As with any cliche, New York City in the winter had its share of skeptics. Modern cynics who believed that the magic of the season was overly romanticized by Hollywood movies. But in Jason's opinion, those people just hadn't ever tried being in the Big Apple when Christmastime rolled around, Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby started playing in department stores, and glistening snow covered everything from houses and trees to cars and sidewalks. He was still a small town kid at heart, and despite having been here for three years as a college student, this time of year never ceased to amaze him. He casually walked by a park, taking note of the children frolicking around in ankle deep snow and building massive snowmen. Jason wouldn't be partaking in anything quite that frivolous. Instead, he was heading to the nearest subway station to meet up with his friends Chris and MacKenzie. Today was, after all, the first day of winter break, and Chris wanted to hit up Marino's, their favorite arcade on the west side of town. It had been Jason and Chris' favorite hangout since they met in freshman year, and MacKenzie...well, she went along with it, even though she said they had to be the only two guys in America who still thought arcades were cool.

Jason smiled as he envisioned the playful bickering between his friends. They were like an old married couple already, always finding something to butt heads over, but it was obvious that they were crazy for each other, and Jason was happy for them. His own love life...well, the less said, the better. The most important thing was that he had two people who he had enjoyed many great times with, and who, within a few months, it was uncertain how much of them he would see. The future was closing in on them at an exhilarating pace. Some days, if excited Jason, others, it frightened him. He gazed with envy at the kids enjoying their time off from school, they had it easy, they had their whole childhood ahead of them, they had time to figure out who they wanted to be and what they wanted to do. Jason never seemed sure. The degree in business he was pursuing felt more like what his parents wanted than what he did. Jason's real passion was film, he had taken some film courses as electives, which he paid for by working a job on the side. Soon though, he would have to decide which direction to take.

He didn't want to think about any of that right now though, he would much rather have been thinking about kicking Chris' ass in Mortal Kombat II. Thankfully, he had finally reached the stairs leading down to the subway, only to find Chris and MacKenzie already waiting for him. Chris Holland, a young man with a tall, well built physique and black hair that fell to his shoulders, glared at Jason.

"Took the scenic route again, huh, Dwyer? You know how MacKenzie feels about standing around freezing her ass off."

He looked deadly serious, but Jason knew he was yanking his chain, and sure enough, Chris broke into a grin after only a couple of seconds. Jason walked towards him, and the friends shared a handshake hug. Chris had a lot more to him than what you saw on the surface, he loved baseball and could look like a troublemaker just based on his appearance, and it was true that he wouldn't hesitate to trade blows with any guy who tried to put the moves on his girl, but in reality, he was more fascinated by ancient myths and legends than anything else. That was why he had decided to pursue a career as a mythologist.

"Hey," MacKenzie interjected, "I actually was freezing my ass off."

MacKenzie Newman was one of the most beautiful girls on campus, and even for someone handsome as Chris, he had to feel lucky to have her. She had light brown hair that tumbled in curls past her shoulders and deep brown eyes. Today, she wore a blue overcoat to protect against the chilly weather, but when they went to Montauk beach last summer, Jason and Chris had the opportunity to feast their eyes upon her more feminine features. Not that Jason would ever try something with MacKenzie. He valued his friendship with Chris far too much for that, and as lovely of a person as she was, the future Mrs. Dwyer needed to be someone who loved arcades and classic 1950s monster movies as much as he did. At any rate, Jason knew that MacKenzie, like Chris, was just hamming it up. The three of them were so close by now that their banter was normal and expected. It was comfortable, and that's why Jason was so nervous about graduation next spring. Would this be the last time he and his friends spent a winter's holiday together?

"Baby, you've got like four layers on," Chris said. "If you're still freezing, you must be a zombie or somethin'."

"Oh, hush!" Mackenzie slapped his arm. "See what I put up with, Jay?"

Jason smiled, "Yeah, but you two will be making out within an hour, mark my words."

"As if!" MacKenzie huffed, but as she glanced over at Chris, he was clearly making eyes at her. "Well...uh, we'll deal with that when we get to it."

"MacKenzie's right, we can make out when we get to the arcade," Chris said as he wrapped an arm around her.

"Hey, I didn't say-"

"Speaking of, we should get going if we're going to catch the train."

Jason checked his watch. "We've still got half an hour, why don't we get something to eat first?"

"Alright, but it's gotta be quick," Chris said. "How about Cafe 180? It's just down the street."

"No way, the owner gives me the creeps," MacKenzie replied emphatically.

"Joe? He's a great guy, what're you talkin' about? I mean, he's a Mets fan, so that's kinda problematic...but the food makes up for it."

"I've seen the way he looks at me, babe, those aren't innocent glances."

"Hey, if he tries somethin', I'll knock him into next week, you know that, right?"

MacKenzie smiled and snuggled into Chris' shoulder. "Yeah, I know. Let's hurry up then, or we'll miss the train."

Chris and MacKenzie began to walk towards the street, Jason moved to follow them, but as his eyes fell on the old sign that said "Cafe 180", he suddenly felt a terrible shiver run down his spine. Sure, it was cold outside, but this wasn't that. No, it was something deeper, almost like it came from within...all of a sudden, he regretted suggesting that they eat before getting on the train.

"Jason, you comin'?"

Chris' voice snapped him out of whatever trance he had been in. That spine tingling feeling, the pull in his gut, it was gone now, he wondered if it had just been a trick of his mind all along. He dismissed it as just a symptom of his anxiety over graduation. There was no need to trouble his friends with that. He smiled.

"Yeah." He ran up to join them and they crossed the street together as snowflakes continued to flutter around them.

At last, they bundled themselves into Cafe 180, it was a cozy little restaurant, with emphasis on "little", there were only a handful of tables, and most of them were empty. A middle aged man with a heavyset figure, a jovial grin and a Mets ballcap walked up to greet them.

"Well, well, well, if it ain't my college pals! Heya Chris, come to rub it in my face again?"

"Nah, there's no joy in constantly bragging about rooting for a superior team. I'm kidding, there totally is."

Joe chuckled, "We'll get you Yanks next year, you just wait n' see."

"We're here to grab a bite, actually, we're headin' over to the new arcade, Marino's."

"Marino's, huh? I lost track of them arcades sometime after '85, '86, didn't know kids still played 'em."

"That's exactly what I keep telling him!" MacKenzie said as she glanced at Chris with a knowing smile. Chris rolled his eyes.

"Oh so now you two are all chummy."

"What can I say, pal," Joe grinned, "she's a smart girl. Anyhow, I got plenty a' seats. You get your pick."

The three friends chose their table and sat themselves down as Joe took their orders. Once the big man had returned to the kitchen, MacKenzie turned to Jason.

"So, Jay, Chris keeps telling me you've got some kind of film project you're working on?"

Jason felt his cheeks flush, nobody was supposed to know about that, the only person he had told was- Chris. What a sellout!

"It's nothing really. just something I had to do for class, a fun little side project."

"But it's what you really want to do, isn't it? Why don't you?"

"I don't know...it's just so close to the end now, you know? Senior year and all. I just...I figure since I've already come this far on the path I'm on, why change?"

"Hey, you know what I think?" Chris interjected, then went on without waiting for an answer. "I think you're just too worried about what others think. This is your life, man."

"Chris is right," MacKenzie said. "You know how the old saying goes, we're not promised tomorrow. We have to live each day as if it might be our last."

Something about the way she said that sent another chill down Jason's spine. Suddenly, it was like he was hyper-aware of everything around him, even the music playing over the tinny sounding speaker, it was Soul Asylum's "Runaway Train".

Runaway train, never going back. Wrong way on a one way track...

No, it just didn't feel right, but he couldn't put his finger on what "it" was. What the hell was wrong with him today?

"See?" Chris went on, oblivious to his friend's bout of internal anxiety. "So let's say you died today, you walk outside and BAM, you get hit by a car, what do you want people to say about your life, that you wasted it tryin' to be somethin' you're not?"

"Oh Chris, stop it, now you're just talking like one of those street preachers," MacKenzie smiled at Jason apologetically. "Please excuse him, Jay, he's been watching way too many horror movies lately."

"What?" Chris put his hands up defensively. "Horror movies are a great way to explore ancient myths. Besides, have you met Jason? The guy is obsessed with those corny 50s monster flicks."

"No, you're right," Jason said, hoping they could move on from this subject, as that pit in his stomach from earlier was coming back again. "I need to start taking control, starting now."

"You can start today by taking control of Chris and his spending," MacKenzie said as she nudged her boyfriend. "We cannot have a repeat of our last trip to the arcade."

"Hey, Jason was on a winning streak, and I couldn't stop until I had taken him down-"

"Alright kiddos, I got your grub right here. Buon appetito." Joe had re-emerged from the kitchen, and set down a plate in front of each of them with a tasty looking sub sandwich and chips. For college students in New York City, this qualified as a five star meal.

"Thanks Joe, and go Yanks," Chris said.

Joe offered only a wry smile as he shook his head and walked away. As the three friends dug into their food, Jason felt his nerves subside again. Whatever this was, this anxiety he was feeling, it would only take a few rounds at the arcade for it to go away. He was determined that today was going to be a great day, no matter what. They had finished their subs and were just about ready to head back to the train station when Chris stood up.

"I'll be right back," he said, as he walked towards the restroom, leaving Jason alone with MacKenzie.

"Alright, Jay, tell me what's bothering you," MacKenzie said suddenly. The look in her eyes was dead serious, and Jason realized right away that he hadn't done nearly as good of a job at hiding his unease as he thought. There was no point lying to her, she knew him too well for that.

"It's just...graduation's coming up, and...it's stupid, you know? I just wonder how often we'll be able to see each other after this. I know Chris has always said he wanted to travel the country hunting for mythical creatures, and I'm sure you have your own dreams to pursue. Things won't be the same in a few months' time. This...the three of us hitting up a cafe and an arcade. Things like this won't be in our future, will they?"

"Hey...oh, don't you go all existential on me too, I've heard it enough from Chris over the past few weeks. It's gonna be fine, Jason, trust me. Our friendship isn't going to go off the rails just because we're out of college."

"I guess you're right," Jason shook his head. She must think he was being a total wet blanket right now. "Sorry to put such a damper on things."

"It's okay, I asked, and I'm glad you told me."

"Told you what?" Chris' voice caused Jason to start. Damn, that definitely could have been taken the wrong way...

"How confident he is that he's going to win every round against you, what else?" MacKenzie replied casually. Chris grinned.

"Not this time, man, I've been practicing. Come on, let's catch the train or we'll have to spend the afternoon seeing who can make the biggest snow angel, that's me, by the way."

"Whatever," MacKenzie waved dismissively as she nonetheless looped her arm in Chris', and the three students exited Cafe 180, finding themselves back in the frigid wintry snowscape. The flurries had intensified, lowering visibility even further. As they crossed the street, Jason's foot caught on something, causing him to stumble, before he had time to look up, he heard a horn honking only a couple of feet away, his heart hammered in fear as he nearly fell backwards onto the road. The driver rolled his window down and started jawing at him in typical New York fashion. Chris pulled him to safety on the sidewalk.

"Woah there, Jay, when I said you might get run over, that wasn't an invitation."

"Thanks," Jason said, still trying to catch his breath. He'd never been one to believe in signs, but right now, he was getting the distinct feeling that someone or something was trying to warn him.

After his close call, Jason was ready to get away from the streets as quickly as possible. As they descended into the grimy, decrepit subway though, the same eerie feeling continued to follow him. Something wasn't right. Maybe they should just forget this whole thing...

"This place needs a serious makeover, like, fifty years ago," MacKenzie said as they walked towards their station.

"Ah, it's part of the charm," Chris replied. This was also a conversation that happened often. It was safe, familiar. Normally, Jason would've joined in, but right now, he was still feeling too shaken up. It's not like close calls like that didn't happen every day. He wasn't a special case. But somehow, it felt different this time.

The trio continued walking deeper into the subway, passing by a homeless elderly man with scraggly white hair strumming what was left of a battered, beaten up guitar and humming what sounded like some kind of folk ballad.

"That train's gonna crash!" He said to them, startling Jason. He glazed back at the man, who was pointing a bony finger at the station they were heading to.

"What?"

"The train, it's gonna crash! Come home with me, Mary-Lou, don't get on that train, you'll die!"

Chris stepped forward. "Hey, shove it, old timer."

The man tossed the guitar aside and stood up. "Yuh listen to me, Mary-Lou Williamson, yer not gettin' on that train, and if yer try to, I'll- I'm gonna-" He started to stagger towards them, until two security guards walked up and restrained him.

"What's that guy's deal?" Chris asked.

"Don't mind him, kids," one of the guards said. "His wife died in a train derailment here 40 years ago. It drove him mad, as you can plainly see. Supposedly, he comes back every year on the anniversary, still thinkin' he can stop her gettin' aboard. We apologize for any inconvenience."

The elderly man continued to protest as he was taken away.

"Don't get on! Don't get on that train, Mary-Lou! Come home!"

Jason couldn't help but think, a train derailment from this same station, 40 years ago to this day?

"Do you think her spirit was near us?" Chris speculated, as if reading his thoughts. "Maybe that's why the old man was so adamant."

"You know I don't believe in that stuff, sweetie. Still, poor guy," MacKenzie said with a sigh. "He needs help."

"That, we can agree on," Chris said as he took MacKenzie's hand.

The trio continued walking until they reached their station with only a couple minutes to spare. As always, there was a crowd of people waiting to board the train. Chris and MacKenzie crossed the turnstile after paying the fare. Jason hesitated before crossing over, Why did he feel like this was his last chance to get away? And from what? Finally, he crossed and joined his friends and the crowd of people waiting for the train to pull into the station. Sure enough, the droning sound of the train applying its brakes filled the tunnel, and then, it appeared, a row of silver cars rolling on and on and on, until finally, they came to a stop. Through the gloomy light, Jason caught a glimpse of the train's number: 013. The doors opened, allowing people to enter, which they did in one large wave, streaming in like a school of fish swimming into a large net.

Jason, Chris and MacKenzie found themselves in the last car, and as they found their seats, Jason couldn't help but observe some of the people around them. Across the aisle sat two people who clearly appeared to be a couple in their late 30s or early 40s. The man had short black hair with some signs of graying and seemed to have a sad expression permanently etched on his face, as if he had experienced something terrible recently. The woman, who had tied back brown hair and a similarly melancholy expression, smiled and rubbed his shoulder tenderly, she seemed to be trying to lift his spirits. Next to them was, surprisingly, a face that Jason recognized. It was difficult to watch TV in the NYC area without coming across an ad for Oliver Worley's real estate development firm. He wasn't nearly as much of a big shot as he made himself out to be, but he sure looked the part, as he was decked out in a nice suit and even with his receding hairline, his slicked back hair sold the cocksure, suave image. Standing up next to them was a dark-skinned man in his mid-30s wearing an overcoat and a cap with a military insignia. By this, and his muscular physique, Jason could tell pretty much right away that he was a veteran, and not someone to be messed around with. In the next row of seats was another familiar face, Amelia Jeong, a girl with whom he had shared at least one class with each year. She was a girl of Korean and Japanese heritage, with neatly styled black hair and a reserved and bookish personality. She didn't really talk much, but he had always gotten the sense that there was more beneath the surface. All he really knew about her was that she was pursuing a career in journalism. Now, he found himself wishing he'd talked to her more. Finally, standing off in the corner was a woman with short blonde hair and a face that was beautiful, yet world-weary. She wore an elegant blue dress as she took a long drag of her cigarette. Something about her reminded Jason of the femme fatales from the golden age of Hollywood.

As the train doors closed, Steve Harris held his wife Ellen's hand. He understood why she wanted them to give therapy a shot, but every time he thought back to that terrible night...it just tore him apart. He knew there was nothing wrong with that plane. He and his team serviced it, they made sure everything was in perfect working condition. What had he missed? What could he have done differently? No matter how many times he tried to move on, the images of Brooke, his daughter, his precious little girl, getting on that plane, with only minutes to live, still haunted him. Flight 180 haunted him.

Ellen Harris squeezed her husband's hand, she was terribly concerned about him. They had both taken Brooke's death on Flight 180 hard, as any parents would, but for Steve, it seemed like the guilt was just crushing him day after day, month after month. She hated to see him in this state. The wonderful, loving father he had always been was now broken, but life had to go on. Brooke would have wanted them to find happiness again, to live their lives free of guilt. Therapy was her last hope. This had to work, it had to give them some light at the end of the tunnel, some belief that this shadow which hung over them, as terrible as it was, would pass.

Oliver Worley had only one thing on his mind, how soon he was going to be able to complete his latest project, a brand new apartment complex on the Upper West Side. First, he needed to get there to check in on how the build was going. He didn't trust those construction workers with the shirt off his back. Only one person could ensure that the full artistic vision of Oliver Worley was realized, and that was Oliver Worley. It wouldn't be long, he told himself. Soon, that TV ad campaign would pay off, he would make it big in this town, and everyone would acknowledge him as the prodigal genius that he was.

Arthur Jackson had served his country with honor, he had gone to a distant land and witnessed violence and destruction on a scale that "normal" people couldn't understand. He would never truly be able to switch off the part of himself that recalled those horrible images of wartime. Out there, it was kill or be killed, and so he had killed, and he had watched countless men be killed in turn. He watched helplessly as his friends died in the Middle East, people he trained alongside and grew to love as his family. The truth was, Arthur would give anything, even his own life, if he could go back and save just one person, bring one of those lost young men home to their grieving family. He may have been an ordinary civilian now, but the people around him didn't know death like he did, he knew he could never truly fit in.

Amelia noticed Jason, Chris and MacKenzie as soon as they entered the train, how could she not? She had only been pining after Jason for about three years now. It's not like she went to college to meet a guy. She had high ambitions of her own, a dream she had nurtured since she was a little girl. Many people struggled to figure out what they wanted to do with their lives, but not Amelia. The world of hard-hitting journalism, investigating the parts of untidy parts of society, had always been her great fascination. She had worked hard to get to where she was, and now, it was finally on the cusp of paying off. Already, she had applied for internships at several newspapers. It wouldn't be long, she hoped, before she got her foot in the door. But there just had to be a complication, and that was Jason. They first met in freshman year, when she took a course in film theory. It was mostly because she had heard that Citizen Kane would be on the curriculum, but that was before she got paired with Jason for a project. He was kind-hearted, had a deep passion for film, one that mirrored her own in journalism, and it didn't hurt that he was handsome, with a neat mop of brown hair, a slim physique, and a deceptively cute face which might get lost in a crowd, but would always attract her eyes. Jason complicated things for Amelia, and that's why today, she suddenly resolved, she was going to be bold and try to talk to him, that way he could turn her down and she could go back to living her life, without any boys to complicate it.

Diane Darrow never liked to tell anyone how she was really feeling. She liked to tell herself that it was because she had been hardened by her time on the streets, by the months she had spent homeless, nearly broke, willing to take any gig that any shady character would offer. She liked to think that all the tears she had cried back then meant that now she was stronger. She lit up her cigarette and took a drag, not paying any mind to the others on the train. Ten years in this racket, and you'd think by now, she would have been totally calloused and heartless. The truth though, was that Diane hid her real self because if she ever had the courage, or abject stupidity, to display her vulnerabilities before anyone, she would have broken down and revealed just how much she was still that same weak little teenage girl. Ten years of abusive bosses, creaky old stages, half sold shows. Broadway was so close, she could practically walk there, but for her, it might as well have been on the other side of the universe. That dream was long dead. Now, she just kept going because this, performing on stage, was her world. It was the only thing she had ever wanted to do. And she'd be damned if she didn't give those sorry souls in the audience their money's worth.

The voice of the attendant came in over the ancient PA system, announcing their list of stops. On the ceiling of the car, the lights flickered for a brief moment, and Jason felt a terrible chill come over him, as if a gust of wind had somehow entered the train. He turned to his friends.

'Did you feel that?"

"Feel what, Jay?" Chris asked, confusion written in his face.

"It was like this- never mind, probably just my mind playing tricks on me."

"Are you sure you're feeling alright?" MacKenzie's brow furrowed in concern.

Jason breathed out. Whatever nerves he was feeling, he needed to get himself together.

"I think so. I just felt like-"

'Jason?"

He looked up, Amelia had gotten up from her seat and was now standing in front of him. In the years he'd known her, Amelia had never approached him like this.

"Oh, hey Amelia, what's up?"

"Well, there was actually something I wanted to tell you..."

"Well, well, well," Chris smirked as he clapped Jason's shoulder. "Looks like you've got a secret admirer, pal."

Amelia's face had turned a dark shade of red, just as Jason was sure that so had his own. MacKenzie slapped Chris' arm.

"Stop it, you'll scare her off! Don't mind him, Amelia, you can sit with us, if you want. I think Jay would enjoy your company."

"Yeah," Jason said, glad to have something to distract him from the queasy feeling he'd been having since getting lunch, as he offered Amelia a grin. "Sit with us. We can talk until we get to the arcade."

"Um..." she seemed uncertain, but finally gave in, sitting down next to Jason with a shy smile.

Just as Amelia sat down with them, the train started to pull away from the station. While Chris and MacKenzie put their headphones on and started listening to music, Jason turned to Amelia, curiosity having won out over his other mix of emotions. What exactly did Amelia want to tell him? Suddenly, neither seemed to be able to find the right words, and the train ride continued in silence for a couple of minutes, until Jason finally spoke up.

"I didn't think I'd see you again until spring," he said, regretting the unfortunate phrasing instantly when he saw Amelia's expression fall. "Not that I'm not happy to see you now," he added quickly.

"Actually, I've been feeling a bit off today, I was glad to see a friendly face."

Amelia smiled nervously. "That's good..."

"There was something you-"

"Look, Jason-"

They paused, having each spoken at the same time. Jason gestured for her to go on.

"Okay...you know me enough to know that I'm not usually at a loss for words, I'm a journalist, being able to express ourselves is kind of our thing."

Jason nodded. "I still remember that first presentation you gave in class, it was mesmerizing."

"But...whenever I'm around you, it's like all of the words I want to say vanish from my head. And for the longest time, I couldn't figure out why. Well..." She took a shaky breath. "Now I think I do know why. I-"

Before she could go on, the train suddenly lurched, sending passengers tumbling and the entire car into a state of chaos as the shrieking sound of the brakes being applied on full power pierced Jason's ears, followed by a sound no one on a train ever wanted to hear: two horns, each screaming frantically as they got nearer and nearer...

"Oh shit!"

Chris and MacKenzie's headphones had been thrown off by the sudden change of the train's momentum. Chris pulled MacKenzie close to him as the entire car shuddered, followed by the even more horrible, ear-splitting sound of metal shearing against metal as the train made a headlong impact and derailed. Through the window, Jason had a front row view of the carnage as a fireball erupted and pieces of train cars were whipped around the tunnel in a deadly maelstrom. Where there had been cars in front of them, now there was only a rapidly approaching and raging inferno. Oliver Worley's briefcase had flown open, and papers were strewn everywhere, as he bent down to pick them up, a jagged shard of glass flying at the speed of a bullet lodged itself in his eye and penetrated his skull, killing him instantly. The veteran was doing his best to herd passengers towards the back of the train, but the woman on the bench across from Jason was too slow and with the train car heading into the fire, it lurched again, thrusting her towards it, as she tried to brace herself on the door, she screamed in agony, the frame had been heated to hundreds of degrees by the blaze.

"Ellen!"

The man moved towards her, ignoring her cries and protests, but the car lurched to the right and tore up the side of the tunnel, and Ellen was thrown out. The last sight her eyes saw was of the train car running her over, grinding every bone in her body to a bloody pulp.

"NO! Ellen!"

The grief stricken man didn't have long to mourn his partner, as the veteran tried to get him away from the door, but a piece of the wheel from the other train flew directly at the man and separated his head clean from the rest of his body.

Jason recoiled in horror as he tried to help Amelia get to the back of the train. Chris was doing the same with MacKenzie, but she stumbled, and the light fixtures above were torn loose and dropped down, electrocuting her to death.

"Kenzie!" Chris cried out as he lunged back towards her lifeless body, but Jason held him back, despite the tears in his own eyes.

"There's nothing we can do!"

Then, he noticed a few other passengers still trapped near the front of the car, which was still being blasted with flames and flying debris.

"No, don't do it!" He pleaded with the veteran, but he went up there anyway and started helping the people to their feet. Unfortunately, before they could get back, the car veered violently to the left, ramming into the opposite wall, which caused the entire front end of the car to be torn away and the roof to fall on the passengers, killing them instantly.

Now dangerously unstable, the car fully went off the rails, whipping around to face horizontal to the tracks, passengers were thrown around like rag dolls, grabbing onto anything they could. It was impossible to move now. The woman in the blue dress that Jason had seen earlier was trying to get away from the crowded back of the train. Jason reached out to her.

"Take my hand!" He shouted over the horrific sounds of metallic destruction. The woman extended her hand, but just before he could pull her to safety, the back of the train ran headlong into a foundation pillar, leaving Jason to watch helplessly as the woman was bisected and several other passengers were crushed. What remained of the train car flipped over, Jason tried desperately to hold on to Amelia's hand as she was begging and pleading, but he finally could hold on no longer, and as he let go, Amelia was crushed by a loose chair, spraying her blood all over the car. Finally, after several terrifying moments, the car's tumble began to slow down, and skidded to a stop just in front of the massive pile of twisted, melting, burning wreckage of what had once been two trains.

"Chris!" Jason cried out with a cough as smoke began to fill the cabin. They had to get out here before something else ignited. He was desperate just to at least know one of his friends, anybody, was still alive. "Chris!'

"Jay!"

Chris was near the front of what remained of the car, nearest to the fire. He was covered in an oily fluid, bruised and battered, but alive. He stood up cautiously.

"We gotta get out of here, this thing's gonna-"

The flames surged suddenly, engulfing Chris. Jason watched on, paralyzed with fear as his best friend spent his last moments screaming in pure terror. Then, another series of explosions wracked the tunnel, blowing Chris apart. Jason didn't move as a piece of flaming debris flew at him, smashed into his body, and blew him back off the train car. His organs were crushed, his blood splattered on the walls of the tunnel, and his life ended before he hit the ground. The day which had begun with such promise was over. It was all over...