MORMON CITY OUTSKIRTS

SECRET MILITARY TRANSIT RAILROAD.

YEAR 1 MONTH 1

The scent on the wind was a lot sharper today than most, and add to that was a chill that seemed all too eerie for such a morning. It was an omen,  there's nothing that it can be other than that.

My Mama had always told me to listen to the wind, it tells secrets she says, it gives warnings. Perhaps it should have given us a warning before she got diagnosed with C-89. And then perhaps I wouldn't be here some two months away from graduating high school about to undergo a test I'm not supposed to undertake.

"Alright listen up flower boys, my name is Mayuri. That is all there is to it, and all it should be. You all are here as prospective recruits, but be that as it may none of you were forced here and given what we're or rather you're about to do, I think it would be for the best if those of you who can't  see it through should leave.

There's an above 100% chance for each and every one of you to either die or be captured…. But see this through and you become and entryway member of the Silver Wyatt Gang. So before I tell you what we're  doing here, those who are afraid of death should pack up and leave now."

Of the 18 of us that were present for the test, none of us left, but that was probably because we were all hanging off the side of a cliff on a rope, waiting to drop down on the moving train we could see in the distance.

Every second that it drew closer I felt my stomach turning to mush and I broke out into a nervous sweat…..perhaps this was a bad idea after all. There's  no way Mama would be happy about this…. She'd be even less happy if I die from it, the shame would do her in before the C-89 does it.

"Good! It's good to see such convictions amongst all of you. Never the less it's time for your briefing. That train you see coming in the distance if from the Wild lands. There has been a discovery of an ancient vaults where cards of the rare to legendary rarity were found in batches.

Your job is to go in there incapacitate or eliminate any threat you find there, and return here with at least one card. If you get two, the higher rating belongs to the gang and you can keep the other, if you get three, you keep two.

If you find a deck, well…. Then make sure you find two. But regardless of what it is, know that the Silver Wyatt Gang would honor it's words and reimburse you.

Once you're done swiping the cards, it's  up to you to find your own way back to the secret testing site you all were yesterday evening.

Try not to get followed, but even if you were followed, as long as you get there, then we can get you out. So be rest assured, now any questions? ... Good! There are no questions, now get ready to jump."

I'd  say I've made the biggest mistake in my life, but it's already too late for that. And true to his words the train arrived, eating up massive swathes of distance as it came closer and finally got underneath the first of us hanging on the cliff.  I don't know who called out first, but the word 'Jump' was yelled, and for many of us, that was a mistake.

The train was protected, or rather it would be best to say that the cars were protected. The first two to jump landed on a barrier over the train that released massive waves of electricity, they were burnt to a crisp before the third person luckily slid in between one of the cars and escaped the same fate.

But we were far from being lucky; as three more were unlucky enough, with one attempting to not fall on the car itself but at the side of it.

The wind from the train moving blasted his body into the cliff wall, it was no different from as if someone had held him out to the cliff and let the inertia of the train drag him along, leaving a bloody smear on the wall.

By this point over half the 18 of us had jumped, half died, the remaining six did not seem all too willing to jump and we were running out of train. In the end everyone else was here for their own reasons, and it was up to them to decide if that reason is worth risking their lives and dying for. As for me...my reasons are worth killing for, so without any other hesitation…..I jumped.

The wind rushed past my ears as I saw a car coming ever closer, and with it death. I closed my eyes, bracing myself for death when I landed on my feet.

I opened my eyes and swung my arms wildly, attempting to catch my balance so as not to fall into the tracks behind me. At the speed the train was going, I doubt I will be able to survive such a fall, my hand caught onto a hand rail and arrested my momentum.

I swallowed hard and looked behind me in fright, seeing that without a doubt…..I had landed on the last car. Right on the edge,  the two that followed after me were not as lucky as one had landed hard on his neck, his body bent awkwardly to one side.

And the second, a girl that had followed behind me, her body had been dragged on the tracks for half a kilometer until only her arm was left hanging of the ledge I was standing on, my heart beat faster as I turned to look at the Car... it was time to move forward, hopefully the worst is over.