the wave goodbye

April 30:

It was anything but the perfect day. The office hours were long; the pay sucked. The constant babbling of co-workers didn’t help either. At the end of it, all he wanted to do was just kick back and relax at his apartment with a large mug of steaming coffee, hot and dark to be exact.

Though the stress from the day was weary, his future plans all by himself at home brought a slight smile to his face. It seemed that the world was beginning to rejoice as well. The dreary gray clouds had made way to let the sun shine through just long enough to bring a bit of light to the monotonous city.

On his way to the city, he passed a small park. Though he’d never noticed it before, it seemed that the green really stood out amongst the tall grey structures surrounding it. Pausing for a moment to wonder in awe, he noticed a small little girl dressed in a yellow frock topped off with a bright red hat. Just the kind you see in movies. Though smiling to himself, what started inside seemed to spread wider as she spotted him and waved a hello to him. Her bright sunny face seemed contagious, and he waved back wholeheartedly.

A small beep from his digital watch told him that the hour had struck. With it, he’d just lost time getting home. Smiling and shaking his head, he wondered how sidetracked lately he’d been. Turning to see the little girl again, he noticed that she had disappeared. He reasoned that she had probably been called by her mother.

Glancing down at his watch, he realized that he’d have just 5 minutes to make it to the next scheduled train. Walking fast, he slowly picked up speed until he was running at a sprint, the only thing on his mind being that he must not be late for this train.

Making it just in time to a ticket teller, he pulled out his booklet of train tickets he had purchased in January. He realized that he only had one more, which he showed to the teller and rushed inside the ready train. Pausing to catch his breath, he made a mental note to purchase a new booklet tomorrow before work. Rolling his eyes, he knew that he would have to wake up earlier adding to the nuisance at work.

Finding an empty aisle, he slid into the window seat. It always amazed him how that even though technology had advanced these past decades, people always tended to prefer the old-fashioned methods. Relaxing into the seat, he closed his eyes and tried to block out the events from the day. Too many things had been left undone and it seemed that they tried to get his attention from every angle in his mind.

Grunting softly, he heard a slight giggle from across the aisle. Slowly peeking from the corner of his eye, he could make out the forms of a couple of high school girls. Rolling his eyes behind closed lids, he knew they were probably talking about their “exciting” life at school or all the boys they wanted to be with.

It never really occurred to him that they’d be talking about him. All his life, he had lived in the shadow of his older brother. He had gotten all the “bad” qualities from his parents. Most of the kids had called him a mother’s boy, whereas his brother was “the man.” Sighing slightly, he pushed the negative thoughts away from his mind. He hated the things he had to do at times, the odd jobs that never seemed right. But it was always the same; he was the younger and must follow the elder’s guidance.

He tried to remember the last time he had felt good. He couldn’t. It seemed that blood and death followed him like a curse, well, more like a grim reaper. It would pick at the little details and then seemed to punish him for the flaws it found. Trying to block all the negativity out, he though hard about the last time he had really smiled.

Gasping slightly, he sat up realizing that seeing the little girl was the last time he had truly felt happy. His movement seemed to cause a commotion amongst the high school girls who, after staring at him for what seemed like hours, started to giggle again.

Settling closer to the window sill, he peered through the glass. He could make out the adjacent set of tracks running by the moving train. Slowly he traced their outline with his finger like a little child. Softly he started humming a tune he remembered his mother singing down by the duck ponds in a life gone by.

A thin tear streaked down his cheek as he realized that he really missed her. Maybe one day he’d visit her grave. Everyone still kept saying how horrible an “accident” it was that she was killed. He knew better, then again, silence can be golden.

His body was thrown forward as the train came to a sudden stop. Quickly regaining his composure he straightened himself and his belongings while trying to figure out the reason for the interruption in the brief trip. Slowly standing up he could make out the faint sound of what sounded like gunfire. Reality hit him as he realized that something terribly wrong had happened.

Trying to keep calm, he pressed himself up against the glass behind him. Collecting his breath, he closed his eyes as the door to the cabin burst open letting in three guys with guns and daggers drawn and ready.

“Git all youz money and giv’ it to uz!” the obvious leader croaked. He was dressed from head to foot in clothing you’d reserve for robbers complete with the gross black paint placed right under his groggy yellow eyes.

Calmly, the young man pulled out his wallet and handed it to the man as he walked by. Passing him, the man stopped to stare at the cluster of obviously frightened girls huddle together. He seemed to have other ideas of what they could give him and his companions rather than money.

Even though the young man hated getting involved with other people, he knew that what was about to happen was just plain wrong. The only other people in the car seemed to be an elderly couple too old to care and a couple of frightened nerdy businessmen. Realizing that he’d be the only main threat to them and obviously the only one who could even possibly handle the situation presented before him, the young man gave into his conscience and reached into the hidden folds of his suit. Since the men before him were too focused on the torture of the girls in front of them to pay him any heed, he managed to grab his loaded gun, aim and fire at one of the two minions.

At the crack of the gun, the other two men, looking up from their rape of their victims, turned and pointed their guns and daggers at him. Rolling his eyes, he realized that this was child’s play. Preparing himself for the small struggle ahead, he prayed quickly that his mother would once again watch over him.

Then smiling a sick smile speaking clearly of death, he pulled out his gun and proceeded to pull the trigger twice. In the next instant, two bodies hit the floor dead. Glancing to make sure that the girls were okay, he walked over to the dead thugs and tried to find out some clues as to why they were plaguing this train.

His search was cut short as he heard the other cabin door break in. Turning, he noticed that in its place stood about 5 more men. These on the other hand, looked like men who could really do some damage. Once again smiling, he slowly stood up and opened his arms to them inviting them to take the first hit.

What passed in that cabin was anything but clean. Many men died that day. Tons of blood was shed. Bodies piled and were left forgotten. But in the end two men remained. The rest had either died or had long run away, the latter including the former passengers of the cabin.

Two men. Two destinies. Unfortunately, both knew that they were alike in every way. Too bad one had to die.

The standoff didn’t last very long. Standoffs usually don’t. In the end though, a body slumped against a window of the train leaving a trail of blood as the almost life-less body gazed into empty scenery before him. Beneath him he could feel the rumblings of the train that would soon pass him. Focusing on the scenes before him, his dying eyes caught those of a little girl with a yellow frock and a red hat, you know the kind you see in the movies.

His face fixed in a smile forever, he waved goodbye to her. That’s all it was, a wave goodbye. His wave goodbye to humanity and life.

Maybe the kid wouldn’t turn up as messed up as he was. He’d doubt it.