She pulled a book from her backpack and I knew that was my opening. It wasn’t the best, but it was something. We still had three hours till our destination in Amsterdam, and I didn’t see a better one presenting itself. I couldn’t see the cover, but I could make out the reviews on the back.

"Heartwarming!!!"

"A joy from start to finish!"

Alright, so it wasn't my kind of book, but it's still an opening, right?

Or was it?

How long could I hold a conversation about a book I had no interest in? What if this went south and I had to spend three hours sitting next to a girl that I made uncomfortable? What if she moved seats? Could she do that mid-train ride??

Just then the train jumped, how I don't know, but it did, and it caused her book to fall to the floor.

There's your opening!

I picked the book off the floor and handed it to her with a smile.

"Thank you," she said. She moved her wavy black hair from her face, revealing a beautiful smile.

I cleared my throat. "What are you reading if you don't mind my asking?"

She smiled and I saw a hint of blush. "No, of course not. It's a memoir about journalist Valerie Collins...just about her life. Stuff like that."

"How do you like it?"

She shrugged, "Not bad...but I'm a slow reader. I'm 75 pages in and I've had it for two months. I think I can finish it by the end of next year."

That made me laugh, which made her laugh, and the rest was history. Ava, was of Chinese descent, just like myself. Born and raised in the Netherlands where she learned English, Dutch and Chinese. We talked about our families, and how we respectively handled a year in quarantine thanks to Covid. She thought it was crazy that I'd never caught it and I told her that if I did it would be from this trip. She brought up spots to visit, places to eat, and snacks to try. She said that the fastest way of travel was by bicycle, and I told her I was willing to rent one.

Just then the train stopped and the lights cut out, and in the split second before my eyes adjusted I saw fear in her eyes.

"This normal?" I asked.

She didn't answer, and that's because we both heard that blood-curdling scream. I spun around and looked out the window. I could hear something, it sounded like squeaking but it came from every direction. A conductor was running toward us, covered in blood, and following him was a bicycle with no rider. The bicycle sped up and into the man's back, he landed with a thud and slid forward. We watched in horror as the bike released its chain and wrapped it around the man's neck, viciously going back and forth...until the man's head fell off with a sickening thud.