Is this a movie

Is this a movie? That was John’s first thought.

Train. Engine. Smoke. Noise.

John’s brain tried to process what was happening. The emergency lighting pulsed on and off.

Orange. Off. Orange. Danger.

The deafening noise of metal screeching. Burning heat. Each thought inside John’s brain fought for air, to make a sentence. Trying

Train. People. Orange, Speed. Speed. Speed.

John blinked hard trying to find detail in the blur of colour racing past the windows.

SPEED.

Why was the train travelling so fast? His brain finally answered.

John picked himself up off the floor. He touched his head and the warmth of blood from a cut on his temple. And hair. His hair.

Using the seats his arms pulled and pushed his body to the door of the carriage. He watched his muscles, expand and contract as they propelled him forward.

STRENGTH

Tortured metal screamed out at him as he ripped the door across into the next carriage.

+++++

Sarah had picked File 002 Runaway Train. The opening line in the leaflet had said, in a dream like state your beloved will die like a hero. Now in the hospital room. Sarah wondered if she had done the right thing. She looked at her husband John lying in the hospital bed. He didn’t look like her John anymore. His face was pale, the skin translucent gripping to the bone beneath. Gone was his hair, gone was that smile. Her life was built around that smile. She missed the smile.

All the usual medical equipment was around him. She remembered how many times she’d wanted to switch it all off. How many times John had looked for her to switch it all off.

Now a maze of electrical wires and patches led from his head to a black computer. A single graphic on the side of the box. Spelt out VDA. Virtual Dying Assistance Ltd

A staff member interrupted her flow of thinking,“ Sequence 001 is now complete. We expect to see involuntary limb movements during the next sequence as adrenaline is the human body’s way of coping in high pressure situations. It can be unsettling to see.

Why did he say the human body not John’s body? Sarah.

+++++

In the next carriage John could see a family huddled together. Through the smoke, he could make out a woman’s figure holding two children. Standing guard a Lioness of sorts.

“Are you ok? Are you hurt? My name is John. Are you ok?” John shouted up the carriage. He could hear the children crying. The woman’s voice shrilled, “John, help us”.

The voice tore through John’s brain.

Sarah.

“Sarah, Sarah, I’m coming. The words blazed out of him.

John crashed his way forward to get to them. He pulled Sarah and the children close. He saw his wife. Those Blue eyes it felt like an age since he’s seen them.

“John, what’s happening?”

It's ok. We need to lie low on the floor. John shouted over the noise of the train.

he took the cushions from the seats and placed them around the three of them. “I’m going to the front, It’s going to be ok, I promise he touched his son’s and daughter’s face. You will be safe, I promise you.

He leant forward and kissed Sarah. Gorgeous.

From the seat behind two old people emerged.

“Mum, Dad what are you doing, on this train”

“You go up there find out what’s going on, we’ll take care of each other, his father announced.

++++

Sarah remembered when the children asked “Will daddy die”. That was four years ago. When there was hope, when John had hope. They still talked to his photo at home, shared jokes, told his photo what happened at school. But they didn’t visit the hospital anymore.

“We are now at the halfway stage. The soft voice entered from the software engineer. As he monitored John vitals. Patient remains in dream like status.

++++

Driver. Train.

John saw the drivers compartment door open. The whole carriage was shaking. The thundering engines.

A rail uniformed body lay on the floor.

“You can’t stop the train, the there’s no pressure in the emergency breaks”.

All we can do is separate the carriages”.

Sam.

Am I in a movie. The thought entered his brain again.

Sam I’m going to move you and it’s going to hurt.

John began lifting Sam. Arms locked underneath his he dragged them though.

To the end of the carriage. And through back to his family.

John saw his reflection in the broken glass, he looked like a hero.

“Everyone ok?”. He shouted over the noise of the wheels, and wind.

John rushed back.

+++++

This is the final stage we were told. The medical beeps.

The brochure had said, think of it as the final scene of a movie. John’s movement were quite strong now. He barely responded when visitors came.

Sarah looked at everyone. They had all said goodbye to John. Now it was his turn.

+++++

John turned round and made his way through the deafening sound, pulling on each chair handle to make his way to the front of the train. He saw the metal box on the carriage door.

Don’t operate when the train is moving.

He reached for the fire extinguisher and repeatedly hit the electric point.

They were loosening. This would then release, inturn break the electric circuit, break the lock.He hit again, with the red fire extinguisher.

He brought the red metal cyclinder down, exploding the connection box. Through the stem he could see the carriages separate. There stood his family at the door of the carriage as the train engine hurtled further.

He watched his wife Sarah, his children, his best friend Sam. His mother and his fftaher Standing together on the carriage as they slowed he accelerating further away.

He looked at the silouhettes, he looked at the starry night as the train leaned to the left, leaving the tracks, and slowly began to rotate, and sliding on its side.

Family. Stars. Safe

This is a movie. JOHN THOUGHT. This is the end.

+++++

It is my sad duty to inform you that John Francis, husband to Sarah Francis, and father to Jack and Sophie is pronounced dead at 14:38pm. He died a hero.

Is he smiling? Asked Sarah.

Yes he is. There’s no scientific reason why”, came the reply.

“It's ok”, said Sarah and opened the door to leave the room.