Darkness before the Dawn

This moment, where you are and where you are standing. You know it will happen, but what will happen, you know not of.

You begin to board a late night train bound for anywhere, and heading to anywhere will be your final destination. You grab a window seat before relaxing and settling in for the long trip.

You notice a lot of people that are coming aboard at this ungodly hour and most are elderly people who seem preoccupied with just getting a seat before the train lurches and creeps forward.

You are getting a book ready to be read, when a man and woman approach you, trying to either get your attention, or wanting to include in conversation that will divert you from your plans to read during this trip.

The man is staring at you, the woman is giving you a knowing glance before they look at each other, then stating that you seem to be familiar to them both. You look up from your book, that you was using as a hint that you were not wanting to engage in conversation.

The man extends his hand, in gesture to offer it, as a way to introduce himself, but the woman is slightly quicker and mentions that they are a brother and sister traveling to an unknown destination, which will be revealed to them right before they arrive at the last stop.

You then proceed to also offer an introduction, mumbling a name of Derek Jitters. They both glance once more before stating they are Barbara and Jimmy Devers. It is then that you notice they are carrying only one case for each of them, marked clearly, which one is which.

You are about to stand up to stretch, before they rise up themselves, more or less to stand in the way of your departure. Barbara seems set on making sure that you do not get away from them both so easily. You are not sure what to make of the brother, who is now holding his stomach, in intense pain and falling to the ground.

You reach out to catch him, but your hand is slapped away by Barbara, who cries out, "Don't you dare touch him!". You are surprised that she seems ready to help him herself. Then she screams, "Damn it, I am a nurse, and I know what he needs most of all". So you leave this matter in her capable hands.

A gentleman enters the far end of the train car, heads towards you, stopping long enough to examine the situation, before moving forward hurriedly and quietly. He then turns to look at the three of you, looking at Jimmy on the floor, shrugs his shoulders, before going forward to the next train car.

It is maybe five minutes or so that have passed, when suddenly the gentleman and another man enter into the train car that you and Barbara along with Jimmy are still in. The gentleman, arrives first where you are and leans over to speak to Barbara. His hand goes for handcuffs, which you see gleaming in the light of the train car. You rise up from the seat, and approach the gentleman.

He flips out a badge that states he is a U.S. Marshall and he is here to arrest Barbara on charges that you need not know about. She is a very much dangerous woman and he is there to take her into custody. You are uncertain about this and ask the Marshall's name.

He turns, motions for the other man to assist in this matter, then turns to you, stating his name is Marshall Martin Dungess. At the sound of this name, you realize that he is the famous writer, traveler and law officer who has been sent to apprehend this woman before she can do any more damage or manage to escape.

The Marshall then turns back to the matter, along with his assistant, apprehend Barbara, helps Jimmy stand up straight, before he proceeds to handcuff his wrists as well. You are not certain how long had this all taken place, nor where you was at presently.

You are now aware that you have arrived at a train stop, and decide you depart from the train here. You are followed by the Marshall and his deputy, along with the two people only known as Barbara and Jimmy Devers, which as it turns out are not their real names. They are two different people, who had decided to take on the names of the last two victims they had tortured and killed in cold blood.

You then enter the train station, finding a ticket agent, who you will find out all that you can about this town, that they know. You arrive at the booth, ask the first question that comes to mind. He states, "This used to be Towersburg, Mississippi, but that was before the fire that burnt the town to the ground.

You then ask, "What happened and why does it seem to be still very real?". He states, "Because every time a train arrives at the train station, the town materializes". You ask, "Can I return to the train before it leaves?" He states, "If you are still standing here, then you are now part of the town that will fade away".

You then run out the train station, only to be standing in a burnt down town, with no train, no train station, and no idea where you are at. This is what you paid for, was to go as far as the train was to take you to. You let out a blood curdling scream, before you are shot by a sniper's bullet.

You paw at the ground, seeing the blood as it pours out of the shot and pours out from the now open wound. You try to speak and are surrounded by several men, who are warning you, once you arrive here, you can never leave......alive.

Today you arrived at the end of the train line.