#7 The Station (English Version)

(For the spanish version see below)

Olivier was looking the Paris’ skyline thinking about all and nothing at the same time. From his apartment, he had a perfect view of the city. He used to sit there to enjoy the view of the city of lights especially during the sunsets. The mountain of Montmartre was illuminated and the Sacré-Coeur was shining as usual. Night had come and he did not even realize it.

He opened the palm of his hand where it was lying his silver talisman. Its screen was broken and he was not even able to read the numbers that used to appear. Life was sending him a warning or maybe it all was a metaphor about his behavior of last months. He had been playing with fire and he had finally been burned.

He whispered and laid down looking the deep sky. Moon was in its full phase and he could not see the stars above. He wondered what Claire was doing in that moment. He knew that she was about to go out with her friends and despite of they were not living together, he started to feel that he knew a lot of things about her. Was he falling in love? He had no answer.

The breach on the screen was shining illuminated by the moon’s light as it was a scar reminding him how lost he would be from this point onward. He knew, but did not want to admit, that the object will never ever show any numbers again: it all was over…

***

“Come on Olivier! We’re late as usual...”

“I won’t ever understand why you need to be on time Paul. The lesson of today really sucks…”

“Don’t be angry. It’s always you who asks me to go together. Furthermore, we need to do some stuff before starting the class.”

“Doing stuff… Like what?”

“For example, I have to deliver the homework that we had to do for today.”

“Ah, yes… I completely forgot that today was the last day.”

“What’s going on? Haven’t you done it?”

“Oh, yes! But, I gave it to the professor last Tuesday.”

“Are you fucking kidding me? You cannot be so fast. You’ve been laying on your bed the whole week watching stuff on internet. If what you’re saying is true, you have to tell me your secret of where you’ve got the time to work.”

Paul was looking at him completely lost. He knew nothing at all. Olivier overtook him; he did not only have all the time in the world, he could control it at his will. He turned back and replied to his mate.

“Sure! I have all the time in the world Paul so I can afford spending my time on internet. Come on, we’re late! The train is about to arrive.”

They both entered inside a wagon of the Paris RER train line B. It was the rush hour in the morning and the train was crowded as usual. Olivier was starting to think that maybe going with his friend at that time was not a good idea at all, but it was an effective method to wake up early. He told himself that he had to keep a normal life in order to not to raise suspicious among his friends.

Five minutes later, the train got into the Châtelet-Les Halles station where they had to alight. That station, built on the seventies, was a completely world apart: there 4 subway and 3 train lines converging and people was always moving by instinct like if they were ants working inside their nest.

In order to get to their next train, Olivier and Paul had to climb the stairs to get into a lobby which was situated just above the rails. Once there, they only had to walk towards the opposite direction and descend to take the line A train on the platform in front where they alighted.

As usual, the lobby was completely madness. People was going walking in all the possible directions towards the subway lines or entering on the train platforms. The lobby also had a lot of semicircular columns, that supported the structure, stopping people that were walking in a straight line.  Get lost there was an easy task unless you read the information panels, at least for Olivier.

Paul was heading towards the other platform crossing the lobby as fast as he could and Olivier was following him as fast as he could. He knew that his friend hated that place and he always wanted to catch the first train, even if it was impossible to enter.

“Hurry up Olivier! The train is about to come. Two minutes!”

“Okay… I follow you. Don’t you see that there are so many people…”

But before he could finish his sentence, a man rushed up to him and beat them onto the ground. That dude was holding something into his arms and he soon disappeared towards the subway gates.

“What an asshole! He could just avoid me.”

“What a way to start a new day Olivier. Give me your hand; I will help you to stand up.”

While Paul was trying to help Olivier, two security men of the Parisian subway ran toward the same direction where the guy had disappeared.

“I wonder if they are chasing him.”

“I don’t know Paul. Let’s move!”

They went downstairs as fast as they could. The train was coming into the station and people crowded together on the edge of the platform. However, a small group of people were gathering around someone. Olivier looked out of the corner of his eye; it seemed that a girl was lying on the floor crying. The doors opened and the train ejected a crowd as usual. Paul and Olivier did their best to get inside the train and they luckily found some seats on the top floor of the train. Olivier sat next to the window and then he was able to see what was going on the platform.

A young girl was being help to sand up. She was crying and shouting at the same time. Her hair was messy and her jacket was partially torn. The train slowly started to enter into the tunnel and soon they lost the view of the station. Paul was also witnessing the situation.

“It seems that someone has stolen her bag or wallet.”

“Yes, I agree with you, Paul. It must have been the dude that pushed me away on the lobby. He has to be the thief. Two security agents were chasing him…”

“I don’t think they have chased it. He was far away from them.”

“It’s a shame, poor girl…”

“What I don’t understand is why, as crowded as it was the station, nobody helped her…”

Olivier thought about that feeling during the whole journey and the rest of the day. It was unfair that nobody helped her. He hated this kind of situations. If only he had been there 5 minutes earlier…

“Hey! Are you OK? You haven’t paid attention during the whole morning. You’re like gone…”

“Paul, you know that I don’t usually pay attention during the classes.”

“Yes, but today’s different. You are in your own world.”

“Yes, well…”

“Are you still thinking about what happened this morning in the station? Come on, you can’t empathize with everyone. That happens every day.”

“Yes, but it makes my blood boil. I hate those kinds of people.”

“Anyway, you can’t help the girl now.”

Paul realized that Olivier was smiling.

“What’s going on? Why are you so happy? Two minutes ago you were angry…”

“Nothing Paul, let’s grab something to eat.”

As usual, Olivier did not pay attention again during the next class after the lunch. He had a brilliant idea in mind. He had been travelling to the past during the last few weeks just for funny. Now, he had a good idea about he wanted to do with his power.

He spent the rest of the day creating a plan: unique and without fissures. He knew exactly when he had to execute it and he even drew a map of the station. He did not want to have any loose ends.

That evening, when they were coming home, he told Paul he had to go to buy some stuff. As soon as Paul went downstairs to take the train, he remained on the lobby and started to walk towards the subway gates. He hid himself behind a column and grabbed the silver object. He activated it and pushed the buttons until the time displayed on the screen was 8:30 AM. He looked at both sides and check that nobody was watching him. He then pressed the button and closed his eyes.

Someone pushed him away and staggered falling down. He stand up as fast as he could, he had no time to waste. At that moment, the subway exchanger was infested by people moving around like lost souls trying to find their path without even realizing if they were colliding with the others. He watched over the horizon, he was a bit nervous but at the same time he kept calm. He was sure about what was going to happen and it gave confidence on himself. He checked the time again. Will he appear? He wanted to think that yes. He had to try it.

And then he saw him. A man who was wearing a leather jacket and denim trousers was passing through the gates of the RER lines towards the subway. He was tall and dark haired. His eyes were brown and he had a way of looking dead. Despite of wearing a bag in his arms, he was moving fast keeping an eye on his back. Olivier had no doubts, he was the thief.

It was time to attack.

He raised his leg at the moment were the man was passing by his side. The thief did not see it and he rush over him falling down onto the ground. The blow was so hard that the bag flied a few meters away from them.

Olivier stayed petrified during a second. His plan had been a success but it was not over yet. He had to finish his work. Without thinking and following his instincts, Olivier jumped on the thief at the moment when he was trying to raise up. He put his knee against the back of his enemy and grabbed his arm as hard as he could. The thief, completely immobilized, started to shout in pain.

“Leave me… please.”

“Shut up, stupid asshole! You’re just scum!”

“As soon as I see your face, I’m gonna break it!”

Olivier did not reply, he just squeezed harder the thief’s arm while he started to yell again. He then realized that a group of people were watching them as if it was a movie or something. Among the crowd, two security agents appeared: they were gasping and surprised.

“But how have you stopped him?” One agent asked him. Then, he moved him away and proceeded to immobilize the subject with handcuffs.

“How do you know so fast he was the thief?” The other questioned him.

Olivier did not answer. He just simply went to recover the bag.

“This belongs to the girl on the platform. I hope you can return it to its owner.” Olivier handed the bag over. “You guys should be careful the next time.”

“What the fuck? Explain us guy! How did you know it? It’s impossible that you saw it downstairs and then you stopped it here.”

“I saw him this morning. That’s all you need to know.”

Olivier started to walk and he got lost among the people.

“Wait young man! You have to tell us who you are!”

The agent went to stop him but he could not. Olivier had been vanished.

As soon as Olivier entered into his room on the residence he was overjoyed. He had made it!

“Can you tell me what’s wrong with you today? This morning you were depressed and now you’re happy. Have you been with a girl or what?”

“No, I haven’t. It’s something much better. Paul, I will never ever thank you enough about all you have done for me.” Paul did not understand a word. “I mean, for the economy homework of course.”

“You’re un idiot! You have only copied it and you are celebrating! Stop being so lazy and work more!”

Olivier smiled to his friend whilst he was grabbing in his pocket that silver object full of power.