THE TRAIN

"How did this get here?" I stutter, visibly shaken as I look at the speck of the bluish-greenish glob from my nightmares that now smears my fingers.

My skin crawls with goosebumps at the disgusting sight. Eww!

Cordelia peers at my fingers closely, scrunching her nose as she does.

"I should be asking you that. Maybe you brushed a bush on your way to the station," she suggested.

But even her eyes tell me she doubts that.
Ever since the climate change crest in 2047, most of the vegetation in Nigeria has gone gradually extinct.

The artificially grown plants were exclusive only to the elite areas and government-owned greenhouses for the sustenance of our dying ecosystem.

I try to think of possible ways this gooey substance got on my face. My walk to the station had been hitch-free. I didn't collide with anyone or anything that could have somehow transferred this to my face.

"I have no idea how this got on my face. No wonder everyone was looking at me weirdly," I say.

"That might not be the only reason, sis. You look bleh. I expected that you'd at least dress fancy for your sweet sixteen," Cordelia says, trying to steer the conversation in a different direction.

With her keen eyes, she peruses my simple peplum top and pencil skirt and made a tsk sound with her tongue.

I was not a fashion-conscious person like my bestie who was obsessed with trending fashion and flawless appearance.

I shake my head. "Do you have a tissue? Let me clean this off first."

Cordelia hands me a hankie she got from her bag. I wipe off the glob and gently keep it in the pocket of my backpack. I can't just discard it on the train floor now, can I?

Dad is a scientist. Perhaps when I get home, I'll sneak into his small lab that doubles as his man cave and check this out under his microscope. 

"Why, Cordelia, I thought you'd forgotten it was my birthday!" I say in reply to her earlier comment, grinning.

"How could I? We're besties for crying out loud," she says and swipes her iPad. "I just haven't found the best picture of you to post. Happy birthday, girl!"

My friend, unlike me, is an extrovert. Naturally, she is a social media sensation, with over 100k Threaders following her vlog. Big sensation, I tell you. All she does is to live stream most of her international travels and mundane home and school routine.
Although she is more hinged on material things than on faith, I love her all the same. 

"Hey, don't post anything silly that will further wreck my already low reputation," I say.

She grins mischievously and raises her iPad to steal a quick unawares shot of me. Knowing her tendencies, I make to collect her iPad from her.

"Don't make me hack into your iPad. Harry is super good, you know..." I threaten, narrowing my eyes at her when she dodges her device out of my reach.
Harry is my personalised AI that operates on all my devices.

Cordelia snorts and sticks her tongue out at me comically.

"As if you could ever break my firewall. I'd love to see you try," she taunts.

I groan. She is right. I could never be able to carry out my threat.
Now is the time when I wish I had taken my coding-cracking lessons more seriously.

"Cordelia, don't post those pictures."

She gives me a slow impish grin and says, "Beg me."

I fake a gasp. "You little—"

"Huh-uh-uh!" she vocalises as a warning, her finger, which is well out of my reach, hovering above the send button.

"Okay, okay, please, Cordelia," I say, pouting and giving her my cutest puppy dog eyes.

"Better!" she says as she deletes the pictures

"I'll get back to you on that!" I mutter and she chuckles.

When our banter settles, I try not to think about the humongous beast called high school that I will soon face.

I hate the pecking system in Lukan High, Western Lagos Peninsula. It's sickening to see some students act as though they are the lords of the invisible food chain.

Yeah, Lukan is the best school in this part of Nigeria in terms of infrastructure and learning system. But the nature of students and even teachers there is no different from an average run-down school.

Though my family is sort of middle class, my Mom's volunteer work as a nurse and Dad's contribution to scientific research in Nigeria gives me the benefit of having a scholarship to this top school. I'm not complaining. It's just that—

"Ta-da! I got you this!" Cordelia says, breaking into my thoughts. She hands me a medium-sized box wrapped in glittering gift nylon.

The box is a little weighty and I can see some perforation at the sides. Is that a squeak I hear?
My curiosity is piqued. What did Cordelia get me this time? The girl is used to lavishing those she likes—me especially —with fanciful gifts.

"Aww... I'm happy about this. You get the award of being the first to give me a birthday gift."
My smile grows as I eagerly tear the package open.

Out leaps a small cute poochie. He begins to lick my face as he wags his tail. I'm in a state of happy shock.

Cordelia knows me too well. I have been dying to get my puppy but my parents are too busy with work to have time to get me one.

I let out a small squeal and almost choke her with a hug. "OMG! A puppy. Thank you so much, girl!"

"I knew you'd love him. I ordered him from Pixie. He was the cutest one in the catalogue."

"I never imagined you'd take my wish seriously. You're a blessing," I say to Cordelia, my attention on the new pet I now own. 

The train slows at the next station to pick up a new set of passengers and the doors automatically slide open.

I stare at the person who walks down the aisle towards us and my heart almost leaps out my throat.

Oh, good gravy!

~~~

Author's note: Hello again, guys! Now we have a better glimpse into Naomi's world! A dystopian and dying world.

Isn't Cordelia so sweet to have given Naomi her long desired gift?

I hope this story isn't giving too much horror vibes! Don't worry, just keep reading. This story breaks the stereotypes you're used to, in a good way.

Are you as curious as I am to find out who entered the train?

Hmmmm...

Please, like, comment and share.

Thanks for your support.

Till tomorrow, stay blessed.