Riders of the Tube
A series of extracts from L.E.Ogilvie’s debut novel ‘Riders of the Tube: An underground movement’
“Diego grinned. ‘But of course Santo — why do you think we call them trains?’ With a quick conspiratorial wink, he was off, swinging wildly onto the carriage. The doors shut behind him quickly. The tube pulled away, leaving Santo alone on the platform, the breeze his only fleeting companion. Soon that too was gone. ”
“Her pale breasts poured out of her tight red leather jacket, like luxurious rich cream onto a punnet of ruby strawberries. Santo swallowed, half in fear, half in confusion. His eyes, two round saucers, followed her powerful nubile limbs as they traced their way around the carriage. She came to an empty seat, further down, and stood tensely in front of it, as if appraising it’s coarse blueness, before spinning round to take a precarious seat. Santo crept towards her, his own path a jagged shadow of her own journey. He soon found himself at her side. ‘…mother?’, he stammered, inelegantly.”
“‘This is my carriage, boy’, snarled Balthazar, his gnarled liver-spotted hand curling itself into a point. He shook with rage, spit flying from his thin purple gums. Santo stood firm. He wouldn’t let himself be pushed around anymore. ‘No’, he said, calmly. ‘I ride the tube now. Not you. Not you.’ The elderly wizard curled back his lip in disgust, and let out a long slow growl, his greasy wattle vibrating with quiet anger. He lowered his hand. ‘Very well’, he muttered. ‘If that’s how it must be…’. Balthazar began to turn back towards his seat at the end of the carriage. There was something unsettling about his movements that assured Santo the war was not yet won. However, it was enough for now. He too started back towards the others, turning his back on the wizard for just a second. His mistake — within a flash he felt the hot sharp sting of a magic spell tear into his exposed back, and a cry of triumph. Santo fell to the floor, consciousness leaving his body. Maybe he wasn’t ready for rush hour on the Northern line.”
