Press. Release. Wait.

Calling Back

It was dark. That was nothing new. I was walking through the train cars and peering into each one. When I shone my light in each one lit up with a sickly green glow. As if I was going through a haunted house ride and each train car was a different attraction.

It kept going. Over and over again I walked up to the darkened windows and looked inside.

There was nothing in them. They were all just sitting there. Empty of people. Empty of things Empty of the dirt and stones that had previously piled onto the train.

My pace quickened.

My light failed to cut through the darkness ahead of me.

There was nothing ahead. But I kept going.

As I walked the quiet of the train tunnel began to give way to something else. A sound I couldn't make out yet. It was behind me but I couldn't turn around. Not now.

It was getting louder as I walked. Something scratching. Something scratching rhythmically back and forth.

I peered into a train window. It lit up with the alien green light. I wanted more than anything else to turn around. To see what was making that noise behind me.

I stopped. My neck strained with effort to turn around I couldn't quite manage it.

The scratching was much much louder now. As if right in my ear.

I went forward again with the sound ringing in my ears.

I looked into the next car. It lit up. At the front of the car I could large block letters indicating which car it was.

TRAIN 006

Car 6. That rung a bell for me. That was the car I sent the call from. There was nothing there anymore. The dirt and rocks had all been cleared up. Actually it looked more like it had been pristine forever. Like it really was meant for an exhibit. It was never meant to be occupied.

I walked up to the conductor room, carefully stepping up the metal stairs going into it. The noise seemed to follow me as I entered the door. It was dark inside. I could barely see a thing. I squinted my eyes, trying to ignore the scratching right next to my ear.

I looked in the seat. There seemed to be someone or something there. A dark figure lying motionless on the seat. I reached up to touch it. It felt like thin fabric beneath my hands.

It didn't move.

I looked up and squinted through the window. Ahead I could see the next train car light up with its green glow, lighting up a few feet in front of me.

There was a white box on the windowsill. I hadn't noticed it before. Or maybe it hadn't been there before. It was a small sytrofoam box. The kind you would get at a takeout place.

Above me I could see the number of the car in even bigger block letters.

TRAIN 006

I opened the box.

Inside there were a few remnants of fries left. I immediately grabbed what I could and shoved it in my mouth.

Delicious.

Cajun fries.

I looked over to the dark figure in front of me.

And then up to the big block letters.

They said TRAIN 006.

The scratching sound overcame me. So loud that it blurred my vision into a black haze.