Grandpa

A dark figure appeared in my peripheral vision, the footsteps stopped when I did. Then started up when I resumed walking. A scraping sound went along with what sounded like a cane and whoever was using it tried to subdue its noise.

I quicken my step, trying to reach the subway and get on a train before whoever it was caught up to me. Reaching the last car before it left the station, I jumped on, looking around to see if I could get a glimpse of the people who were behind me. Several, two women and three men arrived, getting on just before the doors closed.

An elderly person who carried a cane sat three rows from me. Another dark man in an overcoat had sat down before I had a chance to look if he was carrying anything in his hands. Watching him from the corner of my eye, he paid no attention to me or anyone else,  just sat looking out the window. The old man sat talking to a woman beside him. He reminded me of a grandpa.

Maybe I just had let my imagination run wild and nobody had been following me after all. I settled down reading my book as my stop was last on the route. When I looked up only a few passengers were left, dark man and grandpa and one woman. Dark man got off at the next stop, leaving the remaining three of us. He had a walking stick.

As the train neared my station grandpa smiled over as the last woman got off the stop before mine. A slight chill ran through me, shaking off the feeling I ignored him, got up, and moved closer to the exit door. When the train stopped I would jump up, surprise would be on my side and run for the stairs and would be gone when he emerged. He got up moving closer to the door as the train stopped. I was through the doors as they opened.

Taking the stairs two at a time, I looked up to see the dark man coming down towards me, how had he gotten to this station so quickly?  I only hesitated a second and turned to run back down the stairs, tripping as I reached the landing. The old man was starting up the stairs towards me and caught me before I fell. The shadowy figure appeared on the stairs coming towards us. I had nowhere to go as his walking stick came down and hit the old man across the knees, losing his balance he fell backwards towards the platform missing going over onto the track by inches. I bent to help him when I felt a hand grab my neck and pull me away.

Dark guy was sneering, his teeth showing a yellow tinge. His sinister brown eyes boring into my face sent shivers up my whole body. He started to drag me into an alcove, pulling at my coat as I struggled to get free. No one was around to hear my screams and this man was going to rape or kill me. 
As he turned at a sound behind us, I was able to kick him hard in his groin he bent over from surprise as grandpa came up and smashed his cane into the mans face. He was in frenzy now coming at us slashing his stick wildly. Moving us closer to the platform, I could hear a train coming. Hoping someone would come and help us from this maniac.

He grabbed hold of the old man's jacket. I grabbed the cane and hit him over the head and heard a loud cracking sound like I had broken a bone, he staggered losing his balance as I lunged towards him pushing him onto the track as the train came screeching into the station.

He would not be bothering anyone again as he lay dead under the train.

Grandpa picked up his cane, checked it for damage, turned towards me telling me he had to go now as his dinner would be waiting. He shuffled away. 


As passengers got out of the train to stare at the mangled body I melted into the crowd and went home.