7 Seconds

The Last Train

Beep, Beep, Beep!

"Siri, play Orbiter by Noah Kahan"

I think If I could relive life all over again, I'd learn how to speak every language so that I can communicate with everyone I cross paths with. Or perhaps I'd have focused more in school and became the next Albert Einstein. I don't know, but all I know is that perhaps I would have done everything differently.

It was a rainy Monday morning when I ran out of my small studio apartment, barely fitting through the door and realising that If I didn't run like my life depended on it I would never make it in time for the 7am train. I didn't have an umbrella, brave of anyone to assume that I could afford one in this economy. The rain poured as I ran because I couldn't be late for work again. I needed this job, as it was the only way I could afford my bedroom, kitchen and bathroom all in one dainty little room. 

"Wait, wait, wait!" I shouted as I tapped my card, ran through the barriers and vigorously pressed the button opening the train doors.

I exhaled as I entered the train, soaked in the drops of winter, and the whistle blew confirming the 7am departure. I looked around, the train was full, as it usually was on on Monday morning in London, yet there was an unrecognisable silence. I put earphones in, like I usually did, held on to the rails facing the train doors and looked out of the glass pane, realising that the outside world felt unfamiliar. 

"Crap! this must be the wrong train" I whispered to myself

I looked around, but everyone looked almost frozen. I couldn't make out anyone's facial features. It was almost like I was trapped in a daze. I walked over to a dark-skinned gentleman, wearing a dress hat and a business suit hoping to get the answers I was searching for. I tapped him gently on the shoulder and said

"Excuse me sir"

He didn't respond, didn't even look up

"Excuse me sir, can you tell me where this train is going?" I repeated

He looked up at me and all I could see was a eery smile

"Not where you think" he replied

"Okay... creepy" I said backing away slowly.

The man then stood up and walked towards me, I then started walking further down the train trying to keep my distance. He started walking faster, as if I was a target, so I did what any other female would do in this situation and I ran screaming, pleading, begging "Help!", but no one looked up, no one acknowledged me, all the unrecognisable faces were staring at the grimy floors of the train. I ran until I stumbled and fell into a metal pole, bumping my head and blacking out. 

I opened my eyes and gasped as the man hovered over me, his facial features fell into place. I knew him, he knew me...

"D-dad?" I gasped rubbing my sore head

"Jasmine" he said as he helped me up

"H-how are you here? You're dead?" I responded

"Come on now sweetie, it's time to get off before the doors close" he said.

I got myself together and stepped off the train and on to platform. The yellow safety line between my feet bled into polished white flooring. The pillars stretched upwards before dissolving into blank white walls. The flickering platform lights warmed into the gentle glow of fluorescent hospital lamps. The smell of wet concrete and damp hair faded, replaced with the smell of antiseptic and freshly washed linen.

"Dad!" I yelled as I turned around and found myself at the entrance of a hospital with no one around but me.

"What am I doing here?" I whispered to myself

I stepped further into the hospital, looking up at the sign 'maternity ward'. I heard the cries of babies being born and the screams of mothers pushing. The hallway was dark, with only the warm light of hospital lamps coming from the room of birthing mothers lighting my path. I walked slowly to the end of the hall, my heart beating rapidly, thinking that I must be trapped in a dream, and needed to play along until I woke up.

My hand touched the cold metal handle of the final room in that eerily long hallway. I pushed it down, and opened the door to a woman with brown curly hair, freckled cream-coloured skin and blue eyes, with her legs wide open, and a nurse beneath her screaming "PUSH, PUSH!".

The tall dark-skinned man, with brown eyes and the same dress hat from the train stood beside her, holding her hand as the woman squeezed tighter. It then clicked. That's my mum, and dad, giving birth to... me?

The cries of a freshly born baby filled the atmosphere around us. Dad kissed mums head and the nurse placed the baby on her chest.

"Jasmine, she's here" said Mum

"Miss Jasmine Williams, our beautiful baby girl" replied dad as he placed his hand on my back and turned his kiss towards my forehead. 

I walked over to the hospital bed as time froze once again.

"Dad? What am I doing here?" I whispered as I looked over at him.

"Do you want to leave?" he replied

I fell into his arms and gripped the back of his waist coat and I cried as I  inhaled the familiar smell of his cologne. Dad died when I was five-years old. Him and mum had been separated before that. I have no real memories of them together, and now here I was in a hospital room, watching my birth and them, together, united and in love. 

"I miss you so much dad" I said with my voice cracking as I swallowed the words

"I'm right here sweetie" he said as he squeezed me, embracing my presence

I pulled myself back not believing what I was seeing. How was this even possible? How am I here?

"It's time to wake up now sweetie" said Dad

"What do you mean?" I replied in confusion

"Wake up" he repeated

"Wake up, wake up, wake up"

I gasped as the room faded into darkness and my eyes opened.

Beep Beep Beep!

Suddenly, I was in bed, late for work as I suspected I would be. The sound of my alarm filling the room. My eyes filled with tears as I realised that it was all just a dream.

"Siri, Stop!" I cried as I remembered playing music to soothe myself to sleep last night.

"Honey, come down for breakfast" shouted a voice

I adjusted my eyes and smelt the familiar smell of pancake mix and lavender air freshener. The atmosphere felt familiar just like the man did, on the train, in my dream.

"Honey, you're going to be late for school" repeated the voice

"M-mum?", I gasped