Chapter 2 :

The train has set into a steady rhythm 

The trees and houses flashing past like a metronome

The nurse is still cleaning the blood from your arm – being super gentle 

He has a nice smile

For a killer 

You feel your head with your other hand and there are cuts all over

In the window you see the old lady get up out of her seat and dodder towards you - holding something in her hand

The nurse lets go of your arm to let the lady pass through and, as he does, the train jolts.

The old lady stumbles and spills her cup of tea all over you 

You jump up and brush yourself down 

I’m so sorry she says 

The nurse laughs   

Its just not your day today 

You excuse yourself to go to the toilet 

The old lady starts to get distressed and the nurse talks kindly to her, wiping the tea from her hands

You slip away quickly and push the button to open the doors into the next carriage 

As soon as the doors close behind you a very round man with a small bald head comes in from the other end of the carraige and starts to walk towards you, blocking your path.  

As he gets close to you he says 

excuse me   

then he uses your real name 

Your heart sinks 

You look over your shoulder as if he were talking to someone else and try to squeeze past. 

It is a struggle 

But once you are past you keep going as quickly as you can, despite the violent rocking of the carriage

He calls your name again   

You press the button to go through the next set of doors  

They don’t open 

You press again 

You walk through

This is as far as you go   

It is where the driver drives the train 

You look out of the window and see the world as a blur

the train is going far too fast  

Peoples bags that were piled up are now being thrown about around your feet  

You hold onto the walls

Then you realise that one of the bags is not actually a bag at all

It is the train driver   

He is unconscious 

You grab the driver’s door handle 

It is locked    

The round bald-headed man is staring at you from the other end of the carriage laughing    

He is being bounced between the seats like a football   

You take out your wallet and pull out a credit card  

You have seen this done before 

You slide the card between the door and the latch as carefully as you can – while the cases bang against your legs    

there is a click   

the door opens   

You turn to see the look of horror on the bald mans face.  

You look around the driver’s cabin

You need to think quickly   

which is the brake ? 

which is the brake ?

You look 

and you choose 

and you pull a lever 

There is a hiss and a deafening scraping as the brakes engage along the whole train 

Please don’t crash 

Please don’t crash 

The train shudders and people’s luggage is thrown from the racks above their heads

The bald man is now on the floor under a very large suitcase 

You roll yourself into a ball in the doorway 

The train starts to slow and the shuddering stops    

The train seems to be sliding along the rails making a high-pitched noise, like nails on a chalk board   

Everyone has their hands over their ears 

You choose the perfect moment when the train is still moving - but not stopped 

And you open the door  

And you take a deep breath 

And you leap off of the train 

You roll down a muddy bank   

spinning over and over  

over and over    

And when you come to a stop at the foot of the bank 

you land at the high heeled feet of a woman 

She has stopped her car and got out to watch when she heard the terrible noise of the train

You stand up and you are really giddy 

You take a few seconds to steady yourself 

The woman’s car door is wide open 

The engine is still running

In a flash you leap into the driver’s seat 

You do not know how to drive a car 

But you press the pedals until it starts to move and you grab the steering wheel with both hands 

This time, you do look back

The woman is shouting after you to stop

And, stumbling down the bank behind her, are the bald man and the nurse - shouting and hitting each other in total fury