Midnight Blue isn’t Baby Blue
(In response to the writing prompt: You are in a crowded, noisy train station when suddenly everyone disappears. Except for a little girl. taken from reddit)
I listened contentedly to the metal on metal clanging as the trains arrived and left. The cool metal of the station bench bit into my skin. I closed my eyes and let everything flow together. People talking. The sick stench of some kid vomiting in a trash can. Shoes tapping, slapping, communication with each other on the floor. I heard a pattern that almost said "I love you" in Morse.
High-pitched laughter. A father shouting at his son. Somone dropping a valuable vase-- a gift for a friend. Childhood friends arguing about where they should go next.
Someone sat beside me, but I didn't open my eyes. I smelled alcohol, nicotine, cash, and baby powder. An interesting combination. The bench creaked as the person shifted in their seat. I head the crumpling of paper, and frustrated grumbling. They stood again and I heard the distinct click-stomp sound of high-heeled boots.
A dog barked somewhere, and a camera clicked. Another train pulled into the station. Static was heard over the PA as the announcer readied to declare the new arrival of the train.
Then everything cut short, like a video suddenly out on mute. I heard only one thing: coins dropping and rolling on the floor. I waited until the sound stopped before opening my eyes.
There was a girl tere, holding an empty pouch. She looked to be about eleven years old. She stomped up to me in a sound I recognized from earlier. Was this the high-heeled boots-drunkard-smoker? No wonder there was baby powder, then. I was barely able to notice the strange bluish tint her skin had before she socked me in the jaw.
I was so surprised that I crumpled to the floor. Now I had perfect view of her midnight blue boots. They were nice.
The girl used her not-so-nice-anymore boots to roll me on my back. The heel dug into my shoulder as she leaned down into my face.
"What kind of mage are you?"
"What?" I asked, in what I hoped seemed braver than I felt. But with my luck, it probably came out as a pathetic squeak.
Apparently, this wasn't an acceptable answer. She made a face and pushed down harder. I grimaced in pain. I rather preferred the bottoms of shoes being on the floor, where they belonged, and not in my shoulder. I used my shoulder.
"I'll ask you again," the girl said. "What kind of mage are you?"
"I don't know what you're talking about!" I exclaimed, hoping that this would be over soon. "Oh Powerful, uh, Lady With Really Nice Boots, " I added as an afterthought.
She gritted her teeth and looked at me with a gaze that screamed of confusion, vexation, and possibly more violence. A look that did not belong on the face of someone as young as her. "I hate it. I hate that I can see the truth. You're obviously the cause, but you have no idea, do you?" She finally released my shoulder and sneered at me as I whimpered.
"Uh, yes?" I offered, not getting up.
She frowned at me. "I know you can get up by yourself."
"Ah, yes. Yes I can." I quickly scrambled to my feet, wincing in pain. This girl had absolutely no mercy.
She turned and began briskly walking out of the station. "Follow me, " she called coldly over her shoulder. She obviously didn't want me to tag along with her.
I reluctantly complied. "Where to, ma'am?"
She stopped at the foot of the stairs leading upto the surface and faced me. "First of all, don't call me "ma'am". I have a name. I'm Thale. Second of all, I'm going to fix the mistake you made by "accidentally" transporting all the human inhabitants of this planet to who-knows-where. You'll be there to drag me down with your stupid "potential"."
And with that, she tapped "I love you" in Morse on the somewhat dirty tile floor. The air shimmered, and she walked through without looking back to see if I followed.