Train Game

Algreya, Tompston - Day 3 / Part 1

|--VERONICA--|

The sound of an old motor turning off in the driveway pulled me from my sleep. Somehow, it hadn't woken the ever alert Kane. As I slowly twisted myself out of his arms, he grumbled something before replacing me with a pillow. I grabbed my coat and pulled it on as I left the room and went downstairs to the main room. I leaned against the wall in the shadows beside the door- the one coming in wouldn't see me, but I would see them. My fingers curled into fists immediately ready for whatever was going to come in. A few hours ago some thugs had thought it wise to drop off the dead body of a child on our porch, maybe they were planning to do it again.

I concentrated on my breathing so that I would be the shadow that I was hiding in. I heard the wood crack under the weight of whoever was climbing the stairs to the porch. I saw Tyler's face appear in the window in the door. His head flopped and hit against the door as he tried to twist the doorknob in his drunken state. I rolled my eyes and opened the door.

''Great.'' I muttered in his surprised face. ''Just great! On top of not coming back here with the van like a normal person would, you come back hours later—WASTED!''

He stumbled backwards and I took a step forward, closing the door behind me.

''Oh please, what the hell are we really going to do? Five days Veronica. What the hell do you want to accomplish in five fricken days? Oh wait!'' he turned his head to the light on the horizon. ''This is day three, two days left!''

''We have to fix this house, remember? Oh and earn money before the next train ride. Right and I forgot, we're supposed to help each other out. Now, because YOU never came back, Toby is DEAD!'' I screamed at him and slammed his shoulders with my palms so hard that he went over the railing of the porch. He fell flat on his back in the grass.

Just as I was about to jump over the railing myself and beat him up the door behind me opened and a big hand held me back.

''Everyone needs some time to sleep, Veronica. We'll talk when everyone is up.'' Kane spoke calmly.

I glared at Tyler still on his back, as Kane turned me around and pushed me inside.

''You can sleep there or in Veronica's room- either seem about as comfortable as the other.'' With a hand on my hip, Kane led me back inside and to his room.

We heard Tyler come in, climb the stairs with difficulty and the 'sploosh' followed by a series swear as his drunken self hit the wet make-shift bed.

I was dreaming. I was dreaming of the day first I met Kane. I was dreaming of the day I killed for the first time. I was dreaming of what lead me to meeting Tyler. I was dreaming of joining the group and coming clean of my lies. It was but a dream.

I stared at the ceiling, still on my back on the blankets. I was alone. Kane had left shortly after interrupting my desire to beat Tyler up. He thought I had been sleeping but I hadn't slept at all. This life had to be a nightmare. However, seeing others living the same the nightmare, made me understand, day after day, that this was life.

I turn my head to stare at the window. A beam of sunlight was sneaking its way under the curtain, onto the floor near-by. I reach out and place my hand on the wooden floor, warmed by the sun. How many hours had I just lain here 'dreaming'? I sigh and sit up, quickly getting into the waitress outfit and heading out of the house.