The Train

The Train

The porter closed the gates of Covent Garden station and went to his home. He felt a cold wind. "Strange," he thought, "Normally there is no wind." When he was inside and had lighted the light he heard a train entering the station. "There are no trains after 10 p.m. So what's that," he thought. Then he heard a loud scream and all the lights went out. He ran towards the lift. It came up. Up, higher, higher and it stopped. Somebody stood there and his face rose in horror. It was his sister who he hadn't seen in years and everyone thought that she had been killed. She looked so scary with her dirty face and clothes. "Brother… help me." Now he saw that she was wounded very badly. "Come, I'll take you inside," he told her. She didn't hear him because she already had fainted. Inside he tried to call 911 but all the lines were dead. Luckily he knew how to take care of wounded people because he had studied medicines for a while. He put his sister on his bed and untied her jacket. He saw that this was an extraordinary wound, it was like something had burned her. Suddenly he heard other voices… He completely forgot about the train. He went to the station with the lift. Then he saw that the train that was standing there wasn't an ordinary. It was like a big… "What was it?" he thought. "It's too dark to see clearly." Suddenly he heard the voices again. "Where can I hide?" He panicked and jumped in the train. "Yes, but we must be careful," he heard a voice saying. It was a man that he could hear. Then he heard a ladies voice. "I know but where has Althea gone to?" "Oh no, they are coming after my sister…" he thought. "I smell something," he heard a third voice saying. "Humans in the train," he continued. "Ignore them, our friend will take care of him," the lady spoke again. Suddenly he felt like something was watching him. Slowly he turned around and what he saw was beyond imaging. Then he fainted.

"Brother, Peter wake up," he heard a voice saying. He blinked his eyes but he couldn't see everything very clearly. "Where am I," he wondered not knowing that he said it loud. " You're in your bed at your home." "Suddenly he remembered everything and shouted, "Please don't eat me." "Calm down there isn't anybody here," he heard. "Althea is that really you..?" "Yes it is me. Where were you last night? When I woke I didn't see you anywhere, so I went to the platform and I saw you lying there on the rails. You're lucky that there weren't any trains yesterday evening." "Your wound has heeled, how is that possible?" he said very surprised. "Wound?? I wasn't wounded," his sister answered. "What are you doing here?" I came to visit you. Why do you look so surprised? Can't a sister visit her brother?" "Althea, you never came to visit me after you left home to study in England." There was a loud knock on the door. "I'll open it," he said. "You can take a shower or something like that." When he opened the door he saw that a cop was standing there. "Can I come in?" he asked. "Sure, what's wrong officer?" he asked polite. "You are Peter Fowler, the guard of Covent Garden?" Yes, I am, " he answered. "I'm Officer Roberts, I want to ask you some questions about last night." "Yes sir, what is it," he answered. "Why weren't the gates shut?" "I closed the gates, sir?" "They were open this morning but you're sure that you have closed them?" He nodded. "Strange. Will you please come with me to the platform?" "Yes of course." "He found everything very strange: the train, the sudden arrival of his sister, that thing inside the train and the open gates. The platform was closed; no one could enter it. "Why did they close the station?" he asked the cop. "You'll see. Just follow me." When he walked towards the red lint he was wondering if he should tell the officer about the train but he thought that no one would believe him, so he didn't. Then he saw why all those policemen were here. On ground lay a corps, heavily burned. He was shocked; in the 10 years he had worked at the station nobody had been killed. When he looked at the face, he recognised the person. It was a close friend of his. "It's clear that you know this person," the cop said. "Yes… I do… It was a close friend of mine," he answered. "Did you hear anything strange last night something like a scream or anything?" the cop asked. "Yes," he said slowly. "After closing the gates I heard a train and suddenly all the lights went out and I heard a scream," he said. "Did you go to the platform and see what had happened?" "I was planning to, but then the lift came up and I saw that it was my sister. She was wounded and I took her in to take care of her," he answered. "Can we talk to your sister? Or has she left the building?" "No, she is still inside." You get the woman," Officer Roberts said to two others.

After a lot of talk with my sister and me the police couldn't find anything so they went away. That night I closed the gates and made sure that they were locked. Again I felt the strange wind. When I came back to my house above the station I found my sister missing. At 11 p.m. I heard the train again. I waited for the scream and it came, louder then yesterday. After that the lights went out but now I was prepared. I took my flashlight and shone on the platform. The scarlet train was back. But this time the lift didn't came. I tried to sleep but I was too worried. The next morning the police came again. Somebody had been burned to death. My sister's disappearance was really suspicious and I was questioned and my apartment was searched. Night after night it happened again and I stayed in. But after more killings I decided not to let them frighten me anymore. I was the only one who could stop this. So the next night I went down to the platform after I heard the scream. The voices were back again. To my great surprise they were the same as the first night. "So now we've got everyone except," spoke the lady. "Except the charmed ones," said the man cold. "How do we get," a sudden hesitation, " the Halliwell sisters. They are with three and their powers…" spoke a third one. "What's wrong?" asked the women. "A human," answered the second man, "but he's the one…" But I heard enough, I had to warn the Halliwell sisters. I went upstairs and there stood one of those people. Well, it wasn't a man or women. It was ugly and scary. "So human…" he spoke softly, "what are you doing…." But he vanished just if somebody or something had called him. He searched for the phone book and looked for the name "Halliwell." Luckily for him there were only three names in it. He called the first one. "Hello, I'm searching for the Halliwell sisters," but it was a man and he said that there were no Halliwell sisters. So he called the second one. "Hello," answered a sleepy voice. "Um, I'm sorry to wake you but I'm looking for the Halliwell sisters. Also named the charmed ones, " he added and then it was silent. "Is anybody there?" he asked. "Yeah, wait up." He heard her calling to two others. "Are you still there mister?" "Yes." "Would you like to come over here?" "Why?" "We are the ones you seek. We are the charmed ones." "Sure, I'll be there in half an hour." He walked through the backdoor and got to his car. After driving to the dark streets of L.A. he finally came to a big manor. "This should be it," he mumbled. He rang the door and a woman with short black hair opened. "Are you…" He nodded. "Piper now," he heard. "So he's a human or warlock," Piper said after freezing him. "And there is only one way to find out," Phoebe replied who carried a needle. She gave it to Prue who stung him and mumbled, "Unfreeze him." "Ouch," Peter said watching his hand bleed. "Here," Phoebe said as she gave him a plaster. "So why did you came here?" asked Prue. "I'm Peter, the guard of Covent Garden. Can I come in?" he asked as he still stood outside. "Sure," said Piper friendly. "You are the Halliwell sisters, the charmed ones?" "I'm Phoebe that's Piper and Prue but why did you called us out bed?" "You know of the murders at Covent Garden?" He didn't wait for an answer and continued, "You are next. I heard them say that they should look out for your powers. By the way I don't think they are human." "Piper the book," Prue ordered, "is it true that all the bodies were burned?" "Yeah and inside the scarlet train… Well I rather don't tell…" Peter whispered. "I found the book like this," Piper said who came downstairs with an old heavy book. "That… are those things," Peter said while pointing at a picture of an ugly thing. "They are fire-demons," explained Piper. "Demons," said Peter surprised, "right we aren't in a fairy tale." "No, unfortunately not. We are witches," said Prue. "Right and I'm the pope," he said sarcastic. "Look at this," Prue said and raised her hand and lifted the tea table. "Unbelievable," Peter muttered. "This is going to sound strange," Phoebe said who spoke for the first time, "can I touch you." "Sure, why not." Phoebe touched Peter and she had a vision. "What's gotten into her," asked Peter. "She has a vision about you," explained Piper, "are you all right?" "Sure," Phoebe answered, "certainly these guys," while pointing at the picture. "But guess what I saw? Their power source, a dragon," she continued. "A what?" asked Prue. "I think it's wise to get Leo," Piper suggested. "I quite agree. We know how to defeat demons but dragons," said Phoebe. "Sure but how do we defeat the dragons?" asked Prue. "Cutting off their power source and stab them with a water dagger. Whatever that maybe," answered Piper. A blond guy walked in and asked, "What's wrong? Whitelighters need their rest also." "Leo," Phoebe said worried, "how can we defeat a dragon?" "A what?" he answered, "and who is this?" Leo looked at Peter. "He told us about the fire-demons and he's the guard of Covent Garden." "Ooh, sure but did you say fire-demons?" asked Leo. They nodded. "Those people murdered where witches and wizards?" asked Peter. "I'm afraid so otherwise they wouldn't be murdered," said Phoebe. Peter wasn't surprised or at least he didn't show it. "Do you know how to get a water dagger," asked Prue Leo. "I think the museum has one." "I'll teleporte myself there and get it. You think of how to take care of the dragon," Prue said. "Peter, you can sit down now," Phoebe said. "Sure, it's kind of strange," he muttered. "How do we kill the dragon? Freeze and then stab him," asked Piper. "No, you have to call an other dragon," said Leo. "What no other way?" He shook his head. "Well… I'll look in the book of shadows," suggested Piper. Prue came back with a strange blue dagger. "Um Leo," Peter asked, "do you know anything about my sister?" "Why do you think that?" "You look the guy who knows everything." "I'll give it a shot. What's her name." "Althea, Althea Fowler." Leo became strangely pale and whispered something and Phoebe nodded. "You're called Peter" he asked without a reason. Peter nodded. "I found it," yelled Piper. She walked back in the living room. "Here is the spell but there is only one problem," Piper said, "we need four. Leo?" "No I can't do that magic. Use Peter." "Why? He's not a wizard," said Phoebe. "He comes out the line of an ancient line of wizards and witches. Perhaps his powers aren't working yet." "We've got to get there now," said Piper. "They always leave at 5 o'clock so we've got two hours," Peter said who suddenly felt brave as he now knew that he also was a wizard. "Leo," whispered Prue who bent towards him so that no one could hear them. "How did you know…" Prue continued and moved her head towards Peter. "I was his father's whitelighter several years ago." "Shall we go," suggested Phoebe. "Yes, we should otherwise they are gone," answered Piper. "I must go too," said Leo, "good luck." "We've got the spell," asked Prue. Piper nodded, "I copied it." Peter said the directions and they drove through the open gates. "Stop," said a fire demon. Piper froze him and Prue moved him away. They went to the platform silently and got in the train without being seen. "Get each others hand," ordered Piper. They saw a giant red dragon. "Why didn't you say it was so big," Prue whispered. The got the sheet of paper and began to cast the spell.

"Hear us mystical dragon,

We, 4 witches and wizards

Need your help to defeat this evil dragon."

And bit by bit a big dragon appeared. The scarlet dragon awoke and the 2 got in a heavy fight. After several stings the scarlet dragon was out and after a few firebolts he was dead. Then both dragons disappeared. "Now we have to wait," whispered Phoebe, "they will notice their power is gone." "And come walking in here to see what has happened," continued Prue. It was after a few minutes the first demon arrived. Piper froze him and Prue stabbed him. "One down," smiled Phoebe. Suddenly she yelled. "Do nothing or she'll die," a demon said to Piper and Prue. He didn't saw Peter because he stood in the shadows. Suddenly his hand did something he couldn't control. A large firebolt hit the demon and Prue stabbed it. "Nice power you got there, Pete," smiled Phoebe. A girl entered the train and Peter yelled, "Don't!" but it was too late. Althea was frozen. "That's my sister!" "Your sister," asked Piper who unfroze her. "Althea what are you doing?" "Where is our dragon," she asked. "Killed," Peter answered. "Peter watch out!," shouted Prue. Althea changed into a fire-demon and wanted to attack Peter. Piper froze her and two others who entered and Prue stabbed them all. "My sister," he said full unbelief, "a demon." There was a moment of silent and suddenly Peter felt the cold wind. "The train," yelled Phoebe, "it's disappearing!" They jumped out the train and it was gone seconds later. "That means it's over," sighed Piper. "Freeze him," whispered Prue. "What??" "Just do it." So Piper did but nothing happened. She was sure it worked as the clock above them stopped. "What was that all about?" Piper asked. "Just checking, with his sister a demon," answered Prue relieved. "This was a hell of a night," sighed Peter. "You can say that again," sighed Piper also. "So what are you going to do with your power," asked Phoebe. "I think that I'm going to rest," he answered, "then visit my mom for some answers. Then I'll see." "Well… We've got to go now," said Prue, "but you can to us anytime." "Thank you," Peter answered. Peter went back to his home and the three sisters to theirs. "You can say that again," Peter sighed as he lay down. And fell asleep a few minutes later.