Chapter 1
I woke up, and my watch, of course, had decided to take a day off, draining the last bits of battery that were somehow keeping that piece of junk alive. It was so hot in the room that I was just waiting for halflings to run in with the Ring, yelling: “This is for you, wizard!“.
I went to the kitchen. Literal, hot lava poured from the tap. I poured some into the kettle to feel an even bigger thrill, and after boiling away all the bacteria, I made myself a coffee. A coffee so black that it could wake me up, at least for a moment. I drank it, then got dressed in a hurry because I was already late anyway—my train was in an hour.
At the station, people were literally melting in their own juices. For a moment, I thought about buying some water, but it was too late. I heard the announcement that the train was pulling into the station. I got on. I had seat 88, but I hadn’t read which car it was in. So I started my trek, feeling like steamed meat. By some miracle, I found my compartment. Running on fumes, I collapsed onto the seat, literally spilling my body across it. I felt like I was drowning in unimaginable agony.
I decided to take a walk, go to the bathroom, and wash my face, but the faucet was broken—it just spat out a thick, hollow plop of dryness. I returned to my seat.
She was sitting opposite me. I looked at her... or rather, at that drop of sweat that was practically calling me closer. I wiped my mouth. I felt my insides going crazy with thirst. For a fraction of a second, I watched as the drop traced its path until it finally disappeared behind her cleavage. The girl was doing a crossword puzzle, but she noticed me staring at her. She blushed slightly, unaware that in that moment, I wasn’t looking at her, but at what was dripping down her. I cursed myself for forgetting water and not being able to quench my thirst right now.
I looked at her again. Her green eyes locked onto me when she noticed me. She smiled.
– “Oh, I see you’re doing a crossword,” I threw out. The most idiotic line I could come up with, but I had to say something. – “Yes, because I forgot my book.” – “Well, I forgot my water today.” – “Ooo, that must be tough for you.” – “Let’s just say I could easily empty an ocean, and I still have a long journey ahead of me.”
Her cleavage was glistening with sweat. I must have been going crazy, but I wanted to grab her and drink all the water she had from her. Unfortunately, the station where she was supposed to get off was approaching.
– “A long journey ahead of us,” she added. – “Yes, that’s true. A long one,” I replied, trying to focus on something else.
But she was provoking me with her presence. She was like an open fire hydrant that I couldn’t drink from. I feigned clumsiness while standing up and intentionally touched her. Her sticky body was completely wet. Just like Poseidon’s lover.
– “Oh, I’m so sorry.”
I felt myself getting hot inside, but I stood up anyway. She looked at me and asked if I could help her with something. My eyebrow went up. She stood up too and took my hand. I felt like a teenager being whisked away into the unknown by an older girl. The train rolled on steadily, in rhythm with our hearts, as we ran between the cars.
We reached another bathroom—the only one that might still have water.
– “Can you turn the tap on?” she asked.
I played the tough macho guy for her. I braced myself, turned the valve, and unexpectedly, cold, longed-for water flowed from the tap. I couldn’t believe it. Me, her, cold water, and a cramped bathroom. What could happen here? Suddenly, she looked deep into my eyes... and splashed water right in my face. And I returned the favor. Our clothes were instantly soaked, and the squeals and screams we let out echoed far down the train. Laughter accompanied us the whole time.
Suddenly, I touched her, pulled her close, and we looked into each other’s eyes once more. I wanted this moment to last forever. Our wet, though still clothed, bodies intertwined, and finally, I kissed her, feeling the refreshing chill of her lips.
Then the train stopped abruptly, and our railcar romance came to an end. She quickly ran to the compartment, grabbed her things, and pressed a piece of paper into my hand. As the train started moving, I waved to her. Even though in that moment I wanted to stay with her, she just walked away on her onward journey in her soaked dress. When I unfolded the note, I saw a short message:
“It was wonderful. But remember to stay hydrated.”
