No where tracks

A cold breeze dances across my face, I open my eyes and adjust myself to the dim lighting above me occasionally flickering on and off. I push off the cool metal floor, using the pole to steady myself. I have a slight pain in my head niggling away at me enough to rub my hand across the back. The train is moving at full speed, I just see blank walls outside. I glance down the carriage noticing its empty, quiet and clean, no other sign of life or movement or sound. I turn to try the operators door and it opens but no one is inside, no driver, no other staff just the controls. The room was dark apart from the lights on the control panels buttons, there was no window though. It was a window but it was all black, I couldn't see a thing so where is every one and how is this train driving itself?

I exited the control room and made my way to the next carriage only to be denied when the connecting door would not open to let me through. I pressed the button furiously feeling pissed that it blocked my way. I gazed through the tinted window trying to see what was on the other side. Again it seemed empty like mine and rubbish lighting however on the opposite side I believed I could see another person laying on the ground face down. I pressed myself up against the door as much as I could trying to get a better look. I couldn't make much out other than a bottom of a foot and that they were wearing jeans and boots.

I beated my hands on the door and yelled to them wanting them to wake up but they made no signs of replying. They were unresponsive, I was beginning to wonder if they were hurt or dead. It made my mind tick I began to wonder how I actually gotten onto this train. I searched my pockets and fished out a ticket it said 'one way to no where'. Confused and a little worried I scrunched it up and tossed it away and looked for the emergency window hammers. But none were here the cases were empty so I tried to pry the doors open with my hands. Another realisation to add to this messed up situation the doors were welded shut.

I cussed outload and got a reaction the low hum came from above me in each corner of the carriage was cameras. It moved I swear it did, I stared waiting for it to do it again but it remained still. That reminded me of the person in the next carriage, I darted back to there door and shouted of them again. They still did not move and checked the sides of the door this one to seemed welded shut. Behind me came a hiss I spun to see but no one was there and before I knew it I hit the floor. I remained asleep for an unknown amount of time but I woke to the sound of a muffled voice.

I picked myself up feeling groggy turning to the voice I wobbled as I tried to make my way to the window. My hands met there's on the plastic window I had no idea what to say. "Are you ok?" they asked. "Yeah are you I tried to wake you before, what's going on?" I asked in return. He rubbed his hand over his head "I don't know, I was hoping you knew" he stuttered. I searched frantically behind him "What are you looking for?" he responded I met his eyes "are your doors welded together?". He span and ran door to door testing them and trying with all his might to open them. He looked back at me and raised his hands to signal his answer "Anyone in the next carriage? I shouted. He clicked into motion and shouted though the plastic calling out for someone while banging on the door.

He ran back to me "I think so but they aren't coming to me there just sitting there staring". I wondered if they were ok and how many of us are on this train. "hey um have you noticed anything about what could be going on like cameras or any clue to what's driving this thing?". He looked back at me and shook his head and nodded towards the control room. I shook my head in return "empty" I said as I stepped back to take a seat. I let my head dropped into my palms nothing makes sense. The guy next door started to barge the door down or at least trying, it didn't even budge not that metal would. He raged and cried out taking his temper out on the door and the chairs.

A ping peaked my attention so I looked up to see a green light flashing but it was not continuous it was patterned almost. I moved closer but it seemed just a light randomly placed in the ceiling. "yo this guy is moving I think he knows what those lights are" I turned to reply but he was already back to the other door watching. I waited for any information, growing impatient I called over to him without looking back he hushed me with his hand. I stamped my foot in a mood and stormed away to the control room. I looked around trying to take in the labels on the buttons to seek any answers to stop the train. The labels were not for a normal train they were labels like carriage A , B and C then there was lights, gas and fire. The rest of the buttons were actually fake just solid bits of plastic then there was a timer counting down.

I heard the other people calling after me I rushed to the door to see what was happening. "Its morse code he said its telling us instructions apparently its like multiple choice a,b, or c". Finally sense is forming "I have those in the control room" I informed him. He became wide eyed and ran back to the other guy and and told him. They were speaking but I couldn't hear again the waiting was killing me. He came back after what seemed like a lifetime "we have to choose one or it says we will pay the price, its like a question who's more useful?". I stepped back feeling overwhelmed and the other guy in the third carriage was shouting. He ran over to him and then came back to relay the information. He was out of breath "He said its the carriages that the letters stand for we have to pick who's more useful" he started to gasp and drop down.

I cranked my head trying to keep eyes on him as he sank down clutching his chest. "hey are you ok ? " I exclaimed, I could hear the other person banging but I couldn't hear him properly. But he was now pointing towards the floor and I caught sight of the guys inhaler but it was out of reach of him. I pounded the door "your inhaler its right there, its there!" he barely looked up at me but tried to reach it but his body slumped to the floor. He could barely breath but he clawed his way closer and closer, until his finger tips manged to drag it just that bit closer to take hold. He was sucking at it as but nothing was improving then It dropped from a string in his carriage, the canister with the medicine attached and a note saying 'make a choice'.

He was in a bad way and in desperate need of it, I had to do something so I ran and stumbled to the control room in panic. I looked over the buttons they were all lit up waiting for a choice. I didn't have a clue but he was about to die so I pressed without thought. C I chose C as soon as I pressed it I had a bad feeling but I pushed it aside and went back to the guy to see if he was ok. The string had somehow manged to drop the canister and he was now spraying it into his mouth and started getting his breath back. I waited and thanked god that he was ok but it soon became a horrible feeling of guilt. I looked up over the other door trying to get a look at the other guy but the lights were off in his carriage. All I could see was blue and orangey sparks sparkling here and there.

I got the guys attention and asked him to go and check on him and he slowly wondered over and peered in. After a few minuets he started to throw up and staggered back to me. "He's.. he's .... dead" he stuttered still spluttering his own vomit. He took a few minuets to clear his mouth and looked up to me " the lights they shattered all over him he's covered in glass and plastic sticking out all over and he's bleeding". I started to cry and clutched my stomach I felt like I needed to be sick to. I dropped to the floor hugging my knees rocking myself. I felt his eyes on me but did not meet his gaze I was to ashamed. "You picked his right? the carriage letter it was his" he spoke softly but there was a hint of demand. I sniffed and wiped my tears "I didn't know" repeating it several times somehow comforted me a little.

The pinging started again and the light was again giving out instruction I heard the guy in carriage B curse and shout that he didn't know morse code. I can't say I do either but it turned out I didn't need to, there was more green lights appearing above me. They formed letters then into words then a question, "who's a murderer?". I got up and and went to B's door "I have the question its asking who is a murderer?". He me shot me a look of thunder and yelled and spat at the window "I did not kill anyone it was an accident". It wasn't what I was expecting I half expected him to say I was giving my choice but either way I was no picking again. "I don't care who you are, I'm not choosing again". He softened a bit "it was an accident I looked away for a second and he fell I grabbed him and then I let go but I didn't do it on purpose he pissed me off".

I was more than confused and now scared "I don't want to know I just want to go home not play who lives and dies". He looked scared and came right up against the window "please don't let me die I didn't mean to". I refused to chose again but I walked away from the guy thanking my lucky stars he's trapped in another carriage. I caught a glimpse through the control room door the timer ticked to 0 and then it started. A searing pain burning me, it was coming from a spray through the vents. My skin blistered and I screamed it was to unbearable. The choice lights were dancing in front of me, I didn't want to do it but I couldn't take the burning. But the blisters were scorching hot and spreading across my arms, it was to much so I choose.

The spray stopped immediately as soon as I pushed the button. I staggered and swayed trying to reduce the pain as I made way to the result of my choice. It didn't seem to gory he just laid there I couldn't figure out what what had happened to him. I suddenly remembered the other labels in the control room lights, gas and fire. The guy in C died from the lights shattering and now b was gassed so that means I'm fire. The timer it was still on 60 seconds time for the question and time for my death I suppose. I waited and heard the ping so I read the question that the lights now formed "You won... time for your prize, do you want out?". I laughed out loud "its not like I have a choice" I said to the camera and marched over to the my button. It was lit up ready for the push and fire was above it. How is this my prize for this sick game, but I knew I had 20 seconds left before I burn even more. I might as well make it quick, I sucked in a deep breath closed my eyes and pushed my button.

I thought it was fine at first but then the train exploded and I felt myself float through the air until I hit the ground with a thud. I think it knocked me out I woke feeling sick and my eyes blurry. I could feel the heat if burning metal all around me and the smoke made me cough. I dragged myself to my feet and limped towards a light it lead me to a door with some ladders. I struggled to climb with the burns and possible fractures but it brought me out side with real air and nothing but trees and grass every where. I sucked in the fresh air greedily trying to clear the smoke from my senses.

I took in the surroundings and saw a note attached to a pole, I snatched it and read it. "Really a congratulations letter?" I cursed and screamed in frustration. It was all a game to someone who wanted a show and now there thanking me for playing. There was more instructions to find my way back to civilisation it was a long journey. But at the end was more fucked up answers, it was a huge thing on the news some psycho was abducting people to play sick death games. Whoever it was streamed them live over the internet a new game new rules and players each week. That was not even the worst if it, it was discovered over time that there was a group of people who betted on players. The live screenings displayed code names and amounts of the bets. They also invited the wider public to bet and to nominate players.

I was stuck in side show and now in my real life its no different, people stare, my therapist and police are questioning me regularly. I couldn't tell them anything except my walk back but they found nothing as if that tunnel and set of ladders leading to the train wreak didn't exist. I don't sleep anymore due to nightmares with constant reminders of what happened. I get sent anonymous gifts as my prize for wining from the killer and the police keep taking them away for evidence. This seems to be the way of life now more and more disappear all over the world to be apart of these games. Every poster or advert and every piece of media is now constant reminders to keep alert but there was never a solution or any new leads that led anywhere to the tracks of no where.