TRAIN DAMAGE
Introduction
There was a road. The fur trees either side of it are dark and heavy with the recent rainfall. The skies are grey. Everything looks dark even though it is still only the afternoon. A stranger is standing on the side of the road. A shadowy figure is approaching. They meet. They walk into the woods. Only one person emerges. Some time goes by. The road is very quiet. Nothing stirs. The lonely figure is wearing a hat and a trench coat. The lonely figure is also holding something in their hand. It is a piece of paper. It is a train ticket. The lonely figure looks over to the trees. In the distance there is the sound of a train approaching.
Time to climb on board…
ACT I
KAINE AND RYDER MEET
Ryder: So the train is empty? Flipping marvellous! I love this. I have got the pick of the place, go anywhere I like. et’s have a little wander about - might as well! Good grief! Look at this! It really is empty… No ticket-master? What the smeck is going on! O wait! Here walks the fellow now! Better sit down and look down and shut up. Damn it. It all feels so weird. A second ago I had the whole world to myself, my own little kingdom on wheels moving ever moving upon the grim bones of the world! And yet here I am no longer the lone soul. So sad. Look at that man as he approaches, steady, stern, determined. Like a monster on the march! Look at him in his dark clothes with his dark brimmed hat. Like an officer on the hunt! For some reason I am afraid. I feel like I am guilty of something - even though I know it is not so! I have my ticket, I have my ticket. O wait… Where is my ticket. Smeck! Where is my ticket! I can’t find it! What a lot of fenck. I am going to be tucked over for this. I will search and search again like a frantic shrew in the grass avoided the glazed glass of the hawks eye… search I search! My bag. Nay empty as my dreams… Smeck and smeck! My pockets. My hands are shaking. The terror approaches. Look at him - shadow - doom - a ghost! Here is here to claim my… TICKET! Here is my ticket sir! He looks at me grimly like I have committed an offence. Have I committed an offence? Maybe I have… Why am I on this train? Aren’t I running from something. I am always running from something. But I am running from something much worse right now! The ticket master is standing over me. Has my time come? Is this the end. I hand him the ticket. My hand is shaking. My flesh is clearly unravelling my hidden guilt. My shame. The secret I want to be kept as secret as… THE TICKET! He’s seen it. He’s clipped it. We are done. He slides away into his chamber. He is no more. I wish I could say the same about my fear… my shame… my secret. What have I done? What have I done! A man can hide 144 hours, but hours are time and time unravels all things even the deepest darkest secrets beneath a mountain…
The train enters a tunnel…
Ryder: What should I do? I quit smoking so there can be none of that. I am in the gutter. I tucked myself over when I didn’t by that bottle of wine… I could do with the wine. Well whatever. How dark it is! It’s all dark… Don’t the lights work here? Ah! There they are! Wait? There is a man nearby? Who the smeck is that? I could swear I was alone! Not so! He is huge - got to be about six feet I wager. No! He approaches. I have never seen anything like this one before! Look at the way he is dressed - the trench-coat reaches to his boots - he is wearing a cowboy hat I think… I don’t know whats but that is what it looks like. What is this man doing? Is this fancy dress day? Or…or is he mad? Could be! He approaches! He is wearing a mask! I cannot see his face! What is this? I’ve fallen asleep! I am dreaming. NO. I am awake - I can feel my heart beating… I can see my hands shaking. Hopefully he will walk by. NO. He is stopping. He is introducing himself! Why is he doing this? I do not want to know whim! Move on and go away! Leave me be to live my life in peace!
Kaine: Is this seat empty?
Ryder: Yes. My friend will be here soon.
Kaine: Fine. I will keep it warm for them. I hope you don’t mind? Old man needs to rest his legs.
Ryder: Of course. My pleasure. Be my guest.
Kaine: Guest? I am no guest. Unless you own this train. If so you didn’t invite me aboard.
Ryder: Who invited you?
Kaine: Myself.
Ryder: Fine. Do you mind if I just sit here in peace?
Kaine: I don’t know… It might become kind of awkward just us two sitting here all alone staying quiet. The atmosphere will go strange. I think it would be for the best, for the ambience as well as our health, to have a nice chat? Wont you talk to me? Want you entertain an old lonely man?
Ryder: Sure. What would you like to talk about (A fine start to a conversation with a stranger!)
Kaine: Let’s start with names. I am Kaine. It is not your turn…
Ryder: I am… (what if he knows my secret… what if he sees my fear? He could be the one looking for m…). I am… I am! Sorry I am just tired. My name is Frank. Frank King.
Kaine: Ah! The rich lad who owns that big block of flats all to himself. O aye? Really. That is odd Frank. Thing is, we have met before.
Ryder: How do you mean?
Kaine: Well if you are Frank King then we have met before. I paid a visit to one of your jolly little drinking parties. I met your brother and your mother. It was a fun time. You have changed a lot, Frank. You have grown younger, and shorter. And you have changed the colour of your hair. It is all coppery now. How odd. You are starting to look uncomfortable there, my young friend. I don’t know why? Mr Frank King is a big tough fellow. I know it. I saw him. Used to be a street fighter back in the day had the reputation of Fenwick on his shoulders - used to win fights, made a lot everything with his fists. Come on Frank, let’s see that tough side in you rise up. I watched you fight back in the day. I know you didn’t get rich by good. No man makes good money being good. And you ain’t good. And you ain’t weak. But you look weak right now. That’s because I know you are not Frank, Frank. You are called Ryder, right Frank? That’s right. You are Ryder. You are looking really scared Frank! I bet you would like to know how I know you? Of course you do. It is because we know each other. And you would know that we know each other if I was to take my mask off. But I am not going to do that not just yet. I am having too much fun right now watching you sweat like a rotten dog and shake like a cornered snake. Now listen - Ryder. We are going to play a game. I like games. You like games? I don’t care whether you do or not we are going to play a game right now. The game is this: Guess who I am! Think about all the people you have ever talked to and got to know. Think back on all of your friends, and likewise your enemies. I will sit here quiet and give you time to think a while, Ryder.
ACT II
SOMETHING MORE THAN STRANGE IS GOING ON
Kaine: Why are you not playing the game?
Ryder: Stop! I can hear something. A strange sound. It only started a few moments ago - it wasn’t there when I first sat down. Just listen to me and listen! We can start this fine conversation again later. But for now keep that voice of your quiet and open your ears. I am not messing around here. There is a strange sound.
Kaine: There is nothing but the engine and the noise of the train!
Ryder: I am not messing around here!
Kaine: Neither am I!
Ryder: I swear when I got on this train I was alone! There was not a soul on board this train. When we left Fenwick I went on a mission and I explored every carriage except one. EXCEPT ONE! I had to pull back and find a quiet place because the ticket master was looking for me. I am going to go back and take a look at that carriage. You can stay here or follow me, I don’t care. I am shook up by this. I definitely heard something and I want to find out what it is.
Kaine: Why? What does it mater?
Ryder: Because apart from you and I this whole train is empty. And you can agree with me that isn’t normal, right? RIGHT? Now I don’t think the train is empty! There is something going on here. I can feel it… I have had this kind of feeling before…
Kaine: Explain this feeling to me.
Ryder: It is something you get when you walk into a haunted building. Cold pure horror. It can be described like a heaviness - a huge lump of rock jammed between your lungs with your heart beating against - you can feel your heart thundering repeatedly against this disgusting hard rock. The rock is growing inside of your chest and your heart can’t take it. It can’t beat freely like it really want’s to. But the rock keeps growing and it is threatening to push your whole damn heart out! So you have to run out of that building and keep running till the rock shatters and your heart can beat soundly again. But until you run, until you get the blood in your feet racing and your feet moving your heart might as well be dead. I grew up an orphan in a very old building. Before it was an orphan house it was a house for sick people. I remember the nights - I would hear scratching on the walls. I felt that rock in my chest every night… As a child I lived with that rock all of the time. As I grew it grew. It grew with me and inside of me my WHOLE life. When I took my steps out into the big old madness of the real world the rock finally broke inside of my chest and I began to breathe normally once again… I was finally free! My heart started to beat like a heart really should beat - beating with a gentle thud. I didn’t know what it was like to live a life without a rock in my chest until I left home. And now I sit here on this seat inside this thunder rickety old train heading out of the rain of Fenwick a thousand thousand miles from my old home where I grew up - and I am started to feel the rock shape up again in my chest. I have leave and see what is inside that room or I will not be at peace. The rock will pierce my heart - and I am not ready to take my last breath not just yet…
(The stranger looks at me through the evil slashes in his mask - what does he want from me. I do NOT know him! No! My memory is not that bad. My mind would remember a man of his stature. He must be insane, that or a phantom - o how the rocks as my heart shakes beside it. I am in a dark place right now. My hands are still shaking. I want to close my eyes and disappear, but yet I am her eon this train - I must know what that sound is. The stranger tells me he wants me to live, like it is his right to let me make that choice! Curse him! He lets me leave, how kind of him. Like he owns me… Nobody owns me! I will be rid of him - as I will be rid of that rock - and that sound… like the scratches of old, but worse… I must go and with my eyes pierce the shadows of this train…)
Kaine: I am surprised you didn’t try to run away! Look at you! You are shaking and you are sweating! What’s wrong?
Kylie: It’s the carriage at the end of the train! I could hear a sound through the walls. I could hear it… them… voices.
Kaine: Madman!
Kylie: Go! Take a look! Listen for yourself! I can hear chanting through the walls. There are people at the back of the train and they are humming and chanting and singing. I can hear words - but I cannot understand what they are saying! There is something mad going on back there! I knew it the moment I got onto the train. Every seat was empty. Every cubicle dark. And now there is the chanting. Go and listen! It sounds very sinister, like a ceremony is happening - a sacrifice! I am not lying to you go and listen!
(And off he goes…)
ACT III
RETURN TO BUSINESS
Kaine: Nice try at locking me in the room, Ryder. I am angry now. Not at you, but at myself for being stupid enough to take the bait.
Ryder: I didn’t try to lock you in the room! I have been sitting here all of this time I swear!
Kaine draws out a weapon
Kaine: I am done with you. This is my game NOT yours. We are playing by my rules and my rules alone! I cannot believe I let you tuck me over.
Ryder: Didn’t you hear it? The chanting? I wasn’t lying about the chanting was I? You can hear it through the walls. There is something really bad going on back there. Admit it you heard it! I can’t see your face but I can see your eyes. Your eyes are not like what they were when you started this. I can see terror in your eyes. Trust me… I know what terror looks like…
Kaine: Let me correct you on a few things, Ryder. No - you started this and yes I know you know what terror looks like. I think it is about time for me to jog your memory. I might not be able to hear any chanting through the walls but we are both going to be able to hear this:
Kaine takes out a device. It plays a piece of music
Ryder: I can’t… I can’t find the words…
Kaine: I will find them for you. Monster. Terror. He ruined me. And you watched. You could have helped… BUT no. You ran away, didn’t you. Coward. You never fought back. You always did what you were told. Always falling in line, while I fell out. We were supposed to work together. We were supposed to bring him down - destroy him. But NO. You told him everything and then you ran away and forgot it all. But then it was easy for you to do that wasn’t it? Your real parents had left you a fund. You had options. What did I have? Nothing. But all I want now is well, it’s simple. I want you to suffer. And then I want you to vanish from this world forever.
Ryder: I can vanish! I am going to do that right now. That is why I am on this train. I am leaving Fenwick forever. The memories of that place are going to die. You can do the same. You are free to do so! Run away! Kill those old memories! Memories… They are like your shadow - only unlike your shadow they can kill you. Stay away from them. Close them. End them. Be what you are in your soul… I beg you Kaine. Let them die I beg you.
Kaine: My memories will die when you die. And then I will no longer have a shadow that can kill. And then I can live at will, as you have done all of the years since you fled the madness of that place. It will be my turn to be free.
Ryder: It doesn’t have to be like this.
Kaine: This is the only way I am going to find peace.
Ryder: We were friends… We used to call one another brothers, remember? This is stupid Kaine! You won’t do this… No. You won’t find peace by killing me. You will have to go back to Fenwick and found all the others as well! I wasn’t the only one in that damn building who talked to the warden about the plan. There were others.
Kaine: Remember Rick?
Ryder: Yes of course he was our mate.
Kaine: Dead. Do you remember Joe as well? Yes? Of course you do. He was our mate as well. And a tittle tattler. The same thing happened to him - he sleeps now forever in a cold ditch where no one will find him except the worms and other such things of the earth… Now let us get back to the matter of you and I. There is a good reason why you are alive today. I saved you for last. It is time for you to stand up and line up with the rest of the damned of this world. It is over for you Ryder. When you die so will my pain.
Ryder: Don’t do this! It is not worth it! Look about the other lads… What’s done is done. We will forget about it. Nobody will care about what we do when we get to the mainland. When the train stops we will get out and both go our separate ways. We will build new lives. It will be good. Just don’t kill me. I am not ready, Kaine, I am not ready to die. We can both settle this now, like we used to when we were kids. Remember when we were kids when we used to fight and all that crazy stuff we used to get into trouble for? We used to shake hands, remember? Shake hands and make up and let tomorrow be a day where yesterday didn’t exist. Let’s do that now. Let’s shake hands - yesterday doesn’t exist. There is only now, and now matters more than anything. I beg you. It is the right thing to do. Kill those shadows. Build a new life, you can do it.
Kaine takes off his mask to reveal his scars
Kaine: Build a new life with a face like this? I don’t think so.
ACT IV
FANATICS AND FINALES
Kaine and Ryder are suddenly attacked by frightening, eerie looking masked priests. There is a huge fight all across the train. Kaine and Ryder are made to work together to survive. Eventually through a combination of Ryder’s cunning and Kaine’s brute strength they turn the tables on their numerous assailants and crush them! During the fight Ryder is given an opportunity to let the priests kill Kaine, but he chooses to help Kaine instead.
Ryder: The train is stopping.
Kaine: I can hear.
Ryder: Build a new life? It can be done. You have a choice? We have escaped those old nightmares. A new world lies out there. We can start again. What about it, brother? Let’s live.
Kaine: You go. There is no life for me. When the train starts again it will go on forever - forever into darkness. I am part of that darkness.
Ryder nods and leaves the train. The train starts again. Ryder can see Kaine looking back at him through the train window. It is finally over.
THE END
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