The rumble of the train wheels echoed through the tunnel. Lights mounted along the walls flashed past the windows before disappearing into the darkness. The train sped toward the next station at full speed.
An elderly woman sat quietly in the last row. She said nothing. Her eyes remained fixed on the window, occasionally drifting toward the brown paper bag resting on her lap. Several groceries filled the bag.
"Hey, that's mine!"
The woman's attention shifted when she heard a boy beside her. A young student in a school uniform reached for a red balloon held by a much taller boy. The boy in the red shirt stuck out his tongue and raised the balloon higher.
"Come on, shorty. You can't reach it."
"Ugh, I'm not a shorty." The smaller boy crossed his arms and puffed out his cheeks. "One day, I'll grow much taller than you."
