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Secrets, Lies, and Death Trains

I wail a name and they die. I’m a banshee, that’s what I do. Chasing after a Death Train, in pumps, isn’t a typical job requirement. Here I was, praying not to trip, trying to catch up to my date. A low moan came from the train signaling it’s next pick up. Not that it would stop, death stopped for no one.  I reached out for the back rail of the train. I could feel the coldness radiating from the train before I even touched it.

“Man this is going to suck,” Nora said and grabbed the rail. Searing coldness raced up her arm across her body, beyond pain. Beyond anything she could have prepared herself for. She was paralyzed from it. Her legs were being dragged behind the train. She could feel each cut as it happened, but it didn’t hurt. It was a pleasant numbness. Like nothing mattered, everything was fine.

Through the fog a thought was trying to form. No, that’s not right. Something’s wrong. I can’t think. She focused her power and was rewarded with thought and punished by feeling. She fought to pull herself up over the railing. She landed with a thud, out of breath, and shoe-less. “Damn, I loved those shoes.”

She got up and stalked through the cars looking for Daniel’s soul. She was the only corporeal being on the entire train, except for the conductor. That should have creeped her out, but being an assassin for the underworld made her all too comfortable with death.

This wasn’t my worst first date if you can believe that. Close, but you don’t know crazy until you date a Reaper. Lets just say running into an ex on a first date with a Reaper should be avoided. Seriously.

She found him in the last car, sitting straight ahead waiting for his final destination, just like all the rest.

It was hard for her not to help them all, but it was the natural cycle of things. Everyone dies, even banshees. She had to correct her mistake.

“Daniel, can you hear me?” He said nothing. She put her hand over where his heart would be and two fingers between his eyes. She drew her power to her again, but this time she filled him with them, more, and more until his soul began to scream. Then she gave it everything she had. A burst of energy exploded between them, throwing her into the seats across from him. When she looked over at him he had a body and he was terrified.

“What are you?”

I could lie or go with the truth and b.s. my way out of it later. Hmm…

“I’m a Banshee. You were dead. Something that I had nothing to do with,” Nora said. Okay, maybe a little b.s. now too. “I’m trying to bring you back to the land of the living. We have to go before we’re noticed.”

“Who dares enter my train!”

“Damn, it’s not my day. Be quiet and stay right there. Don’t move. We don’t need to draw any attention to you. I’m going to distract him and you’re going to get off the train. Don’t touch anything. Okay?”

His eyes were wide. I don’t know if he understood me or not. I didn’t have time for repeats. Odds were pretty slim of us surviving anyway.

“I’ve been looking everywhere for you My Lord. I’m Nora, Banshee of the First Order,” she said bowing.

“Yes, I know who you are. Why are you on my train?”

“I’ve heard so much about you, Son of Charon. I’ve admire your work and I was hoping you could show me the engine room?” I said batting my eyelashes.

He tilted his head and looked at me. It was intense. Daniel needed to wait a few more minutes before he makes his move. Or not, she thought. Daniel screamed running down the aisle. He didn’t  make it far before he was frozen mid yell.

“How did a human get on my train? He wouldn’t have been able to survive it in tact. You tell me how he’s on the train and I won’t kill him.”

Her heart rate intensified. She was on the verge of a panic attack, but she couldn’t afford that right now she needed to play it cool. A believable lie that wouldn’t betray her secret.

“You see,” Nora started.

“Lie to me and you both die.”

If she told him the truth at least Daniel would live. She owed him that.

She took a deep breath and sat in a seat defeated, motioning for him to sit too. When he did she said, “I’m a banshee. I wail a name the Underworld gives me and they die. That’s how it’s supposed to work, right?” She looked up at him. “I can alter peoples destines by wailing a different name. I can choose who dies.”

“That’s not possible.”

“Explain my date then. I accidentally said his name when I was given another and here I am talking to you.”

“If you wailed his name, how is he alive?”

Double damn. “I may be able to revive a soul, under the right circumstances.” She ran her hands through her hair and sighed. “Someone’s probably getting ready to wail my name now. Please make sure he gets back safe?”

He studied her for what seemed like forever before he said, “You’re shielded from their magic here. No, one can hear us.”

I don’t like the sound of that. He’s looking at me with too much interest.

“Nothing nefarious, so stop looking at me like that. I have a job for you.”

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About Perry

I'm a writer. I've always been fascinated by the paranormal, books, movies, unexplained mysteries. My fascination tends to creep into my writing.

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