The train zoomed through the wilderness. Everyone in the car was silent. By force, of course. A stern-looking soldier stood by the exit of the car, sweeping his eyes over the people.
If anyone were to so much as fidget in their seat, he would be blasted to bits. I sat in my seat sadly. My husband was equally sad and nervous. He stared at the soldier.
Would it kill the Combine to put windows on the train?
My handcuffs seemed to mock me. My cold metal seat mocked me. They both probably had a better life than mine at the moment. Of course, anything had a better life than me at the moment.
I felt the train slowing. The soldier jumped to life.
"Everyone stand up. Now." The soldier's altered voice seemed uncaring and unnatural.
I could hardly stand up, as my handcuffs made me stoop over. The train stopped, and the door to the car let out the air. It groaned open and sunlight flooded the dimly lit train car. I couldn't cover my eyes with my hands, so I just shut my eyes. I opened them to find three soldiers climbing onto the train. They split up and started inspecting each and every passenger. One by one, each person's handcuffs were unlocked and the people were shoved off the train. When it came to my turn, the soldier unlocked my handcuffs and grabbed my wrists very tightly.
"Come with me." He shoved me down the aisle and out the car.
The train was 37 cars long, but most of it was empty, as City 17, the last stop of the train, was the next stop. A long platform stretched hundreds of feet to the left and right. I could see other passengers being unloaded off of other cars. The train was long and sleek. We were still in the forest. The air smelled piney and fresh. A small building stood in the middle of the platform in front of us.
The passengers that had already been unloaded were all lined up. They were being inspected once again. My husband was standing like a soldier, staring ahead. A Combine soldier came behind him and whacked my husband in the back with the butt of his rifle.
This was obviously an attempt to make my husband make a noise. He knew this, but he let a small "Ow!" slip from his mouth.
He was brought to the ground immediately. I wanted to scream. I wanted to gasp. If I had to hold in my reaction for one more minute, I would explode.
Two soldiers grabbed his arms and dragged him into the building. I felt weak. I was about to collapse, but a soldier caught me. He shoved a cup of some liquid in my mouth. I blacked out.
--
I came to in my seat, handcuffed. My husband was gone.
"Um, excuse me? Where is my husband?" I asked the soldier.
"We kept him back for questioning. He'll be brought to City 17 tomorrow."
"Thank you for being so kind."
The train started to slow down again. The soldier gave me a cup of liquid. I blacked out.
--
I found myself on a hard floor. I was in a train station. A train track ran into the station and ended. I stood up. A few lockers stood against the wall.
A metal fence stood in front of me. A rotating door was the only way through the fence and onto the platform. I heard a train in the distance. That would have to be the train my husband was on!
A train came from behind a bend. I waited anxiously for the train to pull into the platform. The train slowed and stopped. I heard the air whooshing out of the train's door.
Three men came out of the train. A man with a goatee and glasses walked through the revolving door.
Maybe he would know where my husband was. "Were you the only ones on that train?" The man walked away without saying a word.
Hmm. That was rude of him. I thought. I spotted a Civil protection officer threatening a citizen with his notorious stun baton.
"First warning. Move away."
"But it's all I have left-"
The CP shoved the citizen into a cart full of luggage.
"All right, all right, I'm going! Sheesh."
The citizen walked away, shoulders sagging more than usual. Now, I could ask where my husband was. I walked toward the CP. He raised his stun baton and flipped it on. It crackled with blue electricity. "Get moving."
"Excuse me, but my husband was stopped in the woods for questioning. They promised they would return him on another train, and I thank the Combine for being so kind, but which train will he be on?"
The CP chuckled. "Your husband's dead. He isn't coming on any train at any time."
--
I couldn't believe it. I had been promised that my husband would be returning. And this- this CP decided to break the news to me as if he was discussing the weather. Without my husband, there was not one ounce of joy left in my life.
There was something I had to do.
--
I ran up to the CP and kicked him in the back. He spun around and swung his stun baton. It made contact with my head. I fell over, happy that I would soon join my husband.
End
That liquid that the woman drank was water that the Combine altered. After this scene, if you talk to the citizen sitting down at the table, he'll tell you to not drink the water and that it "makes you forget." And this story was lengthened by request of karatejon.