Write a story that contains a
train, shots fired and yelling.
Hullo Readers - The above is another exercise we did at writing group. Hope you enjoy it
Goldie
Mum and I were on our way by
train to visit her sister, my Aunty Betty, in the country town of Horsham. The
train was fully booked. We were lucky to get tickets. I was getting ready for
bed in the tiny sleeping compartment. Mum was already in the lower bunk and
having taken her medications, fast asleep. I tried reading and could not
concentrate, so stopped to peer out the window into the night that was awash
with dark and foreboding shadows. The moon was full, although partially
obscured by big black clouds. We were
nearly over a bridge that crossed a wide river. Suddenly the train stopped with
a lurch and I heard loud noises like carriage doors being banged shut and
yelling, then two gun shots. I shot out of bed, hurriedly pulled on some
clothes, opened the door with a minimum of sound so as not to wake Mum, and
made my way down the swaying passageway towards the front of the train, along
with many other passengers I might add. I had not gone far when a guard came
along and told everyone in no uncertain terms to go back to their sleeping
compartments.
“There’s been an incident,” he
said in a clipped voice, his lips barely moving as he spoke.
“What happened?” someone asked.
“Never you mind what happened,
Sir” he answered brusquely, “No need to worry yourselves.”
“But, we are worried,” wailed
some woman in a brown hat. Why she had on a hat at that time of night is beyond
me.
“The passengers will be informed
in the morning, in the dining car when breakfast is being served,” he said in
his clipped voice, his pencil moustache not moving, not even a slight wiggle,
as he spoke through his yellow, disgusting teeth.
I had to resist the urge to
giggle. Pompous creature, I thought. I think he loves been in charge. Must be the
uniform that’s gone to his head.
“None of you are in any danger
and I will not tell you people again. Go back to your cabins immediately.”
We all shuffled back to our
respective cabins muttering and complaining along the way.
I got back into bed. Mum was
still sound asleep. The train convulsed into action, clanking and clumping, the
whistle blowing. Slowly it moved down the track its wheels gathering
momentum. I could not sleep no matter
how many sheep I counted and lay there wondering what had happened. I was just
about to drop off when a scuffling sound outside our cabin door brought me to
life and once more I threw on some clothes and peeked tentatively out the door.
It was only one of the cleaners mopping the passageway floor.
“Oh dear, you did give me a
fright,” I said.
“Sorry Miss,” the young man said.
“I was trying to be quiet.”
“That’s alright. You’ve got to do
your job.”
“I don’t suppose you know what
happened on the bridge tonight do you?” I asked, and gave him my nicest smile
for encouragement.
“As a matter of fact I do,” he
answered, smiling back at me as he reached into his pocket for a cigarette,
more than willing it seemed to have a break from the drudgery of cleaning and
tell me what he knew.
I could not believe my luck. My curiosity had been burning and dying to be
satisfied all night and now I was going to find out.
“Why don’t we go to the end of
the carriage where we won’t disturb anyone?” he suggested.
I hesitated for a minute; after
all, I didn’t know this young man and he might have bad intentions, but my
curiosity got the better of me and I walked with him to the end of the
carriage. He lit his cigarette and lounged against the wall puffing smoke all
over me of which I was not one bit impressed.
“Do you mind?” I complained. “I’m
not a smoker. Keep your smoke to yourself.”
“So sorry,” he said in a
sarcastic tone. Do you want to hear the story or not?”
“Yes, but not with a smokescreen
in front of the storyteller,” I replied and glared at him.
“Well, as far as I could see this
is what happened.”
“What do you mean, as far as you
could see?”
“Oh, I hopped off the train and
went to the front, keeping out of sight of course.
“What happened then?”
“There was a bundle lying on the
railway line. Looked like it could have been a man. I suppose he had intentions
of killing himself. Next thing another fellow came running from under the
bridge with two constables and a German Shepherd in hot pursuit. The dog was
about ten yards in the lead. The constables were armed with rifles. “Stop in
the name of the law or we’ll shoot,” they yelled. He kept running, swerving
this way and that way in an effort not to get shot I imagine. The bigger of the
two constables lifted his arm and aimed the rifle. He fired two shots, missed
the first time and then got him in the left leg with the next shot. The man
staggered like a drunk. The German Shepherd reached him and leapt at his arm
pulling him to the ground. The man
screamed, the police arrived and handcuffed him. Meanwhile, what I thought was
a man lying on the track, in fact was, and he raised himself up to a standing
position, crying like a baby. He must have thought that his mate was shot dead.
I presume they were mates because they were both dressed identically with the
same haircuts, if you can call shaven heads a haircut that is. My assumption is
that they were prison escapees. The train driver was a bit of a mess, wandering
around in a daze of no use to anyone. Must have given him an awful shock.”
“What happened then,” I asked.
This was exciting!
“I can’t tell you anymore because I thought I’d better get
back on the train before I was missed by the other cleaners. I could still hear
that man sobbing his heart out as I boarded. Poor bugger, he must have been in
a right state to consider killing himself.
“Gosh, what a night. Thanks for
telling me all about it. I’ll say goodnight then. Mum will be wondering where I
am,” I lied, feeling uneasy all of a sudden.
“What’s the hurry, Miss. How’s
about a little kiss before you go?” the young man asked and placed his hand on
my shoulder. I could see the lustful look in his eyes. My heart started to
pound with fright. “N-n-no th-th-thank
you,” I stuttered, wrenching his hand from my shoulder as I turned around and
fled. I could still hear his laughter echoing along the passageway when I
reached the safety of my sleeping compartment.
Mum stirred when I crept back into the bunk.
“Is that you moving about Angela?
Are you alright dear?”
“I’m fine Mum, just having a bad
night.”
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