A Seat on This Train

Prologue

The gold-framed doors slide open as she entered the resort from the cold. She embraced the warmth from the lobby as it hit her uncovered face. It had been snowing for the past few hours. She was early by at least thirty minutes. Which was her intention, she would use this time to settle in and scope out the area for her meet-up and possible meliaceous intent. Slowly walking towards the hotel bar, she undid her brown coat buttons and removed her hat. Raking her hand through her locks to remove some of the snow that had collected onto them when she walked in from the parking lot. The bartender greeted her as she took a seat. Her feet were now lifted off the floor while sitting on the barstool.

"What can I get you?" He asked.

"Just a water for now sweetie." She replied.

She wanted to stay alert before she could partake in any fun. She was nervous in an eager type of way. She had fantasized about these types of meet-ups but never had the courage until now to initiate one. She drank her water, while scrolling through her phone and glancing at the resort entrance through a mirror that the bar had on its back wall as a way to showcase its various spirits to patrons.

After scrolling for fifteen minutes or so, she looked up and saw what she thought was a familiar face enter through the main doors. A playful smile edged its way onto her lips. It was almost show time. Carefully watching the tall dark man check in at the desk, a rush of excitement flooded her senses. She began to feel herself moisten. She watched as he grabbed the room key and proceed toward the elevator. Instead of proceeding behind him, she thought she would let him settle in and meet at the prearranged time.

She gestured to the bartender while opening her text messages. But before she could look at her unread messages, another man enter the resort. This one was slightly shorter but also looked vaguely familiar. She shook of the Deja Vu and looked to the bartender.

"I'd like to send something up to a room but discreetly, I'm here on a special occasion." She stated.

"What did you have in mind?" He replied.

She let out another smile.

Act 1: Trepidations

He awoke abruptly from the sensation of the cold glass touching his cheek. Victor slowly opened his eyes to the unfamiliar sight of frozen lakes and hills blanketed in snow racing by. The window was slightly iced over from the weather, and the odor of stale recycled air returned to his senses. A minor jolt of motion snapped Victor back to reality. The train continued its shaky but constant speed as Victor moved his head from resting on the window to placing it in his hands as he leaned on the table in front of him in his booth.

"This is crazy; this isn't me."

Victor thought to himself. He leaned back in his seat, resting his head. Victor glanced at the seat across from him, noting its sudden emptiness. The man sitting across from him was no longer there.

"Must've gone back to his seat. So much for good conversation."

Victor muttered under his breath with a slight chuckle.

"You think he would've at least mentioned we were close."

Victor had spent two long days on an Amtrak from San Diego to Topeka, Kansas, on a whim and what could be a rewarding adventure or a lifelong story of embarrassment that he'll take to the grave. He let out a slight shiver and began rubbing his arms. It had been years since Victor had experienced true cold. It brought him back to his childhood in Cincinnati, snow days, puffy jackets, and hot chocolate. But he had forgotten those feelings after spending over a decade in tropical San Diego. Victor traded snow days for sunny beaches and high humidity.

Yet here Victor was, sitting on a train going to what to him seemed like a foreign country, despite being another state. Here on a whim, an unlikely whim at that.

"We'll be arriving at Topeka stop in 10 minutes."

A voice from the train's PA system announced. The announcement struck a nervous cord in Victor's heart, a cord as icy as the frozen lakes he had noticed while looking out the window. With each growing minute, the train came closer to its stop, and so would Victor come face-to-face with the reasons for his travel... Kiki.

Victor had met Kiki online by watching some of her TikTok videos. Kiki's videos tended to be more on the thirst trap side of internet content. Skimpy tight, or very form-fitting outfits complimented with dialogue that would most certainly arouse any man. Typically Victor was more of the reserved type. He would always like Kiki's videos and only occasionally comment on them. It wasn't until Kiki started commenting back that caused Victor's interest in her began to peak.

Over time, Kiki broke through Victor's introverted barrier and allowed his full personality to blossom. Once Victor's walls came down, it was game over, and he knew it. His two to three-word comments turned into back-and-forth paragraphs of flirtation and fact-finding questions about one another. He found her personality cute and her interest endearing, and she found his dad jokes funny and his interest in her on more than a sexual level refreshing from the standard men who sent her messages. But they did dabble in some explicit language from time to time.

Kiki's inviting personality and causal nature, mixed with some well-timed questions, led Victor to his current predicament. Sitting on a train to a place he has never been to before to meet a woman he does not know personally and who has never actually seen his face. The invite came after a night of playing twenty-one questions. Now given the inherently sexual nature of the inception of their relationship, Victor was no stranger to seeing Kiki naked. Besides her TikTok account, Kiki operated a provocative adult website that Victor enjoyed subscribing to. One of the questions Kiki did ask Victor during their simultaneously playful and sexy fact-finding game was:

"Would you rather fuck my pussy or ass?"

Victor's response was simple.

"Your pussy, because of flexibility."

Kiki pressed Victor for further explanation. And Victor explained how on multiple occasions, he had been told that he was pretty downstairs. Furthermore, because of his size, her pussy might be more willing to cooperate with him than her ass might be. After some spirited coaxing, Victor sent a picture of his member to Kiki.

"Stop being stingy with me," Kiki said in a playful voice message.

Victor nervously pulled down his sweatpants and gently rubbed his package to some very erotic pics he had received from Kiki.

"If she's gonna see it, it might as well be ready to perform," Victor thought as he prepped his sex for the photo. And just like that, he sent it, and it was up close and personal. As soon as Victor pressed the send button, a wave of anxiety consumed him as he waited for her reply. Another voice message came through on his screen. Victor cautiously pressed the message to listen. Kiki's voice sounded pleasantly strained and genuinely surprised. But even more telling was how her inflection as it shifted towards the end of the short 14-second message:

"I see what they mean," Kiki stated. "Not only is it big, but it's also thick."

She stated with a sense of bewilderment as her voice slightly stuttered and trailed off.

"You would fill all my holes with that," she added as she snapped back to reality as if lost in a brief but arousing daydream.

The train came to an unsteady stop, and Victor watched as passengers got up and collected their belongings. He looked down at his hands, twiddling his thumbs, and then proceeded to gather his duffle bag and exit the train.

"Topeka," he said while stepping off the train and onto the platform.

Act 2: Hot Chocolate

Victor let a slight sigh of relief that he had gotten this far. At the same time that Victor sighed, he was reminded of where he was. His breath was now visible due to the cold 30-degree weather, and his glasses had instantly fogged once presented with contrasting temperatures. The rush of adrenaline that he had felt earlier slightly subsided, but Victor was now filled with another sensation. Shear cold.

"And this is why I never go back," Victor thought as his nose began to feel numb from the wind.

Victor proceeded into the station and looked for the rideshare pick-up location. While waiting for his Lyft, Victor thumbed through his messages for what had to be the dozenth time. He intensely reread the messages Kiki had sent him to meet up and the instructions he would need to get there. It was a thirty-minute ride to the cabin resort where he would stay for the weekend.

"Hey, Victor, I don't normally do, but I really feel like we've connected in the past few months. I'm willing to take this to another level if you are. There's no pressure, and I completely understand if you decline, given the circumstances."

"Tell me what I need to do, and I'll be there." Victor still felt out of his body about the whole experience, and each read-through of the message sent chills down his spine.

"On my way from the station," Victor sent in the chat after snapping back into reality.

"Victor?" A kind-looking fellow asked through the rolled-down window of a navy blue Nissan Altima.

"Yes, that's me," Victor said while opening the rear passenger door and entering the car.

His profile said Mark, but Victor thought he looked more like a Glenn or a Franklin. He looked as if he worked in a library or was a primary school teacher, maybe even the owner of a small general store. He was a thick pasty man with dirty blonde hair, a grey overcoat, and thin rectangular glasses. He spoke in a hospitable way that made you feel safe.

"So where are you from, stranger," Marked asked.

"Great, he's a talker," Victor thought.

"I'm from San Diego."

"What brings you to Topeka this time of year?"

"Admittedly...I'm not too sure. A fantasy, I guess, a chance to try something new and see where it leads."

As soon as the words escaped his mouth, a sense of embarrassing dread arose in Victor, so much so that he immediately pretended to check his phone for messages that did not exist. In a quick glance, he caught Mark's puzzled facial expression in the rearview mirror.

"Yeah...sounds interesting," Mark sounded confused and slightly suspicious of his new fair.

"I mean... the snow and winter lodging." Victor scrambled to save himself.

Buzz, buzz. Victor's phone began to vibrate in his hand. This gave him some relief; now he had a legitimate distraction from how silly he had made himself look in front of his driver.

"Sounds good. I'll see you there," the message said.

Victor let a slight smirk take over his face, it was subtle, but it was there. And just like that, the adrenaline began coursing through his veins again. His heart was beating so fast it felt like it was going to burst through his chest. Victor checked the time remaining in the drive and noted that he would arrive in fifteen minutes. He spent the rest of the ride staring out the car window, looking at the vast tundra around him and slowly wondering what would come next and how he would best proceed.

"Will I be as charming? Are my jokes as funny in person? I should eat a mint. How do I even look right now?" Victor's thoughts were racing as he scrutinized himself from head to toe.

"Sir!" Victor snapped back to it and looked at Mark.

"We're here," Mark stated.

"Thanks."

"Make sure you check out some of those sights I mentioned, and you'll be in for a real treat."

"Shit," Victor thought. He talked that whole time, and I was zoned out like a rude city slicker.

"Will do!" Victor quickly replied while trying to put on a sincere smile.

"5 stars," Victor thought while rating Mark on the Lyft app on his phone.

It was still lightly snowing, but the wind had slowed to a more reasonable rate. Victor stared up at the sky, watching the snowflakes fall from the heavens toward the world of the living. Nature's beauty was always something that brought Victor comfort during his most troubling times.

He had spent countless hours at the beach in the middle night, surrounded by nothing but the soft sand cooling his feet and the sound of the wave crashing on the shore. The noise would drown out his thoughts from consuming him. And the ocean breeze would cool him down, keeping him from making hot-headed decisions. Lastly, the stars would humble him. This would remind him that just as small as he is in the universe, so too are his problems if he could take a step back and look at them with a fresh set of eyes.

Victor's gaze slowly lowered from the cloudly grey sky to the resort. The buildings looked as if they were made of logs, like in the old times, but modern conveniences reminded him it was the present. Victor walked towards the resort entrance. Victor was hit with a wave of warm air as the transparent glass doors encased in a gold trim slid open. It was refreshing to his senses, given that he couldn't feel his nose not too long ago.

Victor continued into the very well-lit lobby with his duffle over his shoulder. As he walked towards the desk, he took in the room. It was a hybrid between an old log cabin lodge mixed with a Hilton Hotel feel. For every item made of "log," another five were made of stainless white tile or gold-painted metals. The check-in desk looked like someone stacked a pile of logs on top of each other, but the countertop was black granite. It was midday, but the lobby was only slightly empty.

"Welcome, sir. How may I help you." The desk receptionist asked Victor with a smile.

"I'm here to check-in. Last name King."

'Perfect. I see you'll be with us for the weekend in the deluxe villa."

"Yes." Victor replied.

"Meg" was the name on her gold nametag. She seemed sweet, the type of girl who grew up in the area and had no plans on leaving. Victor took his keycard and proceeded to his room. After walking down a hallway that felt like it took forever to end and riding the elevator to the 10th floor, Victor was at his room door. He used the tap keycard to enter.

When Victor did his research on where he was meeting Kiki for safety precautions, he knew that the resort was fancy, but he was unprepared for exactly how classy it actually was. Victor's room was easily the size of two bedrooms. There was a King size bed across from a balcony with a view not just of the resort swimming pool and jacuzzi but also a picturesque view of the snow-covered mountains that are the backdrop for the entire resort. It was breathtaking, and normally not the type of accommodations Victor goes for. What took Victor by pleasant surprise was the bathroom. The bathroom had a standing shower encased in transparent glass and a substantial made-for-two jacuzzi bathtub.

"The amount of trouble we can get into," Victor thought.

On the opposite side of the bed was a small kitchenette. Victor took advantage and looked through the minibar and the snacks left on top of the mini-fridge.

"Bingo! Hot chocolate" Victor had found a comfort drink to help ease his nerves still in overdrive.

Victor used the Keurig in the kitchenette to make the hot chocolate, and once finished, he spiked it with some rum he found in the mini-fridge.

"Room 1014." Victor sent in the chat.

Moments later, he received a thumbs-up reply.

Victor took the time to extend his comfort. He removed his knit hat, letting loose his medium-length twists, and then ruffled his hair a bit, feeling freedom between each now loose twist. After placing his hat on the dresser across from the foot of the bed, Victor spotted the tv remote and channel menu. Interestingly enough, Victor had not spotted a tv in his room. Victor sat on the foot of the bed, undoing his shoes, and pressed the power button on the remote. At that moment, at least a 60-inch screen tv began to descend from a black ceiling slit Victor had missed over the dresser. His jaw dropped with further amazement at the accommodations.

Trying not to get too caught up in the resort and its perks and accommodations, and recognizing that he only had some much time, Victor took advantage and began to clean himself up. He hopped into the shower and began to scrub himself thoroughly, getting every crevice. As Victor washed himself thoroughly, his mind again began to drift. This time he fantasized about Kiki in the shower with him. Her glistening body pressed against his. Victor was becoming erect, but he refocused.

He stepped out of the shower and took a brief moment to examine himself in the mirror. For 6 feet tall at thirty years of age, Victor was still in decent shape. He rubbed the light scruff on his face and considered a quick shave but decided against it. He looked at his stomach. Not quite a dad tummy, but it was on its way there. Gone were six-packs abs from a six days a week workouts and a high school metabolism. Victor checked his grooming in his groin area to ensure he wasn't too hairy. No one ever wants a stray pub in their mouth, and Victor hated to watch when it occasionally happened.

After reconciling with himself and the idea of aging, Victor slapped on some deodorant and cologne and made sure to brush his teeth and use mouthwash. He threw on his white flower short-sleeve button-down shirt. It was one of his favorites. The shirt hugged him in all the right places and accentuated his chest and arms. Victor left the top two buttons undone to both for style and to expose a slight view of the gold rope chain that he had come to love. Victor wore fit jeans that tended to draw viewers to his crotch area. Victor's bulge usually was a visual draw to the eyes in most pants.

"Now, the waiting game," Victor sighed out loud.

His mind was torn between explicit thoughts of him and Kiki and the idea that any minute now, he'll either be arrested by police for solicitation or robbed by a stranger he met online. Victor checked his phone but saw no new messages. Victor picked up the tv remote and began flipping through the channels. Eventually, Victor found a music channel that played smooth R&B on a simulated fireplace screen. And then it happened... a knock, knock, knocking on his door.

Act 3: A seat on this train

Victor's heart was racing faster than he had felt in a long time. While approaching the door, he nervously straightened his shirt and thought about the first words he would say. He felt his hands begin to perspire from nerves, and time began to slow as his heart began to race. He was warm, scared, and slightly aroused all at once.

"Funny or provocative," Victor thought while slowly grabbing the gold metallic door knob.

Victor took a deep breath and let out a sigh as he opened the door.

"Definitely too late to back out now. Whatever happens... happens," he thought.

Victor's eyes widened, and it took all his strength to stop his jaw from dropping from surprise.

"Complimentary room service, sir."

He was a rather large man, at least 6 foot five inches, and built like a football player. A scruffy beard and long dreads placed in an updo defined his face. He looked like he could be from the islands. The hotel's trademark green uniform made his gold nametag that read "Javier" really pop and caught Victor's eyes. He was holding a large silver tray with porcelain handles, with a silver food cover in the center and a glass of water off to the right side of the cover.

Victor chuckled while thanking the attendant for the food. He felt a moment of alleviation.

"Anything else we can get for you, sir?" The attendant asked.

"I'm truly good, thank you," Victor replied.

"And sorry about the chuckle. I'm not used to this level of customer service."