Read The Screaming (Book 1): Dead City for Free Online Page A

His mind wandered to thoughts of being huddled up next to an old drunk, wrapped in a cardboard box under a flyover, with people stepping over him on the way to a West End show.
     
    “Ladies and Gentlemen, we will shortly be arriving at London Kings Cross, where this service will terminate. Please ensure you take all of your belongings with you. Thank you for travelling on East Coast Trains.” The familiar announcer bellowed.
     
                  The train started to slow once again and drifted along the track at a steady pace for a frustratingly long time. It seemed to be taking forever to get to the station. Zac looked out of the window at houses backing onto the railway. Windows onto normal people going about their business, many sat watching television, glued to the screen. He passed a large detached house with a big balcony and a set of double doors. Inside a middle aged couple were hurriedly throwing clothes into a set of posh leather suitcases. Further on a man was running to his car, bags hanging from his arms, clutching a small child, his wife stood at the car crying.
                  Zac looked back into the carriage, earphones had stood up and moved to the door, his head still bobbing like a toy dog in a car. The woman was looking into the aisle, clinging to her suitcase. Like she was trying to time her dash to the door to the second. The houses suddenly disappeared as the train was sucked into a black tunnel before emerging the other side with platform rising to the right hand side. Zac stood up, adjusted his jeans, and placed his phone in his pocket. He reached across the seat and grabbed his tatty looking black backpack, and slung it over his right shoulder, before striding towards the doors.
                  Earphones was nauseatingly pressing the “Door Open” button again and again, knowing full well it wouldn’t open until the train had stopped. The train eventually creaked to a halt with a large hiss of the brakes. The doors flung open and earphones was gone, pacing up the platform towards the station. Zac looked back to see the old woman sat on the edge of her seat, looking back at him, as if she was nervously waiting for him to get off before she made a move. Zac tutted under his breath, somewhat insulted by her apprehension, before stepping off of the train.
                  Zac braced himself for the cold but was embraced by a surprisingly warm breeze as he stomped off up the platform. Earphones arrogantly swaggered on ahead towards the gates that lead to the station concourse at the end of the platform. The gates were flooded by a large group of passengers who appeared to be jostling for position at the gate onto the platform. As he got closer, the assembly of passengers came into focus. A Station guard was pressed against the gate by the swarm, only noticeable due to his distinctive blue tunic and peaked cap.
                  The noise of the train faded and the flurry of activity ahead came into focus as the surge of vocal commotion resonated down the platform as Zac moved ever closer to the gates. People lined the barrier, a large man was shouting at the guard and angrily gesturing at the train, whilst a small girl clung to his leg. Her face buried into his thigh. People barged and shoved one another as they tried to better their position in front of the gate. A woman clung to a baby while her husband juggled a selection of suitcases.
                  Zac glanced off to his right to see a similar scene building at a neighbouring platform, which also had an empty train along it. Both groups appeared to be rapidly growing as more and more people ran to join the back of the huddled multitudes.
     
    “What the hell is going on?”
     
                  Earphones’ awkward stride came to a halt as he reached the gates which remained closed with the guard wedged against it. Zac skimmed over the faces of the people herded at