Cult 7
Chapter 2
Chapter 2
“Now boarding on Platform 4, nonstop to Axiom. Please have your tickets and your luggage ready to go. The train will be leaving on time as scheduled,” the loudspeaker boomed in my ear.
I took a quick drag my from cigarette and tossed it away. The weather was pretty shitty today, clouds, wind, and it was most likely going to rain. I grabbed my bags and made my way into the station.
For a weekend, the station was strangely empty. A handful of people were making their way towards the train platforms.
“All aboard,” the ticket takers voiced echoed through the station.
I could’ve used another smoke, but I made my way to the platform anyways. I was actually glad to see that there wouldn’t be a large group of people on the train. I wasn’t a fan of large groups, they always made me feel claustrophobic.
“Enjoy your trip sir,” the ticket taker punched my ticket and gave me a quick smile. “All meals will be announced and will be served in the diner cars, however the shop car is opened from eight in the morning to nine at night and they sell some pretty good food. We also have an observation car where you can sit and relax while taking in the scenery. There is a place to store your larger bags as you walk into the your car and of course you can stow your smaller bags with you in the overhead above your seat.”
I gave a quick, “Thank you,” took my ticket back and made my way onto the train car. I stored my large suitcase and made my way up into the seating area. It was completely empty. I guess assigned seating wouldn’t be much of an issue. I found a seat in the middle of the car, stowed my bags away and made my way to the shop car.
“Holy shit another person is actually on this train,” I heard as I entered the shop car.
A young woman with fiery red hair, pale skin and beautiful green eyes stood in front of me. She started to walk over to me and my usual nervous self attempted not to make an ass out of myself.
“It’s so relieving to see another human soul on this train,” she gave me a smile, which was just as cute as she was, “I was worried that I was the only passenger. Of course that would be silly I guess.”
Of course, I stood there not able to speak. I was bad at meeting new people, but I was really bad at meeting women. I just awkwardly stood there looking at her. I kept telling myself to say something, but nothing came out.
`“Um,” she gave me a weird look, “I’m Kira.”
She offered me her hand and I finally snapped out of it. I shook her hand and gave half a smile.
“I’m Joseph and I am terrible at first impressions,” I tried breaking the tension with a laugh.
“Don’t worry about it,” she laughed back, “the shy and quiet thing works for you.
I tried to hide my blushing face, but it was too obvious. She laughed again and hooked my arm with hers.
“It’s almost dinner time,” she began leading me towards the exit of the car, “How about you be a gentleman and buy me dinner?”
“Very assertive I see. I’d love to.”
We made are way through the other cars as the sun began to set. From what I could tell there were only a dozen other passengers on the train. We entered the observation car and Kira let go of my arm. She made her way to one of the large windows in the car and looked out at the scenery.
We were traveling through the mountains. They were covered in dense trees as far as the eye could see. The scenery was absolutely beautiful.
“It’s so peaceful out there,” Kira sighed as she stared at the surroundings. “It just amazes me how beautiful nature looks. So much different than the city. I’m really going to miss all this.”
“Me too. I’ve lived in a small town all my life. I’d go up to the mountains during the summer, or to the ocean. I even loved the snow during winter. I can’t imagine not waking up to the sounds of birds anymore.”
“Quite poetic of you. Why are you headed off to the big city?”
A slight uneasiness crept up inside of me. The last thing I wanted to do is tell her I was seeing a therapist. I quickly thought over my options and decided to go with the truth.
“My therapist works at the university in Axiom. She’s been helping me with my anxiety and she thinks I’d be perfect for a new study of hers. She also got me a job and found me a place. Really I just thought making a change could help.”
I got ready for the worst. I’m always uneasy to tell people personal things about me. I’m always worried they are going to judge me and want to have nothing to do with me.
“Good for you,” she said to me, surprisingly. “There is nothing wrong with getting the help you need.”
“What about you?” I tried not to smile too much.
“Well,” she sat down on a large sofa under the window, “I will be attending said university. I am a history major and I’m getting a headstart on the whole going to college thing. I’m going to take a few summer courses so I’m ready to be a full time student in the fall.”
“History huh, plan on being a teacher?” I chuckled.
“Yes,” she pulled onto the sofa and playfully hit me on the arm, “and what exactly is wrong with that?”
“Nothing really, you just don’t seem like the teacher type.”
“What, you’ve never had a beautiful teacher?”
“Actually, all my teachers were middle aged women who were definitely not my type.”
“Well I’m glad to be the first ever hot teacher you’ve ever met. Future teacher that is.”
“So why history? What interests you about the past?”
“Everything. It is amazing to me how the world has changed. How people have created and destroyed the world over and over again. The stories of our ancestors shape who we are now. It’s just mind blowing and I want to share that with people.”
“Your enthusiasm is contagious,” I stood up and held out my hand. “That alone earns you dessert on top of dinner.”
“Why Mr. Joseph,” she gracefully took my hand, “you are a charmer as much as you are a gentleman.”
I helped her up and we made our way to the diner car. I don’t know what it was about Kira, but talking to her was easy. Maybe this train ride wasn’t going to be such bad thing after all.
“Now boarding on Platform 4, nonstop to Axiom. Please have your tickets and your luggage ready to go. The train will be leaving on time as scheduled,” the loudspeaker boomed in my ear.
I took a quick drag my from cigarette and tossed it away. The weather was pretty shitty today, clouds, wind, and it was most likely going to rain. I grabbed my bags and made my way into the station.
For a weekend, the station was strangely empty. A handful of people were making their way towards the train platforms.
“All aboard,” the ticket takers voiced echoed through the station.
I could’ve used another smoke, but I made my way to the platform anyways. I was actually glad to see that there wouldn’t be a large group of people on the train. I wasn’t a fan of large groups, they always made me feel claustrophobic.
“Enjoy your trip sir,” the ticket taker punched my ticket and gave me a quick smile. “All meals will be announced and will be served in the diner cars, however the shop car is opened from eight in the morning to nine at night and they sell some pretty good food. We also have an observation car where you can sit and relax while taking in the scenery. There is a place to store your larger bags as you walk into the your car and of course you can stow your smaller bags with you in the overhead above your seat.”
I gave a quick, “Thank you,” took my ticket back and made my way onto the train car. I stored my large suitcase and made my way up into the seating area. It was completely empty. I guess assigned seating wouldn’t be much of an issue. I found a seat in the middle of the car, stowed my bags away and made my way to the shop car.
“Holy shit another person is actually on this train,” I heard as I entered the shop car.
A young woman with fiery red hair, pale skin and beautiful green eyes stood in front of me. She started to walk over to me and my usual nervous self attempted not to make an ass out of myself.
“It’s so relieving to see another human soul on this train,” she gave me a smile, which was just as cute as she was, “I was worried that I was the only passenger. Of course that would be silly I guess.”
Of course, I stood there not able to speak. I was bad at meeting new people, but I was really bad at meeting women. I just awkwardly stood there looking at her. I kept telling myself to say something, but nothing came out.
`“Um,” she gave me a weird look, “I’m Kira.”
She offered me her hand and I finally snapped out of it. I shook her hand and gave half a smile.
“I’m Joseph and I am terrible at first impressions,” I tried breaking the tension with a laugh.
“Don’t worry about it,” she laughed back, “the shy and quiet thing works for you.
I tried to hide my blushing face, but it was too obvious. She laughed again and hooked my arm with hers.
“It’s almost dinner time,” she began leading me towards the exit of the car, “How about you be a gentleman and buy me dinner?”
“Very assertive I see. I’d love to.”
We made are way through the other cars as the sun began to set. From what I could tell there were only a dozen other passengers on the train. We entered the observation car and Kira let go of my arm. She made her way to one of the large windows in the car and looked out at the scenery.
We were traveling through the mountains. They were covered in dense trees as far as the eye could see. The scenery was absolutely beautiful.
“It’s so peaceful out there,” Kira sighed as she stared at the surroundings. “It just amazes me how beautiful nature looks. So much different than the city. I’m really going to miss all this.”
“Me too. I’ve lived in a small town all my life. I’d go up to the mountains during the summer, or to the ocean. I even loved the snow during winter. I can’t imagine not waking up to the sounds of birds anymore.”
“Quite poetic of you. Why are you headed off to the big city?”
A slight uneasiness crept up inside of me. The last thing I wanted to do is tell her I was seeing a therapist. I quickly thought over my options and decided to go with the truth.
“My therapist works at the university in Axiom. She’s been helping me with my anxiety and she thinks I’d be perfect for a new study of hers. She also got me a job and found me a place. Really I just thought making a change could help.”
I got ready for the worst. I’m always uneasy to tell people personal things about me. I’m always worried they are going to judge me and want to have nothing to do with me.
“Good for you,” she said to me, surprisingly. “There is nothing wrong with getting the help you need.”
“What about you?” I tried not to smile too much.
“Well,” she sat down on a large sofa under the window, “I will be attending said university. I am a history major and I’m getting a headstart on the whole going to college thing. I’m going to take a few summer courses so I’m ready to be a full time student in the fall.”
“History huh, plan on being a teacher?” I chuckled.
“Yes,” she pulled onto the sofa and playfully hit me on the arm, “and what exactly is wrong with that?”
“Nothing really, you just don’t seem like the teacher type.”
“What, you’ve never had a beautiful teacher?”
“Actually, all my teachers were middle aged women who were definitely not my type.”
“Well I’m glad to be the first ever hot teacher you’ve ever met. Future teacher that is.”
“So why history? What interests you about the past?”
“Everything. It is amazing to me how the world has changed. How people have created and destroyed the world over and over again. The stories of our ancestors shape who we are now. It’s just mind blowing and I want to share that with people.”
“Your enthusiasm is contagious,” I stood up and held out my hand. “That alone earns you dessert on top of dinner.”
“Why Mr. Joseph,” she gracefully took my hand, “you are a charmer as much as you are a gentleman.”
I helped her up and we made our way to the diner car. I don’t know what it was about Kira, but talking to her was easy. Maybe this train ride wasn’t going to be such bad thing after all.