The Zombie Train The Transport Corp

Chapter 31: President Train

Six in the morning, the next day, I was all tucked in my sheets. The sun barely peeking through the blinds. I was abruptly awoken by the sound of the ringing house phone. Half sleeping, I made my way to the kitchen. Picking up the receiver, "
"Hello?"
"Hello? Marvin? It's Jessica. Jessica Queens. I was wondering if you could take a train up to Morgan Hill, Dai doesn't trust anyone else."
"Hmm..." I grumbled under my breath. "Sure thing. I'll have it ready by twelve."
"Gee thanks! I'll see you there."

"So you got convinced by a girl."
"Shut up Will! She asked nicely."
I climbed up into the 7F cab.
"But no really, do you have a girlfriend?"
"No." I scowled at him.
"Why not?"
I set the shovel down. "Because the world went to hell before she found me."
"So... your idea is to have the woman you love... to find you?"
"Yup!" Prepared to end things right there, but Will didn't get the hint.
"Marvin, no offense but... that's the dumbest thing I've ever heard."
"And how about you? Do you have a girlfriend?"
"No."
"Ah ha!" I pointed at him, reminiscent of Mr. Wright.
"Are you two finished arguing? Because the train's ready to go." Christian yelled to us from the ground.
"Yup, just need a minute or two."
"Alrighty, I'll need Will though, Jessie wanted him."
"Aww, I wanted to fire the president train!"
"Oh well, orders are orders." I shrugged.
Will jumped down, the two headed for the station office. The scaffolding of the new switch tower providing the backdrop. As I watched them leave, another sight caught my eye. I saw Michelle and Powell walking, she pulled him into a kiss. After a second I went back to my duties firing up old Dai. Once Powell climbed up into the cab, I asked him. "Lovers much?"
"Who? Oh, yeah. Umm, she's a friend."
"Alright. Wait. Don't you have the Westward Wanderer?"
"Oh yeah right. Darn!" Powell jumped down, as Will came back up.
"Jessie had to promote me."
"Hey! Congratulations! Class one!" I elbowed him. "We'll be running up to Morgan Hill for a meeting or something. At twelve, we'll head back."
"Okay."
I reached under to pull up the cylinder cocks, letting off the brakes. I reached up to blow two short whistles, picking up the regulator a bit. As I heard the steam beginning to blowout all the condensation from the last run, a mighty chuff escaped out of the chimney. As my engine slowly moved out of the shed, into the bright sun, our freshly painted Prussian blue shimmered. I looked out to see the navy blue coaches at the platform as we passed them, stopping long of the switch. I looked back to verify Barns set the road. Once the points were aligned, I gave three short blasts on the whistle, backing up into the coaches. I closed the regulator just before impact, the ground moving underneath us as we coupled up. I whistled one and stepped out onto the platform, walking back to check the couples.
Once I completed my final checks, I walked back to the observation car to verify my waybill with Pierreson, our conductor for this run.
"Alrighty, got a good head of steam, we'll be ready to head out whenever Dai's here."
"Good, I'll tell him."
I walked back to the cab. "Marvin, I know you want to start going back in slow but... three coaches?"
"Hey! What's wrong with that?"
"Well, it barely qualifies as a train."
"I'll have you know we have over 2.000 tones in tow, plus since we only have 21 pounds of braking pressure."
"Oh."
I looked back, I saw a black van pull up. "He's here."
I opened the blower, getting a good draft before we set off. Once I heard Pierson's approval, I quilled the whistle. Opening the small ejector to take off the brakes. Giving the old girl a nice amount of steam. The chilly atmosphere gave us a giant cloud of white mist in front of Dai. After a few wheel turns, I closed the cylinder cocks. The land cloud quickly dissipated.
The rails ahead were clear.