The station seemed terrifyingly empty and silent from a distance. Only a weak tune was playing in the air. Was he too late?

Eric was panting and cramps in his legs almost made him trip over his own feet five times, but he didn't stop running. Every second counted. Fear drove him further down the street.

As he ran up the stairs, he desperately searched the platform for the shape of a man in the darkness of the night. But the tears and the rain blurred his vision, so he screamed with his last breath, hoping that he would hear him.

"JACK! Don't- I'm here! Please don't do anything stupid, Jack! It's not… worth it!" He panted loudly. "I- I need you…" The last words were no more than a breathless whisper.

Suddenly, Eric heard a dim sound coming from somewhere near him, and he frantically looked where it came from. The station was still empty at both sides, and so where the stairs. The track… the track!

Eric stumbled over to the edge and jumped recklessly onto the railroad track. He almost slipped on the mushy wood, that was completely drenched by the rain and covered with mold. He wildly waved his arms around to keep his balance, then looked up.

And there he was.

Jack. Sitting on his heels on the middle of the track, head on his knees, arms wrapped around himself, wildly rocking back and forth. The sound Eric had heard were the confused sobs he let out now and then, while in the mean time he mumbled unclear words to himself. Eric drew in a deep shuddering breath, and whispered in horror as he saw his best friend sitting there.

"Oh Jack… Oh Jack, what are you doing… What happened to you…?"

He looked so frail, so defeated. Like he had given up on life. Eric staggered over to him in disbelief and terror. He squatted down beside him, putting an arm around Jack's shoulders, trying to calm his rocking movement. He attempted to look his friend in the eyes.

"Jack, do you hear me? You have to get out of here. I have to get you out of here. You don't want to die. You won't die. I won't let you… Please, Jack…" Eric spoke softly to him. Jack didn't react at all. Eric grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him desperately. He felt Jack was trembling all over his body.

A very faint sound started to emerge from the dark horizon. It worried him.

"JACK! Listen – to – me! You need to get out of here! The train will pass by any minute! It will kill you! You hear me? You will die! And I can't afford to let you die, Jack. Not now. Not when I need to make up for so much… I won't let you kill yourself! Not when I can something about it."

He forcefully lifted Jack's chin until his eyes where at the same level with Eric's. His shaky voice got more determined when he still got no sign of recognition. "Get up, Jack! I need you to get up, or that train will come and crush us both. And I don't feel like dying yet, okay? Not by a long shot. So, get up, Jack." No response. "Get – up – NOW!"

He roughly grabbed his friend's arms and forced him up with a strong tug. Jack suddenly winced and screamed an agonizing, wordless scream. He threw Eric's hands off of him, and looked at him with a bewildered look in his eyes, which showed the deepest, most frightening fear that Eric had ever seen. It ripped his heart.

And at that point he just knew that this was all about his pain, that had never gone away. About his father. He looked like a little child, soaking wet, standing there so extremely vulnerable and fragile, shoulders down, hands protectively in front of his face.

Eric got himself together after the initial shock quickly. He knew he had to act fast, or it would be too late to get his friend back. He felt him drifting away from reality with every moment he hesitated. He slowly took a step into his friend's direction.

"Jack! It's me – Eric…" he whispered. "It's just me. Everything's fine. I'm here. I won't hurt you. I never will. It's fine. All fine." He intuitively spoke in short sentences, hoping that Jack would pick up something that would get through to his real self. Jack hastily took a step back and cried out another, weaker, scream of torment.

"Sshhh… I will take you home. Home, Jack. Where no one will hurt you. I'll take care of you. I need you to come back to me now, Jack. The train is coming. Jack… Home." Eric reached out a trembling hand.

Just a small glimpse of recognition flashed in Jack's eyes. "Er- Eric?" His voice sounded like that of a small child - a child in pain.

"Eric…? Is- is that you?" He lowered his hands from his face to his chest and clasped his own shirt spasmodically. His eyes seemed like enormous black pools of bewilderment and pain, as far as Eric could see through the darkness and rain.

Eric took another step in his direction, and this time, Jack stood still. Eric's hand touched Jack's hands, which still had a tight grip on his shirt. They felt frozen. The faint sound slowly became clearer. The tracks started to tremble just the tiniest bit, but it almost made Eric panic. He started to speak a little faster.

"Yes, this is me. Eric. I'm here. Jack, I need you to-" Jack moaned. Then, unexpectedly, let go of his shirt, clutched Eric's shoulders and embraced him with all his might. He starting crying with a heartbreaking sound, whispering Eric's name over and over again.

"Eric… Eric… I- I'm so scared… He hurt me so much, Eric… I- I don't want this anymore…"

Eric's first reaction was to hold his friend, simply forming the comfort and safety he needed so bad right now. He shushed him, and ran his fingers softly through Jack's wet hair.

In the mean time, the rattling sound was getting louder and louder and coming closer and closer.

Then, Eric realized that they were still standing on the railroad track, and that the rattling sound came from the approaching train - now only instants away. The headlights almost blinded him when he looked aside in terror. He screamed.

"JACK! Get out of here! RUN!" He violently shoved Jack off the track while throwing himself aside as well. Somehow, he managed to land on his hands and knees and dragged Jack to the high concrete platform before them. They both instinctively struggled to climb up the platform, while the noise of the advancing train was reaching an almost deafening level. Eric was the first one to pull himself over the slippery edge, and hauled Jack over as well with all the strength he had left.

Just half a second later, the train raged along the station.