The Never Ending Train

6 The Cool Breeze of Adventure

I stare out the window in car 3. The rolling grass seems to stretch on forever. Like that's all the earth is made out of. Trees and hills break the monotony every once in a while. The sky still has no clouds, bright blue as ever. Blue and green. Green and blue. A little bit of brown. Then, green and blue. Blue and green.

My mind runs in circles in boredom. Dr. Silas tried to convince me to reconsider when I said no. But I insisted. I didn't want to slow anyone down. I never wanted to do this kind of thing. I'm not fit enough for it. Not smart enough. I want to live. But these are not the reasons I said no. They're the reasons I told Dr. Silas. They became my reasons, but they were not originally why I said no. I don't know why I said no, I just know I have no reason to say yes.

When Dr. Silas gave up trying to convince me, he put me in car 3 because it was the safest I could go, and since I wasn't a part of the meeting, I couldn't stay in car 2. Angela was thrown out as well. She's somewhere in the back, I don't know, I didn't pay attention. The meeting is still going on.

My mind wanders back to the scenery outside. Green and blue, blue and green, green and...blue. I sit up, squinting into the distance. Blue...and more blue. We're approaching a body of water. Is it a lake? An ocean? The sparkling diamonds swaying in the relatively calm waves ease my mind and take my breath away at the same time. The train approaches bit by bit. Voices start up as more people take notice. Kids running to the windows and pressing their cheeks against it to catch a glimpse of the shining water.

I can see it comfortably sitting back now, yet it's still so far in the distance. The water is so clear, I can see underneath. Fish and other sea life. In the deep depths, coral reefs and kelp forests. Another smile tugs at my lips. It's so beautiful. It makes me wish I traveled more. I was always stuck in that tiny town. Did I ever actually travel anywhere? I can't remember. This lost piece of memory tugs at me and annoyance replaces the awe of the water.

"Woah woah! Look! It's so big!" Some kids on the other side of the car scream into the glass. My happiness at their excitement turns to confusion quickly as I realize something. There is water on my side, and water on their side.

I frown as I think. There's water on both sides of the train. And it's a big body of water because it stretches as far as we can see. That means...there's a huge body of water directly on the path of the train. Is there a bridge? A strip of land that crosses the water? If not... we're going to sink!!

I shoot up, ignoring the sudden wave of lightheadedness that comes with it. The stranger sitting next to me looks up in shock. I ignore her and with a little "excuse me," step around her onto the pathway in between seats. The meeting should still be in session. The stranger was all too excited to take my spot and look at the water coming closer and closer.

I run up to the door that leads into car 2. There's someone there to make sure no one goes in. "I need to get through."

"I can't do that. Dr. Silas said no interruptions, except in the case of a request by Angela Skinner and Scarlet Gurs-"

"Me! That's me, I'm Scarlet." He looks at me weird but moves out of the way. I walk through. The security guard speaks to someone behind me.

"And you are?" He asks. I turn around to find Angela there.

"Angela." The both of us walk into car 2 together. The moment we do, over a dozen pairs of eyes attach onto ours. Most people are still on the floor but a few are up around a giant piece of paper attached to the wall with notes of the conversation so far and a sketch of the train. I look at Kai, Nora, and Dominic, still on the floor, before lifting my eyes again.

"What a pleasant surprise. Scarlet." Dr. Silas nods at Angela. "Angela. I hope you're here because you changed your-"

"Do you know where we're going?" I interrupt him. He frowns at the interruption but answers. "No, we have not yet figured out where we're going or where we are."