the train station

Alexia adjusts the strap of her costume bag over her shoulder as she steps out of her apartment, the morning sun casting a golden glow over the bustling city streets. The crisp air carries the faint scent of coffee from a nearby café, mingling with the distant hum of traffic. She checks her phone—just enough time to grab a latte before catching the train to the convention hall.

Her boots click against the pavement as she weaves through the crowd, the weight of her meticulously packed cosplay pieces shifting with each step. A soft breeze catches a loose strand of her light brown hair, and she tucks it behind her ear, her warm brown eyes scanning the crosswalk ahead.

Alexia’s fingers tighten around the warm paper cup as she takes a sip of her latte, the rich espresso blending with creamy sweetness on her tongue. The café’s bustling energy fades behind her as she turns the corner, the train station’s glass-and-steel facade glinting ahead. Her boots tap a steady rhythm on the pavement, the sound mingling with the distant chime of departure announcements drifting through the open doors.

A gust of wind tugs playfully at the hem of her jacket as she steps beneath the station’s arched entrance, the scent of polished floors and hurried travelers wrapping around her. She glances at the overhead display—her train glows in bold letters, boarding in four minutes.

Alexia quickens her pace, her fingers curling tighter around the latte cup as the warmth seeps into her skin. The station hums with energy—chattering voices, rolling suitcases, the distant screech of train brakes. She weaves past a group of tourists clustered around a map, their laughter blending with the rhythmic clatter of heels on tile.

Alexia’s breath comes a little faster as she reaches the platform, the train doors sliding open with a soft hiss. The scent of warm metal and faint ozone fills the air as passengers spill out in a hurried stream. She steps aside, pressing her latte to her chest to avoid jostling, the heat of it seeping through her thin jacket. The crowd thins just enough for her to slip through, her boots meeting the textured floor of the train car with a muffled thud.

Inside, the hum of conversation and the rustle of bags settling fills the space. She grips the overhead rail as the doors seal shut behind her, the sudden silence broken only by the muffled chime of the departure signal.

Alexia glances at her phone, checking the time - She has 24 minutes of travel time to the convention hall.