EVAC TRAIN

*12:30 AM. Brisbane Train Station.*

The station smelled like smoke and bleach.

One platform light was still working. It buzzed. Made everything look yellow.

People were sitting on the ground. Hundreds of them. Blankets. Kids. Old people. All of them staring at the tracks like if they blinked, the train would disappear.

The train itself was old. 8 cars. Painted gray. Soldiers stood at every door with rifles.

Ethan carried Lily. She was asleep, face buried in his shoulder.

Selena walked next to him, bag on her back, eyes scanning everything.

"You think it’s safe?" Selena asked quietly.

"No." Ethan said. "But staying here isn’t safe either."

They got in line. A soldier checked their IDs. Didn’t ask questions. Just waved them on.

Inside, the train was packed. People on seats, on the floor, in the aisles. A baby was crying. Someone was praying.

They found 3 seats together near a window. Ethan sat Lily down. She didn’t wake up.

Selena slumped into her seat and closed her eyes. "Finally."

Ethan didn’t sit. He stood by the window, watching Brisbane go by.

Broken buildings. Fires. And in the streets, the Infected. Lying down. Still. Like they were asleep.

"They’ll wake up." Selena said without opening her eyes. "Eventually."

"I know." Ethan said.

The train jerked. Then started moving. Slow at first. Then faster.

Brisbane got smaller behind them.

No one clapped. No one cheered. They were too tired.

---

*1:15 AM. Inside the train.*

Ethan finally sat down. His body felt like it was made of bricks.

Across the aisle, an old woman was holding a photo. A family picture. She kept touching it.

Next to her, a young guy, maybe 20, was staring at nothing. His hands were shaking.

Selena opened one eye. "You’re not sleeping."

"Can’t." Ethan said. "Too much noise in my head."

Selena nodded. "Same."

They sat in silence for a bit. The train rocked.

"You ever been on a train before?" Selena asked.

"Once." Ethan said. "When I was a kid. To visit my uncle. Took 6 hours. I was bored the whole time."

Selena smiled a little. "I’ve never been. Always drove."

"What about you?" Ethan asked. "Before all this. What did you do for fun?"

Selena thought about it. "Books. I read a lot. And I used to walk. At night. In the museum after it closed. It was quiet."

"That sounds nice."

"It was." She looked at Lily. "Until I found her. Then it wasn’t quiet anymore."

Ethan reached over and took her hand. "You did good. With her."

Selena squeezed back. "We did good."

Lily stirred. "Are we home yet?"

"Not yet, Lil." Ethan brushed hair from her face. "Sleep."

She nodded and was out again in 10 seconds.

A soldier walked down the aisle. "Food and water in 10 minutes. Medical if you need it."

People nodded. No one talked much.

---

*2:40 AM.*

The food came. Bread. Water. Some kind of paste in a packet.

Ethan gave his bread to Lily. She ate it in her sleep.

Selena drank water. "Tastes like metal."

"Everything does now." Ethan said.

They ate in silence.

After, Selena leaned her head on Ethan’s shoulder. "You think the others are like this? Perth. Adelaide."

"I don’t know." Ethan said. "Probably worse."

"Then we have to move fast."

"We will." Ethan said. "After we rest."

Selena laughed quietly. "When was the last time we rested?"

"I don’t remember."

"Me neither."

The train went through a tunnel. Dark. For 30 seconds, all they could hear was the wheels.

When they came out, the sky was different. Stars. Actual stars.

Ethan looked up. "Haven’t seen those in a while."

Selena followed his gaze. "They’re pretty."

"Yeah."

They watched the stars until the next tunnel.

---

*4:00 AM.*

Lily woke up. "I’m thirsty."

Ethan gave her water. "How you feeling?"

"Tired." She said. "And hungry."

"We’ll get more food at the next stop."

"What stop?"

"Don’t know yet." Ethan said. "Somewhere safe."

Lily looked out the window. "It’s dark."

"Yeah."

"Are the bad guys gone?"

Ethan hesitated. "The ones in Brisbane are. But there are more."

Lily was quiet. Then she said, "Then we’ll stop them too. Right?"

Ethan looked at Selena. Selena nodded.

"Right." Ethan said. "We’ll stop them too."

Lily smiled and went back to sleep.

---

*5:30 AM. Sunrise.*

The first light hit the windows. Pink. Then gold.

People started waking up. Stretching. Talking in low voices.

The train slowed.

A voice came over the speaker. "Next stop: Toowoomba. 20 minute break. Stretch your legs. Use the facilities."

The doors opened. Cold air came in.

Ethan, Selena, and Lily got off.

Toowoomba was small. Mostly intact. Soldiers were everywhere. Tents set up. Doctors.

They walked. Just walked. No goal.

Lily ran ahead to look at a dog. A real dog. Skinny but alive. She petted it and the dog licked her hand.

Selena watched and smiled. "She needed that."

"Yeah." Ethan said.

They sat on a bench. Drank coffee that tasted like dirt but was hot.

An old man sat next to them. He had a newspaper. The headline: `BRISBANE RITUAL STOPPED. HEROES UNKNOWN.`

He looked at them. "You were there?"

Ethan didn’t answer.

The old man nodded. "Thank you." Then he got up and walked away.

Selena watched him go. "Weird."

"What?"

"Being thanked. I’m not used to it."

Ethan shrugged. "Get used to it."

The whistle blew. Time to go.

---

*BACK ON THE TRAIN*

The next 6 hours were boring. And that was good.

Lily drew on a piece of paper. Stick figures. Her, Ethan, Selena. All holding hands under a sun.

Selena read a book someone had left on a seat. An old romance novel. She rolled her eyes but kept reading.

Ethan slept. Really slept. For 3 hours straight. No dreams. No fighting.

When he woke up, Selena was watching him.

"You drool." She said.

Ethan wiped his mouth. "Shut up."

She laughed. Quiet. "You looked peaceful."

"I was."

The train started slowing again.

The speaker: "Final stop: Adelaide Central. This train terminates here. Thank you for traveling with us."

Adelaide.

People started gathering their things. Nervous energy.

Ethan stood. Picked up Lily. "Last one."

Selena stood too. "Let’s finish it."

---

*6:00 PM. Adelaide Central Station.*

Adelaide looked different from Brisbane.

Cleaner. Less damage. But quieter. Too quiet.

Soldiers were waiting. Not evacuating people. Waiting.

A captain walked up to them. Female. Short hair. Tired eyes.

"You’re the ones from Melbourne and Brisbane?" She asked.

Ethan nodded.

"I’m Captain Reyes. Adelaide is on lockdown. The Cult is in the city center. At the old cathedral."

"How long?" Selena asked.

"They started 6 hours ago. The sky’s already turning."

She pointed. Above the city, the clouds were pink. Not red yet. But getting there.

"We have a plan." Reyes said. "But we need you."

Ethan looked at Selena. Then at Lily.

Lily was awake now. Looking at the pink sky.

"You don’t have to do this." Ethan said to her. "You can stay with the soldiers."

Lily shook her head. "No. I’m coming."

Selena crouched down. "It’s gonna be dangerous, kid."

"I know." Lily said. "But you’re there. So I’m there."

Ethan sighed. "Okay. But you stay behind us. No matter what."

Lily nodded seriously. "Promise."

Captain Reyes handed them maps. "The cathedral is 2km that way. We’ll give you cover to the doors. After that, it’s you."

Ethan took the map. "Got it."

Reyes looked at them. Really looked. "You’ve done this twice already."

"Third time’s the charm." Selena said.

Reyes almost smiled. "Good luck."

The soldiers lined up. "Move out!"

---

They started walking.

The streets of Adelaide were empty. Windows boarded. Cars abandoned.

Above, the sky kept getting pinker.

With every block, the air got heavier. Like before a storm.

They reached the cathedral. Big. Old. Stone.

And in front of it, Cult members. Dozens. And Infected. Standing in rows.

They weren’t attacking. They were waiting.

At the top of the cathedral steps, 2 figures in black robes.

The pink light was coming from inside.

Ethan stopped. "This is it."

Selena drew her broken blade. "Last one."

Lily held Ethan’s hand. "Together."

The Cult saw them. And didn’t move.

The two figures on the steps raised their hands.

The doors to the cathedral opened. Red light poured out.

And from inside, a voice. Not one voice. Many.

"Welcome."

Ethan looked at Selena.

She nodded.

He looked at Lily.

She nodded too.

And the three of them started walking up the steps.

Toward the light.

Toward the last fight.