargo was kept. A few people were back there guarding everything. One or two of them looked a little familiar. I saw a box like thing covered in a dark red sheet of some sort. I walked over to a window and looked out. I glanced to my left towards the back of the train. I was a little confused when I saw a blurry black figure coming up along the train.
That confusion turned to dread as the figure came closed and became clearer. A man dressed in black was riding a black horse. He was even wearing a black cowboy hat. "What does he think he's doing?" I asked out loud. "What?" One of the cargo guards asked. He walked up next to me, looking out of the window as well. "Shit! The riders are coming. They're after our cargo!" The man yelled to the others. He was right. Another horseman had joined the first one. They too were dressed in black.
"Hey, you!" A man's voice caught my attention. When I turned around a tall balled man with a black beard was looking at me. "Do you have room in your backpack?" He asked. I was a little taken aback by the urgency in his voice. "Um... yeah, but I don't know exactly how much room." I replied. My stomach was burning with anxiety and adrenaline. I wasn't sure what was happening, but I knew those men on horses were a danger. I could feel it in my bones.
He pulled the cover that was on the box I spotted earlier. It revealed a beautiful white gold crown. It was intricately designed with gemstones such as topaz and rubies. It was by far the most expensive and most beautiful crown I had ever seen. "What are you doing? We don't even know her!! How do we know she isn't working with the enemy!?!" The bald man's associate asked him. "She's the only option we have! And I highly doubt that she is working for the enemy." The bald man replied.
He carefully placed the crown in a burlap bag with drawstrings after closing the bag and tying the strings, he handed it to me. "Wait... what am I supposed to do with this?!?" I asked, genuinely surprised and confused. "Just make sure those horsemen don't get thier hands on it." Was all he said before he grabbed a nearby weapon. I carefully stuffed the bag the crown was in into my backpack. I used a small lock to keep the zippers together to keep the bag from opening.
When I looked back up, the cargo guards were going up a ladder. Each of them had gotten onto the roof of the train. I wasn't sure what the hell to do. I knew I had to protect the crown from the horseman, but how? Should I follow the cargo guards or go back to my seat? When I heard people screaming from within the train, I ran towards the back of the train. I entered another cargo car, and I noticed there were four horsemen.
One was inside the train and the other two were on the roof. They were fighting the cargo guards. A few gunshots were ringing out from inside and outside of the train. I went to the very back of the train, stepping outside. I placed my hands on the railing as I wondered what I should do. 'Jump off, or they'll get you.' A voice said inside of my head. I took a few deep breaths before jumping. I made sure to tuck and roll as I did so. I was so high off of adrenaline that I didn't even feel the impact of hitting the ground.
I quickly got up off the ground and watched as the train left without me. People fighting on the roof and black horses galloping along side the train. "What the fuck do I do now?" I asked out loud as I dusted myself off. I heard a hawk or falcon screech from above. When I looked up I noticed it was kind of circling me. I took a deep breath and started walking along the train tracks. After a while I felt like I was being watched.
I looked around at my surroundings and spotted something on top of a large rock formation. Someone dresses in white on a white horse was watching me. Anxiety filled my stomach as I wondered who it was. I hoped that it wasn't an associate of the other horsemen I saw. 'This is going to be a longer trip than I expected.' I thought with a deep sigh as I kept waking. Luckily I brought water and food with me.
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A/N: Thanks for reading!! Remember to vote, comment, share, etc. :) <3
CZYTASZ
Gold Dust | Barns Courtney
Fanfiction(This was inspired by Barns Courtney's song: Golden.) Rose Blackthorn catches an early morning train. She is in hopes of meeting her pen pal when she reaches her destination. But things go a little unplanned and she finds herself in a bit of a situa...
