"This Earth is a land of marvels and mysteries, a land where chaos pursues order and splendid sunny days end in bold starry nights, a land where time is simply the ticking of a clock and space is as far as your arms can stretch!" ~ Spider
Wander out...
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A beacon of light emerged out of the midnight moving rapidly across the horizon. Following the beacon came a chimney, a train cart, two, three. In a matter of seconds a whole steam train trailed behind the beacon of light. The moon shone as brightly as ever, accentuating the red and black metal which met at golden branches and vines. Another whistle tore across the silence of the desert, fading away with the trail of white smoke that lingered behind the train. The chug chug chug of the spinning wheels and dancing pistons grew louder as the train approached an August which was still half asleep and the stranger. The stranger landed in the sand and took a few steps towards the train as jazz trumpets weeped, haunting the howling wind.
"We are not going on there."
The stranger raised his arms towards the approaching train. The train was almost parallel to them about a hundred meters across the desert.
"How the hell did that even get here? I mean... I've only ever seen trains in pictures but I'm sure that this is not what they're supposed to be like."
The train came to a halt as the white smoke stopped emerging from the chimney.
"Listen to me! I have no idea what's going on and I still have no idea who you are or rather what you are! I'm not even sure if I'm asleep or awake but you better pinch me before I decapitate you!"
August scrambled towards his stick and held it defensively, looking at the blue gem rather than towards the stranger who still had both hands pointed towards the train.
"I'm not joking!" yelled August.
The stranger turned around with one hand still pointed towards the train, his goggles covered with a thin layer of frost. Moving his second arm very slowly and gracefully he pointed it towards August and closed his hand, signaling him to follow before taking off towards the train.
"HEY! Stop! Wait up! Could you at least tell me what the hell is going on!"
The stranger moved surprisingly fast, leaving a trail of dust behind him as he ran, almost floating off the ground towards the train. August ran as fast as his feet allowed him to, swinging his arms back and forth as the desert wind danced in his hair. Trying to catch his breath he could see the finer details of the train, brown rust dotted around the dark black metal, scratches made by undeniably large claws on the blood red metal, and a dozen or so bullet holes sparsely stretched across the caravan.
"Hey? What now?" August asked, looking around for the stranger.
The music faded away, August covered his ears to block out the train whistle. The train started moving forwards, slowly speeding up.
"Hey! Where the hell are you!? What should I do now?"
August looked around once more for the stranger but he was nowhere in sight. The train carts were moving past him faster and faster, cages containing animals hidden in the shadows, wooden crates, and oddly shaped containers. A cart with a golden ladder bolted to it was approaching; with the little time to think he had, August decided to climb aboard the train. He clung onto the moving ladder as his feet were lifted off the ground, he kicked around in the air for a few seconds until he was able to get them on the bottom step. With the wind pushing him back, climbing to the top was harder than he thought it would be but he made it and was not standing on the cart roof with the trail of smoke slittering above his head.
