Lounge Car

[Laraqua]

As they come back into the room they can hear the strange man playing slow and disturbing piano music, and he smiles at them oddly as they arrive. "Welcome! Welcome! I trust you have enjoyed your dinner?" Then he frowns, ear cocked as though listening. "Did you hear that noise? How peculiar. Perhaps someone would like to board the train."

[Overlord87]

"Someone? That kind of noise? It must be at least the size of a bear. How can you still be playing the piano like everything's all right?"

Jonathan reaches a window, looks outside, checking for possible threats.

[Laraqua]

They're still too far ahead of the platform to see much but one of the windows does provide enough of an angle to at least face the direction of the platform. There's no sign of any light, unfortunately, no criss crossing of flashlight beams. Then there's another thud against the train further back. At this angle he wouldn't be able to see anything, even through the fog.

[jimjam]

Ilona stands well away from the window and in a hushed voice asks "Can you see what it is?"

[Overlord87]

"No, can't see a thing with all the fog. We should probably head back one more car... hey, mister", he turns towards the man playing the piano, "can you light up the next car? Someone should go and check what that noise was".

[Laraqua]

"Sorry, sir, but no can do," he says cheerily. "Unfortunately I'm no electrician. If the lighting's out, perhaps you should use your flashlight or a candle. Also you should be careful about lifting the curtains in the well-lit spots anyway. Don't want a night cruiser to spot the light and drop their payload on us. The wardens wouldn't like that."

[Overlord87]

"Well, you're very helpful, thank you", Jonathan says ironically. He then heads towards the door and opens it. He doesn't want to go back to the dark car, just check if he can see anything and maybe call out and see if he gets an answer.

[Laraqua]

Jonathon enters the connecting compartment between the two carriages with its accordian walls on either side of him. He opens the door to the Day Car to peer inside and sees a rather shocked and scared looking Charlie Hagan.

[Overlord87]

Jonathan takes a step back, surprised, then recognizes Charlie. "Mr. Hagan... it's good to see you again. God, it must be less than half an hour, it feels like days since we were in that station. Come in, it's warmer in this car".

[Laraqua]

Something slams up against one of the train cars further back, then thud-thud-thuds bodily against it like a very large moth against the glass of a lantern.

[Charlie Hagan]

After stepping back in equal alarm Charlie steps forward and peers at Jonathon and in a somewhat crazed voice says, "O-oh it's you, Mr..." He lets out a short, nervous laugh, "I don't think I ever got your name, how odd is that? In all this excitement I-" As the thudding starts he jumps and dashes into the room. Holding a trembling finger perpendicular to his lips, he waves his other hand frantically downwards, palm facing down, at the other occupants of the room as he ducks down low.

[Overlord87]

"Name's Jonathan Alden. What's that outside, Mr. Hagan? Some big animal, I guess. Anyway" he adds, noticing the other man's behavior, "I doubt it can reach us in here. Or hear us, even".

[Charlie Hagan]

Charlie whispers "it's... i-it broke down the restaurant door."

[Overlord87]

Jonathan looks outside, trying to see the beast, worried about the others still inside the station.

[Laraqua]

The light from this well-lit and cozy warm train car spills out into the gloom but barely strikes beyond the concrete platform. It's impossible to make out any movement through the fog outside, especially from this angle and train compartment.

[Charlie Hagan]

Charlie stays crouched, listening for the slightest sound of the beast's movement.

[Laraqua]

Charlie's attempts to listen

Spoiler:

Through the darkness he can make out the slight strains of an air raid siren's eerie wail, rising and falling, rising and falling. Is it the first alert that they're coming? Or the second alert stating that they're almost already here? It certainly ain't the All Clear, that's for sure. Where is the siren coming from, though? If it were from the railway station it would be a hell of a lot louder and the town's a little too far off. And where is that creature? He can't hear it now. Oh wait, there's a light but loud enough in the silence slapping sound of flesh against concrete out on the platform. It's out there. It's just not doing anything to get inside the train.

[Charlie Hagan]

Carlie stands up, straightening his clothes, "Well, it's still out there and the raid siren's sounding. At least things can't get any worse."

[Overlord87]

"That's exactly the one thing I would not have said in this situation, Mr. Hagan", Jonathan says, while trying to open one of the windows. "We should warn the others about the danger they're in".

[Laraqua]

The windows in the Lounge Car don't open. Perhaps they may open in another one of the train cars?