A Postponed Journey (To Prison)

On the Prison Car

Kit held out her hand to the girl in front of her. The girl had tears running down her face, though it was partially hidden by her dark hair, and didn't meet Kit's eyes. However, after a couple of seconds, she took her hand and shook it shakily.

"Nice to meet you," said Kit. The girl nodded, still avoiding her gaze.

Kit looked away as well. From what she could tell, the train would not move for a while, due to all the commotion. She heard raised voices and what sounded like an argument but didn't eavesdrop.

Out of the window, she could see her brother walking away, his hands in his pockets. Kit wondered what he must be thinking right now, and what had happened to him on his apprenticeship. She hadn't talked to him other than through library cards, and even that had been quite a while ago. Lemony did not look back at her, and that was for the best.

In Kit's mind, she drafted a letter she would write to him if she could.

"Dear Lemony," it would say. "I hope your apprenticeship has been better than mine." She was just thinking of the next sentence when she heard a quiet sob from the girl next to her.

Kit looked at her and moved a little closer. Kit felt sorry for her, and in any case, it was a good idea to befriend the person you were going to break out of prison with. "Hey," she said in a gentle tone. "I know there's a lot going on right now, but it'll be alright."

The girl said nothing, so Kit didn't push. She just sat down next to her. "Did you see that thing by the train earlier?" asked Kit, "That huge animal. I was freaking out," Kit gave a half-chuckle.

"Yes. The Bombinating Beast. It's terrible."

Kit nodded. "I've never heard of it before, but it really is." She remembered how each of its gigantic footsteps seemed to shake the very ground it walked on. "I'm so glad it's gone."

The girl was still trembling. Kit remembered how scared she had felt when she had been arrested. Alone. But this time she wasn't alone, nor was the girl sitting next to her. "Look, we'll get out of here. I'll help us."

"No," she said, her voice shaky. "It's not that... It's the beast. It killed my father."

Oh.

That would do it.

Though Kit scarcely knew her, she gave the girl a hug and let her cry. Once again she thought of Lemony. What on earth would she do, she wondered, if he was dead? And the beast. She could just imagine it swallowing someone up.

Once the girl broke away from her hug, she looked at Kit for the first time, an intense green stare. "I would have done anything to save him," she said, but she didn't sound so sure.

Kit nodded. "I'm sure he knew that. He would have wanted something better for you than this." She gestured at the prison car they were locked in. The train had still not moved yet, though it might soon.

"I don't even know that," she said, but she did not elaborate. "I'm Ellington Feint, by the way. I don't think I got your name?"

"Kit Snicket."

Ellington's eyes grew wide. "Then you must be related to Lemony Snicket."

Kit did not know how to answer. On one hand, she wasn't keen on letting someone who was practically a stranger know that Lemony was her brother. On the other hand, what else could she say? She decided on, "Do you know him?"

"Too well. He was supposed to help me. He did the opposite." Ellington let out a sigh and put her hand on the velvety seat of the prison car.

"What did he do?"

Ellington said nothing for a while, then she said, "Something no good person would ever do." She glanced at Kit's ankle, which was covered by a heavy black shoe. "I'm sure you wouldn't listen to a word against him, though, you're his sister, I imagine?"

"Yes," said Kit, deciding she might as well be honest.

"Then you'll know all about how it feels and..." Ellington trailed off, and when she finished her sentence, her tone changed. "How he felt." Then she seemed to make up her mind. "Good person or not, I won't spoil your memory of him."

Perhaps someday Kit would understand what Ellington meant when she said that. But now was not the time, she was suddenly reminded that they had other matters at hand. Such as escaping a prison car that might start moving soon.

Ellington took out something small, metal, and wonderful — exactly what Kit needed! from her pocket. "I might need some help with this. Are you good with a skeleton key?"