The Train of the Dead

Chapter Twenty

Michael raised his head hopefully. Was it his father, yelling for him to wake up?

No. He squinted to see who was standing at the top of the stairs – and his heart sank in disappointment. It was Riku.

Why now? he thought with a groan. Of course he'd show up again... he never knows when to quit.

The yell had distracted the Teke Teke, too. The coldness receded slightly as she observed him. Michael opened his mouth to yell at Riku, yell for him to get away, but all that came out was a strangled gasp. Tomiju and Mr. Yamamoto cried out in surprise as well.

So it isn't a dream, Michael thought, squeezing his eyes shut again. He wished he could doze off, forget about all of this... and he wished his father was with him right now.

"Get away from him!" Riku repeated, his voice wavering. A look of terror crossed his face and his entire body shook, but he didn't become silent. "Leave Michael alone."

"Get out of here!" Mr. Yamamoto hissed. "Are you crazy?"

Michael couldn't help wondering the same thing. He didn't think even Riku would be daring or stupid enough to enter the train station by himself. He was even more shocked that he was yelling at the horrifying creature to leave him alone.

"No, I-I won't," Riku insisted, shaking his head as he turned his gaze to Michael's shocked one. "It's my fault that you're here in the first place. My fault that you fell onto the tracks and saw... her." He shuddered.

"Why can't you get help?" Michael surprised himself by calling out in his shaking, frail voice.

Riku shook his head. "There was barely anybody on the streets. The few awake at such an early hour didn't listen to me. And even if they did, they'd be exposed to... to that thing as well if they came down. I wouldn't want to subject somebody else to..." He trailed off, his voice dying in his throat as his gaze locked on the Teke Teke.

Michael couldn't help turning his own head in curiosity – and immediately regretted it. The sight of the axe that she clutched in one of her pale, bony hands sent a shudder down his spine. The huge blade caught his eye, glistening in the dull light, the same way that her dark eyes did – and then, the dried blood attached to the end.

My blood would've been there if Riku hadn't showed up, Michael realized with a shudder.

"Stay away from him!" Teke Teke lifted her head, staring straight at Riku. The determined look in her eyes diminished slightly, replaced with confusion.

Michael's mouth dropped open as she opened her thin, narrow one. Then, she spoke once again in her hoarse, chilling voice.

"He looked in my eyes. Now he must die."