The Tints And Shades (Frerard)

Trains

Frank was sitting on a bench next to a heaping pile of luggage at the train station. He rested his head on a suitcase that was propped up beside him. He had his headphones in and his eyes closed. He looked so peaceful and harmless resting there.

I approached the bench and his eyes flickered open.

"Gerard?" His voice was tired as he rubbed his eyes and and sat up from his lounging position. "Where's Legend? And Cayson?"

"I'm not quite sure. I didn't see them." I sat down on the bench next to Frank. "They should be here soon though."

Frank laid back into his lounging position and rested until Cayson and Legend finally showed up at the train station just seconds before the train appeared into view. We boarded the train quietly and confused. Frank and I had no idea what exactly we had gotten ourselves into.

The train was was near empty, with only a few travelers. As we left the station I caught a quick glimpse of a man in the far corner of the train. We made fast, uncomfortable eye contact. I had this strange feeling that he had been watching us. He wore a beige trench coat and tinted sunglasses. His hair was slicked back, making him look greasy. He made me uncomfortable, so I decided to avoid the very thought of him.

Frank was lost in his music through the entire ride. He gazed out the window as we zoomed in a southward direction, watching desolation pass by. Vacant fields and dirty wastelands abandoned by society whizzed by. A reminder of the war and famine that consumed these tired lands.

Dozens of towns were taken by the plague, which spread like wildfire. The United States population decreased dramatically on a daily basis. The war took an alarming amount of the population too. Nobody really understood what the war was even about. The country began to refer to it as the covert war. All we knew is that air travel had become hazardous in the country and all airports had been shut down. Many people stopped driving their personal cars because most of the interstates had been bombed by the Mexican army and their navy had taken control over all of our main waterways. Mexico had become the dominant land to us and had taken advantage over our country.

I decided to go through that book legend had given me to learn more about the colors. The pages were glossy and full of colors and explanation. Fascinating.

My reading was interrupted by legend, who tapped me on the shoulder to get my attention. I closed my book and turned around to look at him.

"Yes," I asked.

"Do you see that guy over there?" He pointed at the guy I had made eye contact with earlier.

I nodded.

"He's with the society," he explained.

"The society?"

"Yeah. United States citizens hired by the Mexican army to spy on prime suspects... That's us."

"Why us," I asked.

"Because of the color. We're immune."

"I don't understand."

Legend shushed me. "I think he's listening."

I stopped talking immediately and put my book away, hoping he hadn't seen the title.

Hours passed by. Frank had fallen asleep and Legend was watching Cayson get lost in his sketch. They were so in love. It was beautiful to witness it. With all this conflict it was good to know that there was still happiness in this country. Still hope for the people of the United States.

We passed by a few small farms and some more vacant fields. The train didn't stop again for quite some time. Most train stations in smaller towns were no longer in use.