Wishful Thinking
by
James Bailey
* * * * *
PUBLISHED BY:
Wishful Thinking
Copyright 2011 by James Bailey
[email protected] *****
Jack sat on the Underground and waited for the evening rush to pass. This was the fifth night straight now he had spent his night on the train, sitting there until the very end then walking home at midnight. His parents thought he was studying for exams at a friends, not that they really cared anyway. Jack was starting to think if he hung himself or threw himself off a bridge that his parents would be more upset about the cost of the funeral rather than the loss of a son.
As the crowd thinned out until there were only a dozen or so people left on his carriage Jack began to scan the passengers for anyone that looked a bit different or stood out from the rest.
Five people had disappeared on the tubes in the past five weeks, not seen or heard from since. All were a year or two older than him, Jack was only 16, but he was sure there was a connection. The police had been investigating the disappearances but had publicly stated there was a good chance they had simply run away.
Jack knew differently. He had known two of the teenagers who had disappeared. They were members of an online forum devoted to vampires and vampirism. Jack was convinced that vampires were real, convinced that his friends, and the others that had disappeared had found a vampire and become one of them.
Jack had every intention of becoming one too.
However so far Jack had spotted no one that came close to what he assumed a vampire looked like in any of the trains so far. Giving up on his current carraige Jack stood up and made his way to the next one. He glanced at his watch. 7pm. Dark out now but still early, he thought to himself.
Sitting down in the next carriage Jack pulled out his phone and began to text one of his friends, Brian. Brian was Jack’s best friend and was in the same class as him. He was as devoted as Jack was to vampirism but was not quite as outgoing and his parents were far more strict so he hadn't been able to join Jack on his late night adventures.
What exactly should I be looking for? Jack texted.
Less than a minute later a reply flashed up
I don’t know.. A guy dressed in black? White skin maybe? Brian replied. Jack sighed.
Really? That is the best you can come up with? Jack texted with annoyance.
Hey I don’t know, they are secretive aren’t they otherwise everyone would know about them. Look for someone that doesn’t look like someone would bother looking at him. If you know what I mean.. Brian replied.
That’s not a bad idea actually. Thanks. I’ll text you later. Jack texted, then pocketed his phone.
Slowly Jack made his way through the second carriage, looking for someone that looked inconspicuous. He paused as he saw a man reading a paper, head bowed with a hat that hid his face. Pretending to tie his shoelaces he crouched down to get a better look at him then snorted in derision as he realised that the man would have to be at least sixty. No vampire looks sixty, Jack thought and moved on.
Ten trains, forty carriages and three hours later, Jack sat alone at a train station that he couldn't quite place, they had all begun to blur together now. Discouraged but not dissuaded, Jack waited for another train. He had stayed in touch with Brian throughout the night which had stopped him from feeling either too lonely or too stupid. There had been a few potential vampires, one man wearing a black trenchcoat who also had long black hair but Jack realised he was wearing a crucifix, couldn't be a vampire. Another man he saw wearing sunglasses at night who seemed to try and sit away from people, Jack felt a little embarassed when he pulled out a white stick and even offered to help him off the train.
Still, I think Brian was on the right track with what he said about inconspicuous, Jack thought.
As Jack tried to bring up a mental image of the vampire he sought he felt a presence next to him and almost jumped out of his skin when he saw a woman sitting next to him.
She glanced over at him and gave a little smile then turned away, staring towards the tunnel the next train was due to emerge from.
She was a very pretty woman Jack noticed, deep red lipstick and long blonde hair tied up with a scarf around her neck.
“You’re a little young to be out this late on your own aren’t you?” She said suddenly. Jack jumped again at the sudden noise.
Struggling for words, Jack had never really known what to say to girls face to face, he tried to compose a sentence. “Oh, um, I am looking for a friend.” Jack said then immediately cursed himself for how stupid it sounded.
The woman smiled as if what he said made perfect sense. “A friend? Well now the trains are quieter you might have a better chance. Shame there is no reception down here otherwise it would be so easy with your phone.”
Jack rustled up a smile and felt quite pleased with himself as he realised his explanation was more plausible than he had thought. “Yeah it sucks, I’ll find him though.”
“What does he look like? In case I see him.” The woman asked.
Jack was stumped again.
“Um. Well. He looks like, I don’t know my height maybe. Brown hair, bit chubby I guess.” Jack said, describing his friend Brian.
“Sorry, haven’t seen him,” the woman said with a sad smile. “You should probably head home soon though, there have been a few disappearances on the tubes of late.”
Jack’s eyes widened and he felt a little thrill that someone else, and a beautiful woman at that, had paid attention to the disappearances as well.
“You know about that? Five people in the past five weeks, isn’t it weird?” Jack asked, sitting up.
A train pulled up at the station but neither of the two rose to enter it. Jack wanted to keep talking and assumed the woman was waiting for another train.
“I read about it yeah, five kids vanished. Police seem to think they have run off or joined some cult but I don’t think so. Just because kids are into vampires and stuff doesn’t make them nuts or weird,” the woman said.
Jack smiled broadly, happy to find someone else who was on his side. His parents had just laughed at him when he brought it up then just warned him not to run off with kids like that.
“Exactly! Someone or something is taking them!” Jack said.
“Something?” The woman said with a hint of a smile.
“Well, you know what I mean, like a crazy person or something.” Jack said, correcting himself hurriedly.
The woman’s smile spread. “No you don’t mean that at all. That’s why you are out here isn’t it. Do you think you are going to find some monster eating these kids?”
“No!” Jack said defensively. “I just, you know. I thought I might be able to help or something. See something the police didn’t.”
The woman nodded her head. “That is very admirable.”
Another train pulled up at the station, the woman made no move to board. Jack began to wonder why she had not moved on yet.
“Where are you headed tonight?”
“Tonight? Hmm, not really sure to be honest. I just like to ride the trains of an evening. I am a bit of a night owl.” She replied as she looked around the station.
“Oh okay.” Jack said, a little puzzled by her answer. “What, so you just ride the trains for fun then?”
“Fun? Well not really fun. I do it more when I am hungry really.” She said, her smile growing wider.
“Hungry? The stalls are normally closed though, if you want something to eat there is a McDonalds nearby, I can show you if you like.” Jack said pointing up the escalator.
The woman sighed. “No I am not hungry for McDonalds right now.”
“Oh okay then.” Jack said,
a little puzzled, he heard another train approaching and decided it was time to leave this strange, beautiful woman and head home. Rising from the chair as it pulled up at the platform he suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder.
“Where are you going?” The woman asked, a smile on her face again. For the first time Jack noticed that her smile seemed a little too fake and there was something about her expression that appeared alien.
“Um, it's getting late I think I'll just head home now.” Jack said nervously while trying to edge away.
The woman strengthened her grip. “Giving up on your monster already?”
“I was just being silly really.” Jack said as reached up to pull her hand off. As his fingers touched hers he yanked his hand away in surprise, shocked at how ice cold her skin was.
“Sit down, you've missed that one anyway.” The woman said as the train pulled away from the station. Jack decided that he was going to leave regardless.
“No I think I might head up to McDonalds I am getting kind of hungry myself.” Jack said.
“Me