OOM: Making Tracks
He wakes up in a haze, with leaden eyelids that stubbornly refuse to open. The gentle clickety-clack of the train car urges him back to sleep as it travels along the rails. He knows he can't, and he shakes himself instead. Distantly, he notices a coppery taste drifting into his mouth as he licks dry, cracked lips.
Put me on a train, mama
This place just ain’t the same no more
Put me on a train, mama
I’m leavin’ today
Wait. A coppery taste? That's gotta be...
"Blood," Barney mutters to himself. Spitting it out disgustedly, he traces shaking fingers up his face until he finds the wound--it's the one from a day earlier. The bandage and scab are both gone, leaving it gaping and sore. His forehead aches when he presses it, and Barney realizes the dull thudding that's starting to make itself known is actually inside his head rather than outside. Great.
I don’t wanna watch the world spinnin’
I wanna be spinnin’ with it
Put me on a train, mama
I’m leavin’ today
The train's gone quiet during the time it took to have these startling revelations, and all sense of movement has vanished. His gun... where's his gun? Something doesn't smell right here; he forces his eyes to slide open slowly so he can see what's up. The first thing he sees is the blood splattered on the fractured window above him. Next comes the fact that he's on the floor, on his back.
’Cause I got the feeling that’s for sure
And to know that I can get it makes me want it more
Mama, I just want you to know that I’m gonna be fine
He groans, his bones protesting as he props himself up, and reaches out a hand to grope along the edge of the seat next to him. Nope, still no pulse rifle. Dammit, where is that thing, there's no time...
Lord, I know it’s the chance that I take
But I know you’ll forgiven the mistakes that I make
There’s a life out there and it’s gonna be mine
Footsteps. Coming down from the car in front of him. Shit, shit, shit... There's the gun, he sees it in a flash of green light, it's a few rows ahead of him, if he could only reach...
Put me on a train, mama
Cause I can’t take this pain no more
Put me on a train, mama
I’m leavin’ today
"Mr. Calhoun?" a worried female voice calls through the door. "Mr. Calhoun, are you alright in there? We kinda hit a bump after the Citadel went nova, and then the engine cut out... we heard a noise back here, and Frankie sent me out."
God knows how long I’ll be gone
But maybe one day a train will bring me home
"Well, thank God, " Barney sighs, leaning against a support beam to catch his breath. "I'd say I've never been more relieved in my life, but life seems intent on proving me wrong. I'm fine, just a little--"
There's another flash of light, and it gives the rebel just enough chance to catch a glimpse of him.
"Oh, dammit, you hit your head--here, hold on a minute, and I'll get you some bug juice, Mr. Calhoun."
"Now, Mary," he protests, holding a hand up to stop her. "Really, I mean, we can't go around wasting that stuff, and head wounds always bleed--"
Mary, however, is not hearing any of it. "CLARENCE!! Mr. Calhoun's injured, and you better get your ass in here, or so help me--"
"Alright, alright," the mild-mannered medic calls back, running down to help out.
Barney, for his part, can't help but smile a little, even if it brings a wince too. Maybe they'll be okay after all. It's kids like this that give him hope. Hope that maybe, just maybe, they can bring back the world.
Put me on a train, mama
Put me on a train, mama
Oh, put me on a train, mama
I’m leavin’ today
’Cause I got the feeling that’s for sure
And to know that I can get it makes me want it more
Mama, I just want you to know that I’m gonna be fine
Lord, I know it’s the chance that I take
But I know you’ve forgiven the mistakes that I’ve made
There’s a life out there and it’s gonna be mine
Put me on a train, mama
This place just ain’t the same no more
Put me on a train, mama
I’m leavin’ today
Wait. A coppery taste? That's gotta be...
"Blood," Barney mutters to himself. Spitting it out disgustedly, he traces shaking fingers up his face until he finds the wound--it's the one from a day earlier. The bandage and scab are both gone, leaving it gaping and sore. His forehead aches when he presses it, and Barney realizes the dull thudding that's starting to make itself known is actually inside his head rather than outside. Great.
I don’t wanna watch the world spinnin’
I wanna be spinnin’ with it
Put me on a train, mama
I’m leavin’ today
The train's gone quiet during the time it took to have these startling revelations, and all sense of movement has vanished. His gun... where's his gun? Something doesn't smell right here; he forces his eyes to slide open slowly so he can see what's up. The first thing he sees is the blood splattered on the fractured window above him. Next comes the fact that he's on the floor, on his back.
’Cause I got the feeling that’s for sure
And to know that I can get it makes me want it more
Mama, I just want you to know that I’m gonna be fine
He groans, his bones protesting as he props himself up, and reaches out a hand to grope along the edge of the seat next to him. Nope, still no pulse rifle. Dammit, where is that thing, there's no time...
Lord, I know it’s the chance that I take
But I know you’ll forgiven the mistakes that I make
There’s a life out there and it’s gonna be mine
Footsteps. Coming down from the car in front of him. Shit, shit, shit... There's the gun, he sees it in a flash of green light, it's a few rows ahead of him, if he could only reach...
Put me on a train, mama
Cause I can’t take this pain no more
Put me on a train, mama
I’m leavin’ today
"Mr. Calhoun?" a worried female voice calls through the door. "Mr. Calhoun, are you alright in there? We kinda hit a bump after the Citadel went nova, and then the engine cut out... we heard a noise back here, and Frankie sent me out."
God knows how long I’ll be gone
But maybe one day a train will bring me home
"Well, thank God, " Barney sighs, leaning against a support beam to catch his breath. "I'd say I've never been more relieved in my life, but life seems intent on proving me wrong. I'm fine, just a little--"
There's another flash of light, and it gives the rebel just enough chance to catch a glimpse of him.
"Oh, dammit, you hit your head--here, hold on a minute, and I'll get you some bug juice, Mr. Calhoun."
"Now, Mary," he protests, holding a hand up to stop her. "Really, I mean, we can't go around wasting that stuff, and head wounds always bleed--"
Mary, however, is not hearing any of it. "CLARENCE!! Mr. Calhoun's injured, and you better get your ass in here, or so help me--"
"Alright, alright," the mild-mannered medic calls back, running down to help out.
Barney, for his part, can't help but smile a little, even if it brings a wince too. Maybe they'll be okay after all. It's kids like this that give him hope. Hope that maybe, just maybe, they can bring back the world.
Put me on a train, mama
Put me on a train, mama
Oh, put me on a train, mama
I’m leavin’ today
’Cause I got the feeling that’s for sure
And to know that I can get it makes me want it more
Mama, I just want you to know that I’m gonna be fine
Lord, I know it’s the chance that I take
But I know you’ve forgiven the mistakes that I’ve made
There’s a life out there and it’s gonna be mine