They ran into the next car.
Just as the lights went out.
They stopped running. “Okay.” said Hildreth. “We need a plan.”
“But we don’t know what we’re up against.”
“It can’t be that hard to figure out. I mean, how many extraordinaries drain electricity?”
“Six: ghosts, Italian forest spirits, gremlins, fairy cats, grish trolls, and spectral fey.”
Hildreth thought about it. “Well. Italian forest spirits generally don’t cross oceans. They stick to their home turf.”
“Ghosts…” Elsie shook her head. “It would take a lot of energy for a ghost to drain so many lightbulbs.”
“And make them explode.”
“Gremlins are noisy.”
“So, we would definitely know if it were them.”
“Grish trolls are too big.”
“Which leaves us with spectral fey and fairy cats. We can kill one with insults. The other…we’ll have to chase away. Somehow.” He smiled. “Personally, I’m hoping for the fey. It’s been a long time since I’ve really slammed someone down with insults.”
“With our luck, it will be the cat. Do you have a flashlight?”
“Why?”
“I don’t feel like chasing an extraordinary inside a train. I want it to come to us.”
“Ahh, in that case, I have just the thing.” Hildreth reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, flat coffin.
Her eyes widened. “Is that a Gobstop 3500?”
He grinned and pressed the bouquet of black and red roses on the lower half of the lid.
The cap of the coffin sprang open and a steady stream of white light poured forth..
“It is! Where’d you get it from?”
His smile faltered. “My former master, Master Initskay, gave it to me.”
Elsie heard the catch in his voice. “Do you want to talk about it?”
His smile was gone. “Not now.” He took a deep breath and released it. “Later.”
Her face quilted up with concern.
He managed a small smile. “I promise.” He kissed her and she gently kissed him back.
The light grew brighter.
All of the lightbulbs in the car exploded.
But the light in Hildreth’s hand stayed steady.
The door at the end of the car swung open and slammed shut.
That got their attention.
A tall man stood in an impertinent slouch against the door. A steampunked top hat perched on his head of wild red hair. Goggles with black opal lenses concealed his eyes. And a long trench coat decorated liberally with buckles covered him down to his ankles. He smiled. “Well. Now that you’ve had a chance to admire me, give me that flashlight. Please?”
ambroseandelsie 
“Personally, I’m hoping for the fey. It’s been a long time since I’ve really slammed someone down with insults.” lol. Love it. By the way, love the cliff hanging ending. How dare you make us continue to read 😉
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Thank you so much for reading and for your comments! Both are totally appreciated. 🙂
Have I mentioned that I’m having a lot of fun writing this story? Because I totally am. There are some times I feel like I’m writing something that’s already been written down. (If that makes sense). The words come out fast and furious and the characters are saying things that they would say and do things that they would logically do.
Of course, other times it’s a lot of push and shove, trying to keep the story moving and the characters consistent.
But it’s so much fun. 😀
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You’re so welcome 🙂 I understand exactly what you’re saying about your characters. Mine have evolved that way as well. As for having the feeling of writing something that’s already been written down, once i get going on a chapter and everything is coming out so quickly, it does feel like that for me too. The story has already been told, but I’m the teller. (try to make sense of that one, lol)
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I totally get what you mean. 🙂
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I love it when creatures other than vampires pop into this story. They’re so interesting and add nice variety to the storyline. Plus, I like how you create interesting abilities and unique ways of dealing with each kind of creature.
And the tall man who entered the car, fantastic! I loved the description. He’s already such an interesting character and he hasn’t even done anything yet. Great intrigue in this scene.
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Thank you so much!
I enjoy showing and/or hinting at the variety of extraordinaries in my characters’ world. For the extraordinaries who are main characters, I love being able to show their dual natures – their humanity versus their otherness.
And yes! I love that character too. He’s very much what I imagine a real cat would be like if they could turn into a human – very confident and self-satisfied. 😆
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