Prisoner Aboard

Thump. Thump. Thump.

A steady pounding sounded somewhere in the distance. Slowly it pulled me from the depths of my mind. I shifted trying to wake and the light squeak of leather sounded beneath me. I must have fallen asleep on the couch. I shifted again, trying to clear the fog of sleep. I attempted to open my eyes several times only for them to flutter several times and just to shut again.

Thump, thump, thump.

“I’m coming,” I croaked, with not even an ounce of the power I was aiming for.

With one final push my eyes fluttered open, one simple movement, followed by the terrifying realization that I was not safe and sound on my living room sofa. In Fact I didn’t seem to be anywhere in my own home whatsoever. In one swift motion I was sitting straight up, my heart thundered in my chest as I took in my surroundings.

The room was small, no bigger than a large bathroom. The walls were covered in a worn filigree wallpaper, some spots seemed to hold a faint maroon color though the majority was brown from years of wear. There was a small window to my right, the curtains were pulled shut, caked with dust adding a gray tone to that same dirty brown wall color. The black leather bench seemed to be the newest thing in the room and the room was thick with the smell of mothballs. But the strangest thing about the dingy room was not the faded wallpaper or dusty curtains but the fact that the entire room was swaying ever so slightly.

Slowly I stood up, trying to decipher if this was a dream or not. I attempted to step, my legs were weak and the movement of the floor was working against me but I needed to figure out what the hell was going on. With two less than graceful steps I had made it to the only door that adorned the tiny cubicle I was in. The wood was dark, worn as the rest of the room though the window was completely blacked out, I gave the handle a pull and the door didn’t budge. I tugged it once more a bit harder and still it didn’t budge. I pinched myself, hoping I'd wake up snuggled in my duve back home, but no such luck. This was not a dream, and I was trapped in here.

I turned to stumble toward the window when a large chest in the corner caught my eye. That and the bench were the only two things in the room not covered in a layer of dust so I made my way over to check it out. Half expecting it to be locked I gave it a hefty tug and it flew right open, knocking up a cloud of dust as it connected with the wall. I coughed and fanned away the particles to see a gold embroidered corset placed on top of a heap of white fabric. Just as I reached for the fabric the melodic pounding had returned, in perfect unison with the heavy pounding of my heart.

Thump, thump, thump.

“Hello!” I shouted as loud as my worn voice would allow. “Hello, Is someone out there?!” I yelled again, this time with a little bit more gusto.

Just as I moved to stand again the latch on the door let out a faint click, fear sliced through me and I found myself pushing back toward the wall, as if the two added inches were going to protect me from whoever was about to waltz in that door. Without another second to rethink my position the door came sliding open. I was greeted by a frail old woman. She was small, and the large hunch in her back only dwarfed her more. She wore a light blue turtleneck button down that looked like it came from the eighteen hundreds with a navy skirt that flared out and covered her feet.

She peered down quizzically at me over a pair of horn rimmed glasses that didn't really match the era that her outfit choice was going for. “What are you doing on the floor dear?” Her voice was soft, and almost comforting. Though my guard stayed thickly in place.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

She rolled her eyes, clearly annoyed by whoever was making the racket. “Don’t gape there like a fish girl, get up and get dressed I will be right back to cinch your corset. And be quick, Mr. Taylor doesn’t like to be made to wait.”

“Mr. Taylor?”

She huffed and slid the door shut once more leaving me in solitude, a small click solidifying the notion that I was a captive here. I scrambled off the floor and turned to the window, I yanked the curtains back just to be met with another blacked out window. My heart hammered with a ferocity that felt like it would break a rib any second as I looked around for anything I could use to smash it open. The room was bare beyond the bench and the chest in the corner, I reached down to grab it and conveniently it was attached to the floor. I huffed out a sigh as my only option stared up at me from inside the brass colored chest.

The thumping had stopped abruptly, followed by a high pitched scream. Fear washed over me as I realized that I had no Idea who had me or what they were capable of and if I wanted to escape I was going to have to play along with whatever the hell was going on. So I quickly undressed and slipped the white cotton gown over my head, the sleeves sat off my shoulder and puffed out slightly. The rest of the gown ran straight for the floor and the fabric felt so thin I was sure it had to be see through. The lock clicked and the door slid open once more. The old lady shuffled in without a word, snagging the corset off of the bench as she circled around me and wrapped the gold fabric around my torso. She worked quickly lacing it up before tugging it tight, with zero warning I might add, and I let out a gasp as she pulled tighter and tighter before she finally decided it was good and tied it off.

She made her way to the door in complete silence, just as I thought I would be locked away again she turned toward me and waved me forward. I followed cautiously as fear, confusion and curiosity held a cage match in my head. Beyond the door was a small hallway which had a few more doors lining both sides, the windows were blacked out on each and every one. We made our way towards the door at the end of the hall, the ground still swaying beneath us with each step we took.

As soon as she opened the door I was greeted with the loud sound of a train whistle, the air whooshed around us in a fury as we stepped out onto a small platform, the car beyond us was just a foot away but as i stared at the ground flying beneath us I was paralyzed with fear. The old woman stepped across the gap as though it was nothing and stood there in a tizzy waiting for me to come.

“Come on girl, We haven’t got all day.” she said before turning and disappearing into the next car.

I let out a breath and closed my eyes taking the biggest possible step I could, realizing too late that I probably should have kept my eyes open, I just barely made the gap as I stumbled across the opening and into the door.

The next car over was the dining car, windows stretched wide along both walls. None of which were blacked out, and small tables sat beneath each one. I stared out those windows, able to take in the landscape in full now since I wasn’t so concentrated on making sure I didn’t fall between the train cars. There was nothing in either direction, just red dirt, broken up in brief moments by small bushes or the occasional cactus. We reached the door on the other side and my hope was shattered, even if I could get off the train I was in the middle of nowhere. I would surely die of starvation or dehydration before finding any civilization.

We continued on, this time I kept my eyes open as I hopped to the next car. This one seemed to be where they would make the food, however everything seemed rusted over and I doubted I would find anything edible in the cabinets. Though that wouldn’t stop me from looking should the opportunity present itself. The old woman was clearly frustrated by my slow pace as I soaked in my surroundings but I didn’t care. We continued on, the next few cars were like the one I came from. Little rooms with blacked out windows lining each wall.

The hairs on my arm stood straight up as we reached the front of the train. We entered the small room and a large man stood staring out the window wearing a navy blue conductors uniform, his hands clasped behind his back as he stared out the window before him. The lady cleared her throat and turned to head back to the previous car, she gently shut the door behind her when the mysterious man turned to face me. My heart hammered in my chest and he seemed to know it because his smile quickly turned to a frown.

“My dear Elizibeth are you frightened?” He purred.

The concern washed from his features as the corner of his mouth seemed to quirk up ever so slightly. He was beautiful. His olive skin smooth, his eyes perfectly framed by inky black eyebrows and his jawline was sharp. He towered over me and his uniform seemed to be struggling to stay together over his large frame. He was truly a wynorrific creature, beautiful to look at but his presence was terrifying.

“Do I know you?” I squeeked.

A flicker of confusion crossed his features before he quickly schooled them, “I suppose you don’t yet, or rather, anymore.” he smirked.

“What do you mean?”

He turned his back to me again before responding, “It will all be revealed soon my sweet girl.”

I stood there a moment before peering around his large frame to look out the window. Maybe there was a town in the distance, if there was I could surely escape at that point. Or maybe I could make a fuss and get someone's attention and they would help me. But once again all my hopes were shattered as I looked out into the nothingness. Though the longer I looked the clearer I could see what lied in the distance, and it wasn’t a town, It was a ravine. And the large man, who I assume is Mr. Taylor, made no move to stop us.

“Elizabeth dear, I suggest you brace yourself.”