Chapter 4 - Hide And Go Die(3)

The rest of the train was dilapidated and old. The rustic windows, rotten floors, moldy seats; all gave the train an abandoned and desolate feel.

Chu Yi strode through the open door leisurely, appearing in a deserted cabin. After carefully inspecting for no signs of life, he pulled out the small map of the train that he had been given.

The train was divided into 5 sections:

The dining cable, fuel chamber, cabins, seats and the conductors cabin at the front.

There was nothing special about it immediately, however the crumbled map had a very conspicuous bloodstained tear on the left corner. As if someone had hurriedly ripped a piece off as they ran injured.

Whatever section had been torn off was very close to the dining car and if that wasn't clue enough, a drop of blood had spilled obscuring the name on top.

D-12

Dining.

He didnt bother to search the rest of the cabin as he stepped past the dilapidated benches, and followed the directions towards D-12.

None of the others had made it there as yet and the surroundings was dark and silent.

Standing in front of the closed door, he could already smell a disgusting mixture of scents wafting into his nose.

It was the smell of meat that been left out in the open for months or rather the rotten decay of a corpse.

His nose scrunched in disgust. Chu Yi had always had the habit of dismembering and disposing of his prey as quickly as possible. After the initial euphoria recedes, the decaying scent of rotting meat had always disgusted him. His mild OCD disorder would also not permit him to keep disassembled body part around him.

This was the first time he was faced with such a pungent odor.

Anticipating the upcoming scene of carnage, he almost turned around and left.

Almost because this was his new source of fun and rather he didn't want to give it up so quickly.

Taking a deep choking breath, he shoved the door open roughly.

It was chaos.

The dining car was filled with overturned tables and chairs. Splattered blood had already dried on the walls and there was an obvious squelch underfoot as he followed the disgusting scent to its source.

The kitchen.

The door was already cracked open and inside was a bloody scene of carnage that spoke worlds of the gruesome death of its victim.

Severed limbs, half decayed were scattered on the floor, and black blood still dripped from the cabinets. The pots and utensils were overturned on the shelves and there were still ingredients, now rotting, that had been placed out to thaw.

The person inside had obviously been preparing the meal for the passengers on board but met a cruel death soon thereafter.

Large Flies and squirming maggots burrowed into what was left of the meat stuck to the bones. They had eaten right through the flesh and left brown stains everywhere to signal the decay.

They crowded together like ants, so packed there were indistinguishable from each other . The incessant buzzing sound sending goosebumps along his spine.

The awful smell was ten times worse as he stepped towards the victim.

He stared disgustedly at the body for a few minutes before looking away. He couldnt bring himself to touch the thing and eventually settled for searching through the cabinets and the fridge.

Unfortunately, he found nothing even after rummaging past the rotting vegetables and fruits. With eyes furrowed, he once again turned to the decaying skeleton on the ground.

Would he really have to lay his hand on it?

He stood there, indecisive. The disgust on his beautiful face tangible.

No.

With a heavy, disappointed sigh he turned around to leave, he would rather test his chances at the Red Chamber before wronging himself like that.

Nevertheless, before he passed through the door, he felt his foot happen upon something.

Looking down it was a skull.

It had obviously not been there a moment ago but had mysteriously appeared in the darkness.

With raised eyebrows he looked around, his red eyes flashing darkly.

It was silent.

He vaguely sensed something, glancing towards the corners and a smile spread across his pale lips.

With a chuckle, he bent down to pick up the skull. It was definitely a lot cleaner than the corpse and was smooth to the touch.

Thinking about it, that was even more terrifying.

Someone had to consciously peel away the skin and scrape away the remaining meat and brain before it could get this clean.

And only something or someone truly monstrous could be capable of that.

Inside the skull, sat a crumbled piece of paper, torn from what seemed to be a journal.

There was no name, only dates written on the tattered note.

[November 13, 3018,

It rained today again. The conductor gave us duck blood soup to warm us up. The train was quiet .]

[November 15, 3018,

It stopped raining. The lady that stayed beside me has disappeared. The conductor said she had just unboarded. But when did the train stop?]

[November 18, 3018,

Quiet. It's so quiet. Why has the noises stopped. Only the sound of the train echoes at night]

[November 21, 3018,

The conductor said we need to refuel.

It seems alot of us has unboarded. ]

[November 26,3018,

Ite raining again. There was no soup this time.]

After that there were no more entries.

The conductor held the biggest suspicion now and from this he could guess, that there was definitely a problem with food and with the train itself.

Alas, throwing the skull to one side, he placed the paper in his bag.

He still had to find his ticket.

He looked at the map again, this time noticing that the dining car was right beside the conductors room, as if it had been deliberately placed there.

Waiting for him to explore.

After hesitating for a bit, he walked towards the door. His scalpel re-appearing in his hand.

His black hair shrouded his face in dim shadows, his eyes becoming darker as he thought of the conductor.

Something was telling him that the man could give him what he was looking for.

Such a blatant invitation shouldn't be ignored, right?

There was silence as he left the room, only the occasional buzz of a fly echoing. What he didnt notice was the vague rustle that appeared behind him. Lurking In the darkness of the room appeared a bloody tendril. It arched, as if sensing something before turning towards the leaving back of its prey.

A chuckle echoed vaguely in the shadows.

Chu Yi wasnt the only one anticipating.

[3:25:12]