Holaway Writing: December 2007

We have a special story today from a Holaway Teacher. Mr. Kreamer will leave you wanting more. Enjoy!

The Race…

The suitcase had to make it; for her life depended on it. The train was packed and we watched over it with the weariness of a new mother with an infant. “We don’t have much time” Jane said. “We’ll make it” I said. We had to.

The train kept rolling along as steadily as a heartbeat. Babies cried and mothers tried to hush them. A man dozed off, attempting to escape the crowded train. “How much long” I asked. Jane pulled out the dusty map from her oversized duffel bag; the same map that got us into all this mess. “From the looks of it, about 30 more miles” Jane answered, unsure of herself. I glanced over her shoulder and looked myself. As my eyes found the trail, the memories all came back.

“Yeah and only 20 minutes to get there,” I answered. “It will take a miracle.”

I glanced back out the window and as I did so, I noticed a man from the corner of my eye. He was fair skinned, tall with jet black hair, and a mustache that hadn’t been trimmed for weeks. He was sitting across the aisle, with his dark eyes focused on the map, then the suitcase, and back to the map. I forgot the beautiful scenery whizzing by and diverted my attention to the new stimuli. Slowly, I tried to signal Jane to put away the map without causing too much notice. He looked like them, and was probably as brainwashed and confused.

Jane, engulfed in mapping our puzzling memories, was oblivious to our new stranger. “Once we get there, we will have to head north then west to reach the Devil’s Point.” “Not now” I said as unnoticeably as possible. I reached my hand to Jane’s, still engulfed in our map. We made contact and I startled her.

It was then that she noticed our new found observer. She looked up and tried to fold the map quickly. My hand reached for the suitcase.

All of a sudden the lights went out; the train lurched forward, and died on the tracks. Screams were heard by the surrounding mountainside. I tightened my grip on the suitcase and reached for Jan’s hand. I found a petite, smooth, female hand and rushed to the fingers to see if it was Jane’s; for if it is she would have her luck emerald ring on. Hastily I searched for the ring, but my fingers found nothing. I tried to call out, but my voice was as gone as the light.

The conductor tried to speak through the static and hysteria, but was clear as heavy fog. The lights flickered on off then stayed on. I could hear the engine roaring, attempting to start.
Once we started, reality set in. I came to and tightened both my grips. “Oww my hand” came a tiny voice. I glanced over and found Jane’s hand was not in mine. It belonged to a very distraught little girl who was wanting me to relieve her pain. “Sorry” I muttered and released her hand.

Jane automatically invaded the forefront of my thoughts. Where was she, where was her bad, where was the map? I scanned the room, interrogating everybody with my eyes. Why would Jane get up? Why would she leave her seat? We were a team, in this together. While my mind raced for her and the answer, I remembered the most important piece of equipment, the briefcase. I reached for it and finding it on the floor, again regained my death grip.
My eyes resumed the desperate search for my esteemed colleague. I could not find her. My mind thought about going to look for her, but I would not want to risk losing my seat. Last seat last row against the wall. Nobody to sneak up on us. Jane found the seat, “This is perfect” she said as we sat down. Where was she? Again, I scanned the train car, wishing I could again meet those emerald green eyes of hers. My mind started facing again; the map, the meeting point, Stacey. Poor Stacey, for it would be her life that the briefcase would determine.

The train leapt forward and again we were moving. My eyes were sear5ching and found not who I was looking for. It was the curious stranger, though he moved a couple of rows ahead of me. While I studied this new fact, my eyes started wandering over the crowd.

That’s when I saw her; the familiar pony tail, the beige coat thrown together and covered in patches, the pink hair tied. Janie, I found her, but why had she moved? I noticed an empty seat next to Jane and decided to make my move.

I got up and started walking towards the empty seat. The curious stranger also rose from his sea, as if we had planned it, and walked towards Jane. I froze for a second and watched him walk to the front of the car. “Huh, maybe he is not who I thought he was” I said. I moved along the aisle and reached Jane. “May I sit please?” I asked. Jane looked up at me with a strange curiosity, almost as if to say, “How did you find me here?”