Justice for the Forest-Beasts

Chapter Six - In Which the Aristocrats Trespass

The train station was an old building on the north side of the city. While most of the trains accepted passengers, they hardly ever got any. Their main purpose was to deliver materials—dyes, wood, crops, and metals—across the continent. It wouldn't help Rain and the twins to get off at the nearest train station, so they couldn't just buy a first-class ticket and enjoy the luxury seating. They'd have to sneak in with the commodities.

With the sun having already set for the night, the only lights that threatened to reveal Rain and the twins were those at the train station. The train sat in an eerie, still silence. Everything was dark, with long shadows casted across everything. Estelle and Lucian struggled to see, although Rain didn't seem to have any trouble at all. The twins nervously observed the train station, afraid of getting caught. They could hear people inside the building, and they could see the silhouettes in the windows. Estelle wasn't sure how many people were needed to make a train drive, but she was quite sure that one of those people had to be the conductor.

Estelle led the other two behind the train station, then along the side of the train, creeping slowly until they were at the last carrying car before the caboose. The car was large, made out of rough, rusty metal. Estelle tried to push its door open, but it wouldn't budge. It was only with Rain's help that she could get the door to move. It creaked obnoxiously as it gave way and opened, sliding along its rusted track. Quickly, the three scrambled into the train car and joined the storage crates inside. Rain closed the door, making as much of a ruckus as when xe had opened the door. Inside the train car, it was completely dark. Estelle felt around, but all she could feel was the large, wooden crates, and the old wooden floor. She sat on the floor, close enough to Lucian that their legs touched, assuring each other that they were both still there. Estelle could hear both Lucian and Rain breathing and shuffling, but she had nothing else to go off of to tell where Rain was in the car.

"Luc, do you remember how to speak morse code?" Estelle asked, her voice no louder than a whisper. There was no way Lucian would be able to use sign language, as dark as the train car was.

"Wait," Rain said, "I help." The twins listened as xe sat down on the floor of the car and unbuttoned the bag xe kept at xyr hip. Xe rummaged around in it for a moment, filling the train car with a cacophony of clacking, clinking, and jangling. Before long, xe set something metal down on the floor. The twins then heard the uncomfortable scraping of Rain trying to light a match against the side of its box. It suddenly caught light and casted a small, warm glow throughout the train car. Estelle could see Rain's grin as xe brought the candle xe'd placed on the floor up to the match, lighting it after a bit of struggle. Xe then blew out xyr match and placed it on the floor beside the candle.

"Light," Rain said simply, gesturing proudly towards xyr candle.

The three stayed circled around the candle, having no other source of light. The candle was cozy, but Estelle felt that it was also a bit lonesome. The quiet chatter among the three suddenly ceased when they heard a person approaching the train. He was calling out to someone, saying something, but they couldn't understand from the inside of the train car. The man walked along the length of the train, still talking to whoever accompanied him. He didn't open any doors, but that didn't stop Estelle from feeling anxious as he strolled by. Shortly after, the train started. It filled with the sound of its engines, chugging and clunking. The three braced themselves for movement, but Lucian was still caught off-guard when the train started. A smile made its way onto Estelle's face as she felt an odd, sudden sense of freedom and excitement. She felt giddy.

"When do we know we're in the Hills?" Lucian signed.

"I think we'll have to rely on knowing the time," Estelle said, "Rain, would you happen to have a watch in your satchel?"