One way ticket through Hell, and back.....again.

She screamed and slammed the door pushing her whole body against it thumped and shook.

“Help me.” Imogen said imploringly. “Don’t just sit there do your door thing or something.”

The creature obeyed and marked the door in rapid strokes. “What next? Wait here for it to get through?” it asked.

“I don’t know, there has to be something. We could climb out of one of the windows onto the train roof, I’ve seen that in the movies.”

The baggage compartment was equipped with a lot but the walls were sparse of all things but knotholes and thumbtacks; of windows there were none.

“The other door?” Imogen said this as she was skidded forwards as a pounding blow shook the door, frame and baggage car. The creature stretched languidly and sluggishly wandered to the rear door where it ran a clawed finger across the door as if it were the body of it's most loved, or lusted, partner whilst looking right at her beaming a toothed smile.

“This one?”

It was more comedic than seductive and in any other situation Imogen would have laughed at the floorshow and added to it by playing the fool too whilst playing with the lock and swinging the door open in a manner she’d often dream of for enticing a gentleman through the portal to her boudoir but it never worked like that and instead she often stumbled drunkenly through it.

Knock, knock. The sound reminded them both why this was not a good idea.

“So what do we do now oh font of all knowledge?”

The creature took it's full height and shrugged.

“I’ve got it.” exclaimed Imogen proudly. “Scribble the chalk on that wall and get us out of here.”

“No.”

“No? What do you mean no? Get your bony arse in gear, whip out your little stick and make me a happy girl over there against that wall.” fractious was an apt description of the tone from Imogen’s statement.

“Let me refine my meaning.” the creature said this as blows came on both doors. “The insubstantiality is not here with us it is where we once were. I cannot open a portal where one cannot be found. We are closer to our destination than our source.”

“So where is it? It won’t matter if we’re right next to it if it won’t open when this thing gets in.Where is it anyway? Is there a stop at a station, we could make a break for it when the passengers change.”

“No stations, no stops. This train only has one terminus, eternity’s spinode; the cusp of all where even the fires of Hell cool and extinguish. Our stop is drawing near but there is no station to alight the train.”

“O.k, we wait it out, barcade the exit and just sit here waiting for it to come to us. How about that? Is that feasible?” Imogen’s strength was evaporating along with her hope but she held onto an atom of faith that her travelling companion’s ability to get her out of this, with her skin intact would be a distinct advantage but the main aim was getting out.

“No, we cannot wait. We know one door will break, maybe two.” with this the door he was stood at bounded in it's frame and cracks appeared around the hinges and lock. “If we cannot wait then we must leave on our own terms. Open the door now.”

With a flourish the handle was depressed and the lock disengaged allowing the door to enter their space.

“What in Jeremy’s jockstrap do you think you are doing?” Imogen’s confusion soaked through leaving her legs weak and numb. The door leading to the rest of the train rocketed in launching Imogen into a stack of trunks and bags and as she spun to see straight she saw two walking reptiles come hissing into the room.