Standing at the obelisk looking down at the burning castle, DanDan's gaze drifts into the middle distance as clarity like a dove descends from the blue wash of the sky, making everything clear. Freedom of thought, self determination and authentic fr...
Three whistles blow loudly as the pair board the train, a perfect chord of white steam and the train slowly leaves the station. Looking for seats, they find that they're all empty.
'This will do.' says Tiddlepuss and they settle into an eight-seat compartment.
Moving at tremendous speed the countryside becomes more built up, the occasional farmhouse becomes villages. At the same time, the open country is covered with large scale farming. Field after field of what looks like potatoes planted into an ashen landscape.
As they pull into another station, similar to the one at the end of the line, they can see people from their compartment window boarding the train. Quiet and not altogether healthy-looking people, some with boxes, some with tatty looking bags, one with a create of geese. They make their way onto the train and finding a place to sit, quietly take their place.
Travelling again at high speed the occasional village blends into sprawling suburbia, and at the next station, many more people board the train. Moving as an army with the same expression, united by the unhealthy hue in their faces. The drabness in their clothes, little in the way of conversation between them, chained to a daily grind.
This pattern is repeated several times until the train is packed. The compartment overflowing with Tiddlepuss and Dan occupying the same seat. The scenery outside has been replaced with a dense industrial landscape of elevated highways carrying wave upon wave of identical cars. Belching chimneys and monolithic buildings reaching to the leaching dioxide grey of the sky.
The train terminates and empties at the end of the line. Ready for the giant heart of the railway station to pump its occupants into the city.
'Did you notice their expressions?' asks Daniel,
'That is the gaunt look of hopelessness,' says Tiddlepuss 'These people have lost sight of life itself, they are trapped in someone else's dream.'
As they leave the carriage, stepping down onto the platform, they are stopped instantly by two men in long black overcoats and Fedora hats. Intimidation radiates menacingly from the Korovin pistols in their hands.
'Would you mind accompanying us young man, and bring your cat,' says the taller of the two as he motions with his gun towards the ticket barrier. No one in the throng of people around them seems to acknowledge what is happening, not one questioning glance, not one look of concern.
Walking to the barrier they pass under a succession of banners with large Red letters proclaiming 'SHARING IS CARING' and 'PEACE, BREAD & LAND' and 'LIBERTY-EQUALITY-BROTHERHOOD'.
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Cradled in Dan's arms, Tiddlepuss looks up with a worried expression that only cats can make. Dan does his best to overcome his own nervousness and grips Tiddlepuss a little tighter as if to say I'll keep you safe.
They are led through the turnstile and out of the railway station, far more impressive than the one where they began their ride.
Outside in the afternoon sun, they are confronted with a sight that causes Dan to gasp in awe. A vast public square surrounded on all sides by towering buildings, colossal stone edifices, acres of glass with flags and banners rippling in the light breeze, altogether an impressive architectural statement of power and might.
