I have to get out of here. Surely they've noticed I've gone by now. I started to run back to the train. My skin began to itch where the ash fell, the cold causing my hands to go numb.

  I should have known.

  I'm smarter than this.

  The train is still waiting as they restock and regroup. I reached up to climb into the carriage that held the souls ensnared in the web just hours before.

  “YOU! Get over here.” fuck.

  “Bug! planning on leaving so soon.” Spider is standing at the door with his arms out wide watching me. The train leached forward and the wheels began to turn.

  I reached for the door, using all my weight to get the rusted damn thing to close.

  But it was too late for that.

  “And here I was thinking I'd have a nice quiet evening, but no you just couldn’t sit still for one fucking minute could you.” All the fear melted, turning to rage.

  Hot bubbling boiling rage.

  I lunged for him. My hands meeting his neck as we both stumbled back.

  The mask slips, he's still smiling.

  I've had to fight every day that I've been here.

  I've had to look them in the eyes and let go of everything.

  I had to be the sane one, because none of you could keep it together.

  The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

  None of you could see this for what it was.

  My fist meets his face over

  and over

  and over.

  His hands found my arm as he tried to push me off of him,

  As he shifted his weight back under him.

  He pulled a knife.

  Raising it over my head cutting down through the jacket and sweater covering my shoulder.

  Blood fell more than I could ignore.

  I reached for the blade.

  cutting into my palm as I twisted it away from him,

  only for it to plunge down.

  Hard.

  The blood was dark, darker than I remember it being, The blood bubbled and bounced as the blade continued to meet skin,

  as the train continued to rock,

  as people continued to live their lives,

  and as they worked there 9 to 5’s.

  Hundreds of miles from here,

  tens of miles from here,

  minutes from here.

  Just as we did, just as I would continue to do so.

  My muscles pulled,

  whined under the weight of my actions,

  my reality,

  my time here.

  As I stood looking out the door again it was dark, a calm serene moment as the snow fell. The moon's light flooded the valley at that moment. Lighting the gaps between the trees between our lives.

  I turned back to him.

  And I knelt for them.

  I don't know why.

  I saw myself in that moment,

  the blood dripping down my shoulder falling against his arm,

  the blood flooding the palm holding the knife covered in the blood I stole from him.

  The blood mixed in that moment there was no separating it, there was no difference.

  I pulled him towards the door pushing the body out hearing it fall hard into the snow.

  before swinging my feet over the edge. And watched the world pass by. For just a second more.

  I understand now, you don't need to understand for me anymore.

  I know what needs to be done.

  I’m ready.