The Dead Strip

The carriage's interior was a luxurious but simple red, with dark leather seats on both end. It was bigger than it looked on the inside and was quite cosy. He could hear nothing from outside from the moment he entered.

There were two others in the carriage aside from Valery. A boy that was of a similar age to Melchior and an elderly woman with a head full of grey hair.

"Is he the one, Miss Valery?" the elderly woman asked.

She wore a stern expression behind her golden-rimmed glasses, constantly looking between Valery and the other boy.

"Yeah, he is," Valery answered, taking a spot opposite the older lady on the carriage.

Melchior sat next to her on the part of the seat that was opposite the boy.

He couldn't help but study his counterpart. 

Strands of golden blonde hair fell down his face, cropped just above his steely grey eyes.

He was blind.