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Robert positively glared at the ticket he held in his imitation-skin fingers. He wouldn't have come at all, but with the week he had been having, he was fairly certain something awful would happen if he didn't show up. Besides, it looked like a train ticket. Maybe he had won a trip someplace? He could certainly use one.
Pocketing the strange slip of paper, the 'toon-in-disguise knocked on the door in front of him, the door to the building whose address matched the one on his recently pocketed scrap. He stepped back and swallowed, suddenly nervous for no tangible reason.
Pocketing the strange slip of paper, the 'toon-in-disguise knocked on the door in front of him, the door to the building whose address matched the one on his recently pocketed scrap. He stepped back and swallowed, suddenly nervous for no tangible reason.
Sie Corrigan
The day had been rather long, despite the short time that had passed his head had already slipped twice from its perch above his fist. He was pretty sure that there was a dribble of drool down his front. Inwardly he cringed. He had been sent to organize the pile of boxes that had accumulated within the back corner. yet, he felt completely unmotivated and had started slipping off behind the counter. There was only so long the Portuguese translation of Sherlock Holmes could grip the spontaneous-lingual boy. It wasn't until a sharp rap on the door brought him from a pseudo slumber.
He yawned and stretched the tight muscles of his back. "Prenda sobre." He murmured before toddling over to the door, slumping against the frame. Before opening it. "Cheshire. Eu tenho esperado-oh..." He paused and gave the visitor a sullen glare. "Desculpe-me....er...Can I help?" Sie pulled the door open and waved the man in.
He yawned and stretched the tight muscles of his back. "Prenda sobre." He murmured before toddling over to the door, slumping against the frame. Before opening it. "Cheshire. Eu tenho esperado-oh..." He paused and gave the visitor a sullen glare. "Desculpe-me....er...Can I help?" Sie pulled the door open and waved the man in.
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"Yes, I..." Robert reached in his jacket pocket again, pulling out his ticket. "This was, well, it wasn't delivered to me but it was in my house." He didn't want to imply that the house had put it there, but it was altogether possible. Shirley was a very strange place to live.
"Have I won some sort of contest, or a trip..." He let his voice trail off as he entered the room and looked around. This place didn't seem like it could house a train. Maybe these tickets lured people here to have their organs harvested. Robert perked up and a small grin touched his lips. He didn't have any organs. "I was wondering if you could tell me what this was all about."
"Have I won some sort of contest, or a trip..." He let his voice trail off as he entered the room and looked around. This place didn't seem like it could house a train. Maybe these tickets lured people here to have their organs harvested. Robert perked up and a small grin touched his lips. He didn't have any organs. "I was wondering if you could tell me what this was all about."
Sie Corrigan
Sie's brow furrowed as he glanced at the ticket. An odd wave poured over him as bi-colored eyes tumbled onto the object. Something familiar yet so different. He shuddered and took a small step back, looking behind him at the cellar door. "Ticket? Erm..." Another step back before he hit the small counter at which he was previously dozing at.
"I think?" He vaguely gestured towards the basement door, the dim lighting from below did nothing to provide comfort.
"You thought right..." Came a gruff voice from the stairwell. A man, backlit with the eery light stood near the top of the stair, unable to come up further than halfway, or he seemed unwilling. An eye patch masked part of his face revealing a once soft now rather scruffy complexion. Worried brown-red eye gazed out beneath his brown fringe, he seemed upset as always. "The name's Johnathan, please come with me."
Sie had long since jumped and nudged himself behind Robert, standing a fair distance away from both. He really could not wait until his mother came back. He just wanted to go home. Quietly he fled the room.
"Aye, G'bye there shy-one!" Johnathan called with mock cheer as he felt another passenger slip his grasp. "Please. There isn't much time with this one. Get your ticket ready, lets see if you are any better than the last crowd..."
"I think?" He vaguely gestured towards the basement door, the dim lighting from below did nothing to provide comfort.
"You thought right..." Came a gruff voice from the stairwell. A man, backlit with the eery light stood near the top of the stair, unable to come up further than halfway, or he seemed unwilling. An eye patch masked part of his face revealing a once soft now rather scruffy complexion. Worried brown-red eye gazed out beneath his brown fringe, he seemed upset as always. "The name's Johnathan, please come with me."
Sie had long since jumped and nudged himself behind Robert, standing a fair distance away from both. He really could not wait until his mother came back. He just wanted to go home. Quietly he fled the room.
"Aye, G'bye there shy-one!" Johnathan called with mock cheer as he felt another passenger slip his grasp. "Please. There isn't much time with this one. Get your ticket ready, lets see if you are any better than the last crowd..."
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At first, Robert didn't see why the boy was so nervous. Surely he lived here, or at least came by often enough that the cellar would have long ago failed to evoke such strong emotions. It was only when the man appeared in the murk that some of Sie's apprehension rubbed off on the 'toon. So, this was the Kidney Man. Johnathan.
Robert clutched his ticket and nodded, starting toward the basement after the eye patch wearing gentleman. "Not much time," he said absently. He had less than no idea why he was following in the first place. With the kid gone, he could have just as easily turned and ran. Still, what was the harm? Short of finding this place loaded with vats of turpentine, he was in no real danger. Robert removed the sunglasses that were nearly always affixed to his face and pocketed them. "What happened to the last... crowd?"
Robert clutched his ticket and nodded, starting toward the basement after the eye patch wearing gentleman. "Not much time," he said absently. He had less than no idea why he was following in the first place. With the kid gone, he could have just as easily turned and ran. Still, what was the harm? Short of finding this place loaded with vats of turpentine, he was in no real danger. Robert removed the sunglasses that were nearly always affixed to his face and pocketed them. "What happened to the last... crowd?"
Conniving Conductor
Johnathan didn’t walk so much as waver down the stairwell. It enough energy to move so far from the Junction, the stairwell normally wouldn’t be able to hold any other presence in its current state. He was stuck while the others were allowed to pass through with ease. He sulked and glared back up at Robert, only half hearing the question.
“The last crowd was a ditz and a poofter. I’m expecting you to be able to at least hold onto your dignity and remember where your feet are placed on your body. We’ll be fine.” Johnathan finished by the time he had de-scaled the stairwell. He looked exhausted, pale almost as he collapsed on what appeared to be a child’s boat. The sleek body was covered in chalk drawings, it was haphazardly nailed and he was pretty sure that the hull had a gap between two boards of wood.
They were standing on a simple concrete platform of what looked like a ‘should be’ train station. There were tracks running within the depression, several in fact. The tracks looked worn, but still functional, unlike the rest of the station. On both ends there was stonewall, haphazard and thrown in place. Needless to say it completely closed the tracks in. Nothing should be able to get in or out. A few meters away from the boat was a small hut like box, resembling a ticket box or a conductors hut but void of life. Oddly enough the station was less musty than it was on a good day. The scent of O-zone pervading the platform as if a preemptive notion for the pending arrival.
He glanced at the small conductor’s hut in the center of the platform and chucked a nearby rock at the door. A moment slid pass and Johnathan shook his head before making his way over to a bench, clipboard waiting. He checked something off, scribbled something here, and made an angry note there. The rugged conductor fiddled with his eye patch as he glanced over the paper.
“That seems about right.” Johnathan muttered as he pulled out a sleek golden pocket watch, flipping it open and checking the time. “What’s the use…” Again muttered to himself as he closed the watch, placing it in his pocket before flinging a hand out towards Robert. “Ticket, please.”
“The last crowd was a ditz and a poofter. I’m expecting you to be able to at least hold onto your dignity and remember where your feet are placed on your body. We’ll be fine.” Johnathan finished by the time he had de-scaled the stairwell. He looked exhausted, pale almost as he collapsed on what appeared to be a child’s boat. The sleek body was covered in chalk drawings, it was haphazardly nailed and he was pretty sure that the hull had a gap between two boards of wood.
They were standing on a simple concrete platform of what looked like a ‘should be’ train station. There were tracks running within the depression, several in fact. The tracks looked worn, but still functional, unlike the rest of the station. On both ends there was stonewall, haphazard and thrown in place. Needless to say it completely closed the tracks in. Nothing should be able to get in or out. A few meters away from the boat was a small hut like box, resembling a ticket box or a conductors hut but void of life. Oddly enough the station was less musty than it was on a good day. The scent of O-zone pervading the platform as if a preemptive notion for the pending arrival.
He glanced at the small conductor’s hut in the center of the platform and chucked a nearby rock at the door. A moment slid pass and Johnathan shook his head before making his way over to a bench, clipboard waiting. He checked something off, scribbled something here, and made an angry note there. The rugged conductor fiddled with his eye patch as he glanced over the paper.
“That seems about right.” Johnathan muttered as he pulled out a sleek golden pocket watch, flipping it open and checking the time. “What’s the use…” Again muttered to himself as he closed the watch, placing it in his pocket before flinging a hand out towards Robert. “Ticket, please.”
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"Ah," Robert said, in response to, well, everything. Not much of what was coming out of this strange man's mouth made sense to him, but he was sure he could keep his wits about him long enough to figure out what was going on, not like these other people Johnathan spoke of. Maybe the trip he was about to take had been too much for them.
He looked past the chalked-up boat to the worn tracks before holding out his ticket. "I'm Robert," he offered, fairly certain that if his impromptu train trip was departing from here, it might be nice if Johnathan knew his name as well.
He looked past the chalked-up boat to the worn tracks before holding out his ticket. "I'm Robert," he offered, fairly certain that if his impromptu train trip was departing from here, it might be nice if Johnathan knew his name as well.
Conniving Conductor
Johnathan paused, glancing up as if assessing the man before him, and gave the biggest smile his glum face could handle. In fact, he was sure his cheek had just cupped around the eye patch. "Nice to meet you Robert." And then all at once, it fell into the most sardonic expression. "I don't care."
He huffed, bringing the pen to paper once more and scribbling down another abhorrent note. "Go wait by the tracks. She'll get here when she gets here."
He was about to walk off to the bench, bowler cap appearing out of no where in his grasp. "Oh yes. That would be carriage 3, row 14 by the window."
No sooner had the words left his mouth a rushing sensation filled the room, as if a vacuum had been placed on the sealed wall. The sound of screeching steel and the scent of burning oil mixed with the o-zone within the station, preemptive strike smothered with the scent of steam engine. The chugging slowed and a large red train with the name Naviat emblazoned on the side pulled into the station. Impossible, yes, yet somehow it managed to happen. There was a loud whistle before the doors opened and then there was only silence and the comforting hum of the steam engine.
He huffed, bringing the pen to paper once more and scribbling down another abhorrent note. "Go wait by the tracks. She'll get here when she gets here."
He was about to walk off to the bench, bowler cap appearing out of no where in his grasp. "Oh yes. That would be carriage 3, row 14 by the window."
No sooner had the words left his mouth a rushing sensation filled the room, as if a vacuum had been placed on the sealed wall. The sound of screeching steel and the scent of burning oil mixed with the o-zone within the station, preemptive strike smothered with the scent of steam engine. The chugging slowed and a large red train with the name Naviat emblazoned on the side pulled into the station. Impossible, yes, yet somehow it managed to happen. There was a loud whistle before the doors opened and then there was only silence and the comforting hum of the steam engine.
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There were about a hundred things Robert wanted to say to the man - 'You're not very nice,' 'What do I want with your smelly train anyway?' and 'How's that constipation working out for you?' were just a sampling - but instead he bit his lip and nodded. "Okaaay," he exhaled, assuming that this 'she' was the train and receiving confirmation of that when it whooshed into the station out of nowhere. He might have even jumped a little.
"Take care and all that," Robert said as he stepped off of the platform. There was no reason he couldn't continue to be polite, even if Johnathan's attitude had put him in a bit of a pissy mood. Now, carriage 3, row 14, window? It didn't take very long before he found his seat, but... someone was already sitting in it. Honestly, in a completely empty train? What were the odds?
"Excuse me?" Robert said, currently oblivious to the fact that the person in his seat was only a little girl. "I believe that seat is mine."
"Take care and all that," Robert said as he stepped off of the platform. There was no reason he couldn't continue to be polite, even if Johnathan's attitude had put him in a bit of a pissy mood. Now, carriage 3, row 14, window? It didn't take very long before he found his seat, but... someone was already sitting in it. Honestly, in a completely empty train? What were the odds?
"Excuse me?" Robert said, currently oblivious to the fact that the person in his seat was only a little girl. "I believe that seat is mine."
Intervalic_Conductor
The lighting had been dimmed, the train car free of the oppressing smoke that had billowed within the station before. Not that scent mattered, but O-Zone would fill any normal human’s nostrils as they stepped onto The Naviat. Something was odd, unsettling. Even if the organs were missing, Robert would definitely feel something akin to a stomach whop. But that was beside the point. The cabin was chilled, as if the train had just come from somewhere at a high altitude, frost covered the outside of the windows, a feature not seen externally. Pay no mind to the small orange child sitting impassively in the seat. Her brown eyes were large, waiting somewhat patiently. However, the air of content was slightly broken by a slipper clad foot tapping against the seat before her. However everything seemed to stop when the voice reached her. It was show time.
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The very orange girl turned in her seat and looked over its back at Robert, who was still slightly behind the row they had both claimed. Her breath was visible as she spoke, even though Robert hadn't yet noticed the chill. "Mine," she said. It wasn't immediately obvious whether or not she was doing more than parroting her new guardian, but everything became clear when she threw her arms over the back of the seat and said, "This's mine."
Well! Robert had never met such an objectionable child, save for the one who was currently living in his house. Instead of arguing, he huffed into a seat across the aisle and waited, continuing to appear ignorant of the strange feel the interior of this train possessed. It was certainly unsettling. Equally unsettling was the fact that, after ten minutes and no new passengers, the train still had yet to leave the station. Casting a sideways glance at the spiky little girl - she was staring - Robert rose to his feet and headed back down the aisle. He hadn't made it more than five steps before he felt a little foot step on the back of his shoe and arms wrap around his lower half.
"Mine," the now-clinging little girl repeated. She looked up at Robert with innocent-seeming eyes and smiled.
"No, I'm not," the 'toon corrected. He successfully disengaged the child's arms from his body, continued through the train and stepped back onto the platform. The girl followed, of course, but Robert ignored her. "Can you please tell me what's going on?" he asked the platform, or Johnathan, or anyone else who was currently in the vicinity. "We aren't going anywhere, and this child is harassing me! And your train... it's very cold." He almost added 'and it makes me jumpy inside' before he thought better of it.
Well! Robert had never met such an objectionable child, save for the one who was currently living in his house. Instead of arguing, he huffed into a seat across the aisle and waited, continuing to appear ignorant of the strange feel the interior of this train possessed. It was certainly unsettling. Equally unsettling was the fact that, after ten minutes and no new passengers, the train still had yet to leave the station. Casting a sideways glance at the spiky little girl - she was staring - Robert rose to his feet and headed back down the aisle. He hadn't made it more than five steps before he felt a little foot step on the back of his shoe and arms wrap around his lower half.
"Mine," the now-clinging little girl repeated. She looked up at Robert with innocent-seeming eyes and smiled.
"No, I'm not," the 'toon corrected. He successfully disengaged the child's arms from his body, continued through the train and stepped back onto the platform. The girl followed, of course, but Robert ignored her. "Can you please tell me what's going on?" he asked the platform, or Johnathan, or anyone else who was currently in the vicinity. "We aren't going anywhere, and this child is harassing me! And your train... it's very cold." He almost added 'and it makes me jumpy inside' before he thought better of it.
Conniving Conductor
There was a huddled figure on the boat, now small wooden raft opposed to the child's boat. He had been long since forgotten as the trained pulled in and he quite wanted to keep it that way. Johnathan huffed and burrowed further into himself all the while muttering "no no no. MakehimgoawayIdon'twanttodealwithhim now!" He sat up abruptly his single eye boring into Robert.
"Robert, was it? I'll call you Rob, or maybe even moron." He paused and calmed himself, keeping his anger in check. A finger trailed over a scar on his hand, subconsciously attempting to calm himself. "I like to think myself a reasonable man. That's what we're lacking. The train comes, it drops off a kid, you take the kid before I can. Or at least that's the overall notion he gives."
He gave a whithering sigh before picking up another stone and chucking it at the structure. "Leaving me to deal with the cargo? How long will this last?!" He squawked out before turning towards Robert. Heavily disheveled.
"Pardon me. I'm sorry for that. It's been a rough 20 years." He sat back down onto the boat, which had taken shape during his tirade as a swan peddle boat. "Tell me about your problems." He said in a mock psychiatric tone.
"Robert, was it? I'll call you Rob, or maybe even moron." He paused and calmed himself, keeping his anger in check. A finger trailed over a scar on his hand, subconsciously attempting to calm himself. "I like to think myself a reasonable man. That's what we're lacking. The train comes, it drops off a kid, you take the kid before I can. Or at least that's the overall notion he gives."
He gave a whithering sigh before picking up another stone and chucking it at the structure. "Leaving me to deal with the cargo? How long will this last?!" He squawked out before turning towards Robert. Heavily disheveled.
"Pardon me. I'm sorry for that. It's been a rough 20 years." He sat back down onto the boat, which had taken shape during his tirade as a swan peddle boat. "Tell me about your problems." He said in a mock psychiatric tone.
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"It...it's all right," Robert said, inching toward the stairs and as far from the shapeshifting boat and its crazy captain as he could manage. "No apologies necessary. And no problems either. Nothing to tell!" The child from the train had resumed her grabby hands routine, but this time it was clearly out of fear. She did not want to be left behind and Robert didn't have the heart to leave her, even going so far as to clasp her small hand in his own as he made for the exit. Damn kids.
"Thank you, I suppose," he said dryly as he started his climb back up the stairs and back home.
"Thank you, I suppose," he said dryly as he started his climb back up the stairs and back home.
