Created for The Blood is the Life: A Frightful Halloween Quest. Comments and suggestions go here, please.
"I won't run any further."
"Good. I'll make this fast."
"Why are you doing this?"
"Because you took something precious from me."
"I loved you!"
"And I loved you too."
Superficially, it's a simple scene. A gun is cocked, three shots are fired and it's done. The train pauses to disgorge its cargo and the murderer slips away before it rattles off again in the other direction.
Months become years.
"If you don't turn that thing off, I'll turn you off."
"I'll ignore the fact that what you just said is essentially meaningless - complete and utter bullshit, one might say - and do you the courtesy of getting to my point immediately. No; no, I will not turn it off. I like this song."
An uncomfortable silence - while not in itself a bad thing, per se - is laced with danger, especially when all parties concerned know that it will be inappropriately broken.
"Fag."
"Don't you ever call me that - alright? I'm not even goddamn kidding! I'll slit your scrawny throat!" The knife is drawn.
"Oh come on, man. I never mean anything by it - you know that."
"Yeah... well... see that you don't."
"Speaking of essentially meaningless phrases..."
"Shut up."
"All right, all right. I was just saying..."
"Well don't, okay?"
"Okay, okay. I won't say another word."
"Good."
Onwards, into the unknown; there is no light outside the carriage.
"Do you know the t..."
"I thought you weren't going to talk."
"I wasn't, but I need to know the time."
"Why? All we do is ride trains from dusk until dawn. Do you have some pressing appointment? A job interview - or a date, perhaps? I hope you told the lovely lady about your so-called `employment'. She'll look narrowly to her handbag after that."
"Oh, no, it's nothing like that."
"What, then?"
"Just... you know. Just curious, that's all."
"Curiosity killed the..."
"I'm not a cat."
"Hmph... well, okay then. It's... erm... what's the hour after twelve?"
"One."
"No, no - the hour after twelve."
"It's one. Really." Another uncomfortable silence threatens.
"You're daft." They exchange glances. "Anyway, it's twelve minutes past... whatever that is. Shit. I was never good with time."
The train is nearing the end of its line. It stops at a shabby station and the speaker mutters unintelligibly. An affluent-looking man arrives and the journey continues. The man opens his briefcase and withdraws a laptop computer, seemingly ignorant of the dishevelled miscreants seated opposite him.
"Well, what d'you make of that?"
"Of what?"
The first figure slaps his forehead in exasperation while the second stares obliviously.
"Of him," he whispers.
"Oh! I never really... thought about him."
"Shhh! Be quiet or he'll know we're talking about him! "
"What? Who?"
"Be quiet! "
"Why? What the bloody buggering hell are you..."
"Just... don't talk. It's for your own good."
"Okay, fine. But..."
"What?"
"What are we going to do about him in the meantime?"
The first figure slaps his forehead in exasperation once again, but rubs it gingerly when a bruise flowers. He turns around to see that the affluent-looking gentleman has ceased his typing and now stares at him rather intently.
"Oh, man, we're sorry. My friend here - he's a little dim-witted. Aren't you?"
"Oh, yeah, yeah. That's why, mister."
"I'm sorry if we interrupted your... your..."
He pauses.
"Pardon my manners, but do I know you? You look real familiar-like."
"I think that unlikely."
"Nah, nah, man - I mean it. We haven't met before, have we?"
"Maybe," he says, returning to his typing, "but I think it unlikely."
Silence.
"So, did you get his phone number or are you just going to skip the foreplay?"
"I told you to shut the fuck up, you maggot!"
"Jesus, man! Lighten up. I... I..."
The reason he trails off is the sight of the affluent man with his finger on a trigger.
"Shit, man, this wasn't part of the deal! You never said you were going to kill him!"
"Shut up. You have your money," he says, his brow furrowed intensely.
"What... what was that? Did I just miss something, or..."
"And you - you had better start answering some questions or I'm going to unload this thing into you."
"Jesus H. Christ... what are you on about? What did I do to you?"
The train lurches sideways.
"You killed my brother, asshole! I want to know why!"
And now he sees the resemblance.
"Yes. Yes, I killed him."
"Why? You bastard, I want to know why! I... I loved him." he stammers through the tears.
"So did I."
The train grinds to a halt. End of the line.
"You... you what?"
"I loved him. Jesus, man... how can I spell it out for you?"
"You... you..."
"Yes! Yes, and I killed him because he betrayed me."
"But... how?"
"With my sister, of all people. I killed her too - or didn't you do your research properly when you got this jackal to help you hunt me down?"
"No. I don't believe it. You're lying."
"No, I'm not. But if you're going to kill me, then kill me." He pauses and chooses his words carefully. "I won't run any further."
Superficially, it's a simple scene. A gun is cocked, three shots are fired and it's done. The train pauses to disgorge its cargo and the murderer slips away before it rattles off again in the other direction. | 
