Train of Life
I sat in the same seat on the usual train that I board everyday. Becoming comfortable with my surroundings, I analyzed the seats around me. All of the passengers wore discontent faces, as if they were all miserable with strained frowns and sunken eyes that gaze into emptiness.
The monotonous sound signaled the doors closing, woke me up from my daze.
I turned to watch as the last few commuters scurried onto the train before its departure; some even pushing through the partially closed doors.
And a thought crossed my mind,
“What if this train represented life? We all get onto this train to go live our lives, but where is the train going? And those stragglers, at the end, are they people who were brought back? The people who could have died, the people who could have missed this train...”
My thoughts drifted away as we picked up speed, but the idea lingered like a bad aftertaste.
We passed the first stop and more people boarded.
“...the train of life...” it echoed in my ears.
The warning signaled again as the doors closed. Still, more people pushed their way on to the train.
We began to accelerate again. Slowly, the train reached its normal pace. I turned my face to look out the window. We passed by fields of open grass that contrasted the pale, grey sky.
Something else came to me,
“If this is the train of life, why is it so beautiful out there and not in here? Why would our life be boxed in a pale grey cart, bringing us down a path we don’t—“.
My thoughts fell short as I was cast towards the front end of the cart with a great amount of force. I rustled around trying find my way across the flaming train. I see the motionless forms of the passengers that were alive and well just seconds ago. I try to rise and help, but then I become limp just like those around me. I pulled myself to my feet and trudged towards the closest figure, but by the time I reached them, it was too late. My knees gave out from underneath me and I fell to the ground. My lungs filled with the heavy smoke as I took my last breath.
My mind quickly slid away and my last clear thought boomed through my head,
'Maybe this isn't the train of life, but the train of death.'
