2

The massive clock in the sky moves its hands to 4 pm and the light emanating from the sky slowly starts to fade. 

I breathe a sigh of relief.

"So that's all of the passenger I need right?"

Before opening the express for business I need passengers to sell, and considering I don't have any clerks to do the work for me... I had to go around the city catching them all myself. 

I swear these bastards made me run around the entire city.

Locating the passengers wasn't a big issue since their locations are already written down on the tickets the express gives out. The hard part is chasing them once they start running away. Some were slow and easy to catch, and some like the passenger I just caught were incredibly fast.

I took a look at the train ticket on my hand.

The words that were written on it changed from:

'2nd Level-12th Street-Inside the 3rd warehouse'

to:

'Monster in the Dark'

"Alright that's the 5th passenger, let's go back and open for business then."

I try to walk out, but something in the corner of the alley isn't moving.

"?, something wrong?"

Something is gesturing to the person collapsed in the middle of the alley. The lucky person that managed to escape 'Something in the Dark'

"?, what about her?"

A potential customer.

"You sure, she looks pretty dead to me."

I walk over to her and start poking her with my cane.

Close, but not yet.

"Can she even afford any of the customer?"

You wish to start as fast as you can, no?

"Eh, fair."

I grabbed both of the woman's feet and start dragging her behind me.

...

"Anyways since we finally have some time to talk, I have to ask.

Where are we right now?"

London.

"I've never been to London my whole life... err, past life I guess, but I don't remember London having a massive clock in the sky."

I gesture my head to the sky.

A clock that completely encompasses the sky with a big pillar in the middle of it. Its hour hands pointing to the roman numeral 4 while it's minute hand points at 12.

It is a London, much different from the one of your own.

One that was left shaken from a crashing world.

"I don't really understand what that means, but I think I get the gist of it."

"The ticket said this is level 2, does that mean there are other levels in this place?"

3 levels.

"So since the express is here on the 2nd level, does that mean the people here are our main customers?"

We shall be receiving customers from every level.

"Got any tips for me?"

Do not neglect your health, our deal does not extend to self harm.

"I was looking for a job tip."

...

I make my way to the backdoor of an inconspicuous flower shop. I open the door and drag the woman inside.

Behind the door is a flight of stairs leading down to the darkness.

As I go down the steps I can hear a loud banging echoing throughout the walls.

The sound might be coming from a construction site nearby, or from the woman's head hitting the steps while I drag her behind me.

As we made it down the steps we arrive at a dark and empty train station. The train station was completely devoid of any sort of life and the sky did not show a single star or light. The only light that emits from this place was from a single red train, with a sign hanging on top of it.

Histeria Express

I kick open the door to the train while dragging the woman inside. 

The room is small and decorated in a victorian fashion, but lacking much furniture besides a few lamps emanating light and a red couch. The windows all show a black void without a trace of the outside. In front of the room is a reception desk with an old steampunkish looking computer made out of a bronze monitor, several pipes attached to the top, and its keyboard was replaced with a typewriter. There was also a sort of slot machine besides the computer with only 7's and X's as its symbols and a lever beside it. Behind the desk is an unassuming chute and a massive contraption made out of several seismograph looking machines attached to the wall, leading to a printer in the bottom of the machine.

I unceremoniously toss the woman onto the red couch besides the reception desk with an audible pomf as she hits the couch.

Now that I take a good look at her, and ignore her bloodied face she doesn't look that bad.

A tall woman with a beautiful face that not even the bruises on it can hide, and long snow white hair that reaches her waist. Even though she's wearing a long trench coat and clothes that cover her whole body you can still clearly tell that she has some massive knockers hiding underneath all that cloth.

I lift up my cane and start using it to poke her wound. She makes a weird face as if she's in pain.

I look to something in the corner of the reception room.

"Well she's alive for now, but are you sure she's the right one? She looks like she's about to kick the bucket any second now."

I say as I point my cane at her.

The computer in the reception desk then comes to life on its own revealing its Fallout1 style interface.

I walk over to it and see several items displayed that I could buy, from food to extra passenger carts as well as a new item that was added.

Panacea?

I click on the item's description.

Panacea - 5 Dust

A mysterious pill that when consumed will completely cure any physical diseases and injuries.

WARNING: Never consume outside the boundaries of Histeria Express.

I look at something in the corner of the room.

"How convenient..."

I managed to get 10 Dust after capturing 5 passengers today, so if I buy this I'll be spending half of it...

"Raquel can't I just wait for a different customer that's not on death's door?"

You may.

But it will take time for the next customer to come.

"How long?"

If you fail to serve this child, 1 month.

"Damn it"

At that point I'll be out of dust to buy food. I could go out and try to find a place to eat, but this world looks like some sort of military state so I'll probably arrested and questioned if I break some social norm I don't know about. Maybe Raquel can help me, but seeing how much it wants save this girl I'm pretty sure its gonna ignore my plights for help by saying I did this to myself.

Sigh

"I don't plan on dying of starvation twice in a row."

I clicked buy on the Panacea in the computer screen.

The unassuming chute behind the reception desk starts to shake, then suddenly stops as the sound of a call bell plays from somewhere.

I open the chute to see a small round red and white pill.

"I guess this is it"

I walk over to the woman with the pill on hand. I then used my finger to open her mouth.

"Don't bite me, okay?"

I drop the pill down the woman's mouth.

As the pill goes through her throat her gag reflex kicks in and she tries to cough it out. I cover her mouth to stop her from coughing the pill out and force her to swallow it.

"Just swallow the damn thing. Its good for you probably."

And I spent too much dust for this just for you to spit it out.

After a struggle she swallows the pill and passes out. I see her face return back to its beautiful state and the blood on her clothes slowly disappear. I tap my cane at where the wound used to be. Only to feel it completely gone and the woman's face only showed an annoyed expression in her sleep.

"Well, I guess I should get ready when she wakes up."

I make my way to the reception desk and take a seat. I then scrolled through the computer and bought tea and a tea set that costs 3 dust combined. Leaving me with 2 dust left.

...

Mikhail calmly pours the tea from the teapot into his teacup.

Why did you purchase such items?

"It's obvious isn't? When she wakes up to this mysterious and fancy room, and sees a dashing and handsome guy like me doing nothing it will feel out of place.

But if I were to be to be calmly sipping tea or silently reading a book, then it will feel completely normal."

I don't understand.

"If you go to a 5 star restaurant you expect to be served by a waiter, formally dressed and well groomed. Not a man in his pajamas with bed hair.

So these clothes and this tea on my hand basically shows off my identity and status as the conductor for the Express."

Mikhail lifts the saucer and the teacup before taking a sip from the tea.

*sips*

The tea's aroma fills his nostrils as the taste smoothly lingers in his mouth.

"... Mmmm, I don't really like the taste of tea."

Even as he said that, Mikhail continues to drink tea with a relaxed expression on his face.

...