They entered a compartment after boarding the train. Vermilion noticed a small sign on the door and wondered what it meant.
"First class...?" she murmured.
"Yes, I just want to avoid any troubles. Never mind it, just come inside," Dr. Apgar replied.
Vermilion nodded and helped Dr. Apgar place their luggage and suitcase on the luggage rack. As the train started moving, Vermilion closed the door and took a deep breath before sitting down. The train accelerated rapidly, and she found it hard to believe how fast it was moving.
"Is this your first time on a train?" Dr. Apgar asked.
"I'm not sure, maybe yes, maybe no."
"What do you mean?"
"I have a strange feeling about it. It's like I've been on something that moves even faster than this train, but I can't remember anything about it..."
"Faster than a high-speed train?" Dr. Apgar said, displaying disbelief on her face.
Since the previous night, and even before that, Vermilion had many doubts in her mind. Although she hadn't attempted to initiate a conversation, her curiosity could no longer be restrained. She began questioning Dr. Apgar.
"What happened to the others? Why aren't they coming with us?"
"We're heading to the 'CITY,' a place they will never have a chance to enter for the rest of their lives."
"Why?"
"They were exiled from other countries."
"Exiled...? What do you mean?"
"They were all soldiers who lost in the war, and the winning side won't hesitate to exile them and their families. No country in this world is willing to accept or take in any exiled person since they lost the war. In simple words, they are losers."
"But it wasn't their fault that the war was lost..."
"In this world full of wars, winning is the only right thing. Failing to win for the country means being spurned by everyone or even getting killed. They are already people without status, not even worthy of a name."
"They don't even deserve a name...?" Vermilion whispered softly, sadness in her eyes.
"I thought you were one of them, but it seems like you are more complicated..." Dr. Apgar remarked.
Suddenly, two soldiers stood outside their door, knocking.
"Excuse me, lady. Please show me your ID card," one of the soldiers requested from Dr. Apgar.
"Sure, give me a few seconds," Dr. Apgar replied.
Vermilion felt a sense of panic.
"Hey girl, are you alright? You don't look good," the soldier said to Vermilion.
"Uh, she's my niece. She's just feeling motion sick."
"I see. What's your name, young girl?"
"Me? Vermilion..."
"Vermilion, nice to meet you!" the soldier responded with a smile.
After checking Dr. Apgar's ID card, the soldiers left the compartment. Dr. Apgar sighed in relief.
"They went easy on us since I bought first-class tickets."
"Why didn't they ask for my ID card?" Vermilion asked.
"Are you already 18 years old? Judging from your appearance, I don't think so," Dr. Apgar replied.
"Can I only get an ID card when I'm 18 years old?"
"Yes, that's the regulation. Anyway, how old are you? 15? 16?"
"I don't know..."
"What a strange girl... If you can't prove your identity, those soldiers could have killed you if they deemed you suspicious. Especially if you were one of the exiled ones."
When Vermilion heard this, she was shocked and looked at Dr. Apgar.
"Kill... us?"
"Now you understand why they can't come with us. If they did, those soldiers would kill them. So, they can only live secretly in the suburbs."
"Why don't we go with them, then?"
"Do you have any idea how dangerous their journey is? They're going to cross the valley illegally into another country. Compared to them, it's much safer for us to go to the city."
"Is the city really safe?"
"In my opinion, it's at least considered 'safe' so far."
"How could this happen? It's so cruel to them..."
"Cruel? Not really. They have also taken countless innocent lives before."
Vermilion was left speechless.
"Don't worry about the others. Just worry about yourself. I believe you've already been through a nightmare."
Vermilion remained silent.
"Don't dwell on it too much. We still have about eight hours left before we reach the city. Just relax and enjoy this first-class compartment."
Vermilion nodded.
As the train continued its journey, both Vermilion and Dr. Apgar, fatigued from the previous night's packing, fell asleep.
Several hours later, Vermilion woke up and found Dr. Apgar still sleeping. She left the compartment and began exploring each train carriage, one by one.
Soldiers were monitoring and patrolling the train, but none of them seemed to notice Vermilion as she passed by, and she also remained unaware. She wandered innocently like a child, driven by curiosity.
She continued exploring until she reached the last carriage of the train. A warning sign above the door read 'Soldiers Only,' but she was oblivious to it and opened the door, stepping inside. The carriage had many compartments, and the passage was dimly lit but still visible.
As she ventured deeper into the carriage, she came across a compartment covered in darkness, with bloodstains on the floor. Slowly, she opened the door and was met with a horrifying sight—a woman stood motionless, her back turned, holding a bloodstained knife, while dead soldiers' corpses littered the room.