Rain was lightly falling down, tapping against the slick metal roof of the train station, where I would begin my departure. It didn't take long for the rain to pick up, and it was soon rolling across the windows of the dining car where I sat alone in a comfy red booth.

I sat like that for the rest of the night, acquiring strange looks from the rest of the passengers. I, myself, was no normal passenger. I was retired, a former detective and highly respected agent, but for all they knew, I was just some guy who sat alone in the dining car, long after dinner was over.

***

"Wake up... wake up..." I rose my head slightly, the light blaring against my eyelids. "Sir, It is quite late. I'm gonna have to ask you to leave the dining car..." French. An immigrant. Must be the waiter from earlier. 

"Yeah, yeah. I'm going. Don't worry." Gripping the table, I pushed myself up and managed to make my way through to the sleeping quarters. I was halfway through the second car when I realized that I was in the wrong place. These were private cars, owned by only the wealthiest of passengers. Pulling a flask from my jacket, I took a long swig before escaping into a nearby bathroom. I was way, way too tired to make it all the way back to the sleeping car. 

I locked the door, slid down to the floor, and drifted again into a deep sleep.

God knows how long it was until I was awoken again, this time, by the sound of someone wrestling with the door.  Still locked. I pushed down my sleeve and squinted at my watch. A quarter after three. Who on earth would be awake at this hour?

The shuffling stopped, and after rubbing my temples, I tried to make myself comfortable again.

But then a loud scream erupted just outside the door, only to be quickly muffled by the attacker. I jumped up, placed my hand on the door, and--

Froze.

There was something about that scream that was all too familiar. Something that took me years back and shook me back even more, stumbling against the sink. Something... or someone.  The long brown hair... the full red lips... the piercing green eyes, they all flashed before me. 

I slammed my fists against the sink, lifting myself up. I peered into the mirror. The man staring back was rugged, with a scruffy face and sunken eyes. He was not the same man as back then. That man would have chased danger, not run from it. That man would have saved damsels and not have hid in the bathroom like a coward. But I am not a coward, I thought as I thrust open the door.

Just as a man came fumbling down, landing on the bathroom floor beside me.  Above him, stood a woman, rubbing her elbow. She spat at him and then glanced up at me. Kicking him aside, I slid the bathroom door shut.

"Could have used that help a minute ago," she laughed. "Thanks anyway. I'm Cheryl."

She raised her hand as if to shake mine. I stared at it, then grabbed it firmly and gave a good shake.

"M'name's..." I looked up and gasped while the world started spinning around me. Her hair, while brown, was cut short. Her lips, while red, were dainty. But her eyes... well, they were the same piercing green.

She raised an eyebrow at me and crossed her arms as her mouth went into a little pout, "Greeeat, now you're the one who's ogling at me."

"Sorry, ma'am, I didn't mean to stare...It's just... you reminded me of someone."

"Hrmph. Well you better stay your distance or else you'll end up just like him," she nodded towards the bathroom, "couldn't keep his hands to himself."

"Well, if you'd like, I could escort you back to your room..."

She widened her eyes, "Oh, erm, no, sir, you really do have me confused for someone else, y'see, I don't... I'm not..."

"Apologies, miss, it's just that you give off the impression that you are--"

"Married?"

"Wealthy."

She blushed, shaking her head, "No, sir, I'm on my way to visit my aunt. I have no plans of travel, never mind no money..." her voice trailed off. "But if you'd like to walk me back to the sleeping cars, I wouldn't mind."

I grinned, "You sure I'm not some criminal who's gonna kidnap you?"

"Nah, you're about as harmless as my ex-husband," she teased.

"Ah, so you aren't married, then?"

She just smirked, "I'm sorry, what was your name, again?"

"James," I answered.

"Well, James, are you gonna walk me down or what?"

***

I woke up the next day around noon. The dining car was bustling with people, from men on business trips, to men with doctorate degrees on holiday, to the higher class newly-weds, and the even wealthier retired elderly. Among these passengers were the waiters and crew from the kitchen. Needless to say, I couldn't find whom I was looking for in that crowd of people.

I sat down at the same empty booth I'd sat at yesterday, pulled out a book from my coat pocket, and immersed myself in its language.

"So he reads..." I looked up from my book just as a woman slid into the booth in front of me. She was not the same woman from earlier. She had bright red hair, pearl earrings, and was wearing a dress that was too elegant to be worn at this time of day.

"And you are?"

She scoffed. "Why, Amelia, of course--"

"Well, Amelia, if you could please remove yourself from my table."

"I'd like for you to consider a proposal for a position as--"

"And I'd like for you to leave my table."

Her eyes glared as her mouth dropped slightly. She swiftly stood and left the table, stomping her heels as she left.

"What was that all about?"

I turned around. It was Cheryl. 

Clearing my throat, I spoke roughly, "I think she was offering me a job."

"Why didn't you take it?"

"I don't accept work from charities." I turned back around and studied my book.

Cheryl came around and slid in front of me, "I don't think that was charity. Maybe she liked you." She waggled her eyebrows.

I scoffed, "Please. She probably has a dozen suitors waiting to fulfill her every need."

"She isn't that gorgeous..." she rolled her eyes.

"Cheryl...I don't think you understand. Amelia owns these railroads. Her father and husband both passed away a few years back, leaving her, the only child, as the heir to the company."

"So you think there are all these men who want her money?"

I nodded, "If there's anything most that a man could want, it's to be filthy rich."

"But that's not what you want?"

I shook my head, "No, everything I've wanted died a long time ago."

She went silent for a while, staring out the window into the countryside.

I glanced up at her from my book. She sure was something; witty, beautiful, and only a few years younger. Man, how I wished to be that young again and in love with life...

As we sat there, me in my book and she gazing out the window, I started growing a fondness for her that I couldn't explain. After all, it was a long time since I had felt anything for anyone.

She spoke up, breaking me from my trance, "I think I'm gonna head out now. It was nice joining you for lunch." She rose from the booth, adjusted her skirt, and head out into the crowd.

Just like that she was gone.

***

I sat there well through lunch and dinner, barely finishing my book. Cheryl was still on my mind. I had barely known her for a day, yet here she was filling my thoughts. But I was too much of a coward to act upon such thoughts.

I had lived through it all before. Did I want to go through all the pain and suffering again? I pushed the thoughts away. I finally decided to leave the coward behind and tell her how I felt about her.

But as more people finished their dinner and began to leave to car, I realized that I may have missed my chance. After all, tomorrow was the last day of the trip and the last destination of the train's route. I might never see her again...

Boom, a sudden noise rumbled through the air and shook the train. An explosion. The passengers fled in chaos and filled the car in every direction.

People were screaming in terror.

Others calmed down enough to yell "What's going on?!"

"Remain calm," assured the staff members, "I'm sure everything will be fine."

"Was that a bomb?!" shrieked a woman.

That word alone was enough to make the people go crazy.

One of the doctors stepped up on the table, "If we can all just stay calm then I'm sure this whole thing will slow over."

One of his retired colleagues exclaimed, "There is no stopping this madness!"

Among the crowd, I slipped out into another car, traveling the direction of the explosion. The farther I went, the quieter it got.

I ventured past rooms where other passengers decided to wait the whole thing out. I passed a few more cars until I reeached one that was privately owned by Miss Amelia. Peering out the windows, I saw that its windows were shattered.

I slammed my body against the door and made my way into the car. It was dark, and Amelia was nowhere to be seen.

As the light of the full moon cascaded down into the car, I spotted movement at last.

It was a tall figure, a man for sure, but not one with incredible strength. As he took off, he slammed open the car door, climbed on top of the train, and took off running. I was close behind.

As we scaled a few more cars, he slid back in to one. Pure darkness. In it, I could hear muffled screaming. I inched up closer to the noise until I found Amelia, strapped to a chair.

"You've got to help me! That man is going to kill me!"

I pulled out a knife and started cutting her ropes. "Who is it? Who is threatening you?"

That's when, emerging from the shadows, he pulled out a gun.

"Stand back, or you're gonna regret it."

I raised my hands and inched backwards. That voice... where had I heard it from?

His gun against my chest, he edged me all the way back to the end of the car. I looked back. It was the last car on the train, and I was facing death.

"Look, just put down the gun and we can settle this another way."

"Shut it, you filthy English scum."

And that's when it hit me; this criminal was the waiter from earlier.

"Let me just put down my knife," I said, slowly placing my knife down...

Bam. Gunshot.

The waiter fell to the ground. Behind him stood a woman with brilliant red lips and piercing green eyes.

"Cheryl, you don't know how happy I am to see you..."

I clutched the side of the car, lifting my hand towards hers, as if to shake it.

She looked at it, firmly grasped it, and looked at me, her eyed piercing into mine.

"Goodbye, James."

And then she let go.