An Average Life: Rail Life

Part 5

Citrus tried to move, but the engine's wheels slipped, causing more sparks to fly. She paced the cab anxiously.

"WHAT DO WE DO?!" She shouted.

"Calm down!" Said Ripple. "If you want us to get out of here, you're gonna have to make some sparks."

"B-But the train will catch fire!"

"It's already on fire, it can't get any more on fire."

Citrus looked to the train.. Then to Ripple. She nodded, and began trying to move the engine again.

"Here we go.." She said.

The engine's wheels spun for a second, but eventually it started to move forward.

"What are we going to do?" Asked Ripple.

"We're going to separate the train from the engine using this stick."

She held up the shovel, and gave it to Ripple.

"You're going to knock the switch for the track into place by holding this out the cab. You will only have seconds to react."

Ripple grasped the shovel tight and nodded.

"What about you?.."

"I'm going to climb up the back of the tender, and uncouple the train with the shunter's pole" Said Citrus.

"...... I'm going to pretend to know what all that means." Ripple replied. "Just be careful."

Ripple looked out the cab window, as Citrus carefully climbed up the back of the tender. She looked at the fresh coal it was filled with.

"This is going to hurt.." She thought.

With the shutter's pole grasped tight, she quickly climbed over the coal, groaning from the immense discomfort in doing so. She looked down, and could see the coupling.

"Here we go.."

She reached as far as she could with the pole, and managed to wedge it under the loop, but she couldn't pull it free. The train was too heavy, and it wouldn't come uncoupled.

"Come on.." She groaned.

She pulled as hard as she could. It wouldn't move. She was furious.

"Ripple! Slow us down!" She shouted.

"W-What?"

"Trust me!"

Ripple obeyed. She pulled the lever, and the engine began to slow. The train behind it kept its momentum, and the coupling was loose enough for Citrus to pull it free. The train was now uncoupled.

"SPEED US UP!" Yelled Citrus, scrambling back into the cab.

The engine sped up, and began outrunning the line of cars that was following it.

"How much longer until the switches?" Asked Citrus.

Ripple looked out the window. She could see the switch approaching.

"ON THE RIGHT! MY RIGHT!" She shouted.

She stuck the shovel out the cab door, and with a shrieking CRACK, she hit the lever, switching the direction of the track. The engine went one way, and the line of cars went the other. They went off into the distance, until Citrus and Ripple heard a loud explosion, letting them know they had succeeded.

"We did it!" Shouted Citrus excitedly.

"Yeah, we're not getting blown up!" Replied Ripple.

Citrus looked out the window, and saw a sign that read "dead end".

"BUT WE ARE GONNA GET FLATTENED!" Shouted Citrus.

"OH GOD!"

Citrus immediately shut off steam and replied the brakes, but they were still going too fast. They hit the wall at a violent speed, and were knocked unconscious from the crash.