Trapped
A sh pulled up his hood and withdrew into himself. Time lost meaning as the tube stopped at station after station and passengers embarked and disembarked. Round and round the rails he rode. The world around him changed like a juddering stop motion video. He wondered if the young mother sitting opposite, gently rocking her pram as she read her book, would have smiled at him if she knew the truth. Would any of these people dare to ride the rails if they knew they were sharing their carriage with a monster? The wall outside flashed white as the train’s wheels sparked. Momentarily, a graffiti skull glared into the carriage.
A few seconds later there was a pop and a flash and the train decelerated abruptly. Ash skidded along the seats and became squashed up against a plump lady. He tried to push himself off, but the train was still slowing, the momentum pinning him in place. Eventually, he managed to wriggle free.
“Been a long time since a handsome slice of cake’s done that to me, sweetness,” the plump lady said in an American accent, grinning amorously at Ash.
“So sorry, I… I didn’t mean to touch you… I… I couldn’t… couldn’t… uh, stop,” Ash babbled.
“Mmmm hmmm, an accident? It’s okay sugar, you don’t need to pretend. You’re only human after all.”
“Pretend? I… I don’t… didn’t…”
“I see water,” the woman with the pram opposite blurted. “Out there. It’s water. Where’s it coming from? Can you feel that, the carriage shaking?”
Sure enough, Ash could feel a dull vibration through his seat. Everyone in the carriage spun and peered out the carriage windows. Ash pressed his face to the glass and cupped his hands around his eyes to block out the lights in the train. He spotted water rushing alongside the tracks, a lot of water, a building surge of white water.
“Must be a burst water main,” one of the passengers said. “I’m sure we’ll be fine. They’ll turn it off or something. Any moment now, you’ll see.”
The carriage lights flickered. A boy in a muddied Arsenal football kit jumped up and dashed for the double doors, which he attempted to prize open.
“Don’t!” Ash said, rushing down the aisle. “You’ll be electrocuted. You can’t go outside. The power is still on. The tracks are live. Stop.”
“Jesus, are we gonna drown?” The plump lady cried behind him. “It just keeps coming.”
“It won’t come to that,” Ash said, staring at the rising water. “No one’s drowning. Someone’ll come. They’ll turn off the water. They have to.”
“We’ll be electrocuted before we drown,” someone yelled. “This is it, we’re gonna die!”
Ash gazed through the window of the door looking into the adjoining carriage. Inside, passengers were gesturing animatedly to one another. Ash could see at least another three carriages beyond that, all running similarly frantic scenes. The vibrations were increasing in intensity now. The train rattled and the hand holds hanging from the ceiling were beginning to swing. A quick glance outside confirmed the gushing water was still rising. Ash jumped as the door at the front of the train flew open and the driver burst into the carriage.
“We’re sinking!” The driver yelled. “The water won’t stop coming. It’s getting faster. The Thames must’ve burst its banks. We always joked about this. I never believed it would actually bloody happen. We’re so screwed…”
There was a loud pop and the lights died, plunging the carriage into inky gloom. Petrified screams filled the air. Emergency lights on the walls outside slowly illuminated, shedding an eerie green glow. Through the gloom, Ash noticed smoke pluming from the driver’s cabin. Pumpkin colored flames were licking around the driver’s seat and up the windscreen, which made the wipers twist like roasting snakes.
“Fire!” Ash shouted over the screams, “Everyone, listen, all of you, listen, quiet down. Get to the next carriage. Move away from the fire. You okay? You need help?” He said to the woman with the pram.
“Uhhh… I… I…”
“I got this,” the plump lady said, taking charge of the dazed woman and the pram. “Come on, honey. I got the pram, your baby, you just stay close. Okay? That’s right… that’s it.”
As the passengers evacuated to the next carriage, Ash smashed a glass plated emergency locker and grabbed the fire extinguisher inside. The driver retrieved a second extinguisher from the opposite side of the carriage. Together, they aimed the extinguishers into the cockpit and sprayed fire-retardant foam in a wide arc. Ash moved forwards, trying to spray the base of the flames. His extinguisher sputtered out moments before the driver’s. The flames spat and crackled as they devoured the foam, spreading once more.
“There’s more fire extinguishers in the next carriage,” the driver said, thumbing over his shoulder. “We can get them.”
“I think it’s too late for that,” Ash said, peering out of the window, horrified by the ferocity of the rising water. “We gotta find a way out. Does anyone know we’re here? How long ‘til rescue comes?”
“I dunno, I lost communications. Jesus, the rails are still live,” the man said, pointing to a red light on the wall outside. “We’re trapped, done for!”
“Is there an exit, a stairwell?” Ash said, desperately searching for a solution. The carriage was filling with smoke now, making it hard to breathe. His eyes were beginning to sting and his throat was becoming scratchy.
“Oh, god, we’re gonna die!” The driver cried, the pumpkin flames casting distorting shadows that flickered across his panic-stricken face.
“Is there an exit?” Ash demanded. “Is there a way to get to street level?”
“No… uh… moblie, my mobile!” The driver said, fishing his phone from his pocket. “No reception. Oh, god, god! Might get bars further down the train.”
The man rushed down the aisle. Ash checked his phone too, but had no signal. As the driver opened the door to the next carriage, screams spilled into the fire and smoke-filled cabin, as though a door to Hell had been opened, full of tortured souls. Ash checked outside again. It wouldn’t be long until the electrified water started flooding into the train. He peered left and right, through the gathering smoke in the tunnel outside. A short way down the train he spotted a concrete stairway leading to a door. There it was, their escape route…
Tingling with adrenaline and hope, Ash raced through the adjacent carriage. Panicked questions fired his way as he searched out of the windows. By some miracle the stairwell stood almost directly opposite a set of double doors. It was perfect, they were gonna make it.
“Help me open this,” he called, jamming his fingers into the rubber seals between the doors and tugging for all he was worth.
Soon, dozens of hands were helping him. Something in the front carriage exploded and the train shuddered. The hands let go and the doors snapped shut. The flames were advancing, devouring the passenger seats outside the driver’s cabin. Black smoke rolled forwards, tendrils reaching out like ghoulish arms in the half-light.
“Hurry,” someone shouted. “We’re gonna burn up, I can feel it getting hotter…”
The knowledge of what was coming seemed to give everyone a boost of strength and they grappled the doors once more and heaved them open. The stairwell outside was over a meter away, too far for many of the passengers to jump, especially the older ones. Squeaking rats huddled on the concrete steps. One of them sniffed at the water. Its snuffling snout barely touched the surface when it exploded in a ball of electrified flames. Bolts of blue and purple lightning shot in all directions. Ash ducked. The surviving rats squealed and hopped up the stairs, where they clawed at the exit door in a frenzy.
Ash dipped back into the carriage. He needed something to use as a gangplank, to span the gap between the train and the stairs. He attempted to prize up a length of seats. He grunted and pulled as hard as he could, muscles burning, but it wouldn’t budge, even with the army of helpers. Even if they had a toolkit it would have taken too long to unbolt. The water was rising too fast. They were running out of time.
“I can’t jump that,” the plump lady howled.
“What about my baby?”
“If I jump over you can throw it to me,” someone answered. “I promise, I won’t drop him.”
“Are you crazy!” Someone cried. “You can’t throw a baby.”
“’Course you can. Better than frying to death.”
The mother started to sob. Ash’s rising panic was making his heart thump so powerfully he could feel it in his neck. He scanned the cabin, sweat trickling down his temples. The front carriage was now completely filled with smoke. Who knew how long the dividing door would hold the flames back.
“Think… come on… there’s always a way,” he said to himself, willing the answer to pop into his mind.
Then he saw it, an emergency medical locker. A year ago he’d been travelling to college when a man on the train had had a heart attack. Someone had taken a spinal board from the locker and lain the man on it so the medics could carry him to safety. Ash tore open the locker and grabbed the board. It was definitely long enough. He rested it against the wall and pushed the middle with his foot. There was no give whatsoever. It was definitely strong enough.
“Good thinking,” someone cried. “Come on. Bring it over.”
Ash manoeuvred through the anxiously watching crowds and positioned the board between the train and the stairs. It was slightly wobbly, but would suffice, especially with someone stabilising each end. He prodded it with a foot, then gingerly edged across, the electric water rushing below.
“It works,” he called, his voice echoing as he hopped up the steps and opened the exit door, through which the rats fled. He lifted his face, allowing the cool breeze of the winter night on the streets above to brush his charred cheeks. “It’s definitely an exit. I can feel fresh air.”
The entire first carriage was now ablaze and shedding thick smoke that gathered under the roof of the tunnel, where it was cooling and tumbling down the sides of the train. Ash dashed down the steps, across the board and back into the carriage to help people cross. The driver crossed first and held the board firm on the steps.
“Come on, quickly now. It’s quite safe,” he called.
Ash made his way down the length of the train, through the carriages and directed everyone towards the makeshift exit. The rear carriage must have been slightly downhill as the water was already flooding into the cabin.
By the time he’d checked the rest of the train was clear, and had made his way back to the spinal board bridge, the water was only a few centimetres below it. An athletic looking woman had relieved the panting driver from his position.
“Hurry, come on. You can make it,” the driver continued, obviously not wanting to fully abandon his post. “It’s just you and the lady left.”
“I can’t,” the plump lady cried. “That’s never gonna hold me. I gotta lotta junk and a lotta trunk. That thing’s like a toothpick!”
“You can do it,” Ash said, gently nudging her towards the bridge. “You have to do it.”
“Listen, sweetie,” she said, “you go. Get help. I’ll stay here, right here. I’ll hop on those seats so the water don’t get me.”
“I wouldn’t get back in time,” Ash said. “Please, for me, then how about… uh… how about, after, we go have a coffee or something. It’ll be fun, come on. We’ll laugh about this when it’s over.”
“Only if I can have an iced bun,” she replied, crying now, obviously trying to make light of the situation to disguise her fear.
“All the buns you can eat,” Ash said, smiling. “Come on. The smoke’s coming in. The buns are on me. You just gotta take a few steps, that’s all.”
“You won’t let me fall now?” She said, both laughing and crying.
“Not a chance,” Ash said, moving her into position. “Come on, two big steps and you’re there.”
“Okay, honey, d… don’t let me go.”
Alarmed, Ash saw water lap over the edge of the board. No sooner had the lady stepped forwards, he shoved her as hard as he could. She staggered forwards and fell into a mass of awaiting arms that hauled her to safety.
“Alright, alright, alright!” Ash cheered, punching the air. “Just like that… I knew you could do it!”
“You’re gonna have to jump,” the driver said, holding out a hand to Ash and motioning to the board, across which small waves were lapping.
Ash backed up, then raced forwards and leapt through the air. He reached out, into the waiting arms. When the arms released him, he found himself swallowed by a hot and slightly sweaty embrace.
“You’re my hero, sugar,” the plump lady said, coughing and laughing. “The iced buns are on me, for life. Now let’s get outta this smoke-filled, dank, nasty ass tunnel!”
“Plan,” Ash said, laughing as a window behind him exploded. “I don’t wanna see another tube as long as I live.”
“Damn straight,” the lady agreed.
One look back at the train told Ash how lucky they’d been. The fire had reached the second carriage and the water, in which frazzled rat corpses were floating, was rising up around the base of the seats. Ash’s eyes stung and visibility was fading fast. He was about to turn and leave when his heart stopped. From a window at the rear of the carriage, he spotted a little face peering up at him. ‘Ash,’ the little boy was mouthing as he hammered the glass, tears streaming down his cheeks. The smoke was thickening around his little brother, who doubled over, coughing.
Ash didn’t need time to think. His life wouldn’t be worth living without his little brother. He moved to the lowest dry step and launched through the smoke-filled air, towards the open train door. He grabbed one of the hanging hand holds and swung onto the nearest seat. The driver and the plump lady were screaming at him to come back.
The train’s floor level bulbs exploded as the electrified water lapped against them and seeped into their housings. Ash could hear his brother screaming. The smoke was thickening. He hopped over the seats, coughing, the smoky air scouring his windpipe.
“Ethan?” He shouted, “Ethan, where are you, say something?”
A petrified little face poked above a seat at the back of the carriage.
“I saw what you did to the man!” Ethan cried. “You’re just like dad. You’re as bad as dad!”
“No,” Ash said, clambering his way towards Ethan. “You don’t understand… it wasn’t…”
“I saw you!” Ethan cried. “You screamed and hurt the man.”
“Please, Ethan. I can’t explain at the moment, there’s no time. Just stay there, don’t move…”
“You scared me,” Ethan sobbed. “And you did hurt the man. I saw you… watched you do it.”
“It’s okay,” Ash said, holding out a hand, “grab hold. Me and that man were just playing, just acting. It’s a project for…”
“I’m not a stupid kid,” Ethan erupted. “You can’t lie to me anymore. I’m old enough to know stuff now.”
Ash jumped to the seat Ethan was on, grabbed him and threw him over his shoulder.
“Get off me,” Ethan screamed, kicking, “You’re hurting me. There’s fire. My eyes hurt. ASH!”
“I’m sorry,” Ash said, hopping back across the seats. “I love you. I’ll explain everything later. I’ve gotta get you out of here.”
He could barely see through the smoke by the time he reached the opened carriage door. The heat of the fire singed his hair and skin. He could hear people shouting but couldn’t see them. He didn’t dare risk throwing Ethan towards the voices. If he missed and Ethan touched the water he’d be killed.
“Get on the roof,” Ash shouted, manhandling Ethan up, pushing the soles of his feet. Ethan was coughing madly, but was soon up.
Ash clambered onto the roof behind his brother and quickly realized he’d made a disastrous mistake. The smoke was so thick he couldn’t see anything and he could barely breathe. There was no air. He grabbed Ethan and hauled him towards the back of the train, away from the flames and smoke. Each breat
h ripped through his lungs as he drew down the scorching, suffocating smoke. It was like breathing knives. As they neared the end of the train, the smoke became less dense. Ash gazed around, looking for a second stairwell, but there wasn’t one. The water was rising even faster now. They weren’t going to make it.
“What now?” Ethan said, coughing and staring at Ash through glistening eyes. “Mum’s g… gonna be so m… mad I left the house again,” he sobbed.
“Shhh,” Ash comforted, hugging Ethan close. “Don’t worry about that. Mum loves you loads. We both do. You gotta stop sneaking out though.”
“Are we gonna die?” Ethan’s little voice croaked.
“No,” Ash said, the words striking him like bullets to the heart. “I won’t let anything hurt you. Never. Stay here.”
The roof of the tunnel was too low to stand upright, but there was enough room to crouch. Ash moved as fast as he could, checking the walls either side of the train. Suddenly, his eyes fell across a box with a lever on it. The text above it disappeared and reappeared through the smoke. It read ‘Emergency Power Shut Off,’ followed by smaller text that read ‘Unauthorised use will result in a fine.’
“I got no money anyway,” Ash said, chuckling and sliding to the edge the train, preparing to jump. “I love you, little man,” he said, looking towards his brother, so small in the dark tunnel. “Stay strong. I’m always with you. After I’ve done this, swim to the exit fast. Go towards the voices. Don’t hang around.”
“No!” Ethan screamed, scrabbling towards Ash. “Don’t leave me!”
“You’re my best friend. I love you, brother,” Ash said, before launching through the air.
His hand clasped the power shut off lever which he pulled downwards. In the same instant his feet touched the water. Everything flashed white, his muscles burned and wrenched tighter than a car-crushing vice. Then there was nothing.
Too Young to Die
C hristmas day had come and gone. Ethan hadn’t cared about any of the presents below the Christmas tree. He couldn’t even look at the colorful lights through the windows of the flats across the way from their flat. They looked too happy and he was too sad. At night, when he closed his eyes, all he could see was Ash jumping into the water and that bright flash. He didn’t like night time anymore, not now Ash’s bed was empty on the other side of the room. He didn’t like daytime either. The world had no color. It was all brown and gray and painful.
Jurassic Earth Trilogy Box Set Page 6