The Shadow That Lurks Below

“Stand clear of the closing door,” chimed the mechanical voice as the train door closed. Deanna stood near the back of the last train car, leaning against the door. It was pretty empty with a few seats available but Deanna wanted to stand since she was sitting at work all day. 

She was tired and ready to go home. The train started moving away from the stop and there was some sort of announcement on the speakers but it all came through as muffled sounds that were nondescript. 

No sooner had the train left, there was a sudden lurch and Deanna almost toppled over. The voice through the speaker was clearer this time. “The emergency brakes were triggered, we will resume moving shortly. We apologize for the inconvenience.” Many of the passengers let out a tired groan, their faces spoke volumes of dissatisfaction with this particular mode of transport. “Ughh..it is always something with these goddamn trains,” said a man next to Deanna.

A few minutes passed and the train started to move once more. No sooner had it started to move that the brakes were triggered again, now with louder and more annoyed groans. The sound through the speaker was muffled and unrecognizable, but it was probably another hollow apology that did little to help the situation. 

A few minutes more passed and the train moved again, hopefully for good. The loud cacophony of metal against metal moving fast into the darkness drowned out all other sounds. The shaking and moving of the train lulled Deanna into a moment of sleep as she braced against one of the doors.

 Minutes passed and the train was still rumbling through stops and darkness. More minutes passed and still, the train was moving through the subway system but there were fewer stops now and more darkness. Confusion began the fill the train car.

“What’s going on?” muttered a few of the passengers. The next stop should have been only about five minutes away but it must have been at least 15 minutes since the train departed. It had not slowed down or stopped at any point so far.

“Maybe they took some detour?” said one of the passengers. The subway folks liked to change things up at the last minute and tell no one. Even when they try to tell commuters, it is usually confusing or indecipherable. 

As Deanna and everyone wondered what was going on, more time passed. At the 30-minute mark, confusion changed to panic as commuters noticed a few things. As the train continued its nonstop rush through the tunnels, there were no more stops to be seen. Beyond the random light marking an emergency exit, it was all darkness from what anyone could see from the windows. 

A child started to cry in their stroller as their father tried to calm them down to no avail. An elderly woman, tired of waiting for something to happen, left her seat, went to the emergency brakes, and pulled it with all her might. Nothing happened. “Here, let me try,” said a young man who stood near her. As he pulled the brakes nothing happened.

Deanna tried to keep herself calm but the confusion was turning to panic as something was clearly wrong here. She took deep breaths and began knocking on the conductor's door near the back of the train. She didn’t see anyone inside and there was no answer to the knocking. “Hello? Is anyone in there?” There were no answers to her plea.

Deanna moved from the back of the train car to the next door leading to the next car. She was afraid of what might happen if she left the car and entered that small gap between the cars but there was not much else anyone could do.

She turned the handle and pushed the door open. A blast of oppressive heat almost pushed her back. It felt like it was burning her skin as it was so hot and abrasive. It was summer but this was ridiculous even for the subway. Bracing herself, she moved out of her train car and into the heat. It felt worse without the comfort of the air conditioning and the constant shaking rocked her back and forth. 

Deanna grabbed the handle of the next train car and flinched as the heat made the metal scalding hot but she turned the handle and pushed it open anyways. The next car was similar to the last. Confusion and panic as everyone was trying to figure out what was happening. 

She saw a conductor talking to someone near the end of the train car and went towards them. Deanna saw a nun clutching her cross and praying alongside a few other passengers. There were other passengers looking through the windows or constantly checking their phones, hoping to find some sort of answer. 

Deanna got near the conductor and he turned to her as the elderly man he was talking to returned to his seat, compliant and quiet. “Hello Ma’am, I take it you have questions as well,” he said with a smile, showing off his pearly white teeth and enticing smile. To say he was handsome was an understatement. Sharped, chiseled jawline and beautifully lush hair made his piercing blue eyes more striking and only served to enhance his beautiful face. The uniform hugged his body tightly, showing off the hard work he put into it.

Deanna, feeling vulnerable and more, tried not to be deterred by his looks. “Yes, do you know what is happening? We have been moving for a while now.”

He shifted closer to her, still smiling. “Yes, we were detoured and had to take a longer route due to some police activity along the train line. We should reach our destination shortly.” The train jolted as he bumped into Deanna. His scent was musky with floral undertones and something saccharinely sweet. It was almost intoxicating but there was something through all the smells that smelt slightly off. “Oh, excuse me, ma'am.” He chuckled and shifted himself back away from her.

Before Deanna could get a word in, he turned away from her and began offering his assurances to the other passengers. Except those she had passed to get to him. With some idea of what was happening and a glimmer of hope, Deanna returned to her train car. 

Just as she entered the last train car, the lights went out and the air conditioner turned off. The groans and sighs of frustration were much louder in reaction. Only two of the lights came back on so the place was dimly lit and starting to warm up.

No sooner had Deanna returned to the spot she had earlier did the screaming begin. At first, it was muffled and not easy to hear as the doors were closed and the loud noise outside drowned a lot of sounds out. The train shook and jolted back and forth with such intensity that many of the standing people were knocked over and the child in the stroller started to cry.

The sound of crunching metal vibrated throughout the train walls. Passengers rushed to help those who had fallen. Deanna struggled to keep herself from falling as the screams and crunching of metal slowly faded away. As quickly as it came, the sounds disappeared and silence filled the train car except for the wails of the crying baby.

Panic and fear filled the faces of the commuters in the train car. The baby was still crying and a few others started to cry as well. The air was tense and disheartened as whatever hope everyone had slowly faded away. Deanna closed her eyes and focused inwards. She needed to go see what happened in the other train cars.

As she opened the door, the heat hit her like a brick wall, almost knocking her over. It was hotter now and the heat flooded the train car like a crashing wave. With no AC  to hold it at bay, it made its way into every corner. Time was running out even faster now. Deanna crossed over and opened to the other train car.

Inside the train car, or what was left of it, were commuters huddled in corners near Deanna and blood strewn across everything. The roof of the train was torn apart like something tore it open. Looking down at the train car, Deanna saw seats and walls that were ripped apart alongside the bodies of people caught in the mayhem. Standing at the end of the train car was the conductor from before with his back to an expanse of darkness as the rest of the train was gone. The same slick smile and chiseled features stared at the nun.

The nun was frozen with fear and tears fell from her eyes. The conductor just kept looking at her until his eyes flickered in Deanna's direction. His hands moved with incredible speed and wrapped itself around the nun’s neck. She struggled furiously, clawing at his hands and trying to pry them apart but he overpowered her and squeezed as hard as he could. 

The nun was overcome with panic as she choked and struggled to breathe. His grip became tighter until the sounds of crunching bone filled the silent air. The nun stopped struggling and her arms fell like a lifeless doll. The conductor tilted his head in disappointment. “You would think a woman of god would have a bit more strength and power in her…but this was pathetic,” he said as the nun fell to the ground when he released his grip. There were wails and cries from the people huddled near the door.

Deanna tried to look away but couldn’t. She felt that if she looked away, he would consume her and kill them all. The conductor stepped on the nun’s head with a fury and smashed right through it. Blood and brain matter mixed with bone and hair as they splattered across the ground. He knelt down, still looking at Deanna, and grabbed some of the mixture with his fingers. 

The conductor brought it to his mouth and licked his fingers delicately, savoring every last taste and texture of this once-holy woman. His muscles flexed and he let out a moan, all while giving Deanna a wink. “Fear always tastes so delicious, especially when wrapped around the soft flesh of a true believer.” He smiled and got back up, continuing his walk towards Deanna.

 “Light guide me,” Deanna whispered to herself. She felt power flowing through her, trying to pierce through the darkness around the train. There wasn’t much but it would have to do, at least she hoped it would be enough. 

She took off her work blazer and shoes, stepping in a pool of blood in front of her. It soaked through her socks, sending shivers up her spine. Her body started to glow a slight gold color as the light filled her. “Whatever you are, I cannot let you do this,” she said with a bit more strength and courage in her voice. 

“Come now little birdy,” He said as he started moving slowly towards her. “I saw you looking at me, wondering what was underneath this tight uniform.” He unbuttoned the shirt, revealing his broad chest and defined abdomen with a light dusting of blond hair that trailed further down. Deanna was hard-pressed to resist as her eyes followed the trail. 

“No, you will not entice me you monster,” she said with some struggle as her body warmed with thoughts of him. She fought against his onslaught of power using her light against his darkness. He oozed sex and death as the darkness seemed to press against Deanna.

She summoned a blade of light and launched herself towards him, blade at the ready. As light met dark, the conductor grabbed her bladed hand and pulled her towards him. He held her tightly against his body and ran his nose through her hair, catching her scent. As his mouth went towards hers, Deanna released a shriek that pierced through the air, pushing the two apart. 

Desperate, and with few options, Deanna did the unthinkable and pulled the light from the commuters around her who were still alive. They were quickly filled with pain and agony as hope, happiness, and anything good was stripped away from them and flowed towards Deanna. Their bodies became lifeless as they fell over, dead or, hopefully, unconscious.

The light coalesced around Deanna, forming a golden metal around her, with wings beaming with light across her back. “This is one bird you won't get to catch, monster.” She spread her wings and flew towards him. As Deanna flew into the open darkness above her, the light of her wings filled the space around her, illuminating all the horrors that were watching and waiting for them. 

Everything was contorted and twisted into a myriad of demonic horrors that lapped their lips in anticipation of feasting on everyone just as the conductor did. Deanna couldn't worry about them right now and turned her focus to the conductor as she readied her blade and descended toward him. 

With the fury and speed of a valkyrie, Deanna slammed her blade down at the conductor, cleaving apart his right hand from the rest of his body. He yelled in pain and frustration as his prey was trying to turn the tables. His blue eyes darkened to black with red pupils and his manicured nails extended to claws.

The right hand fell and turned to blood as it hit the ground. The conductor focused his gaze on Deanna and shards of blood formed out of the pools around them. The shards threw themselves at Deanna slicing any exposed skin and tearing her wings apart. The golden armor protected her body but her wings were torn away as blood dripped down what remained.

Deanna didn’t need her wings but the pain of losing them almost knocked her over. She raged with fury and launched into a series of attacks on the conductor. Blade met claws as the two parried and swiped at each other. Sparks of light and darkness flared at every impact as blood flicked out from wounds on both Deanna and the conductor.

The fight was even for a while but while the conductor could pull darkness around every corner, Deanna was running low on light. The glow around her started to fade with every swipe of her blade, which also dulled. The energy powering her through the pain and horror was fading away leaving her exhausted and tired. 

With little energy left, Deanna fell to her knees. The conductor grabbed her around the neck and threw her with his demonic strength. She was thrown right through the door to the last train car. Crashing through the door, she fell to the floor in the middle and broke many of the poles along the way. 

There were screams of fear and surprise as Deanna landed on the ground. The commuters did not know what to expect from the woman clad in gold with blood flowing down her back and wounds across her body. 

The conductor, back in his human form with both arms, slowly walked through the broken door. Deanna crawled across the floor to the end of the train and braced her back against it so she could see him. Her breath was ragged and she was tired but she would face this darkness and not flinch away.

“This was fun my little bird, but I think I'm bored now,” the conductor said as he stopped next to the father and crying baby. “Would you shut up,” he yelled as he slammed his hand into the stroller. The crying stopped. The father was shocked into silence. “That’s better isn’t it,” he said as he winked at the father. He raised his hand, covered in blood, and licked some of it off.

“Agony,” he said, and everyone in the train car writhed in pain. Most instantly dropped unconscious and the rest fainted soon after as the pain overwhelmed their senses. Deanna felt it too but her armor dulled it enough to keep her awake.

He walked towards her, poking and prodding the unconscious bodies along the way. Some he dragged his claws across, leaving putrid wounds, and others he burned with a dark flame from his hands. 

The conductor came to Deanna and knelt down to her. “Don't worry little bird I won't kill you or the rest of them.” He grabbed her hair and pulled her head up closer to his face. “I want the rest of you to live, to remember this moment where humanity was at my mercy. I want all of you to remember the trauma and horrors and let it eat away at you until you go mad.” He smiled. “Maybe mad enough to kill everyone around you or even kill yourself.”

He slammed her head against the back of the train and Deanna started to lose focus. Darkness clouded her vision as she faded in and out of consciousness. Before the darkness finally took her, she heard sirens and screaming as the train finally got to a stop.