Nikki had a few hours to kill that day so she wanted some time to reflect on her time so far being in Chicago and as a crew member of the 'Pneuma' family. It had been a week or so after hosting the Chicago dinner party event- great turnout she thought to herself as she paid for her cup of coffee at the local cafe few minutes from her apartment. "Thanks so much," she smiled softly to the barista serving her and headed out of the warm atmosphere into the chilly air outside. Sheesh. She wrapped her scarf tighter around her neck, took a sip of her coffee and started leading her feet to the train station. 

Lucky for her, she caught a seat just in time before the train doors quickly slid close.

As she made herself comfortable, she began 'traingazing'. Oh, it was a guilty pleasure. People-watching was one of her favourite pastimes. Creepy? No - she had no shame - but she did think it was an acquired taste.

Mysteries, they were a joy in Nikki's life, they would get her brain ticking in so many ways. Take for example, the couple in front of her who was sitting in a way that it seemed like they had just finished an argument. Blank yet irritable faces turned away from each other, bodies not touching, and their gaze focusing on different views outside. No - they didn't actually argue - this is what traingazing was to her. Thinking up different possibilities of strangers' journeys. Maybe they just liked to be in each other's presence and enjoy the comfortable silence? Maybe the woman just has a resting bitch face? Anyways, Nikki would never know and didn't plan on finding out. Leave it a mystery, she always would say to herself. There's more fun in that.

She began to think about her own journey - how so much changed the last few days.

A wise-guy now! Wow. It still felt like it was only yesterday that she was at a petty thief rank. The future looked promising. Her life continued to be somewhat of a mystery to herself though. Where would her life take her now? Well, she knew one thing for sure - that if she wanted something to happen she would act accordingly with all her heart and soul in it.

She looked up when she felt the train coming to a slow stop and saw the platform approaching. After stepping out of the train, she embraced the cold breeze once again, but she sucked it up because there was still a lot more of Chicago she wanted to explore.