Weekly Expressions week #10 ~TJ

~The Train~

A collection of thoughts formatted into a story.

It's after 9:30, and the train has not arrived.

My demons are here to escort me to my doom. Somehow, I know their names, but not their faces. I don't wish to know their faces, but I fear the day they will reveal themselves, and my eyes will never again reopen.

I knew not who ran this train, nor where it would take me. My small understanding of unknown origin told me the demons would not accompany me on the train. I could run, I could run off the platform right now and they'd never catch me.
But I was never their catch in the first place. I am their prisoner without handcuffs or bars.

If I did run, where would I go? I knew not anyone, if anyone, would be out there to help me. I could see them, but could not hear them; and they could neither see nor hear me. 

Men in tall hats and women in gold skirts often walked in the cities. All the people were dazed at the first sight of them, and brought them offerings of words, respect, and attention. Even those who came from the countryside to sell their grain would be seduced. But the men in hats and the women in gold were displeased with the amount of offerings the people gave them, and demanded more constantly.

I could see the demons in black, watching their every move. Perhaps the men in hats and women in gold could not see that their demons used the influence on society to prey upon the helpless.

When I was young, I followed a man in a tall hat. I offered him the best of my offerings, but as always, it wasn't enough. The man chased after a woman in gold, and my offerings could not be more worthless to him. I gave up, thinking I was not worthy of society.
It was then that I saw the demon.

The man had no idea, nor intention of leading his followers into his trap, but he loved the offerings too much to notice.

I ran from the demon, seeking my own company. But how could I bestow offerings upon myself? I hid in the woods of my own shame. But it was there I noticed a small girl in a small gold skirt, dancing through the pricker bushes without receiving a single scratch. She was hardly a threat. Since I was curious, I followed the girl.

A demon in a black hood began to follow me. I ran faster after the girl, hoping to simultaneously catch her and lose the demons. But I was wrong; the more I ran, the more demons appeared. They didn't run like I was, but they managed to catch up.

When I finally caught the young girl to ask her who she was, I could not see a face. I could not see anything. So I let her go, letting her lead me to wherever she was dancing to.

I was now in the company of my own demons that I brought upon myself, I tried to show them to so many people to see if they could tell me how to get rid of them, but no one can see them but myself.

If an angel would show up, I would follow after him as fast as I could, but every time I see one, I look back upon my demons to see if they still follow me. When I look back twords the angel, he is gone.

I now stand alone on a train platform, waiting for a train that may never come. I hope it never comes, but if it does, I fear I may not be able to run away, but rather though to the train.

But then it dawned on me: I am not the only one of my kind. Why are there not others on this platform with me? Perhaps the train took them away and they can never return.
No. No more choices I cannot turn back from.
I started to walk off the platform when I heard the whistle of the train in the distance. It sent a shiver up my spine, but at the same time, it sparked my body with energy, and the feeling of curiosity was too good to pass up.

This is the feeling I got when I looked into the faceless head of the little golden girl. And she left me here to rot.

I turned to run away from the whistle. I could hear the demons following. They never grab me, tackle me to the ground, nor touch me. Just by being in their presence, I mindlessly submit to their will.

But no more...

I will not get on that train. I will go find that angel again.