Another day, another reason to hate my life. I slowly open my eyes, partially blinded by the sun's rays. I placed a blanket over my eyes to block the blinding sun. But after a few minutes, I fell asleep again. I mean, who wouldn't? While sleeping, I dreamt of a nice plain field, filled with colorful flowers and high mountains surrounding me. The green grass sways with the wind, the breeze that's warm that's loved universally, the sounds of nature, and the birds constantly beeping in harmony. Beep beep beep, they tweeted, as I continued to run on the grass joyfully smiling. Wait, what the fuck? Beeping of birds?
I opened my eyes and looked to my right. The alarm was beeping nonstop. I look at the time. 7:32 am. Fuck, I'm going to be late! I hurriedly pushed myself up, throwing my blanket to the corner, almost falling towards the ground. I dashed towards the kitchen to eat something. I open the fridge, look for a brief moment, check the time on my phone, then look for something again.
7:37am. I've never bathed as fast as this before. Scrubbing every part of my body like my life depends on it. Which it does, by the way. After I finished taking a bath, I dried myself, then headed towards my bedroom to put on some clothes. Wait, shit I forgot to brush my teeth! I rushed back towards the restroom sink, then brushed my teeth as fast and hard as I could. I know it's not advisable to do it like that, but who the fuck cares if my gums were to bleed? I don't want a fucking pay cut!
7:45 am. I head towards my front door, and rush towards the staircase because by some fucking coincidence, the elevator is magically broken! I'm so happy. So happy in fact that I could fucking die! Wait, no, not yet. Fortunately, the train station is close to my apartment. Of course I need to pick out the best place to live in, especially if my company is placed in the next city. But Alan, why not live in that city? You might be asking me that question. Well to answer you, I did try. But due to an unfortunate circumstance, the whole city, yes, the whole city. Had no fucking vacant apartments on it. Just my luck, huh? Good thing I live 2 blocks away from the train station, or else I may not be able to catch it in just a few minutes. I check the time, fucking hell it's 7:49 am and I'm still inside my apartment staircase.
"Shit shit shit shit shiiittt!!!!"
I ran, holding the straps of my black bag for dear life. I forcefully opened the glass door of my apartment, then hurriedly dashed towards the train station. In the distance, I can see many people leaving the station while others are entering. It's Monday today so using public transport may be a bit crowded, especially using the train. Our special celebration break just ended, and my body clock shifted from waking up early, to waking up at almost lunch time, which is why I woke up late today, which is a major disadvantage to me. After a long run, I reached the train station at exactly 7:54 am. I know, I know, don't flatter me—I'm just that fast.
"The train is about to depart, please follow in line accordingly." I heard from a distance. It was the train's PA system, humming behind a busy crowd.
"Fuck! I'm gonna be fucking late!" I look at the time, and see 7:58 am. I dash towards the train doors, trying to avoid the people leaving the train.
"The train is about to depart, please follow in line accordingly." The train repeated its announcement.
"Shit shit shit shit shiiiit!!" I panicked.
What am I going to do? There's only one minute left! By this I need some kind of miracle— Suddenly, I saw an empty line at one of the transit card readers. My eyes glowed with joy, as I rushed towards it. I hurriedly tapped my card on the card reader. The rotating three iron hands thingy rotated, which slowed me down in the process. As I push myself through the crowd, the train starts to chuff. Fuck, there's no way I can reach the train doors in time… unless. I reinforced my arm, fixed my suit and my tie, tightened the straps of my bag, and prepared myself to be a battering ram in order to get through the crowd.
8:00 am. The train doors slowly close, with the train horns starting to whistle. I took a deep breath, and said to myself, "For work!!" I dashed towards the train doors, bumping with each person who's in front of me. Of course stares were unavoidable, but there's no time to feel ashamed or embarrassed! It's my work we're talking about!
The train door closes. But I got in on time! I look at my watch, 8:01 am. I smile for my victory, but my smile slowly fades after looking around the train for a bit. The train is so fucking crowded, I can't even move an inch. I grabbed onto the nearest pole, it was rusty, but there's nothing I could do about it. Suddenly, a stingy and mysterious odor fills the train. It's like a mix of sour burger, rotten potato, and just something that's horrifyingly unreal. I look up, and there is a man standing beside me, wearing a sweatshirt and sweating like crazy, almost like he went on a marathon or something. The train turned a sharp corner which pushed me to his sweaty arms. My sleeves started to get wet, I could feel the dampness in my skin!
"I'm sorry but, do you mind?" I say. But he was wearing headphones on both ears. He was a bit taller than me, but that can't stop me from getting him to hear me! I gently let go of the straps of my bags, then slowly pulled up my right hand, ready to grab his headset off his ears, when my eyes suddenly darted into something golden in the distance. I froze, stood on my tippy toes, then looked.
"Oh… my gosh." I said, my arms both covered my mouth, tears running down my eyes.
"Huh? What is it?" The sweatshirt guy asks, putting his headphones on his neck, looking down at me,
I place my index finger in front of his mouth, "Shhh… just go back to what you're doing." He looks at me with his brows scrunched, while I continue to look at heaven's gate, or even heaven at this point. I grab his headphones then put his headphones back on his ears. As he turned around, going back to what he was previously doing, I silently mumbled, grinning "No one shall ever know."
I tightened my grip on my bag, then pushed through the crowd. Now, [Alan, what did you see?] Well, since you're the reader, not a character in this story, I could tell you what I saw, but you gotta keep it a secret. There, in a near distant door on the opposite side of the train, illuminated by the golden shine of the sun. It's plastic blue marbles, and it's white polyester finish. It was perfect! [WHAT THE FUCK IS IT?] It's an empty seat! Jeez, do you have any patience? Fucking hell.
I continue to push myself through the crowd. Again, stares were unavoidable, but I always repeat to myself, "There's no time to feel embarrassed or ashamed!" As I make my way towards the empty seat, I sense an unfamiliar breeze coming from nowhere. What was that? I thought to myself, but shrugged it off like it was just a natural occurrence here inside the train. They must be turning the fan on full blast. But something from that breeze was kind of familiar. Like the warmth you'd feel in nature. As I got nearer, I heard a chime of bells in the distance, loud enough to be heard across the crowd, yet muffled enough to make it unclear what it was. It was making me feel like I needed to turn back. Thoughts like Are you sure you want this? or like You're not ready yet, kept filling my head. I shaded it off, and continued my walk towards the seat. The seat grew closer, and so did my will to continue!
"Finally! Heaven!" I mumbled quietly, tearing up a bit. After I exited the crowd, the seat was empty. Before I sat down, I admired its marble. The white table, glossy and looks brand new. Reflecting the golden shimmer of the sun outside. The seat that's flat yet looks comfortable. I brushed my fingers onto its surface, it felt like I was actually dreaming! I-I'm sorry, I'm actually tearing up right now… wait… okay. I flattened my collar, fixed my sleeve, put my black bag on the seat, and finally sat down. After I sit down, it feels like I'm actually flying in heaven! The complex universe flashed before my eyes, answering what truly is the meaning of life. Stars, galaxies, our earth. One of a kind in all.
I snapped out of it. It's actually so rare to find an empty seat like this, especially on a weekday. Now that I am actually sitting in a train that I never once got a chance to do, I can actually notice a lot more things inside. I look outside the window, it displays an unending view of the city, illuminated by the rising sun. I look above, cobwebs that have now been abandoned were on the ceiling. It could go well with a Halloween themed train. Speaking of which, Halloween is actually upcoming, I wonder if the train purposely placed a cobweb in the train's ceiling for better ambiance. I'm actually so shocked at how so many people are prepared for the incoming Halloween. I mean, I look around, and everybody's wearing a zombie costume. I guess I could count as one too, just by looking at the mirror. Although I do consider myself as a handsome zombie, hehe.
I felt a sudden buzz on my right pocket, it was from my phone. A text? From who? I pondered. Then when I actually read the name of the person who sent the message, I immediately rushed to check it. "Why is the boss texting… to all employees of Kairon Corporation… yada yada yada, blah blah blah—" I gasp, "No fucking freaking bitching shitting way?!?!" This must be the best day ever. Actually, the best fucking day in my entire life!
"To all employees of Kairon Corporation. Thank you for your hard work and dedication for putting on one of the best jubilee celebrations of our company. Without your help, our event may not be the same. After our long deserving break has come to an end, we, the council, would like to share with you some great news! Due to the high sales, demands, and stocks we're getting, Kairon Corp. has decided to give everyone—I mean everyone a BONUS!"
I jump out of my seat, yet the table hits my hips. "Fucking shit." I grunted over the pain. But hey! At least we got a bonus. Just a brief history about Kairon Corp.. It is one of the largest corporations around the entire globe! I'm just lucky enough to be accepted at this job, because actually, the pay is high! But, there's one thing we're always avoiding. Breaking the rules.
You see, Kairon Corp. is a company who specializes in trading, communication, technologies, and agriculture. I entered the technologies district because, why not? Due to the company being so high in the hierarchy, it also has some big rules that we need to follow, even before applying for a job. I remember once when I first filed my resume, at first they checked it, looking both at the paper, then at me. And when everything's cleared, they asked for my email. Of course I pointed at the resume because I fucking included my email address in that. After that, they nodded, almost as if it was some kind of test. Then, the lady looking at my portfolio said, "Check your email, and memorize everything I've sent." Of course I tilted my head, unaware of this procedure. I asked her what it was about, and she responded, "Rules and regulations before, during, and after joining Kairon Corp.." Then, she hands me a paper with a name and number on it, "Contact this if you have memorized everything. Have a good day." Then she asked for the person behind me to come forward. I stared at the paper she handed to me, then scrambled to get my phone in my bag. I opened my inbox, and there I saw hell. 250 fucking pages of rules and regulations. TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY FUCKING PAGES OF RULES AND REGULATIONS! AND I NEED TO MEMORIZE IT ALL?!
While having my inner explanation, I felt that warm breeze again coming from somewhere. Suddenly, the train's PA system buzzed loudly. "Ugh! What's that sound?" I covered my ears.
"Are you ready?" An unfamiliar voice whispered in the PA system. It was a woman, her voice filled with charisma and joy, and somehow excitement.
I looked around, no one batted an eye or even grew curious about it. Not even one looked up to the speakers when it started to speak. I thought to myself, maybe there's going to be a surprise performance, like I see in those TikTok videos where people played instruments inside the train? I'm thinking too much aren't I? Then, it hit me like a train! See what I did there?Why did no one take this seat in a place like this? I'm sitting alone on two two seater seats that can hold almost 6 people in it. A white table between, dividing the two two seater seats. Kind of hard to explain, huh? Just imagine a white table and 2 blue seats between it, facing each other, with a window on the side, a door on the right, and a lone 25 year old Alan Richards sitting on the left seat. Anyways—yes, I sit alone in a seat that can accommodate 6 persons. Wouldn't you find that weird? I mean, look. People are super squished together that they can't even breath. A lady in a black shirt, with a brown bag is hyperventilating because of it! Not only that, some guys are super sweaty, to add to the fact that most of them are holding onto the bar you see near the ceiling. Why didn't I think of this sooner? Why wouldn't anyone sit in here? Not unless…
Is there… a fucking dead body underneath this table? Or worse… What if it'sa BOMB? I swallowed my saliva, closed my eyes, took a deep breath, then ducked to see what's beneath me. Please don't be a dead body! Please don't be a bomb! Please don't be— I gasp. There, below me was something so death defying, so mysterious and thrilling, so bizarre yet so known. What I saw below me was… absolutely fucking nothing.
"Alan Richards." A mysterious voice said.
"W-who said—" I rushed to check out who called me, but as I lifted my head to see, I hit the table hard. "Fucking… this is the second fucking time!" I grunted, pressing on the back of my head.
I slowly lift my head from the table, still pressing on the back of my head. "What the… now what the fuck is happening?" Lights started to flicker, winds that seemed like it came from the storm Katrina surrounded me, dancing in a circle, along with flickers of golden-white lighting that accompanied the dusty winds. I was baffled, yet so fucking weirded out, not just weirded out in fact, just fucking confused. Am I in some kind of magical series? Why all these effects? Where did this even come from? Like, what the fuck??
"Choose, Alan." A voice said,
"What?"
"Choose." The mysterious female voice repeated.
"What?!"
"Just fucking choose! I don't give a damn." The voice grumbled,
"Huh?! Where? What options?!"
"Are you serious…?" The voice paused for a while, "It's literally fucking illuminated by a golden spotlightlight!"
"What golden light? You mean this?" I point at the golden shimmer.
"Yes! Obviously you fucking idiot! Now choose!"
What a weird lady. I know the story's pacing is kind of weird, but hey, I'm the one experiencing this story, not you. I just kind of accept everything that's happening around me. In front of me were 2 buttons, one which says Yes, and one which says No. I stood up to see the question written on the table, behind the buttons. It said, Do you wish to start your journey?
I froze for a while. Then pressed—
"No."
I sat back down, yet nothing happened. I know what's going to happen when I blink! So I'm not going to— Suddenly, specs of dirt from the winds flew directly at my eye, which caused me to blink nonstop, with tears that ran down my face as I tried to wipe the dirt off my eye.
"Fucking hell! My eyes!!!!" I screamed.
When I opened my swollen eyes, everything was back to the very beginning. N-not in the beginning itself of course! I'm talking about how I'm back sitting again alone in the seat that's somehow empty. No weird winds, nor thunderous flickers were around me, thank goodness. However, the mysterious button was still in front of me. However, my eyes are still swollen.
I leaned back on my seat, "Hmm… with all those effects? Was it just a dream? Did I just get hit with something that made me hallucinate when I bent down to see what's beneath this table? Or was it just an advertisement for a product? OH! What if it was a scam? Heh, nice try, but no one can scam me—" before I could fucking finish my sentence, the train hits a bump. A large bump, which throws me at the table.
Fucking hell, what was… I look in front of me, shit I pressed the Yes button. In a fucking magical coincidence, the bump made me press the Yes button. I pushed myself back from laying on the table, and fixed my sitting position. Nothing's going to happen, right? I mean, that was just a dream earlier, right? Doubt, the essence of a human's mind. One morning I just woke up, then slept again. The next thing you know is that you're sitting on an empty seat, with no one even noticing. Having weird encounters. A mysterious lady's voice being broadcasted at the PA system. And a fucking button which wants you to choose either to press Yes on a journey you don't even know, or press No to the fact that this might be a scam. Adding the fact that I need to go to work, right fucking now. Surely nothing would happen, right? This is just a normal day, and a normal world. Nothing's happening, nothing truly is happening—
My head started to ache again, but this time, it felt like I was being stabbed by a million needles behind my neck and head. Maybe it was because I bumped my head on the table? But fuckery is always there! My neck hurts and I didn't even hit the table! I look behind me, seeing if someone stabbed me with something. But no one batted an eye, like I wasn't even on the train. The train decelerated. It entered a tunnel, which was weird because on my way to work, there wasn't even a tunnel to go to to begin with. Everything goes dark, yellow and white lights illuminate everything inside. My body grew weaker, and my vision started to blur. Then, a warm wind swept through me, the same wind I felt earlier. Before I closed my eyes, I saw the lights flickering on and off. Everything turned dark when the lights flickered, then when everything lights up again, I see…
************
The Time I Hoped it was You
By: Persona Creations
************
Hours Later…
"Ugh… so much for a dramatic entrance. You like that old man? Jeez, you're seriously killing me with all these—" I froze.
I woke up. The pain still lingers behind my neck. The morning glory greets me at its fullest, like what greeted me earlier this morning. I noticed something immediately wrong. Everything was silent. I look around, yet to my horror, the crowded train suddenly becomes empty. Not entirely empty though, there are still people sitting on other tables, but still. Disappearing just like that after I just fell asleep? What kind of weird quirk and plotline is that? Seriously, Alan from the future, is this the best you can offer?
I look to my right to see if my bag is still beside me. There lies my black backpack. I put mostly the things I needed during work; most of the items I bring are kind of illegal, inside the company—duh! Who do you think I am? A fugitive? Anyways, the items I always carry inside my bag are my charger, laptop, cologne, snacks, mints, pens, etc.. I won't go over the details because I'm kind of lazy, but they're all related to how I will need it during work.
I look at the window. Admiring the view of the city outside, illuminated golden by the rising sun. Skyscrapers that pierces the clouds, capable of being seen from a far distance. I smile, I need to take a photo of this. I thought to myself. I'm kind of very active on social media, like ragebaiting, debating, stanning on my favorite artists like Laufey, and so on and so forth. So posting everything I find beautiful is just one of the few things I like and have passion for. I reached for my pocket, still smiling, unaware that my phone was missing from my sense of touch… Wait, where's my phone?!
I stood up from my seat, "Where's my fucking phone? I swear I just put it in my pocket earlier!" I scrambled, touching every part of my body just to find my missing phone. I couldn't have misplaced it because I never misplaced objects that held sentimental value to me.
**********
"Sentimental Value" he says…
**********
#1: Wand
"Mom! Where's my limited edition wand that I got as a souvenir from the set of Harry Potter?" I shouted, lying on my knees on the floor, wearing pajamas, looking inside a box which I swear is the place where I placed my wand.
"I don't know honey. Ask Kelly, he might know where it is."
"He lives in the opposite city."
"Then next time we go back there, we'll ask him." Mom smiles. After that, I never got it again because it wasn't even in Kelly's house. I cried for days.
#2: Watch
"Hey, Alan!" My classmate waved, walking towards me.
"What is it?" I ask, staring at them while I sit at my table.
My classmate sat on top of my table, leaned towards my ear, and whispered, "Where's my watch, Alan?"
I look at him, then chuckle nervously, "I-it's in my room! Y-yes~, it's in my r-room right now. So… maybe I'll just h-hold on to it for a bit and—"
He glared at me. "That was my grandpa's watch, passed down from generation to generation. If you…" He lets out a sigh, "if you ever lost it…"
"Then why give it to me in the first place?"
"I did not fucking give it to you, you fucking kidnapp—no, watchnapped it from me!"
Truth is, I lost it the moment I watchnapped it. I was just holding it for a brief moment, then it just suddenly vanished from my hand, like an invisible creature just watchnapped the watch that had been watchnapped from my classmate which I watchnapped from him earlier.
"Hehehehe…hehe…" I laughed nervously while he stared directly into my soul.
"You lost it didn't you?"
"I-I did! I'm so sorr—" he punched me in the face.
#3: Souvenir
I left the souvenir store. I'm on my first school field trip today, and I just want to buy some souvenirs and take some pictures with my baby. Don't mistake it for a girlfriend, I'm talking about my Sony a6000. Her name is Denice.
"Yo, check this out." Kelly pointed at an object on the window display.
"Woah, what is it?" I ask, preparing my camera.
"I don't know, it has this kind of thorny look to it…? Kinda weird in my opinion. You think someone would buy…"
"I bought it." I smiled with success.
"Where is it?" Kelly asks,
"What do you mean? It's on my hand right… fucking hell."
**********
Back to the present
**********
All right! I get it! Jeez, stop looking into my past. But I swear, I placed my phone in my pocket. I didn't place it anywhere else. I look under the table, nothing. I look under the seat, still nothing. Maybe it dropped towards my bag? Or maybe the bag was open, then it slipped inside it, then due to the train's momentum and velocity, I can calculate that maybe the bag closed on its own? I grab my bag, still standing beside the table. I opened the bag, and searched for…
"My… my laptop? Where is it?"
I blink twice to double check if I was dreaming, but somehow, my laptop was missing too. This is quite literally impossible… not unless there was a person who stole my gadgets! I mean, think about it. I suddenly fell asleep due to the pain I felt behind my neck and head. No one was trying to sit on this seat. And most of all, the amount of people inside the train. Shit, I've been robbed!
Maybe no one sat on this seat because it's a trap! When a fly is drawn to a pile of suspicious and sticky jam, it will either just fly past it and move on to the next, or take the bait and be stuck on it. I am the fly! I got trapped using this heavenly empty seat as bait, and I fell for it! Maybe after I took the bait, they waited for the perfect time to strike me behind my neck. After they waited for the perfect moment, they hit me with something hard, but sharp too! But, it doesn't answer the fact that everyone in this train who was standing suddenly vanished. All of them couldn't just simply create a plan for that, I mean, was I the only target they have? Aren't there more people to rob other than me? Why me of all people? And not to forget the fact about the mysterious button that magically appeared out of nowhere, which I pressed. Was it a part of their scheme where a person somehow is given a choice that seems magical, but then gets hit by a hammer in the back? It's so confusifying!
I sat down, and placed my bag on my side. I pondered for a while, staring at the seat in front of me. I placed my hand at the place where the button rested earlier, where did it go anyway? How could a normal day like this, have turned into something so bizarre? It's so weird. I looked towards the window, a golden glow glistened through. I rest my head on the table, still looking outside, distracted by its amazing marbles. Suddenly, I felt a rough texture on my hand. It was weird because the table was made out of some kind of ceramic or plastic glass…? I fondle my hand around, still feeling the rectangular rough thing in my hand, while still looking outside, unbothered, yet bewildered.
I turned my head to my hand, it was a paper covered in gold. Small as a business card, something was written in it.
"To Dearest Alan I. Richards
Welcome to the Train of Destiny! A place where it seems like it's unbelievable and doubtful at first, but once you get used to it, it would feel like a dream passing by! Or even a memory being relived!
This note would be the official start of your journey. Although pressing the 'Yes' button earlier was somehow a 'coincidence', it still wasn't the official start of your journey.
Before this note could end, let me ask you a question. Where do you think it all began?
That's all, good luck! And have a wonderful life!
A thoughtful note from: Vita"
Who the fuck is Vita? I hold the paper on my hands, still questioning what the fuck is going on. Where do you think it all began?I dunno, at birth or something? I chuckled, then tossed the paper at the side. I crossed both my arms at the table, and lay my head down on it. "Train of Destiny? Please, what kind of bullshit is that?" I mumbled. The train continued to chuff, trudging along a bumpy track. The question still lingered in my head, Where do you think it all began? It was like a question that needed to be answered. If I were to guess, maybe at the bigbang? But that doesn't even connect to how the Train of Life is supposed to portray life itself… Unless. "It all begins when a person is conceived!" I pushed myself up after the realization…
"What the actual fucking shit is this now?" I turned to every corner, everything was completely white. Before I could even comprehend everything, I started to float. My table, my seat, everything disappeared! I looked around, yet nothing was everywhere. I started to panic, as I continued to float up uncontrollably through the air. Suddenly, everything stops. In a blink of an eye, I started hurtling back down at high speeds. "WHAT THE FUCK!!!" I screamed, flailing my arms around, closing my eyes. CRASH! A loud crash was heard, I opened my eyes slowly, still in the presence of fear, trembling excessively.
"What the actual fuck just happened—"
"How are you here?"
Somebody asked me, it was from a familiar voice, someone I knew very well… too well. I look up, and see him in front of me. Holding a confused look on his face, with his mouth wide open and his index finger pointing at me.
"Shouldn't I be the one to ask you that question? Hm, Kelly?"
"What are you going on about… Oh, fuck you, I'm over her!" Kelly responds,
"I'm not talking about that!"
"Then what were you talking about?"
"I'm talking about how you're here?!"
He stared at me confusingly. I stood up from my seat, walked towards him, and slapped him in the face. Hm… guess he's real. I shrugged while he glared at me more confused. I walked back towards my seat, looked him in the eye, and said.
"Are you sure?" I ask him, raising a brow.
"About what?"
"You, getting over her. I mean, there's no other explanation to as to how you're here—"
"Okay, first of all. I JUST GOT INSIDE THE FUCKING TRAIN. Second, there was an empty seat, so I sat down there, the next thing you know is that—"
"Everyone's gone…. guess we had the same experience."
"Wait, it happened to you too? Then what about the mysterious—"
"Mysterious button? Yeah."
"Then what about the—"
"A golden paper with your name written on it? Yeah, it's right here—"
I look to my side, hoping to show Kelly the note I got. However, it wasn't there. I looked everywhere, yet there was nothing. I asked Kelly to show the paper he'd gotten, but he didn't have it either. Maybe it fell under the table? I ask Kelly to look under the table, since I got traumatized by the events that happened much earlier. (Alan hits the table.)
"Found anything?" I ask.
"Nothing." He responds.
"Fuck… wait, what am I even gonna do with that note—" I mumble to myself, until Kelly interupts me.
"I found something!"
He raises his hand holding a… toy. As he slowly rose under the table, something changed. His clothes were the same as mine, wearing the same black blazer, with the same blue neck tie, but now he's wearing… something different…