Chapter 1
The train hummed along the tracks, the low rumble vibrating through the floor. I stared out the window, watching the grey countryside blur by, my mind wandering in the quiet hum of the journey. The carriage was almost empty, just a few scattered of people here and there, all lost in their own worlds. I slipped my headphones on, letting the sound of the music fill the space around me. As the first chords of a familiar song began to play, I felt something stir deep inside, an unexpected tug at the back of my mind. The melody was old, something I hadn't listened to in years. I leaned back against the seat, the sound wrapping around me, and without warning, I was back in that moment.
It was a winter evening, years ago, at a small party in a corner of the city. The song had played then, too, one of those Christmas song that seemed to be everywhere at the time. I remember feeling out of place, standing in the corner of the hall, the air thick with the warmth of too many crowd and the smell of beer. But as the song began to play, something changed. People started to move, the room seemed to come alive, and I found myself swept up in the moment. I was laughing, dancing with strangers, feeling a freedom I hadn't felt in months.
