Once upon a life

I do not know how I got here, same old story, you wake up one day and you are a completely different person in a different life than the one before. Blank spaces in your memory, mouth tasting like scotch and blood, every thought as blurry as the one before, everything is a mess in your head except for a thing; someone is going to die and if you don't prevent this, more people will die. Should I even care? Honestly, I wouldn't, but I am stuck in something bigger than me. Every murder I stop gives me a new hint on what is happening to me. What a messed up riddle...   It all started 2 years ago, I used to be a police officer at NYPD living through the days with pretty much no surprises, bad guys committing crimes and the good guys chasing after them. Trying to do the right thing (commonly failing at it) and trying to make a living out of it, making sure I live long enough to get the next paycheck for my cat's food and the rest of it for fast food and booze. I wanted to be a cop since I was a kid, dreaming to be as close as I could to the superheroes in the comics I used to read. I guess that was what got me thrilled about this case; a robbery in a museum, an old Egyptian scale, the ancient symbol of justice and fairness, I read somewhere that they used to think that when you die, your heart is measured against the weight of a feather and if it was heavier than it because of your sins, you would be doomed forever (which doesn't seem that bad anymore).   My partner and I tracked down the criminals to a warehouse at the docks, seemed like a not too dangerous job. They weren't there, it was a matter of securing the Egyptian scale and wait for them for the catch. Well, that's where it got twisted. As I reached and grabbed the scale I heard a gun c*****g and when I turned I saw my partner aiming at my forehead.   “Larry... Is this about your ex-wife? I thought you were cool with it, it was just a one-night thing and you were almost through the divorce”.   I saw beads of sweat on his forehead while, with trembling voice he said:   “It ain't about Laurie bro, you goddamn had to push for this case right? You don't get it, with the money I'm getting for this, I can secure a future for my daughter that I can't even dream about as a damn cop”. He was teary as he kept talking “You are a good friend man, even if you are a terrible cop, but I gotta do what's best for her”.   "She needs a father and she won't have it if he is a wanted criminal!"   Yeah... That might have convinced him if he wouldn't have shot me before I open my mouth...   My head settles down as minutes go by, today I'm Adrian Sanders and I have no idea where the hell I am. I look around and only see green, countryside and a house on top of a hill. s**t, I hate the hangover after the transition. They said that I would have all the information that I need to prevent the death of an innocent, but they never said that it would feel like a damn train crashing in my brain and I don't even know what "they" actually are!   The only thing worst than the hangover is when memory kicks in and I remember this life I never lived and why I'm here.   I know that I am somewhere in London and I know that at 3:45 tomorrow a woman is going to be killed at the train station. I went to the train station right away, trying to forget how much I hate London and the bad memories the train station gives me. I know that here is where my wife… ex-wife passed away 2 years ago because of some terrorists trying to make a public statement. Some extremists thinking that taking the life of 54 people, men, women, and children would get across a message from God, whatever god they believed in.   As I arrived at the station I noticed that everything was back to normal, as if nothing had ever happened here, it is incredible how the British were able to rebuild so fast and act as relax and careless as ever.   I looked at the big board that showed the schedules for the week. There was a trip scheduled to leave the station to Salisbury at 3:40, so, either she would die at the line to board it or inside the train. Even if that narrows it down it still leaves a big gap, it seemed impossible to be in both places at the same time unless…   “One ticket to Salisbury at 3:40 tomorrow, if you are so kind”.   The old woman looked terribly bored about her job that didn't even look at me as she printed the ticket and put her hand in front of me to receive the money. Suddenly I realized that I didn't even know if I had any money so I reached for my wallet and I was lucky enough to find fifty pounds that, after paying for the ticket became just enough for a cheap meal and hopefully, a drink.   I wondered about the station for the rest of the day trying to get familiar with it, every single corner, corridor, and bench. I knew that the only way I was going to ever make this go right and, hopefully, survive the next day was to know the station as the palm of my hand, which was quite ironic considering that the day before this wasn't even my hand.   I went back to the streets to find something to eat. The only thing I really enjoyed about this place was a good plate of fish and chips, unfortunately, with the money I had left the only thing I was able to afford was a crappy plate and the cheapest bottle of scotch England was able to provide me. Damn gods of the death, they have the power to bring me back from the dead in a new body, knowing enough to save some strangers life as part of a deal to save my soul but they cannot even give me enough cash to not live like a hobo.   Roaming the alleys at night I found a bunch of bums gathered around a burning trash can. Trying to look the least menacing or suspicious as I could I approached them to relieve myself from the crippling cold of this place. One of the bums looked at me as if he was trying to determine if I was a policeman, a junkie or if I was going to try to steal the little bottle of alcohol he had under his arm. He must have felt that I did not suppose a threat to him as he offered me a sip of his bottle and said:   "Good thing of being drunk is not feeling the cold, don't ya think, mate?" He must have been around his fifties, long white beard and somehow he managed to remain considerably fat after what, according to his shabby looks and the scars on his fingers, must have been at least a few years of living in the streets.   "Best part of it I guess," I said as I accepted the drink and in return, I offered some of the scotch I got. "You must be the Santa Claus of these streets, aren't you pal?" He laughed, shaking his prominent belly, only reaffirmed my idea that, in fact, he looked like a derelict version of Santa Claus and said:   "Not to make any judgment on ya, but if that is the case, mate, I am the Santa Claus of the naughty boys".   We both laughed as we kept drinking. I don't remember having such a good time in London ever, and to think that it was in the middle of mud and s**t, next to a living representation of a hobo holiday character, but I did. He even agreed to exchange what was left of my bottle for half a pack of smokes and a piece of cardboard to sleep on. He sat down on a corner drinking and singing something about God saving the queen and I laid down over my piece of cardboard as close to the fire as I could without the risk of catching on fire "It would be terrible to die and not knowing what would be of my soul” I thought to myself sarcastically as I reached the fire to light my cigarette and as I saw the smoke dancing in the air over my head and felt the cheap nicotine invading my lungs I wondered how was this woman going to die tomorrow, why I ended up in the middle of this messed up deal with entities I really could not understand and trying to figure out if eternal damnation was really worst that a lifetime doing this. I realized that the memories of my life were starting to get blurry and some details were foggy. I shivered after the thought of being losing my life “your previous life, to be precise”  I corrected myself as I used the last of my cigarette to light the next one.   After what must have been one of the worst nights of sleep I have ever had, I woke up, sore and disoriented. It took me a few minutes to remember who and where I was and I noticed that hobo Santa Claus had left but he left half of a sandwich next to me. I had to scare off a rat that was trying to steal the last present that was given to this naughty boy and after having it all in 2 bites, I went back to the train station, where at least I could use a proper bathroom and abuse the public drinkers to fight off the hangover that I started to feel preying on me.   It was still too early for my task so wondered about it again, making time and trying really hard not to look like a vagabond that was trying to sneak into the train. Washing myself in the bathrooms of the station was not as bad as it was to rummage through the trash cans looking for a disposable shaving rake. After three of four trash cans, I found one and shaved as well as I could with the given conditions and walked back only to find that it was already 3:30 and a line was starting to form to board the train. I sat down on a bench right next to the line where I would be able to see every single person that was going to board the train of death.   With every tick of the clock, it became harder and harder to remain sitting down, a few different women were already in the line as well as some men and an old couple with what I would guess was their grandson when suddenly the smell of perfume brought me on my feet as it was terribly familiar although I wasn't able to get a hold of the memory that scent belonged to.   With short blonde hair, simple but stylish dress, and nothing but a purse there she was, the answer to my questions, and suddenly I understood everything, why I was there and why it was worthy to make a deal with forces I couldn't understand. The woman I was meant to save was not other than my sweet beloved Nora, the only woman I ever truly loved. I walked towards her as hypnotized as I was with her sight. The moment she looked at me I felt a storm of emotions tied in a knot in my throat and the knot got even tighter when she realized I was looking at her and with a face of disgust, she looked away. That's when I realized that she wouldn't recognize me no matter what I said or do, so I looked away. I looked at the sky and thanked the gods for this opportunity.   Things were crystal clear now. She was going to board that train and within a few minutes, a couple of extremists would detonate the bombs under their clothes, killing the love of my life as well as many others.   Without thinking I started yelling:   "Bomb! Bomb! There is a bomb on the train! Everybody stop! There is a bomb!"   Terror spread like fire and for a moment I thought that it would be enough to stop the boarding but immediately I realized I was wrong as two security guards knocked me down as the boarding started. I hobo wouldn’t be reliable enough. I should have know…   I watched in horror how Nora boarded the train and I knew I had to do something, I couldn’t lose her again, not when I was blessed (now I knew it was a blessing) with the opportunity to make things right for her.   I managed to get ahold of the gun on one of the guards and shot him in the leg. The gunshot was enough to bring attention towards me. The second guard got up and pointed at me with his gun. I could see the fear in his eyes and that was enough for me. There is no time to think anymore. I shot him in the shoulder and ran towards the train, no one would get in the way of a crazy bum with a gun.   As soon as I got on the train I ran calling for Nora, I had to find her and save her.   “Who are you? What do you want from me!?” she screamed in fear. It was breaking my heart to see her afraid of me but I had no time for feelings.   “Shut up! I’m trying to save you!” I yelled and pointed at her with the gun. “Get off this damned train now!” I grabbed her by the arm, dragged her all the way to the door, and pushed her out.   For a brief moment, I felt relief, knowing that she was going to survive. That sensation was however interrupted by a jerk of the train that could only mean that despite all the commotion going on, the train had departed. I was stuck in a train that was meant to explode. I was happy to accept that fate until I saw a woman with her baby. She was terrified and the baby was crying. I couldn't let such an innocent creature die for somebody else's madness so, I held tight the grip of the gun and started walking.   There was no need for waiting as a burst of shots were fired on both sides of the aisle and the one closest to me started giving a hate speech that got interrupted by a gunshot I fired to the other one. One clean shot to the head, one less extremist to be worried about. I turned over to tackle the only one that was left.   I was able to knock the detonator off of his hand and was able to make him let go of his gun, but he punched back, a really big fist knocked me over. I could feel something in my jaw cracked but it didn’t matter. All that mattered was to catch him. He ran to the emergency exit that connected each Section of the train and stepped out. I followed him as he went to the top of the train and he saw me aiming at him. He raised his hands but I knew I couldn't trust him so I pulled the trigger only to realize that it was out of ammo. He smirked and ran towards me as the train reached a bridge with nothing but a river under it. I threw a punch that managed to miss and he punched me again. I fell down bleeding and disoriented. He stood in front of me laughing as I was trying to pull myself together just enough to understand what happened but, I didn't have enough time to do so as he was pulling a knife from his vest and I could feel his homicidal intentions.   I did the only thing I could think of. As he walked towards me I tripped him. It could have gone better. He fell on top of me and his knife went smoothly on my shoulder as if it was made out of butter. The staggering pain was unbelievable, only surpassed by the feeling of weightlessness as we rolled and fell from the train.   There was at least a couple of good hundreds of meters between the bridge and the river. I knew I had made it. The train vanished and I didn't even mind the sharp metal in my flesh or the fact that the fall was eventually going to end. Nora was alive as well as everyone on the train, for a moment, the most beautiful moment I ever had, I felt peace. I wouldn't mind being dead after this and with a loud bang, I found myself on the couch of a neat, good-looking office.   "Well, that is one thing to check off from the list isn't it?" said the man in front of me, except that I knew it was no man but the entity, the god I made a deal with.   “I hope you learned something from this. No need to tell me about it. In fact, you have much more to learn before this trip is over, you did die after that fall and you came back. Let's give it another shot as you still have quite some people to save and… Off you go".   Without a chance to reply I felt myself falling again after the only words I had a chance to pronounce:   “Oh s**t…”