A child latched onto his mother's skirt. His small hands tugging various times as he points at the action figure on display.
"Mom! Mom! I want that one!"
"Not now Michael."
"Please Mom!"
His mother ignored him, continuing to push the cart forward, passing an employee restocking the shelves.
"Can't this shift end any faster?" He muttered under his breath.
He had been working at the store for three years.
Beep!
The female cashier continued to scan the items.
A pack of ordinary cigarettes, a pack of bread, a carton of milk and various other items were scattered across the belt.
Beep!
"Will that be all?"
"Yeah."
His hand dug into his pockets, taking out a crumpled old receipt, before digging even deeper to take out his card, placing it against the scanner.
Processing...
A green light shimmers from the console.
"Thanks."
She simply nods.
Now walking outside the store, he places the cigarette in his mouth. Lighting it aflame, as the smokes drifts towards the park.
Drifting..
Drifting.. towards the window of a church.
The grey clouds slipped through the opening, invading the space.
It wasn't hard to notice, as the young man standing next to the altar raised his hand.
Fanning away the smoke as a slight cough escaped his mouth.
He was a priest in training.
He was still learning.
Still figuring things out.
The father remained in the confessional, offering guidance as a service to those who were lost.
The red curtain shifted, as a man stepped out.
His eyes were swollen from tears, his voice raspy as it echoed throughout the church.
"Thank you, Father."
His voice was still trembling.
"I don't know what I would have done without you."
Father only smiled.
"God hasn't abandoned you. Neither will I."
"Go home, get some rest. We'll talk again next week."
The man nodded, before making his towards the church doors.
His hand laying on the old brass handle.
A handle that had been touched by many.
Tiny hands.
Wrinkled hands.
Shaking hands.
Hands stained in dirt, and hands clasped in prayer.
The handle turned, the doors opening as a melancholic blue grey light revealed itself within the church.
---
Somewhere, a train came to a halt, opening its doors to various passengers.
"Asael."
She tugged his shirt.
"Attention all passengers. We are now arriving at-"
"Asael."
"..?"
His head shot up, reeling in the drop of saliva that was about to fall as his tired eyes met the person standing before him.
"Asael, get your ass up!"
His sister stared at him, an annoyed expression setting in.
Messy brown hair drooped over her shoulders, as a result of the train ride. Her brows were bushy, her eyelashes long, and her eyes were made from the combination of hazel and flicks of green paint from a brush.
Still drowsy, his expression faltered for a few seconds before finally getting up.
"You know, one of these days. I'm leaving you on this train."
"Yeah, I totally believe you."
"I'm serious."
"You say that every time y'know?"
"Bitch."
"Awww, Did I hurt your feelings?"
My shoulder jolted as Mallory's fist crashed against into it.
"Ow."
I stared at her.
She grinned as if she had accomplished something.
Pshhh...
The doors released with a soft hiss.
Asael stepped onto the platform, a yawn escaping him as his eyes tracked Mallory in the crowd.
Mallory glanced back.
"Hurry up."
He followed after her, catching his reflection against the tinted window of the train.
Short white hair rested messily from the ride. Yet, its color never seemed to settle as if light itself was playing around with his hair.
His complexion had a strange balance--slightly pale yet blended with enough warmth to remind others that he was still a human.
Eyes that constantly shifted hues beneath different lights yet predominantly settled into a pale, whitish grey.
"Are you done looking at yourself?"
Asael looked away, his eyes settling on Mallory, who stood there with her arms crossed.
"I wasn't...?"
"Be deadass. You were staring at yourself for like 10 seconds."
"I was just thinking."
An annoyed expression settled on Asael's face.
"Just saying." Mallory smiled cheekily.
"..."
"I'm beating your ass when we get home."
"Wait no. Asael. Wait. I'm sorry!"
Mallory hurried after him, laughing as he walked ahead.
The station swallowed the two into the seemingly endlessly expanding crowd.
The huge room with a dome shaped roof housed hundreds of commuters, each with their own destination, each with their own lives. Some left the station, while others entered the station.
Union station, they called it. A hub that connected various trains together. It consisted of two floors, each leading to various tracks. They were even food stalls you could go to while waiting for your train, many considered a tourist attraction while others a part of their routine.
Humanity was always moving.
Progressing yet regressing.
A businesswomen rushed her way to her train.
A child licked his ice cream, while a family smiled for a picture.
Some took photos of the art covering the dome, while others texted on their phones or listened to music.
A teenager stared at the departure board, squinting hard before making his way towards said track.
"Attention all passengers! Train to [Riverside District!] is arriving at Track 1!"
"Attention all passengers! Train to [Greyhaven!] is arriving at Track 6!"
The announcement crackled.
"Attention all passengers! Train to [?#@*$^%#&@*(!] is arriving at Track 1!"
"..?" Asael's eyes found their way to Mallory's. Clearly, he wasn't the only one that felt this, as other commuters turned around to look at each other. The words uttered were completely incomprehensible.
"Attention all passengers! Train to [------------------------] is arriving at Track 3!"
"What the hell?! Wasn't Track 1 already announced?"
"What's wrong with the announcer?"
A commuter in a suit made his way to the ticket booth, now banging his fist against the glass.
"Stop fucking around! Announce which train is next!"
"I'm trying! There isn't anyone speaking through the microphone!"
"No one has time for your fucking jokes!" His knuckles crashed against the glass once again, as droplets-stained crimson dripped down onto the floor.
"Attention all passengers! Train to [█████████] is arriving at Track 11!"
"Fuck!" A frustrated yell echoed throughout the room, some began to panic, others continued looking around.
Asael placed his hand on his sister's shoulder.
"Stay close to me."
"Uh-huh."
"Everyone remain calm!" A female commuter shouted out.
"Attention all passengers!"
Various heads raised their heads. Paying attention to the upcoming announcement.
A calm voice spoke from the speakers.
"Please head to your assigned track."
"Assigned...?"
Everyone looked around.
Suddenly...
Vzzt!
"..?"
A commuter pulled his phone out of his pocket his eyes focusing on the notification that had just been sent.
[TRACK 3]
Vzzt!
Vzzt!
Vzzt!
More and more phones began to vibrate.
A commuter's laptop read [TRACK 4].
Another's phone read [TRACK 9].
The departure board began to flicker.
"Track 1 has been made available!"
Then again.
"Track 66 has been made available!"
And it continued.
"Track 99 has been made available!"
"Track 546 has been made available!"
The numbers climbed at a rate impossible for the human eye.
The tiled floor of the station began to stretch. The walls surrounding the station were being pushed outward, making the station even bigger. Mysterious halls were carved in the process.
"This has to be a prank! Some sort of mind game!" An old man in a suit yelled out.
"Why is the announcement system is malfunctioning..?" Muttering under his breath a worker tapped on digits of the telephone, inputting several numbers before bringing it to his ear.
Ring...
Ring....
Ring..…
("Even maintenance isn't picking up..?")
He hanged up, now going to check the train schedule on his laptop, attempting to edit the info.
("I can't edit the page..?!") He clicked various times with his mouse yet nothing happened.
He even tried highlighting the entire page to delete it, yet nothing happened.
Sweat dripped down his chin.
"Everyone stay calm! Were working to restore everything!" The worker called out.
Chatter erupted from the station, various commuters went up to the ticket booth, clearly panicked as they went to question the worker.
Some stood in silence, as if they were beginning to accept this new reality.
Vzzt!
Mallory lowered her gaze.
[TRACK 99]
Mallory frowned.
"..Asael."
"What?"
She turned her phone towards him.
"I.. got one."
"..."
Asael took his phone out, staring at his wallpaper. A picture of Mallory and him, and as he scrolled down the notification center..
Nothing.
He tried refreshing.
Nothing.
A frown emerged on his face.
"Did yours go off..?"
".."
"No."
"Maybe it's just delayed or something.."
Around them, various other devices continued to vibrate.
Asael's screen remained dark.
"Michael!" A mothers yell echoed throughout the station.
Various commuters turned around at the unexpected call. Their eyes locking onto a women pulling her son closer.
"..Stay here. Don't go."
Now grabbing onto her sons arm.
She stares at her notification center, refreshing frantically.
Again
and
Again.
Yet the number on her screen didn't change.
[TRACK 247]
A look of despair settled on her face.
"You got.. Track 16.. right?"
He held onto the action figure, nodding.
"Mom.. what's going on? Can't you come with me?"
Her eyes began to well up, as her arms loop around her son, embracing the boy in a hug.
"Don't worry Michael. We'll stay together."
Many eyes stared at the scene happening in front of them. The station had gone silent, as nothing occurred.
"See?"
A man scoffed.
"Nothing happened. We don't have to follow these rules! It's just a bunch of crap."
Another commuter laughed nervously.
"Hah..! He's right!"
The mother lowered her phone now, relief washing over her face.
"See Michael?"
Yet suddenly..
The floor beneath Michael shifted.
His mother's grasp had loosened a bit.
Then a little more.
Frrt..
A crackle rippled throughout the station, as if a piece of paper was being unfolded.
10 Feet.
He blinked.
100 Feet.
600 Feet.
The space between the mother and son continued to increase, as space itself began to distort between the two.
"Mom!"
The clasp on his mothers hand severed immediately.
"Mi--"
Her voice cracked, before a scream tore from her throat, resonating throughout the station hub.
"MICHAEL!"
Yet her scream was silenced immediately as the announcements crackled.
"Attention all passengers."
"Passengers who have not yet reached their assigned track..."
For a moment, static pierced into the ears of everyone in the hub, before the voice returned.
"Will be removed."
...
Silence.
No one moved.
No one spoke.
They simply watched.
"MOM!"
"Stay there Michael!"
Yet suddenly, a commuter dashed forward. A full sprint towards Track [215].
"I-"
"I can't.. take this anymore!"
"Hey.. wait!"
Another commuter began running.
Then another.
Then fifty.
"FUCK OUT THE WAY!"
"MOVE!"
Commuters began shoving and pushing their ways to the tracks.
"Ackgh!"
A man fell.
Yet the horde didn't stop.
The sounds of bones cracking had disappeared in the flood of desperation.
Beneath the cries of children calling for their parents.
Nobody looked back.
Nobody stopped.
A mangled mess.
Yet somewhere in the distance..
A mother was still screaming drowned out by a current.
In this flood of humanity.
It could be considered beautiful by some.
Horrifying by others.
And Asael could only watch.
"Asael.."
Mallory's voice trembled.
"What do we do..?"