FIVE

Miko Koboyashi’s heels click as she strides aboard the midnight train, gripping the cold metal of the upright bar and sliding into her seat while waiting for the doors to close. As she finally gets her headphones untangled the doors are almost completely shut when a small hand shoots between them. Her colleague Jes hops aboard and sits down next to her, slipping into her seat and attempting casual conversation. Chatting lightly, the pair takes a glance around and notices three other people on the train. Another woman, Florence Alden, sits across the car, the light of her cell phone illuminating her face as she rocks lightly under a flickering fluorescent. A few seats away and catty corner sits Mark Oakley, the IT lead for their small investment firm. Further down is a dark shape, maybe male, maybe female, that doesn’t move much, but is obviously a living being.

The air on this calm Wednesday evening had set in well, and all of the workers are glad to get home after a long day working at their small investment firm. Miko works as an accountant, and spends her days working side by side with Jes, her colleague from across the hall. Both of them studied at the state university, earning psychology majors and signing up for the first job they could find in order to pay off student loans. Mark had spent six years at his college, studying computer science and attempting to dual major with a business degree. Florence barely graduated high school, but was passed along into the office because of her vibrant red hair, attractive figure, and piercing blue eyes. The man in the corner sat motionless, his history unknown and his motives for riding the train a mystery. The rest of the people assumed that he worked for the company, but no one could be 100% sure.

FOUR

The first stop comes, and Mark Oakley pushes his horn rimmed glasses further up his nose, taking a quick glance at the pretty oriental girl (,Miko,) from Accounting. Due to a mix of excitement to get home to his video games and nervousness from locking eyes with Miko, he trips, throwing the contents of his bag all around the platform just outside of the car. Jes and Miko share a giggle, quickly silencing themselves after realizing once again how quiet it had become.

She’s not sure, but Miko glances over and it seems like the strange, hooded mass is a seat or two closer.

Before the doors have a chance to slide shut, a gust of breeze blows in and gives everyone a chill. A clamor rings through the car as the wind rips the phone out of the Florence’s hand and it crashes to the floor, echoing around both the car and the multiple empty souls within it. Picking it up and flipping it over, she sighs of relief, ecstatic about not having to replace another overpriced communication device. The excitement diminishes and once again, everyone in the car goes back to rest as the train trundles on further into the night.

THREE

At yet another stop, the doors open up again and Florence wanders out, taking care not to trip on the same step that Mark had embarrassed himself on earlier, she pressed into the station. The air that rushed into the car was noticeably colder, and the remaining women and the one man in the corner all shared a communal shiver. Surprisingly, that night had been the first in the last few months that Miko was looking forward to crawling into bed. Ever since her boss started harassing her, work just hasn’t been the same.

Miko started working at the company right after college, and was extremely surprised when she found out about the secret front that the operation was conducting underneath their daily business. Sitting there in that group of people, Miko thinks about the danger of her work, and the serious chance that the man in the other side of the cart is a man sent to murder her.

Miko glances over and notices the blob is another seat closer.

TWO

At the next stop, Jes reluctantly stood, holding the door with one hand and the pole with the other, attempting to convince Miko to spend the night at her place.

“Don’t worry about it,” Miko says, “I’ll handle him.”

The two stand between the doors chatting, and notice while glancing over that the man has shifted out from the dark and into the light, revealing his face. The harsh light of the station begins to leave, as the doors start sliding back shut.

“Ok... But text me when you get home..” Jes sputters out, recovering from her minor cold.

After the train doors are closed and Miko is seated back where she was before, she peeks over at him one last time stole a glance, noticing him peeking at her, the glint of what could be a knife nestled in his hand, shoved deep within his pockets. Ominously, just four spots away now.

ONE

The clank of the train wheels along the track ring out into the night, and Miko finally makes the decision to strike first. Leaping at him, she grabs both of his hands and throws him to the ground, driving her razor spiked heel deep into his back and cringing.