The Rail Between Love & Hate

Chapter 1

I tucked the pistol in the waistband of my jeans, trying to peer around the corner. I waited a moment to see if I could make anything more out.

Nothing.

Impatience getting the best of me, I proceeded to walk around the other side of the car, creeping around the corner.

There was a tall man, probably 6''2, and I could make out the shape of his hat, and that was about it. Without batting an eyelid, I withdrew and cocked the pistol at him, and his hands flew up in defense.

"WOAH! WOAH, WOAH!" He yelped, to which I nearly lowered my gun.

"Shut the fuck up." I hissed, "who the hell are you?"

"I'm uh, uh, Len." His voice wavered and hesitated.

"Yeah? Len's the winner?" I asked, taking another step forward, gun still raised. Hesitantly, he backed up and almost fell over.

"Huh?"

"I meant of all the names you were considering. Surprised you didn't stick with John Smith, it's a classic." I paused for a moment before leaping forward and pressing the barrel of my gun against the left side of his chest. "You have ten seconds to tell me what the fuck your name is and what you're doing here." Even in the darkness I could tell he gulped in fear.

"Okay! I'm Jack Costello, and honestly I was just wandering around." I pressed the barrel harder against his chest. "And I'm kinda trying to run away and I thought this might be a good plan and I don't know what I was thinking so I can go now please don't shoot me." He spat out in one panicked breath, and after a moment I lowered the gun.

"Well if you're gonna ride the goddamn rails you better learn the rules." I grumbled, my initial panic temporarily fleeting. He cocked his head at me expectantly. "Don't bloody yell if you don't want your ass spending the next few days in a jail cell, don't sneak around these cars like you're bigfoot and make a shit ton of noise, oh," I paused for a moment. "and don't lie to someone who has a gun to your heart." He nodded quickly. As I heard distant voices, I shoved the pistol back in my jeans and grabbed his arm. He was sluggish to follow me and I dragged him back around the corner to the next entrance of the car. "Hurry the fuck up unless you want to be arrested." He finally complied and dove into the car with me. His eyes not adjusted to the darkness, he stumbled behind me as I pulled him into the back, a spot hidden by boxes and storage containers. I knew the area by heart, I'd certainly spent enough time there. "Don't say a word until we're moving." I whispered, and this time I couldn't see if he nodded in response.

I don't know how long we sat in silence, the concept of time has really lost me at this point. Eventually, the train started up and we were off. I relaxed a little, thankful this idiot hadn't gotten us caught.

"So can I talk now?"

"Yeah." I replied with a sigh, unsure of how to proceed. I'd just grabbed this random guy to prevent us both from being busted, and now what?

"Where are we going?" I wished he could have seen my face because then he would realize what an idiotic question he had asked.

"Dude you're train hopping, where the hell do you expect to go? The fucking Bahamas?"

"No." He replied, sounding almost wounded. "I just thought you might know."

"Well I don't, not exactly anyway." Silence. "We're going East."

"Oh." I heard his breathing pick up, probably the initial panic of realizing you just jumped on a train having no idea where it's going or anything else about where your life's going.

"You can probably sneak off at the next stop and have someone pick you up." I replied, shaking my head at the immaturity and idiocy of this guy. If he couldn't handle this life he never should have been at a train stop at sunset.

"No, I'm not getting picked up." Jack stated, rather confidently. "No way in hell." I let the rumble of the engine and grinding of the wheels on the tracks be the only noise for a bit.

"Okay, then don't be a dumbass."

"That seems to be the cornerstone of a lot of your advice isn't it?" I could have sworn he was smirking at me.

"Yes, good catch there genius." I muttered. "I'm not going to end up in jail or dead because you're playing stupid and running away from your problems."

"Well then what exactly is it that you're doing?" He retorted.

"You know I still have a gun on me right?" He was quiet for a second.

"Wait did you say dead?" His voice jumped an octave as he considered my previous words.

"There's a lot you don't know about this life." I replied wearily, I had absolutely no desire to mentor a newcomer, but look where we are.

"This life? I'm not planning to be a fucking hobo I just need to get out." He responded; rather naively might I say.

"Yeah, it's that easy." I replied sarcastically, wishing he could see me rolling my eyes at him. He was silent, so I continued, a little softer in my tone. "Look kid, I don't know your plan but I'm willing to bet whatever it is is going to change in a few hours. I wish someone had talked you out of this plan because you don't know what you're talking about."

"I don't need to be talked out of anything," he retorted, an edge to his tone. "I made the decision and nothing can make me regret that." I scoffed. "I mean it," I swear he was glaring at me. "nothing. I'll figure everything else out, I don't care."

"Whatever." I leaned back and laid my head against one of the smaller cardboard boxes.

"And who the hell are you anyway?" He went on, starting to rant. "Some crazy gun-wielding woman who has all the answers? You don't know the first thing about me. And kid? I'm 18, I'm not a fucking child. Just because you have a gun and you run from the conductors doesn't make you fucking Mandela who knows exactly what I should do in my life." He took a breath.

"Are you done?" I asked, rather bored and slightly amused. He hesitated for a minute.

"Yes."

"Good." I started to pick at my nails.

"Well?" He raised his voice impatiently.

"Well what?" I raised an eyebrow, although of course he couldn't see it.

"Who the hell are you?"

"Doesn't matter." I replied nonchalantly.

"The hell it doesn't matter! You just held a gun to my heart to tell you who I was and you can't even give me a name?" His voice was rising ever so slightly.

"I don't owe you a damn thing kid, for all I know you could been about to kill or catch me, I waste no time cocking the gun if it's my life versus yours."

"Again with the 'kid'." He grumbled.

"You're 18 and you act like a kid, get over it." I murmured.

"Bitch." He replied. For fun, I retrieved my pistol and clicked the safety off, simply because I knew he'd hear it. "You thin-". Sure stopped him mid-sentence.

"Yeah that's what I thought." Something told me he was pouting, which made me stifle a laugh. Fucking kid.