Train set

He couldn’t feel his body. Could he be dying? His mind told him he didn’t want to die but the pain coursing through his body said otherwise. One thing he knew was he wanted to tell his story. His body was in pain but he forced it to sit up flinching at the terrible groaning noise that must have come from him. Where was he? He glanced around at his surroundings then stopped because his pain flared until it was almost unbearable. From what he saw, he was in a straw hut each piece messily woven together and he feared it might fall on him. Why couldn’t he remember coming here? He started to get woozy and his vision started blacking out; he was only slightly aware of his body falling back down. While he struggled to stay up he was hit with a wave of pain and his eyes fully closed. 

Hours later his eyes snapped open. Someone was beside him, but he didn’t care he was certain he was going to die he just wanted to tell his story. He started to get up but the person beside him gently pushed him down. 

“I want…. to tell my story,” he croaked, his voice scratchy from lack of use.

“Why don’t you tell me then?” The person beside him suggested. Their body was just coming into focus. They were wearing weathered trousers with a shirt that looked like it had once been white. He couldn’t focus on their face so instead he just began his story. 

“I was hanging out with my best friend Oliver. We had been friends since kindergarten. We each wanted to play with the train set, but we each had different ideas of how to play. Without knowing it, we became friends when we argued. It had been thirteen years since then and we were each eighteen when the warning came. Everyone who could afford it got out while they could. We couldn’t and before we knew it the wagons were gone and in came the soldiers. They said they were there to protect us but we all knew the real reason. They needed us to make weapons for them. We produced them quickly, but we didn’t get paid and we could. When my parents died I started to live on the street and they weren’t guarding my little alcove. I listened for the sound of footsteps but none came. I peeked around the corner and held my breath. The coast was clear. I didn’t expect any guards to be here, because it was rumored to be haunted and the abandoned buildings didn’t help. I had once tried to get into one of them but every opening had been boarded over or locked. I had even once seen a shadow in one of them. I shook my head. Bringing Oliver’s family along would be hard but he would find a way. I scampered from alleyway to alleyway till there was no longer anywhere to hide. Oliver's house was several hundred meters away but had guards standing at the end of the driveway. I knew I had to make a dash for the back door but the guards were ordered to shoot on sight. I steaded my breath and picked up a nearby rock tossing it on the complete other side of the road. I waited until both of them had started cautiously walking towards it and then dashed. My chest burned and I had only covered half the distance I heard a bang and something shot passed me. I ran even harder hoping I would make it in time. Maybe I could get him and his family out and we could make it. I heard another bang and this time I stumbled pain shot up my left arm and I let out a yell but forced myself onward at a slower pace. I was only two strides away and I quickened my pace to the best of my extent. The guards had stopped firing and I wondered why they didn’t follow me. I opened the back of the door and saw Oliver standing there about to open the door probably to see what the commotion was about.

“What are you doing here?” He hissed.

“I came so we could run away together,” I said as I stared dumbfoundedly at him. Shouldn’t it have been obvious?

“I-I-I can't,” he stammered.

“Why not?” I exclaimed.

“I can’t endanger my family for no reason,” He shouted.

“For no reason?” I could feel my cheeks flushing with anger, “It will keep them safe. They won’t starve” I shouted back.

“No, It won’t keep them safe,” he said quietly. 

“Why won’t it?” I demanded.

“Well,” He took a deep breath, “I was the one who brought the soldiers. I called them and told them that I knew a place that could make weapons fast and efficiently and if they gave us money and treated us well. I would tell them where to go,” 

“But why?” I asked.

“Well they need weapons but also my family needs money.” He conceded.

“But-but-but,” I stammered this couldn’t be happening. My world was crumbling. My own friend betrayed me. I stumbled suddenly feeling a strong pain in my left arm. I glanced down and my sleeve was dyed red and I was dripping blood on the carpet.

“You have to go now,” Oliver said.

“Oh, yeah alright,” I said numbly as I turned around slowly taking one long look at my friend then opened the door and sprinted. A guard was right next to the door and I didn’t have much of a lead on him. Bang. Another shot directed towards me I saw a bullet barry itself in the trunk of a tree. I was almost there if I could make it to the forest I could hide. Bang. I staggered and my right leg collapsed. My leg flared and then I was numb to all pain. Someone behind me distracted the guards and I heaved closer and finally dragged myself into a hollow log as the soldiers came running past not thinking to look for my trail of blood. I glanced back, crimson liquid glittered in the afternoon sun. How had that gotten there? Had someone gotten hurt. I tried to move but I blacked out,”

“I’m so sorry,” The person beside me said as tears glittered in their eyes.

“You don’t have anything to be sorry for,” I said.

“I caused all of this, it was stupid and I wasn’t thinking,” They blurted then their face finally came into focus.

“Oliver,” I breathed. I knew he had abandoned me but I still was friends with him. He never would have hurt me on purpose.

“Oh, Steven I am so sorry this is all my fault why did I want money so badly to do this to you,” He sobbed as he let his tears drip onto me.

“Oliver… I-I forgive you,” With that I closed my eyes and my consciousness slowly faded until I was gone from this world.