Strange lights and other occurrences; a guide to alien housemates

Chapter 4: "I request a baguette!"

The train journey home was a long one, and as seas and rivers turned to hills and cityscape, Anya was reminded slightly of her home, though there were no power stations there. No, hillsides were her favourite thing to look at. If she hadn't been so engrossed in conversation, she would've been homesick. But she was content, watching the world go by, wondering what she would see next. It felt strange that she had gone with these two (relative) strangers, but she felt that, at her age, she should know who to be able to trust. The real innovation came when her fellow traveller, Dan, got up from his seat to "Go and get a sandwich". Whilst, indeed, she had heard of sandwiches, where she was from, there was no means of buying food on transportation. her eyes widened in awe. He was going to buy three? How extraordinary! 

"May I come with you?" intrigued, she followed Dan down the moving carriages, falling onto disgruntled passengers every time the train jolted, which was a lot. Eventually, they came to a door, which was nothing really, but at this point Dan realised he had forgotten to pick up his wallet.

"Oh, wait here, I'll go and find it." Anya stood by the door, but this didn't last long. She pressed the light-shrouded button, opening the door. "A bit sluggish," she thought "but much like those of home." She stepped through, the shuffling corridors something she had never before experienced. "Ah," she said "This must be where sandwiches can be obtained. She looked at the carriage, walked up to the booth, and proclaimed "I request a baguette!" Nothing happened. Indignant, she turned round just in time to see Dan return.

"Ah, Dan, I think this... " she waved at the booth "sandwich cart is broken. I have had no response, unless the occupant is being rather rude in my presence." Dan stood, awestruck. He managed to stop her, however, just in time. Fortunately, she was unable to demand a baguette from the man that emerged from the Train toilet when the door slid open. 

"Penam... that's a toilet. Look... " he said, pointing to a particularly large sign that said 'Toilet' on the door. "How did you not see that?"

"Well, you see, Dan, I do not read English." Dan sighed. It seemed it had been a good idea that he and Phil had decided Anya to stay with them. He tried not to imagine how many people she would've requested sandwiches from had it not been for him. 

"But... you speak it?"

"Yes, of course. Last time we were here, my brother and I had to figure out how to. My brother, you see, is better at English reading than I."

"How long ago was it that you visited?" he asked as they tried not to fall over too much.

"I'm not sure, but you certainly did not have this... level of technology." This created more questions in Dan's mind than it answered.

By the time they returned to their seats, several apologies and face-plant later, there was only an hour left of their journey. Anya handed Phil his baguette with a look of triumph, and sat down with a reminiscent crash to try her Prawn mayonnaise sandwich. It was good. Very good. She resolved to tease her brother that train sandwiches were better than the ones he made. He would certainly be annoyed, but that what she lived for, after all.

An hour later, as promised, they arrived at their home station. Worried that Anya would find London busy and flustering, Phil and Dan gave her a pep talk.

"Just to warn you, London might be a little... confusing. Its OK if you're worried, though, I mean we've made almost every mistake, right Phil?"

"Definitely" this was the voice of experience. 

The moment arrived. Anya braced herself, took a deep breath, looked to Dan and Phil in turn, and nodded. The door slid open, 100 times slower than her heart rate. She stepped off the train.