The Train of the Dead

Chapter Sixteen

Michael jumped in shock, backing away as the candy bars fell to the ground. No doubt about it. It was the same guy who had been about to enter the station minutes before.

What's he doing here? Michael thought, gulping as he stared into his dark eyes.

He didn't look angry, but Michael was still worried that he was still mad at him for knocking him over. Maybe he wanted to scold him some more. Was he really petty enough to put off receiving his wallet for that?

Michael jumped as he spoke. He had a low, deep voice, but there wasn't a trace of anger or even disappointment as Michael had expected. Just desperation. "Hey, you – boy. Do you have my wallet?"

"Huh?" Michael wasn't sure he had heard right.

"Do you have my wallet?" he repeated, his voice softening. "I was told that my wallet had been returned. I remember bumping into you yesterday. Do you have it?"

"Uh..." Michael just stared at him in shock and slight nervousness. He still remembered how he had blown up at him, his face turning red as he yelled at Michael.

The man seemed to realize how upfront he was being. "My apologies," he said. "You must be confused. I should introduce myself. My name is Tomiju Kobayashi. I dropped my wallet by accident yesterday, and only realized once the station phoned me about it. I was just about to head there to retrieve it... but then, I saw you from this shop and remembered how I bumped into you. I don't see many boys around here who look like you." He sounded so calm and reasonable, nothing like the yelling man from yesterday.

Michael felt comforted by his friendly words, but they confused him slightly. Why would he ask a random kid about his wallet instead of taking it from the station?

"Uh... nice to meet you," Michael said. "But... I don't have your wallet. Sorry."

Tomiju sighed, his face falling in disappointment. Michael wondered again why he had seemed so reluctant to enter the station.

"I'm sorry—" he began.

"No, I'm sorry," Tomiju interrupted. "I owe you an apology. I shouldn't have frightened you like that last night. I was exhausted and in a hurry, and then annoyed about being knocked over. But I realize now that I shouldn't have taken my anger out on you. I'm sure it was just an accident."

"Uh... yeah," Michael agreed, deciding not to tell him how Riku had tripped him. He was too relieved to receive an apology. Maybe this guy wasn't so bad after all. "It's okay, Mr... uh..."

"Kobayashi," he said, smiling slightly. "You're not from around here, are you?"

"No," Michael admitted with a sigh. "I'm just visiting."

"Are you sure you don't have my wallet?" Tomiju asked, almost pleadingly. "I'd rather avoid going into the station."

"Why?" Michael couldn't help asking. "I don't really like the place either, but my father is currently there. He's asking about something I lost..." There's probably no need for that, he realized. He hoped that Riku remembered to tell them he had his bag while getting his reward money. "My friend Riku is there, too. He's getting the reward money... for returning your wallet. You are offering it to him, aren't you?"

"Of course I am," Tomiju replied. "I wanted to offer you some, mostly, as an apology for yelling at you."

"You really don't have to," Michael insisted. "I probably won't be able to spend it, anyway. I'm just visiting. I don't really know how to use Japanese money—"

"I still feel as if I owe you," Tomiju insisted. "That wallet was very important to me. Not just because of the money... though I have a very generous amount. But mostly because of the photograph inside."

"Huh? What photo?" Michael asked. He felt comfortable talking to the man.

"Of my daughter and nephew," Tomiju replied, his face darkening. Sadness filled his dark eyes. "They were tragically killed over ten years ago... and I still miss them. I keep the last picture I took of them wherever I go."

"I... I'm sorry," Michael sputtered, surprised that he was being so open with him. He felt bad for Mr. Kobayashi, but he was surprised that he seemed to cared more about the picture of his daughter and nephew than his money.

"I was surprised the station called me," Tomiju admitted. "I never wanted to see that place again. I was reluctant to come. I only came to get the photograph back."

"Why?" Michael asked, somewhat dreading the answer. But he was also eager to know. Maybe he knew something about the train station and could provide him with answers.

Tomiju glanced away, his eyes glazing over. "Because that very station was the place where my daughter and nephew were killed."