The Train of the Dead

Chapter Eighteen

Mr. Yamamoto let out a long, dismayed groan. Tomiju looked frightened for a moment, but then determination overtook his features.

"Tell me!" he insisted. His voice shook, but Michael was amazed by his courage. "Tell me what you did to them."

Mr. Yamamoto shot him a withering glare. He clearly thought it was less courage and more sheer stupidity. But Tomiju didn't back down, continuing to glare at the Teke Teke.

She started moving again, the eerie sound returning. Michael grimaced, resisting the urge to cover his ears. He knew he'd never be able to forget that sound.

And then, he nearly jumped out of his skin as the sound suddenly changed. It increased in volume and became louder and more grating, filling the entire station in a long, shrill whine. The shrillness was almost painful for him.

Then, he heard loud screams. They barely registered compared to the sound of Teke Teke's hands along the ground. But they were almost as shrill, yells of panic and terror. Michael's stomach dropped as he saw that Teke Teke had raised her hands to the platform and was trying to pull herself up.

Riku and even his father were screaming. In another circumstance, Michael would've been almost amused by the looks of terror on the two males' normally cocky or serious faces. But at the moment, he was just as terrified as them – but too terrified to scream. Michael watched as Riku turned and darted out of the station. In his desperation, he tripped over and landed with a thud on the platform, but barely noticed before getting to his feet and racing up the stairs. His body was almost a blur as he ran at full speed.

Who's the wimp now? Michael thought wryly. But at the same time, he couldn't blame him. He wished his body wasn't frozen in terror so he could join him.

His father looked like he was close to joining Riku. But Tomiju stayed where he was, continuing to glare at the creature. Mr. Yamamoto groaned, but didn't seem too concerned.

"Go on. Yell all you want," he muttered. "It won't change anything. She's chosen him for her victim."

"Tell me what you did to them," Tomiju insisted. His trembling voice and wide eyes revealed his fear, but he was too focused on finding answers. Michael had to admire him.

He cringed at the sound of her nails against the platform as she pulled herself up. It filled the entire station, high-pitched and grating. It really did sound like nails on chalkboard now. Michael covered his ears with his hands and closed his eyes, both his teeth and head aching. The screeching sound increased as she continued up the platform. Then it slowed down, but didn't become quieter. The rhythmic pattern returned, only much shriller and less soft – Teke Teke, Teke Teke.

Michael kept his eyes squeezed shut, too afraid to open them. Then he jumped as he felt vague movement in front of him, but far too quick and light to be the Teke Teke. He opened his eyes to see his father standing in front of him, shielding his body with his own.

And then, the shrill sound increased in volume, until it lost the rhythm and became one long screeching sound again. Michael jumped out of his skin, his head throbbing and his heart pounding. He didn't know where Teke Teke currently was, but he felt somewhat comforted behind his father.

It took a while for him to realize that the sound was from the shinkansen. The train had returned.

Michael gaped in shock as he caught a glimpse of the long train charging through the tracks. The windows were a blur, along with the blue strip along the side, before slowly decreasing in speed. The wheels screeched against the tracks before coming to a stop right in front of them.

The sound of the train echoed in Michael's ears long after it stopped. He realized with a shudder how similar it was to Teke Teke's hands against the platform. "It's back!" he heard Mr. Yamamoto gasp. "The train comes back every morning... before continuing its journey through the day and night."

Thankfully, the returning train also caught Teke Teke's attention. She abruptly stopped moving, and for a moment, the station was completely silent again – except not silent at all. Michael could still hear the roar of the train and the scratching of Teke Teke's hands repeating in his ears, along with his pounding heart. Somehow, the silence seemed even more deafening.

Out of the corner of the eye, he spotted a flash of long dark hair against one of the windows. Then he jumped as he recognized Sakura, her pale face pressed against the window. She looked more like a silhouette, but it was definitely her. Her dark eyes were wide with desperation as she stared straight at the Teke Teke. Then she opened her mouth and called out to her.

"No! Don't kill him. Please don't!"

Michael cringed at the awful cracking sound Teke Teke's neck made as she craned her neck. She turned her attention from a slightly scared-looking Tomiju to glance at Sakura, observing the girl behind the window carefully. Michael felt a wave of relief briefly eclipse the terror. Was Sakura trying to save them? Would the Teke Teke actually listen to her?

And then, his stomach dropped at her next words.

"Don't kill him. Kill them! They were the ones on the train last night!"