Aneouz and Ira didn't move. Their eyes were locked on the train.
Aneouz's shoulders went stiff. Ira raised her right hand to her left elbow and rubbed it slightly.
The train wheel screeched. It slowed. It stopped. Heads turned.
People shifted in their seats.
The gate slid. An inch. Then another.
Metal groaned.
The entrance opened.
Veal stepped forward. One step. His back straight. Two.
The boy trailed behind him, head ducked low.
Both crossed the threshold.
Veal stopped. He turned at the entrance.
His hand rested on the doorframe.
Aneouz exhaled. He moved. Ira followed. Step.
Her feet dragged at first. Step. Then she matched him.
The gate grew bigger with each step.
Aneouz's jaw clenched. His hands balled into fists at his sides. His neck was tight.
Ira's breath caught. Her eyes widened.
She leaned forward a little, like she saw something.
Then her shoulders pulled in. Her fingers twisted together until her knuckles went white.
She took half a step back before pushing forward again.
The entrance waited. They were almost inside it now.
One by one they entered the train. The doors slid closed with a sigh.
Ira, Veal, and the boy sank into the seats closest to the gate.
Aneouz remained standing.
His eyes were on the doors. Not watching. Remembering.
The train jerked, then rolled forward. A horn sounded — low, stretched — and was swallowed by the tunnel.
Aneouz lowered his head. Blinked. Slow. Deliberate. Turned his face slightly to the right, then raised his chin.
His mouth became a flat line.
He wasn't ready. But he was going anyway.
Aneouz turned around, he saw, almost half of sit is filled, Ira was sitting next to the boy whose with veal. He thought, why in the hell she sit next to that shit.
The boy looked him back, aslo Ira looked, she sitting queitly, The boy wave at Aneouz, with a smile.
The boy said "don't worry she is safe with me, more than she with you."
Aneouz truned his head to another side, on the halfway, he stoped. However, he notice vael sitting there, next to him, a sit was empty.
He reached a hand up to cup the back of his neck.
Dose i has to sit beside him, he thought.
Aneouz moved closer to the sit, suddenly Vael stand up, a sensatino travel in Aneouz's body. Vael came outside, He was just give place so aneouz get in, Aneouz took step, sat on window side sit, Veal aslo let his body fell on soft sit. hes sighed out.
Aneouz was looking at vael, without blinking.
Vael notice this, side eye's, why hes soo irritable for a kid, he thought.
A snack chewing, sound. draw Aneouz's attentions.
It came for the side she was sitting.
Aneouz truned at Ira, he saw she was looking outside the window while holding a snack packet on her hand.
His eyes scanned the packet.
Crinkle.
His mouth dropped open instantly.
His fingers tightened on the armrest. `When did she get that expensive thing?`
The boy caugth him looking, he gave Aneouz a soft smile, leaning back like he owned the seat.
Aneouz's jaw ticked. He forced his expression flat and turned away, shoulders stiff.
"His name is Sizon," a voice came from his side.
He turned toward the voice. Veal.
Veal was slouched, one arm draped over the seat, watching him.
"You tricked us," Aneouz said, voice low. His gaze locked on Veal.
"This is the train that goes to my hometown."
He crossed his arms, then uncrossed them. Couldn't find a place for his hands.
He turned to the other side and back again, exhaling through his teeth.
`Whatever. That's why I hate kids,` he thought.
"We're not going to do anything wrong," he said. His foot tapped once against the floor.
"You have to listen to my side."
A cold wind came in through the window and cut across his face.
Veal looked outside. His forehead nearly touched the glass.
Aneouz's gaze followed his, then dropped.
"You know anything about the city Lixaora?" Veal asked quietly.
"Also called the City of gaiety. Now it's fading away.
Not only that one. The whole world is on fire. Not exactly in fire, but everything is moving toward destruction."
Veal turned his head slightly. "You know about this better than me, right?"
"Yes," Aneouz said. His throat was dry. He swallowed.
"But it has nothing to do with you."
Veal didn't look away from the window. His fingers tapped the glass once. Twice.
"As long as you avert your eyes, the world wears a mask of peace.
But once you look the truth in the face, its shadow binds your gaze —
and you can never return to the comfort of your... blindness."
The train rattled. Aneouz gripped the seat.