closing time anyway so we weren’t missing much. Tina waited for me to remove my skates and we headed for the door. Already I was feeling a little better and could walk normally without wincing. I also noticed with some surprise that the mana in my body had dulled and was now lazily circling throughout my body.
“Where do you need me to drop you?” Tina asked as we got back into her car.
“Any station is fine. I’m going into the city. Thanks again for this.”
“Thanks for teaching me how to skate.”
“Well, actually I think I showed you how not to do it.”
“Well, that too. Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I’ve done worse.” I smiled as Tina put the car in gear and drove out of the rink car park.
It was a strange ride to the station. The station wasn’t overly far from the rink and we pretty much drove in silence. Tina was very quiet; I couldn’t help think that perhaps I’d done something wrong or I’d offended her somehow. It wouldn’t have been the first time I’d inadvertently offended someone with a witty comment that had turned out to be incredibly offensive, stupid or both.
The train hadn’t arrived at the station when we did and Tina offered to wait with me. I told her that wasn’t necessary as she’d already helped me out enough. She smiled politely enough and pulled the keys from the engine and opened her door.
It wasn’t that late, but the station was pretty much abandoned. It clearly wasn’t a commonly used station. There were only a few cars in the car park illuminated by the overhanging lights from the station.
“Well, thank you for a lovely night out,” Tina stated quietly.
“No, thank you, it was your idea.” I tilted my head in mock salute, which brought a tentative smile to Tina’s face.
I was just in the process of trying to think of something witty to say when she quickly leaned forward and planted her lips on mine. I was so shocked at first that I didn’t quite know how to respond.
Wow, she was kissing me. I attempted to pull my arms around her but before I could act she was gone. She rushed back to her car with her head down. I thought I heard her mumble something like “Thank you for a good night” before disappearing into her car.
I stood stunned as her car quickly took off into the night. I touched my lips. Then I immediately thought of Renee.
* * * *
The train didn’t take too long to arrive, for which I was grateful. I had neglected to bring a jacket and I was starting to get cold. I had checked out the carpet burns on my back in the station bathroom and they weren’t too bad either, although in the cold they were starting to sting.
The train ride back was pretty uneventful. It was late in the evening but not late enough that people would be returning home. I had the carriage all to myself and sat watching as the cityscape outside gradually became more built up as the train entered the city proper.
Housing gave way to factories, factories gave way to offices and before I knew it I was entering Flinders Street Station. I took the side exit from the station and not the main entrance. I vaguely thought about getting some food as there were numerous fast food places available at this hour when something caught my eye – a spark of blue mana out of the corner of my eye.
It was only there for a second and then gone – but I was sure I had seen something. I was so sure that I sent off an awareness spell. It had happened so quickly I can’t consciously remember the decision to use it. It had just happened, almost of its own accord.
A wave of mana particles flowed outwards from me across the busy station, highlighting the people already visible and those below me that I couldn’t previously see in the tunnel walkway that led over the river next to the station.
As the wave of mana washed over the platform my vision was immediately captured by the silhouette of a figure running down the stairs behind me back into the walkway. The figure was
“Where do you need me to drop you?” Tina asked as we got back into her car.
“Any station is fine. I’m going into the city. Thanks again for this.”
“Thanks for teaching me how to skate.”
“Well, actually I think I showed you how not to do it.”
“Well, that too. Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I’ve done worse.” I smiled as Tina put the car in gear and drove out of the rink car park.
It was a strange ride to the station. The station wasn’t overly far from the rink and we pretty much drove in silence. Tina was very quiet; I couldn’t help think that perhaps I’d done something wrong or I’d offended her somehow. It wouldn’t have been the first time I’d inadvertently offended someone with a witty comment that had turned out to be incredibly offensive, stupid or both.
The train hadn’t arrived at the station when we did and Tina offered to wait with me. I told her that wasn’t necessary as she’d already helped me out enough. She smiled politely enough and pulled the keys from the engine and opened her door.
It wasn’t that late, but the station was pretty much abandoned. It clearly wasn’t a commonly used station. There were only a few cars in the car park illuminated by the overhanging lights from the station.
“Well, thank you for a lovely night out,” Tina stated quietly.
“No, thank you, it was your idea.” I tilted my head in mock salute, which brought a tentative smile to Tina’s face.
I was just in the process of trying to think of something witty to say when she quickly leaned forward and planted her lips on mine. I was so shocked at first that I didn’t quite know how to respond.
Wow, she was kissing me. I attempted to pull my arms around her but before I could act she was gone. She rushed back to her car with her head down. I thought I heard her mumble something like “Thank you for a good night” before disappearing into her car.
I stood stunned as her car quickly took off into the night. I touched my lips. Then I immediately thought of Renee.
* * * *
The train didn’t take too long to arrive, for which I was grateful. I had neglected to bring a jacket and I was starting to get cold. I had checked out the carpet burns on my back in the station bathroom and they weren’t too bad either, although in the cold they were starting to sting.
The train ride back was pretty uneventful. It was late in the evening but not late enough that people would be returning home. I had the carriage all to myself and sat watching as the cityscape outside gradually became more built up as the train entered the city proper.
Housing gave way to factories, factories gave way to offices and before I knew it I was entering Flinders Street Station. I took the side exit from the station and not the main entrance. I vaguely thought about getting some food as there were numerous fast food places available at this hour when something caught my eye – a spark of blue mana out of the corner of my eye.
It was only there for a second and then gone – but I was sure I had seen something. I was so sure that I sent off an awareness spell. It had happened so quickly I can’t consciously remember the decision to use it. It had just happened, almost of its own accord.
A wave of mana particles flowed outwards from me across the busy station, highlighting the people already visible and those below me that I couldn’t previously see in the tunnel walkway that led over the river next to the station.
As the wave of mana washed over the platform my vision was immediately captured by the silhouette of a figure running down the stairs behind me back into the walkway. The figure was
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