- 18 hours ago
The Death Express | Full 21 Eps SD Drama 2026
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Short filmTranscript
00:00We encountered a rare avalanche during the journey. The entire train carriage became a living hell. People fought savagely over
00:06food and water. My own sister even betrayed me for a sandwich, pushing me and our parents to our deaths.
00:13I died in that white hell, but now, I'm back. I quickly stockpiled food and gathered water. When the avalanche
00:20from my memories struck again, I locked the door and protected mom and dad. This time, let them fend for
00:26themselves.
00:26My lungs were burning not from fire, but from the sub-zero Colorado air that turned every breath into shards
00:32of glass. Through the frost-covered window of the stalled Amtrak, I saw them. My parents, stumbling, freezing, their calloused
00:40hands pressed hopelessly against the reinforced glass as the blizzard swallowed them whole. And there was Chloe. My cousin. The
00:47TikTok darling we'd kindly brought along on this mountain trip, she was clutching a half-eaten ham sandwich like it
00:53was a goddamn trophy. Her face twisted in that fake.
00:56Pitying pouch she used for her followers. Sorry, Leo. Resources are tight. Survival of the fittest, right?
01:06I died in the whiteout. A frozen statue of rage. Staring at the headlights of a rescue chopper that arrived
01:12exactly 10 minutes too late.
01:17The static hiss of the intercom snapped me back. My eyes flew open.
01:22Attention passengers. The Glacier Pass Express is moving. Please remain seated and keep all aisles clear for your safety.
01:28The suffocating cold was gone. Instead, I felt the gentle vibration of the train and the scent of stale cabin
01:34air and overpriced coffee.
01:36Leo? You okay, honey? You're shaking like a leaf.
01:40A wave of pure, cold fury washed over me. I wasn't dead. I was back. And this time, nobody was
01:47getting a goddamn crumb of my bread.
01:52Leo! You're the strongest one here! For the sake of everyone's survival, you have to go out there and find
01:58us a way out!
01:59Before I could even process her betrayal, Chloe nodded at the thugs behind her.
02:04Three pairs of rough hands grabbed me, hauling me toward the exit.
02:07In one swift, brutal motion, I was shoved out of the train door, plunging face first into the freezing, waist
02:14-deep Colorado snow.
02:16The brutal reality finally clicked. Hot, bitter tears of regret welled up, freezing instantly against my burning skin.
02:24The snow was already above my knees. There was no way out. It was a goddamn death sentence, and she
02:30knew it.
02:30I dragged myself along the buried tracks for what felt like hours, my limbs turning to lead under the weight
02:36of the blizzard.
02:37Just as my vision faded and the snow claimed my body, I heard a faint sound in the distance, the
02:42muffled sirens and shouts of a search and rescue team.
02:45I tried to scream. Tried to lift a single finger. But my body refused. My hand dropped uselessly into the
02:52white grave.
02:55No time to waste. I lunged out of my seat and grabbed a passing train attendant by the arm.
03:01Excuse me, what's our next stop?
03:03She gave me a polite, professional smile and named the mountain station.
03:07My stomach bottomed out. In my past life, this was the exact stretch where the train got trapped.
03:12A massive tremor-induced avalanche had sent boulders crashing onto the tracks ahead, severing our only line of escape.
03:18I had missed the last safe stop. We were trapped.
03:25Leo? Sweetie, what's wrong? Did you have a nightmare?
03:28My dad looked up from his phone. His brow furrowed with worry, holding her warm, dry hand.
03:34A lump formed in my throat, and tears threatened to spill. They were still here. They were alive.
03:46I locked the cramped bathroom door behind me. I pulled out my phone and checked the time.
03:5211.15am. Less than an hour before the impact, I needed a plan.
03:57I was going to keep my parents and myself alive this time, no matter what it fucking took.
04:04Food. That was the priority.
04:06This Amtrak route through the Rockies didn't have a full dining car, only a small bistro counter.
04:11That meant whatever was on board was all we had. Once it was gone, it was gone.
04:15In my past life, the first five days were civil. People shared their snacks.
04:20And the staff tried to keep everyone calm. But after a week, civilization fell apart.
04:25It turned into Lord of the Flies inside a steel coffin. People beat each other bloody over a granola bar.
04:32My parents and I were easy targets, the weak ones to be easy prey.
04:38Hot bistro meals? Anyone need lunch?
04:41I'll take 12 binko meals.
04:4312? That's a lot for one guy.
04:44Big family. We're starving.
04:46In my memory, on the first night after the crash, everyone thought it was just a temporary delay.
04:51The meals were still handed out. And at that point, they were free for first class.
04:55If my parents split one and a half meals, and I did the same, three meals would cover one sitting.
05:01Two meals a day meant we'd be safe for at least three days.
05:04Wait here a sec.
05:07A person can survive 10 days without food.
05:10But hunger combined with the Colorado frost?
05:13Nighttime temps would drop to 50 below zero.
05:16One meal could be the difference between life and a frozen grave.
05:19I wasn't trying to hoard. I just wanted to survive.
05:25Leo? What are you doing with your pants?
05:28The seat cushion is total shit. My back is killing me. I'm using them for padding.
05:33I hurried back to the vestibule, packed the 12 meals into the bag,
05:37and wrapped them tight with the denim to mask the scent.
05:39I slid the bag deep under my seat, hidden in the shadows.
05:43The cabin was already thick with the smell of other people's lunches.
05:46No one noticed the smell.
05:47A few minutes later, the attendant came by again for the general topic.
05:51I'm actually pretty hungry. Should we grab some lunch?
05:53We're not that hungry, honey. You and Chloe eat.
05:56Yeah, Leo, I'm starving. Let's eat.
05:58We're on vacation. Stop worrying about the bill.
06:01You need energy to enjoy the mountains.
06:04Leo's right.
06:04They were always like this supportive, kind, standing behind me as my safe harbor, no matter what.
06:10Using the excuse of grabbing some snacks, I went back to the bistro and bought five bags of beef jerky,
06:17three cups of instant ramen, and two self-heating Amari-style packs.
06:21I glanced at Chloe, who was happily scrolling through her feed while chewing.
06:25I made a silent vow.
06:26I was going to make sure my parents walked off this train alive.
06:3230 minutes until the world ended.
06:35I grabbed my dad's two-liter Yeti tumbler.
06:41That beef jerky was salty.
06:43I'm going to go grab some water.
06:45After the derailment, snow was everywhere, so dehydration wasn't the biggest threat.
06:51But my parents were older, and my mom's health wasn't great.
06:55I wanted them to have clean, warm water for as long as possible.
06:58I filled the Yeti to the brim if we were careful.
07:01It would last the three of us three days.
07:03Just to be safe, I hit the bistro counter again and bought ten more bottles of smart water.
07:08On my way back, I saw Chloe heading toward the bathrooms.
07:12Perfect.
07:14Leo, cut the crap.
07:15You've been acting weird since you woke up.
07:19What the hell is going on?
07:21Talk to us.
07:23Did you and Chloe have a fight or something?
07:25I looked around.
07:27The coach cabin was too crowded, too loud, too many ears.
07:32I want to upgrade to a private sleeper bedroom.
07:35Now.
07:36The train had plenty of empty room at cabins.
07:39We gathered our things quickly, and in the chaos of moving,
07:42I shoved the bento meals, the jerky, the water bottles, and the full Yeti into our main suitcase.
07:49Leo?
07:50What are we doing?
07:53My back is killing me, and your uncle's hip is ax acting up.
07:58Leo got us a sleeper so we could lie down.
08:01Chloe's eyes lit up immediately.
08:03She grabbed her designer backpack, ready to go.
08:08Shit!
08:08My phone!
08:09I think I left it at the seat!
08:11The digital wallet with all our vacation cash is in the case!
08:16My parents' knees are bad.
08:19Chloe, could you run back and check for me, please?
08:22The moment she heard the word cash, a flash of greed and irritation crossed her face,
08:26but she masked it quickly.
08:29Fine.
08:30I'll go look.
08:35The second she vanished, I led my parents into the cabin and locked the heavy door.
08:39I told them everything.
08:41The crash.
08:41The starvation.
08:42The way Chloe had orchestrated their deaths for a goddamn sandwich.
08:50I know it sounds like some crazy movie, but I swear to God, it happened.
08:56It's going to happen.
09:03Leo.
09:04We believe you.
09:06I'm just so sorry.
09:08You were so cold, so hungry.
09:11My chest tightened.
09:13We didn't have much time.
09:15Stick these in your boots, your gloves, and your inner pockets.
09:19Don't waste them yet, but have them ready.
09:23Finally, five minutes before the impact, I opened the hidden compartment of my bag and
09:28handed my mom my folding spider canop.
09:29Dumb animals, worse than animals.
09:36Hey, found it.
09:37It was stuck in the lining of my jacket.
09:39Get up here to cabin 4B.
09:42Are you kidding me?
09:43I looked everywhere for that damn thing.
09:45I'm exhausted.
09:46In the past, my parents would have apologized, tried to make peace.
09:50But now, they looked at her with a coldness that made her flinch.
09:54Watch your tone, Chloe.
09:56Leo's done everything for you since you were a kid.
10:01You can handle walking back to a once.
10:04Chloe's jaw dropped.
10:05She didn't understand why her providers had suddenly gone cold.
10:09She tried her usual trick, turning on the tears.
10:12I'm sorry, Leo.
10:13You know I didn't mean it.
10:15I just don't have a mom and dad to teach me manners like you do.
10:19You haven't paid a dime for this trip, Chloe.
10:21Maybe you could try being useful for once.
10:24She bit her lip, fuming.
10:26Before she could snap back, the entire world tilted.
10:29The roar was deafening.
10:31Screams erupted from the hallway.
10:33I felt the train car lift, then slam back down with bone-shattering force.
10:37The avalanche had hit.
10:39Uh, a sudden gasp came from the corner.
10:41I spun around.
10:43My mom was clutching her forehead.
10:45Blood beginning to seep through her fingers.
10:50My mom was hurt.
10:51This hadn't happened in the last timeline.
10:53Maybe my actions moving us to the sleeper car.
10:56Changing the timing had triggered some kind of butterfly effect.
10:59I didn't have time to ponder the physics of time travel.
11:01I had to stop the bleeding.
11:03I threw open the cabin door and shouted into the hallway.
11:06Someone get me a first aid kit.
11:07I need a first aid kit in 4B.
11:09Now!
11:10A frantic steward rushed over with a basic kit gauze, antiseptic, and medical tape.
11:15The train's medical resources were pathetic.
11:18But luckily, her wound wasn't deep.
11:20She was dizzy, likely a mild concussion.
11:22But she was stable.
11:24Chloe stood in the corner, scuffing her designer boots against the floor.
11:29Great. This is just great.
11:31My whole trip is a goddamn buzzkill now.
11:33I ignored her and stepped out to check the coach cars.
11:36It was a nightmare.
11:38Luggage had flown out of the overhead bins like missiles.
11:41Bruising and cutting passengers.
11:42The attendants were trying to stay calm.
11:44Everyone stay calm!
11:46We're contacting dispatch!
11:48Rescue is on the way!
11:49But I looked at my phone.
11:51No signal.
11:52Nothing.
11:53The Rockies were a wall of rock and ice.
11:56To the outside world, this train had simply vanished off the map.
11:59We were ghosts in a white void.
12:01I heard a man near the window whispering to himself, his voice trembling.
12:05Look at that snow.
12:07How the hell are they ever gonna find us in this?
12:09I retreated back into our private cabin without a word.
12:12My dad was standing by the bunk.
12:14Leo, bad news.
12:15The lights went out for a second.
12:18And when they came back on, your mom realized her ring was gone.
12:22I glanced at Chloe.
12:23Her eyes were darting around the tiny room.
12:25Her hands shoved deep into her coat pockets.
12:28She looked like a cornered rat.
12:30Mom, what's Miss missing?
12:31The emerald ring your father gave me for our 25th.
12:34I never take it off, Leo.
12:36Never.
12:39I caught my mom's eye.
12:41We shared a silent understanding.
12:43That's crazy, Mom.
12:44We're the only ones in this room.
12:45It's not like a stranger jumped in during the crash.
12:50Let's look on the floor.
12:52I knelt down, pretending to search the carpet, then look straight at Chloe.
12:56Wait, don't just stand there.
12:57Help us look.
12:58But as she shifted, her coat pocket gaped open.
13:02I didn't hesitate.
13:03I lunged forward and shoved my hand into her pocket.
13:05My fingers closed around a cold, hard band.
13:08Chloe!
13:09What the fuck is this?
13:10I pulled the emerald ring out despite her clawing at my arm.
13:13You stole from my mother while she was bleeding on the parasite?
13:18I was done playing nice.
13:19You goddamn parasite!
13:21Chloe turned on the tears instantly.
13:23I'm sorry.
13:24I was scared.
13:24I thought...
13:26I thought...
13:27I thought...
13:28If we needed to bribe someone for a ride out of here...
13:30Chloe, I am so incredibly disappointed in you.
13:33I can't do this anymore.
13:34I grabbed Chloe by the collar of her expensive coat and shoved her toward the door.
13:37Get out!
13:38I'm not spending another second trapped in a room with a thief!
13:41Uncle Arthur!
13:43Please!
13:43Don't let him do this!
13:45It's freezing out there!
13:47My dad stood up for a second.
13:49Chloe looked hopeful.
13:50Then, my dad reached out and systematically pried her fingers off the metal frame, one by one.
13:55If you pound on this door again, we'll call the marshal and have you locked in the luggage car.
14:00Get lost!
14:01I poured three small cups of water.
14:04I dropped a flavored tea packet into my mom's cup to help with the shock.
14:08Outside, we could hear Chloe screaming and cursing, kicking the door until her feet probably hurt.
14:13Inside, the three of us sat in silence, holding our warm cups.
14:20A meal cart rattled down the hallway at 6.30pm.
14:24They were serving warm bistro meals, the last of the perishables.
14:27We ate a quiet, hot dinner.
14:29I knew the logistics better than anyone.
14:32A train this size doesn't stock enough fresh food for hundreds of people beyond 48 hours.
14:37Free meals were a day one luxury.
14:39Luckily, my hidden stash was all high-calorie survival fuel.
14:43Chocolate, aged cheddar, and beef jerky.
14:46I counted our supplies in my head, pulled the heavy wool blankets over my parents,
14:50and for the first time in two lifetimes, I slept soundly.
14:54Day 2.
14:55The riot started just after noon.
14:57I heard the commotion from our cabin shouting,
15:00the sound of a plastic tray shattering,
15:02and the heavy thud of a fist-hitting flesh.
15:04I cracked the door open.
15:06A group of burly guys, led by a massive man in a flannel shirt named Marcus,
15:11had cornered two train attendants.
15:12You're lying to us!
15:15It's been 24 hours and not a goddamn word from rescue!
15:20You're just keeping us here like sheep for the slaughter while you hide the good food in the back!
15:26Let's just break out!
15:28We can find the nearest highway ourselves!
15:31Are you insane?
15:34There's a blizzard outside.
15:36You'll be frozen solid before you hit the tree line.
15:39The tracks are buried.
15:40You won't even know which way is north.
15:46The cabin was a powder keg.
15:48Panic was spreading faster than the cold.
15:50I knew I had to stabilize the situation.
15:53If people started rushing outside,
15:55the chaos would spill over into the sleeper cars,
15:57and my family would be exposed.
15:59I stepped out,
16:00grabbed a megaphone from the emergency wall rack,
16:03and flicked the switch.
16:04The feedback whine silenced the room.
16:06Everyone shut up and listen!
16:09The train is a fortress.
16:11It's steel,
16:12it's insulated,
16:13and right now it's the only thing keeping you alive.
16:16If you go out there, you die.
16:18Period.
16:18The supplies are still holding.
16:20We are safe here for now.
16:23I propose we give the staff one more day.
16:25If there's no word by tomorrow morning,
16:27then we talk about a scouting party.
16:30But don't commit suicide because you're bored and scared.
16:33In my previous life,
16:35we were trapped for 12 days.
16:37Every day I could keep them inside
16:38was a day I kept the walls from our door.
16:41He's right.
16:43I'm not freezing to death today.
16:44Fine.
16:45One more day.
16:46But if tomorrow comes and we're still sitting ducks,
16:49I'm taking charge.
16:51The crowd dispersed, grumbling.
16:53As I turned to head back to cabin 4B,
16:55I caught sight of a face in the coach car.
16:58Chloe.
16:58She was sitting among the common passengers.
17:00Her designer coat stained and her hair a mess.
17:04She wasn't crying anymore.
17:05She was staring at me with a cold,
17:07predatory intensity like a venomous snake
17:09waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
17:13Day 3.
17:15Noon.
17:16No food was distributed.
17:17My parents and I quietly finished our pre-packed meals.
17:20Our stomachs full and warm.
17:22After eating,
17:23I grabbed the Yeti tumbler to refill it with hot water.
17:25Halfway through,
17:27the tap sputtered,
17:28hissed,
17:28and died.
17:29I'm sorry, sir.
17:31Since this is a regional route,
17:33the train's water pumps have frozen.
17:35We have no more hot water.
17:36I didn't argue.
17:38I just nodded and walked back to the cabin.
17:40Within minutes,
17:41shouting erupted in the hallway.
17:43No water?
17:44Are you fucking kidding me?
17:46After cutting off the free water,
17:48you're trying to force us to buy your bottled water?
17:51You're price gouging us in a goddamn disaster.
17:54I knew the bottled smart water would be sold out within hours anyway.
17:57The shouting outside escalated into the sound of scuffling.
18:01Someone was screaming that they were going to call their lawyer,
18:04that they'd expose Amtrak on CNN.
18:06But everyone knew the truth.
18:08Our phones were nothing but expensive paperweights right now.
18:11I calculated the timeline in my head.
18:13By now,
18:14dispatch would have realized the train was missing.
18:16But with the blizzard blocking the mountain passes,
18:19rescue would take time.
18:20I made my parents shut off their phones to save battery.
18:23I kept mine on.
18:24Setting it to auto-redial emergency services.
18:28Even a second of signal connection could ping our GPS coordinates to the search teams.
18:32Day 4.
18:33Morning.
18:34A few brave passengers had climbed down from the carriages,
18:37pacing in the waste-deep snow near the tracks.
18:39But none dared to venture far.
18:41Outside,
18:42the snow was still falling.
18:44A relentless,
18:45blinding a relentless wall of white.
18:47I was about to pull the cabin curtains shut to catch a nap when a violent thud shook our door.
18:52Someone was kicking the door.
18:53My dad bolted upright,
18:55instinctively grabbing a heavy metal thermos as a weapon and shielding my mom behind him.
19:02I cautiously unlocked the door and cracked it open.
19:05Of course.
19:06Chloe.
19:07She was standing there,
19:08shivering.
19:09But her eyes were venomous.
19:11Behind her stood Marcus and three other beefy,
19:14flannel-clad rednecks.
19:15Marcus!
19:16Marcus!
19:18That's him!
19:19That's my cousin Leo!
19:21I told you they have a stash of food!
19:24I saw him buy it!
19:29You kicked your own cousin out to freeze and stole all her shit?
19:34Hand over the food, kid.
19:35Now.
19:36I stumbled backward,
19:38letting my body tremble as if I were terrified.
19:40I looked at Chloe with a face full of utter disbelief and grief.
19:43Chloe!
19:45How could you lie like this?
19:47You're the one who stole our emergency money?
19:50Because you didn't want to carry our injured mom!
19:53You left us to die!
19:56Is that true?
19:57You told me you were dead broke.
19:59You've been freelodding off my crew snacks for two days.
20:01No!
20:03He's lying!
20:04I swear!
20:05Before she could finish,
20:06I lunged forward,
20:08grabbed her designer jacket,
20:09and shoved my hand into her hidden inner pocket.
20:11I pulled out a crisp wad of hundred dollar bills,
20:14five hundred dollars in cash emergency money my mom had given her before we left.
20:18Look at this!
20:20Marcus's face darkened.
20:22Smack!
20:23She's had this the whole time!
20:26He snatched the five hundred dollars from my hand and pocketed it.
20:29You lying little bitch.
20:31Consider this payment for the food you ate.
20:34Marcus, please!
20:35You can't eat cash!
20:36Check their bags!
20:38The food is in their bags!
20:39The goons didn't wait.
20:40They shoved past me,
20:42storming into the cabin,
20:43and dragged our main suitcase onto the floor,
20:46ripping it open.
20:47They froze.
20:50Inside the suitcase was some thermal underwear,
20:53a spare pair of boots,
20:54and a mountain of orange CVS prescription pill bottles and medical boxes.
20:59What the fuck is this?
21:00My parents are incredibly sick.
21:02Those are heart medications,
21:04insulin,
21:05and prescription painkillers.
21:07If you take those,
21:08you're committing murder.
21:08There is no food here.
21:10No!
21:11That's impossible!
21:12I saw him with a massive black trash bag!
21:15He bought jerky!
21:16He bought protein bars!
21:18With what money, Chloe?
21:20You had our cash.
21:22Marcus's crew was losing patience.
21:24They looked at the pill bottles,
21:26then at Chloe,
21:27their eyes filled with disgust and annoyance.
21:29They didn't want to carry useless bags of meds,
21:31and they certainly didn't want a murder charge in the middle of a disaster.
21:35Suddenly,
21:36my mom gasped.
21:37She clutched her chest,
21:38groaning loudly,
21:39and collapsed onto the bunk,
21:41her breathing shallow and ragged.
21:43Mom!
21:44Dad,
21:45get the nitroglycerin!
21:46She's having an Ancrena attack!
21:48Get the fuck out!
21:49She has a severe coronary condition!
21:51If you stress her any further,
21:52she's going to code right here!
21:54Back the fuck off!
21:55The rednecks looked panicked.
21:57Let's go.
21:58This is a waste of goddamn time!
22:01No!
22:01Marcus, wait!
22:03They're acting!
22:04Chloe!
22:05I slammed the door behind them,
22:07threw the heavy latch,
22:09and locked it.
22:10Silence fell over the cabin.
22:11So, Leo, how was that?
22:13Do I get an Oscar?
22:16Best actress in a drama, Mom.
22:18I had anticipated Chloe's move from the very beginning.
22:21We had eaten the hot bento meals quickly.
22:24Then we had emptied the pill bottles,
22:26stuffing our high-calorie protein bars
22:28and beef jerky inside the medicine containers.
22:31The bulky instant ramen and MRE self-heating packs
22:34were stashed deep inside the folded blankets on the top bunk.
22:37Completely out of sight.
22:38To the rest of the train.
22:39We were now just a broke, sick, useless family of three.
22:43And in a survival scenario,
22:45being useless to others was the safest thing you could be.
22:50Day 5.
22:51My phone finally hit 0% and died.
22:54I had my dad power his up,
22:56but only long enough to check for signal once an hour.
22:58Trust in the train crew had completely evaporated.
23:01It was total anarchy now.
23:03I could hear fights breaking out
23:04over a single bottle of smart water
23:06or a crushed pack of crackers.
23:07People were licking the frost off the windows
23:09just to stay hydrated.
23:11By noon, the sun was actually visible,
23:13melting the top layer of snow
23:15until it melted down to knee height.
23:17A few passengers proposed a scouting mission.
23:20A small group of five volunteers,
23:22some young hikers and a former soldier set out
23:24while the rest of the train watched in silence.
23:26The weather turned on a dime.
23:28The wind picked up.
23:29A violent wind that erased their footprints
23:31and markers in seconds.
23:33Then came the boom.
23:34A low, rhythmic rumble from the peaks.
23:36Another avalanche.
23:38Everyone huddled by the windows,
23:39staring into the white void
23:41where the scouts had vanished.
23:42We all knew they were gone.
23:44But while the rest of the train was starving,
23:46my parents and I were tucked into our bunks.
23:49We used two hot hands packets
23:50to heat a bottle of water
23:52and shared a cup of spicy ramen.
23:54It wasn't exactly a five-star meal,
23:56but the warm broth hitting my throat
23:58felt like pure heaven.
23:59Nobody talked about finding a way out
24:01for the next two days.
24:02Not until the morning of day eight.
24:04Our ramen was gone.
24:06All we had left was one self-heating MRE
24:08and a few sticks of jerky.
24:10But for the others,
24:11a crust of bread was now a luxury worth killing for.
24:16I checked my watch,
24:17counting the seconds,
24:19right on cue the exact same minute
24:20as in my past life,
24:22there was a knock on the cabin door.
24:23Chloe, she looked like a ghoul.
24:25Her skin was sallow,
24:26her eyes sunken and bloodshot.
24:28She grabbed my hand.
24:30Leo, please,
24:31we can't just sit here like sitting ducks.
24:34I've proposed a plan to Marcus.
24:36We need to send the less essential people out
24:38to find help.
24:39It's the only way to save the rest of us.
24:41She looked at my parents.
24:43I knew that, look,
24:44Aunt Martha,
24:45you should lead by example.
24:48You've lived long lives.
24:50Don't you want to be heroes?
24:52I saw the cruel smirk
24:53hidden behind her pitying mask.
24:55I knew the deal.
24:56Marcus had promised her a full ham sandwich
24:58if she could find volunteers
24:59to act as human guinea pigs in the snow.
25:01I get it, Chloe.
25:03You're doing this for the greater good.
25:05Chloe's smile widened,
25:06her eyes gleaming with victory.
25:08But we shouldn't send the weak.
25:10That's just a waste of time.
25:12My mom is injured
25:13and my dad can barely walk 50 yards
25:14without his cane.
25:15They'll drop dead
25:16before they even clear the tracks.
25:17You want a pathfinder?
25:18You need someone strong.
25:20The crowd in the hallway murmured,
25:21looking at Marcus.
25:22He's right!
25:23Sending the old peoples
25:25is just a waste of bread!
25:27Then who, Leo?
25:29You?
25:30You're young and strong.
25:31You go!
25:32I looked at Marcus and shrugged.
25:34I'll go.
25:35But the mountain is a death trap
25:37for a solo hiker.
25:38I need a partner.
25:39Someone with energy.
25:40Someone selfless.
25:41My cousin Chloe's so dedicated
25:42to our survival
25:43that I'm sure she'd be honored
25:43to lead the way with me.
25:45Right, Chloe?
25:46Chloe's face turned gray.
25:48She tried to pull away,
25:49but Marcus stepped forward,
25:50his massive hand landing
25:51on her shoulder.
25:52To him, this meant two scouts
25:53for the price of one sandwich.
25:55Great idea, kid.
25:56You want that bread, Chloe?
25:58Earn it.
26:01The train door hissed open,
26:03and the freezing mountain air roared in.
26:05Marcus and his goons
26:06literally tossed us both out
26:07into the white abyss.
26:08Chloe looked at me with pure,
26:10unadulterated hatred,
26:11but she was weak.
26:12She hadn't eaten a real meal
26:13in 48 hours.
26:14I, on the other hand,
26:16was fueled by Raymond and Spite.
26:18I grabbed her by the arm
26:19and dragged her toward the ridge.
26:20I knew exactly where I was going.
26:22My dad had whispered to me
26:23that morning that he'd caught
26:24a bar of signal at 4 a.m.
26:26the emergency call had pinged.
26:28Rescue was close.
26:29In my past life,
26:30Chloe had lied to everyone.
26:32She'd claimed she was
26:33the one calling for help,
26:34making everyone turn off
26:36their phones to save power for her,
26:37while she actually did nothing.
26:39She'd let us sit there and rot.
26:41Chloe was a dead weight now,
26:43sobbing and crawling.
26:44I looked up at the snowy peak
26:46and saw it a rhythmic flash
26:47of light hitting the ice.
26:49A mirror, search,
26:50and rescue was scanning the ridge.
26:52I angled my stainless steel
26:54watch face toward the sun
26:55and reflected the light
26:56back at the peak.
26:58I felt tears prick my eyes.
27:00We were going home.
27:01But then,
27:02Chloe saw the distant yellow figures
27:03of the rescue team
27:04on the horizon.
27:05Help!
27:06Over here!
27:06Save me!
27:08The sound came from above.
27:09A low groan from the massive
27:11snow cornice
27:11hanging over the ridge.
27:13Shut up, you idiot!
27:16Chloe lunged at me.
27:17She didn't try to run.
27:18Instead,
27:19she wrapped her arms
27:20around my legs.
27:21Her face contorted
27:22in a mask of pure malice.
27:24If I'm staying in this cold,
27:25Leo, so are you!
27:27I'll tell them you pushed me!
27:29I'll tell them everything!
27:31I looked at the wall of white
27:32rushing down toward us,
27:34then back at her.
27:35I kicked hard,
27:35landing my heavy winter boot
27:37square in her chest.
27:38I didn't look back.
27:39I sprinted toward the rescue team,
27:41my lungs screaming for air,
27:42my legs sinking and rising
27:43through the drifts
27:44like lead weights.
27:45Just as the rescue team
27:46shadows fell over me,
27:47the world turned white.
27:48A massive wave of cold,
27:50heavy snow slammed into my back,
27:51burying me in the darkness.
27:55I don't know how long
27:56I waited in the pitch black cold.
27:58My consciousness drifted,
27:59slipping away into the void.
28:01Then,
28:01a blinding beam of light
28:03pierced through my eyelids.
28:04I forced them open.
28:05A rescue worker kneeling over me,
28:07brushing the snow from my face.
28:10I've got you, buddy.
28:11You're going home.
28:13At the same time,
28:14the rescue choppers
28:15had finally located
28:16the stalled Amtrak train.
28:18By the time the passengers
28:19were evacuated
28:20and transported
28:21to a lodge in Vail.
28:22It was already
28:23the early hours
28:24of the next morning.
28:25The moment my parents
28:26saw me walk through
28:26the lobby doors,
28:27they broke down.
28:28They ran to me,
28:30wrapping me in a tight,
28:31suffocating embrace,
28:32crying uncontrollably.
28:33The tension we'd been
28:34holding onto for days
28:35finally broke.
28:36The three of us
28:37held onto each other,
28:38weeping in the middle
28:39of the crowded lobby.
28:40Across the room,
28:41a sheriff's deputy
28:42was reading names
28:43off a clipboard.
28:44Chloe Miller?
28:45Anyone seen Chloe Miller?
28:47A specialized K-9 team
28:49had gone back
28:49to the avalanche site
28:50to search,
28:51but they found nothing.
28:52The slide was too massive,
28:54the ravine too deep.
28:55But as far as my family
28:56was concerned,
28:57Chloe was already a ghost.
28:59Her fate was no longer
29:00our business.
29:01For the rest of the winter holiday,
29:03all I wanted to do
29:04was stay inside,
29:05keep the fireplace burning,
29:06and spend every second
29:07with my mom and dad.
29:09Chloe's parents
29:10didn't waste any time.
29:12Within a month,
29:13they hit us with a massive
29:14$2 million wrongful death lawsuit.
29:17They claim that
29:17because we had invited
29:18Chloe on the trip,
29:19we were legally responsible
29:21for her tragic end.
29:22We didn't give them a dime.
29:24Our lawyer was ruthless,
29:25and the evidence,
29:26including testimony
29:27from other passengers
29:28about Chloe's erratic
29:29and dangerous behavior
29:31was on our side.
29:32We won the case handily.
29:33Afterward,
29:34Chloe's parents
29:35put on a grieving act
29:36for the cameras
29:37and told the press
29:38they were cutting ties
29:38with our cold-blooded family forever.
29:43The most twisted part
29:44was Chloe's memorial service.
29:46Since her body
29:46was never recovered
29:47from the ravine,
29:48they held a small memorial service
29:49with an empty casket.
29:51I heard from a mutual contact
29:52that her biological parents
29:53didn't shed a single real tear.
29:55Her dad showed up
29:56with his new trophy wife,
29:57and her mom brought
29:58her new boyfriend.
29:59They spent the entire service
30:01arguing in hushed,
30:02angry tones
30:03over who would collect
30:04the insurance payout.
30:05They almost got into
30:06a fist fight
30:07in the middle of the chapel.
30:08In the end,
30:09the county covered
30:09the funeral costs.
30:11Because of the public outcry
30:12over the train disaster,
30:14Chloe was given a small plot
30:15in a beautiful cemetery
30:16overlooking the mountains.
30:18They buried an empty casket
30:19with a few of her
30:20designer outfits inside.
30:23Every survivor
30:24of the Glacier Pass incident
30:25received a massive
30:26settlement from Amtrek.
30:27Chloe's parents were quick
30:28to split her share
30:29of the money.
30:30Her father used it
30:31to pay for his son's
30:32Chloe's half-brother
30:33elite private school
30:34in Europe.
30:35Her mother quit her job
30:36and took her new family
30:37on a luxury cruise
30:38around the world.
30:39To them,
30:40Chloe was just
30:41a final paycheck.
30:42As for us,
30:43I sold our old,
30:44drafty suburban house
30:45and added the settlement money
30:47to buy my parents
30:48a beautiful ranch-style home
30:49in a quiet,
30:50gated community
30:51with a huge backyard garden.
30:53I took an extended leave
30:54from my EMT job,
30:56spending every morning
30:57drinking coffee
30:57with my dad on the porch
30:59and every afternoon
31:00gardening with my mom.
31:01The terror,
31:02the starvation,
31:03and the bitter regret
31:04of my past life
31:05have finally faded
31:06into faded away.
31:07We have a long,
31:08beautiful future
31:09ahead of us
31:10and this time,
31:11we're keeping the door locked.
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