Hello! Welcome to Season 2 of It's a Small World! (Get it? Because it's autumn now! Lol sorry I crack myself up...) Anyway...thank you for your patience on this next chapter. I was making some changes in how I wanted the story to progress, but I'm very excited to be updating again! I hope you enjoy! :)

Chapter 11: Frightful Revelations

After a long day of teaching elementary schoolers the fundamentals of music, Christine collapsed in her car; defeatedly, her head fell into her hands, but when her phone pinged, she smiled genuinely for the first time all day. She had received a text from Raoul!

RAOUL: Hey Christine! Hope you're doing well! Any interest in coming to a Halloween party?

CHRISTINE: I'm doing ok! I'd love to come! Thanks for asking!

She was on the edge of her seat as she waited for Raoul to send the details of the party. It would be held at his apartment on Halloween night, which thankfully was a Saturday. Christine couldn't stay out late during the week when she had to wake up early for school the next morning. Sigh. She thought those days were over.

CHRISTINE: So is this like a costume party?

RAOUL: You bet!

Christine giggled. As a boy, Raoul had never made it to the end of a horror movie without screaming and hiding his face behind a pillow, but he'd always loved Halloween for the time honored tradition of dressing up in costumes.

As she drove home, Christine hummed the melody from one of the pieces she was conducting in orchestra class. Hearing from Raoul had lightened her heavy heart. The childhood friends had gone their separate ways after college graduation, but it wasn't long before life brought them back to the city of Persepolis where they reconnected after a few years of mutual radio silence. Raoul introduced her to his friends he'd met during his years in the Navy, while Christine had introduced him to opera singers and dancers. They were a motley crew, but everyone got along, and Christine regretted that she hadn't kept in touch since she'd moved back home. Perhaps, however, Raoul's invitation would change that.

Christine's cat costume wasn't the most creative idea, but she had easily assembled it by rummaging through her closet. She wore a long sleeved black dress with stockings and boots, and used eyeliner to draw whiskers and a nose on her face. The cat-eared headband she picked up at the local convenience store completed the look. It was a cute idea of Raoul's to throw a Halloween costume party. Christine had been looking forward to it the moment she read the text, and she couldn't wait to see her friends for the first time since her move last year.

After putting the finishing touches on her makeup, Christine left a bowl of candy on her porch since she wouldn't be home to answer the door. She considered putting one of those annoying signs that said "Take one please!" but she and her friends ignored those signs as kids, and today's kids were likely no different. It was Halloween. Let 'em have fun.

Christine slipped behind the wheel of her car and turned the key in the ignition to start the vehicle, but nothing happened. Her heart stopped. She tried again. Still, her car did not spring to life.

"But that's impossible…" she muttered as she frantically tried to start her car. She'd driven home from school yesterday, and it had been fine then. What could be the matter now?

Christine whipped out her phone to check the time. The drive to Persepolis would take a couple of hours. She could be late for the party, but she'd hate to disappoint Raoul by missing it altogether. Getting her car to the mechanic could wait until tomorrow, but how would she get to her party today?

Christine texted Raoul about her change in plans before walking to the edge of town where the Gothenburg train station was located. She took a seat on one of the black iron benches and admired the fiery hues of the autumn leaves surrounding the charming brick train station that had stood for over a century. Christine clutched her jacket tighter around her body as the wind beat against her back and tugged her golden curls in every direction. She wished she'd grabbed a scarf or hat or something before she'd left home, but she'd already locked the door before getting into her car and didn't think to go back inside before rushing to catch the last train into the city.

As she shivered, Christine counted down the minutes before her train was scheduled to arrive. It was a minute or two late, but she had no complaints when she stepped onto the warm train car and found a seat far away from the other passengers. Apparently, there were not many people going into the city on the afternoon of Halloween. The countryside flew by as the train hurtled down the track. By dusk, the mountains and fields had been replaced by suburbs. By nightfall, she was surrounded by the bright lights of the city. Christine alighted her train and scanned the platform. Raoul waved to her between the crowd of people.

"Thanks for abandoning your own party to pick me up," she said as they shared a friendly embrace.

"Of course! I'm just glad you could make it. Sorry about your car!"

The two childhood friends began to fill each other in on the past year of their lives while they made their way to Raoul's car. There was too much to talk about, so things were omitted, whether intentionally or not.

"Are you still planning to move back to Persepolis?" Raoul asked, with a hopeful glimmer in his eyes.

"No," said Christine, realizing how much she'd left even her closest friend out of the loop. "I'm working my dad's old job, so I'm staying in Gothenburg." Her heart sank at having to share the news. When she lived in the city, she and Raoul had been going out a bit, but she'd moved away before the dates turned into anything serious. It was her biggest regret about leaving.

"Well, congrats on the new job," Raoul replied. "We'll miss you though. Make sure you come back and visit!"

"I will when I can!" Christine said cheerfully. Was Raoul interested in rekindling their flame? She wouldn't be opposed to it. People managed long distance relationships spanning much farther than a few hour drive.

"So what have you been up to as of late?" Christine asked.

"Cecile Jammes and I started dating actually," said Raoul casually. He knew it would come as a surprise to Christine, and indeed it did. Her heart stopped in shock before dropping in disappointment.

"Oh, really?...Well, I'm sure you two make a wonderful couple!" Christine said honestly. Cecile Jammes was one of the dancers Christine introduced to Raoul. She was a very sweet woman, perfectly suited to Raoul's personality. Christine was happy for her friends, she told herself.

When she arrived at Raoul's apartment, Christine was met with excited embraces from her city friends. A horror movie was playing on the television and bowls of snacks and other goodies were dispersed around the room. Though Christine was thrilled to be with people she hadn't seen in a year, she couldn't escape the feeling her city friend's fast paced lives had hurried away without her. It was astounding how much things could change in a year. Everyone was dating someone new, except two friends who were engaged to be married. Her new job at the elementary school paled in comparison to everyone else's new gigs and promotions. All Christine had to say for herself was that her father died and she'd worked a summer camp with a man who was neither good looking nor kindhearted. Everyone was disappointed Christine wouldn't be moving back to Persepolis, but they wished her the best at her new job.

It was unsettling to be plopped into a group of close friends and feel like you no longer belonged. Christine watched in growing discomfort as everyone laughed about things she'd missed and looked forward to things she wouldn't be there for. And then of course, Christine was overcome with emotion every time she'd look at Raoul with his arm around Cecile. Christine wasn't jealousy exactly, because she was happy for both Raoul and Cecile. She wasn't angry at him for dating someone else. They hadn't really been in a relationship. Christine's heavy heart came from the crushing realization that her decision to stay in Gothenburg had been a huge mistake.

"Hey, Raoul, I think I should get going," Christine said as she walked over to the coach where Raoul was sitting beside his new girlfriend.

"Darn! Already? It's barely midnight!" Raoul stood up to hug Christine goodbye. Cecile's face was free from jealousy. Raoul and Christine were old friends, and Cecile was too level-headed to fall victim to petty behavior. She really was the perfect match for Raoul.

"Yeah. I know. I've just got a long train ride back," Christine replied, another painful reminder she was the only one of her friends who lived beyond the city limits.

"Are you sure you don't want to crash on the couch? I don't mind!"

"That's okay. I'm just rather tired and I think I might doze on the train."

It was a white lie. Christine was exhausted from her earlier travel adventures, but there was no way she'd fall asleep on a rickety train with the looming fear of missing her stop and ending up at the end of the line. She'd have a better chance of falling asleep if she curled up in the corner of Raoul's apartment and tuned out the commotion of the noisy party.

"Ah well. I understand. Thanks for coming!" Raoul replied.

"Thanks for having me!"

Christine said goodbye to as many people as she could before exiting Raoul's apartment. She sighed as she stepped into the quiet hallway and shut the door behind her. The upbeat party was nothing but muffled noise now. Should she have accepted Raoul's invitation to stay later and sleep on the couch? After all, she couldn't complain that she wasn't close with her friends if she didn't put in the effort to maintain friendships, but Christine was glad she decided not to stay. She'd had enough of the party.

Outside, the night was peaceful except for whizzing traffic and the distant hum of nightlife. Christine walked leisurely down the sidewalk, admiring the neon signs. Her heart stopped as she whipped out her phone out of her purse, but she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the clock. She still had time to catch her train, but she'd better hurry. She'd already waited for the last train of the night and if she missed it, she'd have to go back to Raoul's apartment with her tail between her legs and ask if the offer to crash on the couch still stood. That would be embarrassing.

Christine slipped her phone into her jacket pocket and broke into a swift sprint. The station was just up ahead. She was almost there! She was so preoccupied with the task at hand, she didn't notice the dark shape emerging from the shadows until the impact of their collision sent her tumbling to the ground.

"Hey! Watch where you're fucking going!" the shape said as the wall of the train station broke its fall.

Christine opened her mouth to apologize, but only a gasp escaped her lips when she saw what towered above her: a pair of golden eyes and a black mask.