Vermilion was overcome with fright as she witnessed the horrifying scene in front of her. The compartment was filled with the putrid stench of blood. The woman sensed someone behind her and swiftly turned around, shouting, "Who's there?!"
She walked out of the compartment and found no one in the passage. The entire carriage was eerily quiet, with only the sound of the moving train and her own breath echoing through the air.
"Am I just overthinking?" the woman whispered to herself.
Meanwhile, Vermilion had hidden herself in a neighboring compartment, still trembling with shock and fear. She covered her mouth to stifle any sound that might attract the woman's attention.
Curiosity got the better of Vermilion, and she peered through a small gap in the compartment door, watching the woman's actions intently. The woman opened one of the train's windows and placed one leg on the edge, still clutching the blood-stained knife.
Vermilion couldn't fathom what the woman intended to do. Jumping off a moving train seemed impossible.
'No way, the train is moving so fast!' Vermilion thought to herself.
To her astonishment, the woman indeed leaped out of the window, plunging into a river below. Vermilion rushed to the window and witnessed the woman's fall. The whole sequence of events, though brief, felt like an eternity to Vermilion. It was the first time she had felt the fear of death as a human.
Disbelief clouded Vermilion's face as she tried to comprehend what she had just witnessed.
'Did the woman kill all those people and then jump off the train, which is moving at such a high speed? And from such a great height into the river... Is she still alive?' Her mind was filled with questions, and her sanity began to slip away.
Meanwhile, the commotion had drawn the attention of the soldiers in other carriages, and they approached the compartment where Vermilion remained. As she heard their footsteps, she swiftly regained her senses. When the soldier opened the door, Vermilion bolted past them and ran back to her own compartment.
Strangely, none of the soldiers notice Vermilion as she escapes from the carriage. She herself remains unaware of their lack of awareness.
Once she returned, Dr. Apgar, awakened by the sound of Vermilion's running, questioned her.
"What were you doing? Why are you out of breath? And why does your complexion look worse than before?"
Unable to articulate or explain what she had just witnessed, Vermilion was rendered speechless. She sat in her seat, silent and stunned.
Dr. Apgar observed her and remarked, "Hmm... Have you lost your ability to speak again?"
Vermilion shook her head and remained seated in silence.
After a while, the train came to a halt in a small town, and the soldiers forced all the passengers to disembark. Each passenger was lined up and thoroughly searched by the soldiers.
Dr. Apgar questioned one of the soldiers, puzzled by their sudden expulsion from the train.
"Why are we being kicked off the train? We haven't reached the city yet."
The soldier responded politely, "We apologize for the inconvenience, but we are doing this for your safety."
Vermilion, lost in her thoughts, realized that their expulsion might be connected to what she had witnessed earlier. However, the person they were searching for was no longer on the train.
Suddenly, a gunshot pierced the air, shocking everyone. One of the male passengers had been shot by a soldier and lay on the ground, slowly dying. Dr. Apgar and Vermilion turned their attention to the man's tragic fate. The man's wife cried out his name repeatedly, but he had been silenced forever.
"Why did you do this to us?!" the distraught woman yelled at the soldiers.
"We instructed him to identify himself, but he refused to cooperate!" the soldier responded.
The grieving woman wept bitterly. Unable to bear the injustice, she seized a gun from one of the soldiers in a fit of anger. In response, the other soldiers swiftly shot and killed her.
Vermilion was once again shaken by the horrifying scene unfolding before her. Tears streamed down her face as she gazed at the lifeless couple. Her mind filled with a constant struggle against the injustice inflicted upon innocent lives. It was the first time she had experienced sadness and anger as a human.
"This is too much! How can they so callously kill innocent people?!" Vermilion exclaimed angrily, tears streaming down her face.
Dr. Apgar responded, "Weapons and bullets are ruthless things, and those who wield them are even more ruthless."
Vermilion couldn't comprehend why everyone remained passive and indifferent.
"Why is everyone just standing still? Why is no one willing to help that man and woman?!"
"People have grown numb to death in this day and age. They only care about themselves and their families. They have no time to spare for the lives of others," Dr. Apgar explained.
"All of this is so senseless!" Vermilion protested.
"Indeed, this is the world we live in now. The peace and tranquility of fairy tales in the storybooks you read are but a distant memory," Dr. Apgar replied somberly.
"But, Dr. Apgar, you're not like them! There must still be many people like you," Vermilion insisted.
"Thank you, but I believe you misunderstand me. I advise you to adapt to this reality soon. It will make your life less agonizing," Dr. Apgar advised.
Vermilion fell silent, her hands clenched tightly and her face filled with determination. She had experienced the emotions of sadness, anger, and fear all in a single day.
At that moment, the soldier they had encountered on the train approached them.
"We meet again, ladies," he greeted them.
"Oh, it's you again. Can you tell us what's happening?" Dr. Apgar inquired.
"I'm sorry, but I can't disclose that information to you. By the way, are you two headed to the city? I can give you a ride," the soldier offered.
"Really? We would be grateful for that," Dr. Apgar replied.
'Thank goodness for the first-class ticket. It certainly comes in handy!' Dr. Apgar thought to herself.
They boarded the soldier's car and embarked on their journey to the city. Along the way, Vermilion remained calm and contemplated everything she had witnessed. In her moments of tranquility, she found solace in organizing her thoughts.
She confronted the harsh reality and began to understand the irrationality of the world. A newfound determination to change the current state of affairs took root within her heart.