Chapter 1: Translocation

[Thoughts] "spoken" *Action* Narration

[Ugh, another boring day. Jesus, why do I even put up with my boss.] Thought James.

James Pline was a boring 21 year old man. He had dark brown hair and blue eyes. The type you'd see every day and could miss easily as just another face in the crowd. He had no lasting career or ambitions in anyway, other than reading books. He would read fantasy, Sci-fi, action, or even romance all because it was missing within his own life. But instead of going out there and getting the things in his imaginative stories, he would laze around and read. James was a pessimist. I had many choices of who I could bring here; I could've chosen Jane Rightwell, who was an attorney who worked her way up and founded her own firm; I could've chosen Steven Michaels, who was an internet personality with extensive knowledge on the human world. But in the end I just couldn't quench my desire for a good redemption story.

James was sitting on a train in the London metro, on his journey home. He had a driving licence, but as if a matter of fate his car broke down yesterday, and he needed to take the train instead. He sat there for what seemed like an hour, eyes glued to his phone, occasionally checking the window and listening for the platform announcements. [not long now, should be my stop next.] His fellow passengers were all minding their own business in traditional British fashion, so when they exited a tunnel to witness a hellscape around them, there's no wonder they didn't witness him disappear.

"AAAAGGHHHH" A random scream came from someone. The trees were on fire, the buildings were either knocked down or splintered with cracks, demonic monsters which would only be described as hellish were tearing the world apart. They synchronously checked their phones and stared at the windows. Some checked the news only to see the internet was completely down. some looked for an escape hatch to find anyway out. And some of them simply panicked, as was human nature. Everywhere they looked was frightening. Chaotic screams merged with people trying to control the situation but no-one could be heard. Everyone's voices had merged into the pure and unintelligible sound of fear.

At least that was what I had imagined would take place until their painful and climactic demise. The chorus of dread did indeed start to play, but they were interrupted by a heroic cry "Everyone! Silence!" as if a spell had been cast, they were quiet. The horrified mass of humanity stared at who had spoken, a young boy with courage in his heart and determination in his eyes. People attempted to see who his carer or guardian was but they would find no such person, as he had not entered this train.

He stood there on top of a chair, somehow towering over the adults who were standing, his head touching the ceiling. Those near him jumped the most when they heard it, as he wasn't there a second ago. "You have all entered a state of panic when the world needed you most! Is there anyone here willing to take the fall and become the leader!" They continued to stare at the unnamed boy, no-one daring to step up. "The world is in chaos and yet no-one here is brave enough to fight." The boy shook his head disappointedly when suddenly one man cried out from the back "I'm not taking lectures from a kid! I may not have the confidence or skill to lead but I am going to save my family!" The man jumped from the open window to land on the disfigured platform below. no-one could tell when the window was opened, or maybe it was shattered. It didn't matter, there wasn't a person alive that would contemplate how the window was opened when the man they had just witnessed jump was eaten alive by creatures. It was so fast that they could all see it despite the speed of the train. It was so fast, that blood and entrails splattered into the train as he was ripped apart.

Panic once again ensued, with people screaming and crying becoming engrained into everyone's eyes, but this time not a single person dared to leave the train. Some of the lucky ones looked to the boy in hope of some childish comfort. They probably wished to cover his eyes from the horrific scene, but when they saw him, they cowered, for he held a chilling unhuman smile in his face. "Someone actually spoke. This is a first. I wonder if I'll find another like that. Then massacring the rest of them will be more fun."

What followed was grisly. I dare not describe it in words. The only thing I have left to say about it is that only three survived, and they wouldn't sleep for months.

Meanwhile James was sitting in his chair, the peace and quiet that he was unknowingly experiencing was cold in comparison to the futile attempt to survive that was occurring on earth. [Damn it, I died again. Why cant I ever get good cards.] He was glued to his phone, not bothering to check his surroundings until he stopped. He looked up to find that he was alone. There wasn't a single squeak from the intercom. The monotonous robotic voice wasn't announcing where they were. The chatter of people surrounding him was missing. And then the doors opened.

They slowly pealed apart, as the slow mechanic whirring of the motor could be heard where it was impossible before. [What the F***] James was scared. James was confused. James stood up. He slowly walked towards the doors cautiously. Time passed as an eternity. He studied every detail, from the lights on the corners of the ceiling which flickered in an irregular pattern, to the normal unsuspecting platform he was about to enter. The train was still. Where you'd normally expect a warning message that they were leaving the platform, it remained silent. There was a slight dripping from the platform, as a leaky pipe expelled its contents, like a broken tap. The repeating, rhythmic taps against the concrete was menacing. There was a subtle fog at James' field of view as his heart matched the dripping. "Ba-dump, Ba-dump, Ba-dump" it got louder in his head, louder than anything he could hear in his ears. "Ba-dump, Ba-dump, Ba-dump" he was approaching the door. "Ba-dump, Ba-dump, Ba-" he was there. His foot hung in the balance as his body stood straight just inches from the exit, the same exit he had entered from before. But now it held a drowning feeling.

[come on automated message. you'd be really comforting right now. JUST GET ME OUT OF HERE PLEASE!] he panicked, as did the many humans who were already silent for eternity by now. His vision grew blurry, and he saw stars. They clouded his mind, and probably clouded his judgment. He lifted his foot into the air, as the world became greyscale, and his movements were shaky. [...] His mind was blank at his mercy. He was moving on instinct as his foot passed the barrier, and into the chilling platform. It looked just the same as the one he knew, the same as the one he exited from usually. This was undoubtedly not the same platform however.

His foot came closer to the surface. He was unable to stop sweating. He was scared. "AARRGGHH!" He slammed his foot down onto the platform, making contact suddenly, until he hesitated while standing there. [well that was anticlimactic.] He felt slightly relieved knowing that he was safe, at least for the time being. He lifted his other foot from the train and placed it robotically on the platform. He half expected the train to bolt away once he was off it, like in a movie, but it stood still, unmoving for at least a minute while James stood there and caught his breath. He turned to face the train and see inside, to a sight he had witnessed many times in his youth. [An empty train, reminds me of all the times I went out partying and was too drunk to drive.]

He felt relieved as the tension was resolved. The repetitive drips of the pipe were coming back to him, and his vision had recovered, he was almost laughing until. "Hello there, James" It was behind him. He didn't hear it appear. It was unknown.