Chapter 005 - The Infinite Train 05

  I turned to Elliot, keeping my voice low but firm. "You were on watch last night. What did you see?"

  Elliot swirled the liquid in his glass, watching the way it clung to the sides before taking a slow sip. "We're allies. That gives us an advantage—better observation, better defense. So yes, I'd say we're still safe."

  I let out a dry chuckle. "Safe, huh?"

  The sumo man had been alive yesterday. Now he was a corpse, his blood scrubbed from the floor, his blanket draped over a woman who had murder in her fingertips. If that was safety, I’d hate to see danger.

  I pulled the blanket over my head, deciding that sleep was the better option.

  By the time I woke again, the light filtering through the train windows was dull and gray—midday. The air smelled faintly of something savory, and the sharp, empty pang of hunger twisted in my gut.

  There was a single plate of food on the table—a dish of stir-fried pork with garlic sauce, and nothing else. No rice. No soup. Just meat, slick with oil. My brow furrowed.

  "Where’s my morning milk?" I asked, my voice flat but edged with suspicion. "Did you drink it?"

  Elliot didn’t answer immediately. His expression was darker than usual, his fingers tapping a slow, rhythmic pattern against the rim of his glass. Finally, after a pause, he said, "There was no breakfast. You were right. They’ve started rationing. This," he gestured toward the meal in front of me, "was the only thing delivered. And if I had to guess, there won’t be any dinner either."

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  I leaned lazily against the window, staring out at the endless expanse of snow-covered tracks. "Guess? Why are we guessing?"

  Without waiting for a response, I pressed the service button several times, the sharp, repetitive chime cutting through the thick tension in the air. It didn’t take long before a nervous-looking attendant appeared.

  "Breakfast is no longer provided, correct?" I asked, my tone neutral but firm.

  Elliot sighed beside me. "..."

  The attendant hesitated, clearly recalling my previous interactions. "Y-Yes, sir. That’s correct."

  "And dinner?"

  Another pause. "...Also unavailable," she admitted, quickly adding, "Sir, I assure you, it’s due to supply shortages. We kindly ask for your understanding. If you feel uncomfortable, you may take a break at the station during our stops. The station is heated 24/7 and offers food and rest facilities."

  I nodded slowly, watching her retreat before turning back to Elliot. He was still staring at the table, his fingers lightly drumming against the surface, lost in thought.

  "We need to find a way off this train," I said between bites, eating as fast as I could. "If we stay, we either starve or get killed. The cold burns through too many calories, and one meal a day won’t sustain us."

  Elliot lifted his gaze to meet mine, considering my words. "The train stops aren’t long enough. The longest halt I’ve seen was five minutes. If you don’t get back on, it leaves without you."

  Five minutes.

  I exhaled slowly, calculating in my head. That wasn’t much time. But maybe, just maybe, it was enough.

  Outside the window, the world was a white blur, an endless wasteland of snow and ice. The train rattled on, consuming its dwindling resources, dragging us all toward an uncertain fate.

  And if we didn’t act soon, we’d be just as consumed as the fuel running out in its engines.