Where is she? And why is this station so busy on a Wednesday night? I'm sardined in the middle of a sea of claret and blue shirt...

Who's Next?

allthingsm4tt

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Where is she? And why is this station so busy on a Wednesday night?

I'm sardined in the middle of a sea of claret and blue shirts. Everyone is smiling and singing something about blowing bubbles. 

My height gives me a decent vantage point, but I can't see her red beanie hat anywhere. She always wears it, even when she met my friends for the first time. It's frayed and too big, but it was from her Grandma, so she has a pass to wear it.

"Ow, watch where you're going buddy." I'm nearly knocked to the floor by a short man in a raincoat. His collar is upturned, like he has seen too many James Dean movies. His fedora is low and I don't get to see his face. He scuttles away and becomes one with the school of claret and blue.

"Please don't push. Your train is currently being held at the next station." An announcer bleats out on a faulty microphone. Moans go up around the station.

"There is a good service running on all London Underground lines." An automated voice follows seconds later and ironic jeers bubble up from the crowd. They are in good spirits, their team must have won. 

My chest is sore. I unbutton my jacket and give it a rub, did James Dean do this? 

The pain is relegated to the back of my mind as my pocket vibrates. I reach into my pocket and pull out my phone.

"Hi, can you hear me? Where are you? Oh the entrance. Okay yeah, i'll meet you there in a minute." I hang up and place the phone into my jean pocket. I feel something, I never carry anything in my outer pockets, since I had my bank card and phone stolen in Oxford Street. 

It's a piece of paper. I open it but I'm pushed back by a larger commuter. "Sorry mate. Ridiculous aint it."

I nod and walk away from the congestion. When my hands can move better I return to the paper. I don't remember the paper being yellow, but who remember these things. It's folded delicately, so I take my time unfolding it. 

Johnny Vega. It reads.

I'm perplexed. Who is Johnny Vega? And how did this get into my pocket? And where is Audrina?

The latter thought wins and I shove the paper on my inside pocket, reaching for my phone at the same time.

"Boo." A pleasant voice graces my ears.

I turn and she is there in all her Mediterranean beauty. I kiss the top of her red beanie. "It's mad in there. Should we just grab a cab?" She nods and I open my phone to find Uber.

"How are you?" She asks.

"Um... I'm... okay... fine..." I can't multi-task and the Uber is nearly ordered. "Sorry, i'm okay, but my chest is throbbing a bit. Some guy bumped into me."

"Aww does mister brave strong man, want a chest rub?" She says in a tone, that would be fine to a 1 year old, but not someone approaching 30.

I ignore her. "The Uber will be here in 1 minute."

"Good, then I can tell you about my day. You will not believe who I saw coming out of Zara this morning."

A honk rings out and I'm saved from answering her question. "... EDF, yeah that's our license plate." We jog over towards it. 

"Tobias?" His voice is gravely, surely he is in the middle of a violent cough. I nod my head. "Get in mate." Nope, that's just his voice. 

We sit in the back and the cabby regals us with interesting stories. He wants that 5 star rating. 

"Hey guys, don't mean to burst your bubble but we're being followed. That Prius behind us has been with us pretty much since Stratford." 

We both turn around and I notice sat in the passenger seat it's Mister Trench-coat. "That's the guy that bumped into my chest." 

Audrina makes a playful sad face. 

"I'm going to take a few lefts, I won't add it onto your journey okay." The cab drive sounds as if he has done this before. 

We turn left, the car follows. We turn left again, the car follows. He throws in a right turn, for good measure, and the car follows.

"No worries guys. I'll lose him." He has definitely done this before. He hits the accelerator and we weave through the back roads. I'm impressed with his driving skills. He is not quite Lewis Hamilton but for £7 I'm happy. 

We manage to get away from the following cab and for the first time I look at Audrina. Lines are networking her forehead. "We're okay they are gone." I try to make myself sound sure.

Lewis Uberton hits the brakes and we are suddenly stuck behind a huge lorry. I look back through the rear window, hoping that we remain lost. 

"They've found us." Audrina says. I whip my neck around and confirm her words.

"What should we do?" I ask the cabby. His previous confidence is gone. He locks the vehicle doors. No-one feels any more safe. 

The other cab stops 20 metres away. The man in the trench-coat gets out. His collar is still upturned and his face remains a mystery. He hobbles forward.

"I love you." Audrina grabs my hand. We haven't shared those feelings yet, but it feels right. 

"I love you too." I kiss her beanie hat and open the door. 

"No, please!" She nearly yanks my arm off, but I slip through her gloved grip. I shut the door and hear the doors lock again.

Great idea Tobias. The wind swirls above us. The street lights on this road aren't doing a great job of illuminating the street but for the first time I can see his face. He is ill. Not only ill, but dying. 

"Give me the paper!" His demand is swallowed by harsh gulps of air. He steadies himself and has another go. "Give me the paper."

It takes me a moment to realise what he wants. I don't ask any questions. I reach into my pocket and withdraw the paper. Was it pink? I thought it was yellow.

"Oh god!" He shouts. "Give it to me."

I hesitate. Questions grip my hands. In my moment of stalling he falls to the ground. His pain is carried by the wind and swirls around the street. 

I walk towards him. He is laying on his back blood is running down his noise, but he is still conscious. I hand him the paper. He refuses it.

"It's too late." He gargles and spits out blood. I'm not sure what to do. "Listen... in your hand, you have power... If you write down a name and visualise that person." More blood splatters from his mouth. I crouch down and cradle him into an upright position. "If you write down their name... they will die within 24 hours." My face shows my disbelief. "If you lose that paper... you've got twenty minutes before you become the next victim..." He squirms and fights, he knows his last breath is close. "The colours mean..." He grips my arm and then releases it. His body goes limp and his head falls to the side. 

I stand back, I've never seen a dead body before. A card falls from the corpses' pocket. Fear hesitates me, but curiosity moves me forward. I pick up the card. 

It reads Permanent Solutions - Johnny Vega.

My mind remembers and I look back at the sheet that is now crumpled in my hand. It's pink again and the name that was on it has vanished.  

About Post Author

allthingsm4tt

Writer of things, meme supplier, semi-occasional six string swordist, sporadic cinema goer and smiler.

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