Tunnel Trains

Charles looked at the dark reflection of himself in the subway car's window as it sped through the grimy subterranean tunnels. After a long, tiring day, he just wanted to be at home with a cup of tea and the new mystery novel he had just purchased. In the dim distance, he could see the other subway train flash silver on its way in the opposite direction.

For a moment, he thought about the passengers on that train; on their way home to their varied lives. How different were theirs from his life; more exciting; less interesting; not that much different?

Another train flashed in the tunnel across the void and the noticed it was not travelling in the opposite direct as the one he rode, but in tandem with it.

Leaning in closer, Charles tried to get a better look as the two trains ran parallel to each other. He could see the other passengers in the brightly lit windows, sitting and standing just as the ones in his cart; equally unaware of each other's presence, save for one figure pressed up against the window's glass trying to get a better look.

Charles could see the other figure was wearing a similar suit to his own except the other gentleman wore a fine, grey fedora. A strange compulsion enacted Charles to wave to his fellow rider and at the same time, the other gentleman waved his greeting back.

Both of them were taken aback at the sight of each other's waving. Charles cocked his head in disbelief, for he could have sworn that the other rider had waved with a red and white fur-covered paw.

Putting his hands up against the window to cut out the glare of the lights, Charles squinted and tried in earnest to make out what his companion commuter really looked like.

However, the trains started to move further away from each other in the tunnels and as it passed out of sight into another passageway, he told himself he must have imagined what he thought he had seen.

It was impossible that there had been a well-suited fox riding a subway train full of other animals dressed like people on their way home from work.

Sitting back down in his seat, Mr Renard shook his head and scratched at his furry ear with his clawed paw, then readjusted his fedora so it wasn't pushed so far back.

No, thought the handsome little fox, he could not have seen a train full of humans, clothed and acting like civilized animals; must have been a trick of the shadows.

Trying to put the bizarre image out of his head, Mr Renard thought of which type of tea he would enjoy when he finally arrive home to his den.