A Trip to Washington

"What do you mean you don't have a ticket?"

"I don't have a ticket. I don't know how many times I can tell you this!"

"That is just not possible, you cannot get on a train without one."

"You don't think I understand that? I'm freaking out because I don't even know where this train is going! I don't remember getting on, and I feel like I'm going to be sick." I stood up.

"Son," the ticket collector who doesn't understand how I don't have a ticket, got in my way. "Sit down, and just pay for one."

"No! I'm not paying for a train I didn't get on!" I shouted. The man stumbled back a bit. I felt my stomach churn.

"Sir, sit down, take a breath, and try to retrace your steps." He regained his composure. "What's your name?"

"Ace." I started pacing.

"Like the hardware store?" The man chuckled.

"Dude you really need to pick your battles. I need to get off this train. Kick me off for not having a ticket! I have no idea why I am here!" I got stares from people. One man pulled his son close to him.

"Alright, now you really need to sit down. Stay here, let me talk to the conductor. I'll let him know to stop, does that make you feel better?" His stoic face returned.

"Yes," I took a deep breath. "It would make me feel better, please, please let me off." I took the seat I had been in. The man left the car.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket. It was completely dead. Just my luck. I would shut my eyes to try to picture something else to calm myself down, but that's how I got here in the first place.

I was at home, I was sitting on my couch, watching a Marvel movie, then I am here, going... where am I even going?

"Excuse me." I said to the man who was clutching his child.

"Yes?" He gave me a look. Alright dude I'm not the one who decided to shave their beard in the shape of a maze but sure.

"Where is this train going?" Oh my god I truly sound like I am losing my mind.

"Washington state. Please leave me and my son alone." He turned his back to me.

I sat back in my seat. Washington? Why in the world would I be going there? I have no family out there. No business. No friends. Why?

Was I drugged? Did I do drugs? No, I would know that... or would I? I need a phone charger. I can't ask that man. There is an elderly lady, who probably uses a simpler phone, but maybe..

"Excuse me, Miss?" I approached her. She didn't move.

I cleared my throat. I called to her again two more times. She doesn't have any sort of earphones in. I gently put my hand on her shoulder and shook her. She fell over, body limp.

Oh my god she's dead! Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap! How did I get into this? This train is cursed. It is so cursed. I need to get off and I need to get off now.

I turned to head to the car door when that man came through. His face was as pale as a sheet... is he a ghost? I will break a window to get off this train.

I walked toward him, suddenly feeling uneasy. Why is it much harder to walk on this train than it was five seconds ago?

"Son," he started.

"Don't call me son." I snapped. "There is an elderly woman over there who has died. What kind of train are you people running?" I demanded.

"Ace, calm down. We can't do anything about the dead lady... in fact, I can't even get you off the train." He couldn't meet my eye.

"What are you talking about?" My heart was racing. What in the world was going on?

"This train... this train isn't stopping, the breaks broke. We are trying to fix it... but it doesn't look like that will happen. So we have bigger problems than getting you off, or her." He turned bitter.

" This has to be a dream.. I-this- it isn't real." I am going to die today. I am going to die on a train that I wasn't supposed be on. A train I didn't even know I was getting on. I don't even have a ticket. I pushed passed him to go to the front. He has to be pulling my leg right?

I felt like I was in a nightmare. I wasn't moving fast enough. People looked at me like I was going to hurt them. How could I tell these people they were about to die.

I made it to the front car. Where the conductor was. Someone was blocking the door. You could hear shouting from the other side. Oh my god I am really going to die.

I went back to a car with people as the panic set in. My body was numb. I am going to die alone, surrounded by strangers... on a train I didn't get on.

I shut my eyes. I could hear the train gaining too much speed. I felt a sharp turn. I opened my eyes. We weren't on the tracks anymore. People were looking out the window.

"What is going on!" One person screamed.

"Folks, we are crashing, best of luck to you all, may you survive this," A cool voice said over the speaker.

I put my seatbelt on, clutched the arm rests, and waited for the release of death.