Dark Side of the World // S.S. [Book Two]

Chapter 37

Stiles' POV:

I find myself in a train station with dozens of other people. No one is talking, and they all seem busy thinking about something. I feel the keys to my Jeep in my hand and I turn to the lady next to me. She's a doctor, so maybe she knows something. "Excuse me. Sorry, where are we?"

"We're at the train station." She answers.

I nod. "Right. Okay. Helpful. Which train station exactly?"

"Train station number 137."

"Did you see me come in?"

The doctor looks at me in confusion. "No."

"How long have you been here?"

"Maybe an hour?" The doctor guesses.

A businessman reading a paper looks at us. "We got here at the same time. It's been at least six hours."

"Six hours?" I ask. I suddenly stand up.

"Where are you goin'?"

"Uh, uh...I had a ticket with me somewhere. Um..." She searches her pockets.

"Do you always travel in your work clothes?"

"I must have been in a rush."

I walk over to the ticket booth and see a sign saying 'Back in 5 minutes.' I notice dust piling up. I rub it between my fingers and ask, "Do you know if anyone works here?"

I hear the announcer say, "The following stops have been canceled, Hollatine, Batten, Bay Bury, Deer Ridge, Red Oak..."

People begin getting up from their seats and I start asking various people questions. "Excuse me, where are those trains going?"

"...Trenton, Anderson, King Springs."

"Excuse me, do you know what train this is? Does anyone know where this train's going? Excuse me, do you know what train this is? Do you know where this train's going?"

Horses begin galloping and neighing. The wind picks up and people begin panicking. They begin hiding and the Riders appear and dump a tied man on the ground. His bonds disappear in a puff of green smoke. The Riders then tear through the station, knocking people down. Someone grabs me and pulls me behind a column. "It had to be you." The man says.

The Riders finally disappear. I frown at my rescuer. "Peter? Peter, what are you doing here? How are you here?"

He frowns. "What do you mean how am I here? I'm here. You are here. We are all here. Now, get the hell away from me, Stiles." He sits back down.

"Hey, Peter. Peter. Peter! What are you doing?"

"I'm waiting for my train." Peter answers.

I frown at his passiveness. "Okay, did you not just see that?"

"See what?"

"The horses, the hogtied business men with the magically dissolving ropes? I'm sorry, did anyone just see that?"

Peter stares at me. "Do you mind? You're blocking the board. I'd like a little warning before my train arrives."

I nod slowly. "Okay. So you're waiting for a train. How did you get here?"

"Pretty sure I took a cab."

"Last time I saw you were being locked away in Eichen House."

Peter sighs. "I was in Eichen. Thanks to you."

"Memory's good. Can you remember how you, uh, got out? They discharge you?"

Peter shakes his head. "No, the power went out. And I ran like hell."