10 Years...

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"Okay everyone line up!" The guard yelled and I sighed. I looked at my friend that I met on the train when my husband and I arrived 10 years ago.

"Ugh, if it wasn't the only food we were giving I wouldn't subject myself or Colt to eat to these jelly bricks." I said as I lined up and put Colt in front of me.

"It's food." Tanya said simply as we walked slowly in-line to the container. Once I reached I grabbed 2 and was hit in the hand by a guard with the butt of his gun.

"Only one!" He yelled and I rubbed my hand as Colt whimpered.

"I was getting one for my son. He can't reach." I said and he saw him in front of me. He didn't say anything. I grabbed 2 and handed one to Colt.

"Sorry about him." The one guard said as I passed him and I just half nodded and walked back to our bunks. Tanya and her son Timmy sat across from Colt and I.

"That guard is still watching you." Tanya said. I looked to see the guard that apologized watching me and Colt.

"Not sure why." I said and Tanya huffed a laugh.

"Who knows. Hasn't he tried talk to you before?" Tanya asked.

"I guess...a few times. He mostly just says hello but Lance always told me not to talk to the guards." I said and she sighed with a nod.

"Yeah, I know it's a scary situation." Tanya said and I nodded. I looked at the guard still watching me as the last of the people got their bricks and then they left.

"10 years...been on this damn train for 10 years. It was never supposed to be this long." I said and Tanya sighed.

"These babies have never seen the outside world." Tanya said motioning to Colt and Timmy. Tanya and I were friends the minute we got on the train both being newlyweds. Our husbands only wanted the best for us.

***FLASHBACK - 10 YEARS AGO***

"Esme we will be here for a year tops. I promise you this cold snap isn't going to last." My husband of 6 months, Lance said. We grabbed a bunk and sighed.

"Lance, this is scary I mean on a train with all the these strangers...it's scary." I said and he wrapped his arms around me and I sighed.

"A year my love. They always said first year or marriage is the hardest...let's test that." Lance said and I gave a small laugh and he leaned down giving me a small kiss.

"Sorry to interrupt but did you say first year of marriage?" A lady asked in the bunk across from us.

"Yeah, we have been married for 6 months." I said and she smiled.

"Same with us. Before the cold started to slowly move in." She said and I nodded.

"I'm Esme, this is my husband Lance." I said introducing ourselves.

"I'm Tanya and this is my husband Cliff." She said and we shook their hands.

"Nice to meet you both." Lance said and they nodded. This was where this friendship and technically family start.

***5 YEARS LATER***

I was up pacing the length of the back of room of the train, it had become a makeshift delivery room for woman having babies. It seemed constant on the train, with nothing else for people to do. The contractions were getting closer but I couldn't stay laying down.

"Okay Lance if it's a boy I want Colton Lance." I said and he nodded since he was pacing with me.

"It's perfect, what about a girl?" Lance asked.

"Don't need a girl name, it's a boy I know it." I said and he huffed a laugh.

"Should still have a name picked." Lance said and I groaned.

"Fine... Aurelia May." I said and he nodded.

"Perfect." Lance said and kissed my cheek. I doubled over having a contraction.

"Okay Esme, we need to sit and check you out." Kara said. She was a midwife before the cold snap so she was perfect with helping all of us. She checked me out and smiled.

"You're ready to push Esme." She said and I smiled at Lance as he kissed my forehead. He took my hand and I started following the orders from Kara and after some time I pushed out our son, Colton Lance. This was the happiest I had been in the last 5 years on this god forsaken train

***END FLASHBACK***

"Mama, this is gross." Colt said pulling me from my thoughts.

"I know sweetie but it's all we have." I said and he groaned. I looked at Timmy. "He is eating his, try and do the same okay?" I said and he nodded. Timmy was born a week before Colton. They were raised like brothers and I wouldn't have it any other way.

"You were thinking about Lance weren't you?" Tanya asked and I sighed.

"Thinking about coming on the train and then having Colt actually." I said and she half smiled.

"Do you remember what he sounded like? I don't remember Cliffs voice anymore." Tanya said and I sighed.

"I'm starting to forget..." I said looking down at my hands in my lap.

"Mama, the guard is back." Colt said and I looked to the front of the train car and he was watching me and Colt.

"Just eat your brick please." I said. He grimaced but continued.

"What I wouldn't give for a slice of pizza." I whispered to Tanya and she laughed.

"Girl don't get me started." Tanya said and I sighed with a small laugh.

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Later that night I couldn't sleep so I snuck out of my bunk making sure not to wake Colt and headed to the front of the train car. There weren't any windows or anything but I could hear the train running through the snow if I was quiet enough. I saw the door open and I panicked when a guard came walking through and he saw me. It was the guard that watched me.

"I'll go back to my bunk." I said I noticed he wasn't in his guard attire but I wasn't going to be too unaware.

"I was hoping I would see you. I wanted to apologize about that guard. He had no right to hit you. Is your hand okay?" He asked and I sighed looking at the bruise.

"I've had worse. No big deal." I said and went to walk away.

"I reported him, he is being reprimanded and won't be back here again. Wilford does worry about children's well-being on the train."

"Even back here in the messily lowest of the low. How thoughtful." I said and went to walk away.

"Not all of us think this is right, you know." He said and stopped me in my tracks.

"But it's the way it is." I said.

"I'm Curtis by the way." He said. I said and turned to looked at him.

"I'm Esme." I said. He gave a small smile as I walked away back to my bunk and he left the train car as quickly as he came.   

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